The Pokémon Trading Card Game was first released in Japan.
The Japanese game launched in October 1996, several months after the original Pokémon video games appeared. Media Factory published the first cards, and the initial set was based on the original 151 Pokémon and the early Kanto setting.
The English-language trading card game followed in North America in January 1999. Wizards of the Coast initially handled the English release under license, helping establish Pokémon cards as a major international collectible and competitive game.
The card game is not simply a printed version of the Game Boy battles. It has its own rules, including Pokémon cards, Energy cards, Trainer cards, attacks, damage counters, and Prize cards. Some cards have also become valuable collectibles, but competitive play and collecting are separate parts of the game’s long history.