Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Chaos Rising Has Some Cool Cards But the Pull Rates Are Brutal (Review)

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The Pokémon Trading Card Game entered a new phase in fall 2025, bringing back Mega Evolutions and introducing designs from Pokémon Legends: Z-A. The releases so far have been a mixed bag – some expansions, like Ascended Heroes, have been very popular, while others, like Perfect Order, were smaller and more focused. The next expansion, Chaos Rising, will be available on May 22nd, and I’ve had a chance to preview some of the products.

Similar to its predecessor, Perfect Order, Chaos Rising is a relatively small set, adding only 122 cards to the Pokemon TCG. The set includes a new, highly collectible gold Mega Hyper Rare card featuring Mega Greninja. For this review, I examined the Mega Greninja Elite Trainer Box, a Booster Bundle, a Booster Display, and the newest Build and Battle deck. The packaging for Chaos Rising, particularly the Elite Trainer Box and booster sleeves, looks fantastic. However, opening packs of cards might be more frustrating than rewarding.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Pros Cons
Well designed for playability around new ex cards Fewer standout full art cards
Interesting strategic potential from Pokemon abilities and support cards Brutal ex pull rates
Smaller overall card number

Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Chaos Rising Has a Few Standouts, But They’re Few and Far Between

I really enjoyed reviewing Perfect Order and was lucky enough to find some beautiful Illustration Rares for my collection. I was hoping to have the same luck with Chaos Rising, especially after opening 55 packs. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for cards with stunning full artwork, my experience suggests Chaos Rising doesn’t deliver as well.

This set includes Illustration Rare cards, but they were a little harder to find compared to sets from the same period. The artwork focuses heavily on close-up shots of Pokémon, often with simple backgrounds. While these cards look good, they don’t create the same sense of being in a Pokémon world as some earlier Illustration Rares. I personally preferred the art style of previous sets, and this difference makes it feel like there aren’t as many highly sought-after cards in this set.

The artwork in many of the Illustration Rares for Chaos Rising is simpler, but the set has a tendency to give you a lot of duplicate cards. While the number of ex and Mega ex cards I pulled seemed similar to previous expansions, I got noticeably more repeats, even among the rare cards, which made opening packs less exciting. However, if you need several copies of a specific card like Mega Dragalge ex for a deck, Chaos Rising might be a good place to look.

Okay, so my pulls weren’t amazing this time, but that doesn’t mean the Chaos Rising set is a bust! There are still some really cool cards to find, especially the Illustration Rares, Ultra Rares, and those Special Illustration Rares. I was excited to see a few trainers from Pokemon Legends: Z-A included, like Ultra Rares for Emma and Philippe. And seriously, the colors on the Mega Pyroar ex Ultra Rare are stunning! They might be a little harder to get than usual, but there are definitely some cards worth collecting. It just feels like there aren’t quite as many chase cards as I’ve seen in some of the more recent sets, personally.

Strategic Potential Abounds in Chaos Rising, If You Like Creative Deck Builds

What really stood out to me about the Chaos Rising set – besides how many Mega Dragalge ex cards I got – was how much room it gives players to get creative. The expansion really focuses on Pokémon abilities and moves that do unique things during battles. This is great for Pokémon TCG players who enjoy trying out different strategies, and it offers some exciting possibilities for building new decks around the set’s new Mega ex cards.

This new expansion is headlined by Mega Greninja and includes a good selection of Water-type Pokémon and helpful support cards. The Great Haul Net card, for example, lets you quickly grab Water-type Pokémon and Energy for your hand – and I’ve found it’s fairly easy to find in card packs, making it a great addition to a Mega Greninja deck. Beyond Water-types, there are also some interesting Fire-type Pokémon, including a particularly cute Vulpix that I’m adding to my collection right away.

Although the cards from Chaos Rising aren’t particularly groundbreaking for most decks, I appreciate the innovative ideas they introduce. I think this collection offers some interesting possibilities for experimenting with different strategies, especially with the Pokémon abilities and items. While I was hoping for more visually stunning cards, I believe Chaos Rising has potential, particularly for players who enjoy building unique decks rather than collecting show-stopping artwork.

The new Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion, Mega Evolution – Chaos Rising, comes out on May 22nd. It will include an Elite Trainer Box, a Booster Bundle, and a Booster Display. Players can get a first look and try out the new cards by participating in local Play Pokémon events starting May 9th, where they can also get a Build and Battle Box for Chaos Rising.

ComicBook received Pokemon TCG samples from the Chaos Rising expansion for the purpose of this review.

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2026-05-16 16:40