First-generation Japanese Pokémon trading cards to be reissued for the game’s 20th anniversary

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Can you hear the excited squeals of 90s kids around the world!?

In commemoration of the Pokémon trading card game’s 20th anniversary next year, the Pokémon Company has revealed that they will be reissuing starter sets of the first-generation cards originally sold in Japan in October 1996 (the earliest English-language cards didn’t find their way to the United States until 1998).

Check out the official tweet announcement below:

ポケモンカードゲームの原点が再び！ポケモンカードゲームXY BREAK「ポケットモンスターカードゲームスターターパック」が2月27日（土）に発売決定！ bit.ly/1YF8s3j #ポケモンカード https://t.co/7IRN2iiZYH
—
ポケモン公式ツイッター (@Pokemon_cojp) December 25, 2015

While the released image shows a box labeled “Pocket Monsters Card Game Starter Pack” in Japanese, this title is perhaps a bit misleading. As the box will include 60 cards, a coin, and a game-play manual, it’s probably more accurate to call this nostalgic gem a “starter deck.” The sets will be available in Japan on February 27, 2016 for 1,300 yen (US$10.80) each.

In addition, the company has also announced that they will be releasing two additional products. The first will be protective card slip covers styled after the original first-generation Japanese card designs for 715 yen ($5.94). The second will be a special 20th anniversary edition of a rubber play mat for competitive players and will retail for 5,000 yen ($41.54).

Details about the upcoming releases are still scarce, but we’ll be sure to update you as soon as we find out any new information!

Source: Kai-You
Featured image: Twitter/@Pokemon_cojp