Pokemon TCG Paldea Adventure Chest review: A splash of whimsy

Em Stonham
Paldea Adventure Chest with garden background from Pokemon anime.

Wondering whether you should get the Paldea Adventure Chest or not? It’s one of the most whimsical products that The Pokemon Company has put out recently. Here’s what you need to know.

It’s been a busy year for Pokemon Trading Card Game collectors already and we’re barely into March yet. Paldean Fates and 151 have been immensely fun for collectors to rip into and there have been lots of new additions to the merchandise line-up, too.

One of the most exciting products that’s come out recently is the Paldea Adventure Chest. This item retails for roughly $50 USD, depending on where you shop, and it’s got a lot of collectors feeling excited about the year ahead for the Pokemon TCG. But is it worth the money?

Pokemon TCG Paldea Adventure Chest – Key Details

  • Price: $49.99
  • Developer: The Pokemon Company
  • Release Date: 1 March 2024

What’s in the box?

    • Sheet of tech stickers
    • Mini-portfolio
    • Squishy Pikachu
    • Deck box
    • Code for Pokemon TCG Live
    • 6 booster packs
    • 7 promo cards

Secret compartments and pockets

Paldea Adventure Chest product image.

It’s not often that you can describe a Pokemon product unboxing experience as whimsical, but strangely enough, that’s the best way to talk about opening one of these items. Lots of care was put into the packaging design, which isn’t always the case when it comes to Pokemon TCG products.

Items like the 2023 Holiday Calendar, for example, were fun to open but disappointing as the packaging did not keep the cards inside in good condition. Thankfully, that isn’t the case here.

The Paldea Adventure Chest opens like a pop-up book, with several sections inside springing open as the lid of the box is lifted to reveal the products and some box art, too.

There’s also a compartment at the front of the chest – which the person writing the review somehow missed initially, causing them to think that the booster packs had been left out of the chest. The front of the chest pulls forward to reveal a secret stash of booster packs.

The Adventure Chest itself is made from a lightweight yet sturdy material that has a fake leather texture on the outside. It’s an ideal box for storing cards in and slots back together easily so it can be used if you’re a collector looking for a storage solution.

Paldea Adventure Chest is full of treasure

There are plenty of treasures to be found inside the Paldea Adventure Chest. This includes six booster packs and seven promo cards. Notably, the Sprigatito card features the H Regulation Mark for the first time, meaning it’ll be sticking around for a long while yet.

It’s a solid haul and the theming works well across the products. Three of the promo cards come in a triptych display holder, and the color themes and motifs can be found across the deck box and mini portfolio, too.

Paldea Adventure Chest contents.

Incredible new PTCG promo cards

The promo cards included in this item are fantastic. The Pikachu full art card in particular is adorable, featuring other Pokemon like Sprigatito that can be found in the chest. They do hold some competitive potential, but this is definitely more of a collector’s item.

Everything in the Paldea Adventure Chest is good quality and feels worth the money. The tech stickers are durable, the portfolio is cute yet practical, and the cards all arrived in great condition, too. The deck box is a little flimsy but it’s to be expected for a cardboard deck box.

The only thing that felt slightly out of place was the Pikachu squishy toy. It’s adorable (if a little haunting with its vacant smile) and made from nice material, but it does feel like a random addition to an otherwise TCG-focused product.

Verdict – 5/5

All in all, we were really impressed with the Paldea Adventure Chest. The Pokemon Company is putting out a lot of products at the moment (too much, some might say) so it’s easy to assume that a one-off product may be cobbled together out of last-minute ideas. This was not the case here.

It was a lot of fun to unbox and explore, and even the chest itself was made to a high standard. Some of the promo cards included hold some competitive potential and they’ll make great additions to a Scarlet & Violet card collection.

We’d recommend getting this item if you’re someone who’s been collecting cards for a while now and wants something new. It’s not the most beginner-oriented product out there but it’s a refreshing unboxing experience as a dedicated collector.

If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.