Genetic Apex and Mythical Island: your first expansions in Pokémon TCG Pocket

Pokémon TCG Pocket didn’t launch with a single generic pack. It arrived with Genetic Apex—three distinct booster lines (Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Charizard) and the first Immersive Cards in the app. Two months later, Mythical Island added Mew, Celebi, and a new way to build decks. Together, they defined the game’s first year.

Genetic Apex: launch day and beyond

Genetic Apex went live on October 30, 2024, the same day as the global launch. The set offered hundreds of cards (226 normal, 60 secret, per Serebii) and three booster pack types—each with different odds for Immersive Cards. Chasing Charizard ex, Pikachu ex, and Mewtwo ex in their immersive form became an immediate goal for collectors.

The set also introduced the Mew reward for completing the Genetic Apex collection—a milestone that gave dedicated players a clear long-term target. Genetic Apex wasn’t just “the first set”; it was the foundation the rest of the app would build on.

Mythical Island: Mew, Celebi, and a new meta

Mythical Island arrived on December 17, 2024. Unlike Genetic Apex’s three-pack structure, Mythical Island focused on a single booster line (Mew), with over 80 unique cards including Mew ex, Celebi ex, and Aerodactyl ex (Fighting-type). New Trainer cards rounded out the pool, and the meta began to shift.

Sites like The Gamer noted that many Mythical Island cards were “retrained” versions of Genetic Apex favorites—similar Pokémon with updated damage, effects, or fewer drawbacks. For players who had already invested in the launch set, Mythical Island offered both new chase cards and clearer upgrade paths for existing decks.

Why these sets matter

Genetic Apex proved that Pokémon TCG Pocket could support multiple pack types, rare Immersive Cards, and a completion reward (Mew). Mythical Island showed that the app could evolve the meta with a second wave of Pokémon ex and Trainers without abandoning the first. By the time Space-Time Smackdown and trading arrived in January 2025, the community already had two full expansions to collect and battle with.

For anyone who joined at launch or shortly after, Genetic Apex and Mythical Island aren’t just “the first two sets”—they’re the sets that made Pokémon TCG Pocket feel like a real TCG, with a past and a future.