I've barely put my phone down since the Fantastical Parade drop landed, and I didn't expect it to hit this hard. A few packs in and you can feel the whole pace of Pokémon TCG Pocket speeding up, especially if you're already watching deck lists and trying to stay ahead. I even caught myself checking Pokemon TCG Pocket Items options between matches, because once the new staples show up, you either keep up or you start queueing into the same nightmare boards all day.
Mega EX Hits Different
The headline cards are the Mega Pokémon EX, and yeah, they're as scary as people are saying. Regular EX used to feel manageable: stall a turn, trade smart, chip away, move on. With Megas, that plan falls apart fast. If they stick for even a moment, you're suddenly facing a turn that swings the whole game, not just the active spot. You'll notice players getting more aggressive about set-up now, too. They're not "building value" for five turns anymore. They're racing to one huge turn, then forcing you to have the answer right now, or you just don't get another real turn.
Stadiums Change the Board
The part I didn't know I'd love is Stadium cards. Pocket always felt clean, almost too clean—active, bench, done. Stadiums make it messy in a good way. You're not only thinking about what you can play, but what you're going to erase. Dropping a Stadium at the right time to shut off passive boosts or flip a matchup feels like real control, not just "I drew better." And it adds a weird tension: do you play your Stadium early for value, or hold it so you can overwrite theirs at the worst possible moment? You'll see people baiting Stadiums now, and it's honestly kind of fun.
Art, Collection, and the Daily Pull Habit
Even if you're not sweating the meta, the set is worth opening just for the visuals. The colors are loud, the frames pop, and the whole parade vibe actually comes through in the binder view. I've had matches where I lost and still felt fine because I got to show off a new pull for a minute. And the limited missions this time don't feel like pure chores. They push you into trying new lines and odd tech picks, so you're not just farming the same safe deck on repeat.
Where the Meta's Headed
This feels less like a normal expansion and more like a nudge into a new era. Mega EX rewards planning for one explosive turn, while Stadiums reward timing and denial, and those two ideas clash in a way that keeps games tense. If you're short on time, it's still worth logging in and testing a few builds, because the ladder's already adapting. And if you're the type who likes to grab resources quickly so you can focus on deckbuilding instead of waiting, I've seen plenty of players mention rsvsr for picking up game currency and items without turning it into an all-day grind, which makes experimenting a lot easier.