The Pokémon Trading Card Game is back with its second expansion of 2022, and this time, despite the Sword & Shield nomenclature on the box, I was most excited for the Pokémon that appeared in games like Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This expansion adds more than 180 new cards, including 3 new Radiant Pokémon, 8 Pokémon VStar, 21 Pokémon V, and 2 Pokémon VMax cards. On top of that, Astral Radiance delivers 30 cards with special art in the Trainer Gallery subset, as well as more than 20 Trainer cards.
The Pokémon Company sent us a ton of booster packs so we could see what we pull from this newest addition to the TCG. I was pleasantly surprised not only with the Radiant Pokémon I pulled but also by the number of Hisuian Pokémon that appeared in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. I loved the Decidueye and Typhlosion cards I secured through these booster packs, as well as the various rideable and Noble Pokémon I recognized from my time in Hisui. If you are hoping to round out your personal collection with more Galar Pokémon, don't worry, as I still found several creatures from Gen VIII's main region.
However, my favorite card is probably one that features a Pokémon I did not anticipate being so excited about: Hoothoot. This serene full-art Battle Region card immediately caught my eye and became the showpiece addition to my collection from this expansion. You can see the full gallery of my favorite cards I pulled from booster packs of the Astral Radiance expansion below:
The Pokémon Trading Card Game: Sword & Shield – Astral Radiance expansion launches on May 27. For all things Pokémon Trading Card Game, head to our special hub by clicking on the banner below!