Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Pokémon TCG: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars | The Coolest Cards We Pulled From Booster Packs
The first Pokémon Trading Card Game expansion of 2022 is finally ready to launch, and as such, we're here to crack open a ton of booster packs for the Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars expansion. The expansion includes more 170 cards, including 4 Pokémon VStar cards, 20 Pokémon V, and 3 Pokémon VMax cards. In addition, Brilliant Stars features 30 Trainer Gallery cards with special art, more than 20 Trainer cards, and a new Special Energy card.
We were sent a ton of booster packs for the Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars expansion. When I opened up all the packs and sorted through my pulls, I was pleased with the generational spread. While Kanto and Galar Pokémon continue to be well-represented, I noticed more Sinnoh monsters this time around. With Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl hitting just last year, and Legends: Arceus launching last month, this feels like a smart move.
My favorite cards this time around happen to fall into the Gen I category. While it's true I hold Gen I in the highest regard (thanks mostly to nostalgia), I like to think that these cards are my favorites not because of that nostalgia, but instead due to the classic-facing designs of these full-art cards. The clean art of the Pikachu V and Raichu V cards immediately caught my eye, and I always consider it a great day when I can pull a Charizard. Of course, having just put a ton of hours into Pokémon Legends: Arceus, it was cool to also pull the titular Pocket Monster from these packs. I also really like some of the Trainer cards included in this expansion, which is not something I can say about every set.
You can see the more than 20 cards I deemed my favorites in the gallery below.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sword & Shield – Brilliant Stars launches on February 25. For all things Pokémon Trading Card Game, head to our special hub by clicking on the banner below!
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
