Pokemon TCG adds shocking depth to Twilight Masquerade and it’s wonderful

There have been some incredible Pokemon TCG expansion sets over the years – but as a fan of Pokemon lore and storytelling, Twilight Masquerade puts all the others to shame.

Twilight Masquerade is heavily themed around Kitakami, the location where the Scarlet & Violet Teal Mask DLC takes place. Kitakami is a vibrant and mysterious area of the Pokemon world, putting on the beautiful Festival of Masks and playing host to iconic Pokemon like Ogerpon and the Loyal Three.

While previous Pokemon TCG expansion sets like Paldean Fates and Temporal Forces have been a lot of fun to open up and build decks with, Twilight Masquerade feels like a cohesive experience that is geared toward video game fans and lore nerds.

This has stood out even from the beginning of the pre-release period. I got the chance to check out the cards early at an event put on by my local game store and I was blown away by how well the set worked together as a whole. A great example is the Hisuian Growlithe and Perrin duo.

These two cards aren’t related in terms of gameplay mechanics, but they work together perfectly as an artistic duo – and will likely be some of the biggest chase cards for Twilight Masquerade.

Perrin is a popular character from the Teal Mask DLC, and she travels with a Hisuian Growlithe in the game. This duo of painterly cards shows their bond and gives a nod to Perrin being the only character in the game with the Trainer Class Photographer, too.

The minute details in this duo – like Growlithe’s face in the reflection of Perrin’s camera – show how much attention to detail the artists put into Twilight Masquerade. And this pair of cards is far from the only example of this in the expansion set.

It’s not just aesthetic appeal, either. As mentioned, Twilight Masquerade has a strong narrative appeal. By this, I mean the cards, Abilities, and Attacks all work together in a way that makes sense with Kitakami lore and the Teal Mask DLC’s story.

The trio of cards shown above exhibit how much synergy there is in Twilight Masquerade. Thwackey has the Ability Boom Boom Groove which works with Pokemon that have the Festival Lead Ability – like Goldeen. Festival Grounds is a Stadium that allows Festival Lead to be used during battle.

These cards are music-related and tied to the Festival of Masks in Kitakami, and even the flavor text for each Pokemon here hints back to this. Thwackey’s card text references its drumming and Goldeen is referred to as the “Water Dancer” – all adding to the musical, upbeat tone of the set.

Even the Supporter and Trainer cards in Twilight Masquerade have strong links back to the festival theme. The Carmine full art piece is set to be one of the most popular cards in the expansion, and it features a myriad of jewel tones, explosive textures, and just the right amount of festive symbols.

The lights of the Festival of Masks can be seen behind Carmine, and she’s shown holding several popular foods like a caramel apple that could be found easily at a fair or festival. The card feels lively and dynamic, especially with the wonderful depth of field shown in the artwork.

While it might seem silly to get excited over a caramel apple (Dipplin would like to have a word), it’s the combined impact of all of these tiny details that add up to make Twilight Masquerade – and by extension, Mask of Change and Shrouded Fable – truly impactful.

Twilight Masquerade also feels strikingly different from previous expansion sets. Temporal Forces was a good enough set with some interesting cards, but I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that it was boring.

The art was fine, there were some cool Attacks, and the Elite Trainer Box was fun to open, but it felt somewhat lifeless. It could’ve been a set from any trading card game out there – not a well-crafted expansion set from Pokemon. Twilight Masquerade and Temporal Forces feel like night and day.

I’d argue that the artwork, card synergy, and attention to detail in this set will ensure that it remains memorable for years to come, in the same way that the 151 special set is sure to remain a fan favorite for nostalgia’s sake.

If you’ve not checked out our guide to Twilight Masquerade chase cards yet, take a look. This expansion set comes out on May 24, 2024 and you won’t want to miss it if you enjoy collecting Pokemon cards or building unique decks.