“Most overrated” Pokemon card debate divides community

Em Stonham
Umbreon and Greninja Pokemon cards with anime background and sparkles.

Deciding on the best Pokemon card of all time is a near-impossible task, especially when looking at alt art cards and illustration-centric pieces.

Over the many years that the TCG has been in existence, collectors have been treated to a slew of full-art cards from a wide variety of talented artists. Every era, whether you’re looking at Sword & Shield or Diamond & Pearl, has a few stand-out, fan-favorite cards.

These beloved cards have been the topic of a lively debate online, with collectors tearing into the darlings of the community and slamming the “most overrated” alt-art cards.

Greninja, Umbreon, and Blaziken Pokemon cards.
Greninja ex (214/167), Umbreon VMAX (215/203), and Blaziken VMAX (201/198) Pokemon cards.

The conversation was kicked off by a collector who posed the question of what the most overrated alt-art Pokemon card was, sharing Blaziken VMAX (201/198) as their example. Unsurprisingly, other Pokemon TCG collectors were more than eager to share their thoughts.

One collector started the debate by saying, “The new Greninja card. You can barely see what’s going on in the background,” referencing the Twilight Masquerade Greninja ex card shown above.

Another added that they were more excited for the woodblock Greninja ex coming out with Shrouded Fable, saying, “The promo that’s coming out definitely looks better than the Masquerade one.”

Some collectors agreed with the person behind the original post, slamming the Blaziken VMAX for its design and quirks. One fan shared, “I’m glad I’m not the only one that doesn’t get the hype with this Blaziken. I’d much prefer the G. Moltres from the CR set but that’s just preference I suppose!”

Even the beloved Moonbreon card took a beating in this debate. One frustrated Pokemon fan noted, “I mean Moonbreon obviously. Even if it’s a really nice card, the price is way too high for what it is.”

Others shared the sentiment, agreeing that while the Umbreon VMAX was pretty, it seemed to only be popular for the sake of it. A fan chipped in, “Moonbreon is absolutely gorgeous, but the sheer amount of brain rot induced by that card is absolutely enough to make it the most overrated.”

A handful of other Pokemon cards got some heat in this thread, including the variety of Ogerpon cards featured in Twilight Masquerade and the golden Legendary cards from Crown Zenith.

Whether you’re a Moonbreon defender or sick to the teeth of seeing the celestial critter in rankings of the best Pokemon cards, make sure to check out our list of 5 Umbreon cards that are better than the community darling.