With the launch of Chilling Reign last week, the Pokemon TCG availability situation got a lot better. For the first time in five expansions, many were able to get their hands on Pokemon cards without having to show up at Target at four in the morning or pay a ridiculous premium to scalpers. There’s still a long way to go of course, and anyone that missed out on grabbing cards during launch day is going to have a hard time finding any until new products come out (which, luckily, happens a couple of times a month). That being said, there’s actually still a fantastic way to get your hands on Pokemon cards if you’re looking to play the game or give them to kids. It won’t help collectors much, but there’s a type of product that languishes on the shelf long after all the booster backs and ETBs have sold out. If you just want to get your hands on some cards in a playable little package, check out the V Battle Decks. I can almost guarantee if you walk into any department store today you’ll find these decks still on the shelf.

V Battle Decks are a slight rebranding of the traditional Theme Deck, which are a pair of pre-constructed decks that typically release alongside new sets. The new V Battle Decks are not branded with any particular expansion, but rather are made up of various cards from throughout the most recent Sword & Shield era. Each deck features a mascot Pokemon and includes an ultra-rare V card of that Pokemon. You’ll find these decks in single packs or sometimes in dual packs that give you two 60-card decks. At $15 each, these V Battle Decks are an incredible value and a wonderful way to get into the hobby and play a few games of Pokemon TCG.

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Each pack includes everything one player needs to play: a 60-card deck, a rule book, a paper playmat, damage counters, a plastic coin, a code for a digital version of the deck, and a box to keep the deck in. These are pre-constructed decks, meaning every Victini V Battle Deck has the exact same 60 cards in them. You won’t find any rare or valuable cards in them for this reason, but you will get a cohesive deck that contains a balanced mix of Pokemon, trainer, and energy cards that make for a fun and competitive game.

While V Battle Decks aren’t exactly competitive in the grand scheme of the Pokemon TCG hobby, they are designed to be competitive with other V Battle Decks. That means whether you're playing the Victini, Gardevoir, Blastoise, or Venusaur deck, you’ll be on equal footing with any other V Battle Deck. You can even play these against the older Theme Decks from the past and you’ll almost certainly have a fair game.

As parents continue to struggle to find new cards for their kids to open, I think V Battle Decks remain an exceptional way to engage with the hobby. They can still get the thrill of opening up a pack to see what’s inside with these decks, and even better, they can start playing the game right away without having to worry about making a playable deck. Treasure hunting is a lot of fun, but playing Pokemon TCG is a vastly underrated experience. Don’t overlook these V Battle Decks, especially right now when single packs are nearly impossible to get. These decks are a great way to scratch the Pokemon card itch and the best way to get kids actually playing with all their Pokemon cards.

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