Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes Is One Of The Best Sets In Years (Review)

by

The Pokémon Trading Card Game has entered a new phase called the Mega Evolution Era. The newest set, Ascended Heroes, combines Mega Pokémon with the more recent Tera Pokémon and Pokémon featured with Trainers. This collection includes over 290 different cards spread across 8 different products. The first product, the Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker collection, was released on January 30th, and more items will be available throughout February and March.

I recently had the opportunity to preview some of the new Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes products. I opened 37 packs from various items like the Elite Trainer Box, Erika Collection, Mini Tin, and Premium Poster Collection. While I didn’t get the specific card I was hoping for (a special Psyduck illustration), I was really pleased with the diverse range of cards in the set. It’s a great set for collectors thanks to the beautiful artwork, and there are also a few cards that could be helpful for competitive players.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros Cons
Stunning artwork, including new Megas from Legends: Z-A Relatively low pull rates for the rarer, collectible cards
Good variety of products in the collection Likely going to be tough to find at MSRP
Great mix of collectible and competitive cards

Pokemon TCG Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes Shows Off Stunning Art and Solid Print Quality

I was really impressed by the artwork while opening packs from the Ascended Heroes set. Although a few cards, such as Poochyena, use older art, there are still plenty of beautiful new illustrations. I didn’t get many of the Special Illustration Rares, but the ones I did pull were fantastic. I especially love the Budew card. Even the standard cards have good designs and will likely be popular with collectors.

Recently, some collectors have expressed concerns about the print quality of Pokémon cards. With demand exceeding production, there’s been a feeling that cards are being printed too quickly. However, I’m happy to say the cards I opened were excellent. The printing was well-aligned and I didn’t find any noticeable defects. This is encouraging for anyone hoping to get cards from this set professionally graded and collected. In fact, I believe this new set, Ascended Heroes, could become as popular as the classic Prismatic Evolutions.

This set really shines with the return of Mega Evolution cards, known here as Mega ex. But there’s plenty more to discover! It features cards with popular trainers like Larry, Erika, and Cynthia, as well as cards featuring Team Rocket. Plus, a few new cards could change up the competitive scene. If you love collecting cards featuring your favorite trainers, this set has a great selection.

One of the great things about this release is the range of products available. Elite Trainer Boxes (ETBs) can be expensive, so buying several packs at once might not fit everyone’s budget. Luckily, there are also smaller, more affordable sets to choose from. I especially liked the Erika Collection, which includes an Erika Coin, a foil promo card of Erika’s Tangela, and two packs from the Ascended Heroes expansion. The First Partner collection is also a lot of fun – you’re guaranteed a collectible pin featuring the starter Pokémon from Legends: Z-A before you even open the included packs. Hopefully, this variety of options will make it easier for people to get their hands on Ascended Heroes as the products become available in the coming months.

Ascended Heroes Is a Collector’s Set With a Few Strong Competitive Contenders

Lots of people are collecting Pokemon cards these days, even if they don’t play the game. If you’re wondering if the new Ascended Heroes cards can improve your deck, there’s some good news! While many of the cards are aimed at collectors—especially the rare and valuable Special Illustration Rares—there are also a few cards that are actually strong enough to use in gameplay.

I’ve been really impressed with the Poke Pad Item Card – it’s a great card to include in your deck, honestly. And I was surprised by how easy it was to get! I actually pulled two of them while opening packs, which is cool because it’s not super rare, but you have a decent shot at getting one yourself without having to buy it from someone else. What it does is let you search through your deck for any Pokemon that doesn’t have a Rule Box and put it right into your hand, which is awesome for getting your strategy going.

While most of the powerful new Pokemon ex cards are difficult to find, a few rarer ones could become really strong players in the game. I personally only pulled Mega Froslass ex, which is a great card because it has a simple, low-energy first attack and can build up to a powerful finishing move. Besides Mega Froslass ex, there are several other ex cards in this set that could impact competitive play. Although the special rare versions are hard to get, ex cards themselves aren’t too rare, so players focusing on competition should be able to collect a few useful ones.

Overall, I really liked what the Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes set had to offer. The cards are well-made, and there are some beautiful ones for collectors. With a good mix of different cards, you’re bound to find a few you’ll want to keep, whether you’re a collector or a player.

ComicBook was provided with a sample of products from the Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes set to evaluate for this review.

Read More

2026-02-06 21:43