Where to Buy the Pokémon First Partner Illustration TCG Collection (Series 3)

Same arsenic the different 2 series, wrong each box, you'll score:

• 1 Pokémon TCG Pack: Contains 3 of 9 illustration rare-style promo cards featuring the First Partner Pokémon from Gen 3 (Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip), Gen 6 (Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie), and Gen 9 (Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly). Remember - due to the fact that it's a random pull, you’re not guaranteed immoderate circumstantial Pokémon!
• 2 Pokémon TCG Booster Packs (pulled from Pitch Black and Chaos Rising).
• 1 Exclusive Sticker Sheet featuring the Collection’s starter crew. The item of the full collection, I know!

This merchandise marks the last section successful the First Partner Illustration TCG Collection. Series 1 took america backmost to the classical roots with Kanto (Gen 1), Sinnoh (Gen 4), and Alola (Gen 7). Series 2 took america backmost to the Johto (Gen 2), Unova (Gen 5), and Galar (Gen 8) regions. Series 3 officially rounds retired the full collection, bringing america the beloved archetypal spouse Pokémon from the Hoenn, Kalos, and Paldea regions.

On a idiosyncratic note, Generation 3 was my archetypal Pokémon game. While I started with Pokémon LeafGreen (which yes, is simply a Generation 3 game, I ever forget), Pokémon Ruby was the archetypal 1 I met my 24-year-old Treecko, portion my champion person from superior schoolhouse chose Torchic, and gave him to me.

Thanks Alice, I’m inactive looking aft him! Years later, my spouse got maine a 3DS for my 21st birthday, wherever I yet completed my starter trio with Mudkip successful Pokémon Omega Ruby. I person a immense magnitude of emotion for these 3 First Partner Pokémon, truthful I’ll decidedly beryllium trying my implicit champion to hunt these promos down.

Price and Retailer Watchlist

Same arsenic the different collections, the MSRP for this bid is $14.99 USD (£14.99 successful the UK). But, conscionable similar the others, you’ll beryllium fortunate if you tin prime 1 up for that price. You tin find these astatine the accustomed spots, but support a Keen Eye connected banal levels. The archetypal and 2nd bid got snapped up faster than a Carbos-loaded Sharpedo.

Retailers person been hit-or-miss lately with First Partner Collection stock. Some stores get flooded, portion others look to merchantability retired earlier the doors adjacent open. Recently, the prices of these First Partner Collections has been dropping, truthful you mightiness beryllium capable to snag yourself a bully woody successful time! You’ll privation to cheque the accustomed spots, but support a adjacent oculus connected the smaller hobby shops too.

US Retailers to Watch

Unsurprisingly, the Pokémon Center is usually the archetypal spot to spell live... And the archetypal to spell retired of stock. Keep checking for restock waves.

Target and Best Buy are large options for section pickup, if you’ve got 1 adjacent to you. If you can't get a pre-order anyplace online, it’s worthy checking the carnal shelves astatine these 2 retailers aboriginal successful the greeting adjacent erstwhile your section store restocks. You tin besides telephone your section store oregon cheque online inventory checkers to spot if they person disposable stock.

Amazon is usually a decent shout, but $59.95 is simply a steep terms to pay. It is, however, presently successful stock, with much expected to driblet connected 15 August.

Finally, if you miss the archetypal retail drop, TCGplayer is simply a reputable third-party marketplace. Just beryllium cautious with pricing here, arsenic marketplace rates fluctuate wildly based connected archetypal demand. At the clip of writing, a $14.99 postulation is going for $51.74, positive $19.95 shipping, down from a precocious of $89.99.

UK Retailers to Watch

Much similar the US version, Pokémon Center UK is your safest stake for baseline MSRP.

Chaos Cards is simply a bully enactment for UK hobbyists. They often person reward programs, truthful if you bargain a batch of cards, cheque your points earlier you cheque out!

Smyths Toys is besides amazingly bully for TCG stock. They don't ever bash online pre-orders for these smaller boxes, but they usually person plentifulness of banal in-store connected merchandise day.

The large question you mightiness person present is: “Will I adjacent beryllium capable to get my hands connected 1 of these?”

People (myself included) person a batch of nostalgic emotion for Generation 3, and the shiny "newness" of Generation 9 means this question is selling retired fast. Sorry Generation 6 lovers, but we inactive admit you!

How Many Series Are Left?

We’ve had Series 1 (Gens 1, 4, 7), Series 2 (Gens 2, 5, 8), and present Series 3 (Gens 3, 6, 9), completing the 9 mainline generations.

There is simply a spot of chatter astir the upcoming Generation 10, and wherever this fits into the Collections. With Pokémon Winds and Waves rumored to beryllium launching successful 2027, a imaginable 4th bid could tease the Generation 10 starters. Nothing is officially confirmed though, truthful instrumentality that rumor with a monolithic pinch of salt.

What’s Coming Next for the Pokémon TCG?

2026 is simply a immense twelvemonth for Pokémon TCG! The biggest enlargement connected the skyline is the monumental Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration expansion, launching globally connected September 16, 2026. This is simply a historical acceptable featuring a simultaneous worldwide release, wherever each azygous paper is foil, each battalion guarantees 1 of 30 unsocial Pikachu cards, and we spot the debut of the brand-new opalescent "Futuristic Rare" tier featuring Mew and Mewtwo by creator YOSHIROTTEN.

For up-to-the-minute banal alerts, deals, and breaking paper reveals, crook connected notifications for IGNDeals connected X. Did you negociate to get your hands connected Series 3, oregon are you, similar me, waiting for a monolithic restock wave? Let maine cognize successful the comments if you got the propulsion you were looking for, oregon who your First Partner was!

Sara Heritage is simply a freelance writer for IGN, specialising successful Pokémon TCG. When she's not gaming, you’ll astir apt find her gathering yet different LEGO acceptable she perfectly did not need, oregon chaining ranked matches successful Pokémon Champions.