Since fall 2025, the Pokemon TCG has been in its Mega Evolution phase. This era of the trading card game brings back mega evolutions, including new designs from Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Thus far, it’s had some hits and misses with new expansions and collections. While Ascended Heroes was arguably the best we’ve seen in years, Perfect Order was a smaller, more measured set. Now, the next installment, Chaos Rising, is about to hit shelves on May 22nd. I had a chance to sample several products from the expansion for review.
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Like Perfect Order before it, Chaos Rising is a smaller set. In total, the card list features just 122 additions to the Pokemon TCG. This includes one new gold Mega Hyper Rare starring the set’s mascot, Mega Greninja. I got to check out the Mega Greninja-themed Elite Trainer Box, a Booster Bundle, a Booster Display, and the latest Build and Battle deck for the purpose of this review. On the outside, Chaos Rising brings a stunning display for the ETB and the booster sleeves themselves. But actually ripping packs might well be a practice in patience and disappointment more than anything else.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Well designed for playability around new ex cards | Fewer standout full art cards |
| Interesting strategic potential from Pokemon abilities and support cards | Brutal ex pull rates |
| Smaller overall card number |
Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Chaos Rising Has a Few Standouts, But They’re Few and Far Between
When I reviewed Perfect Order earlier this year, I managed to pull a few Illustration Rares that became prized parts of my collection. I went into Chaos Rising hoping to get at least a few more gorgeous cards from the 55 packs in my sample. Alas, if you’re in the game for standout full art cards, my experience suggests Chaos Rising may miss the mark.
While the set does have its fair share of Illustration Rares, the pull rates were a bit tougher than those of other expansions from the Mega Evolution era. The art style also tends to lean more towards close-ups of the Pokemon themselves, with more sparse backgrounds. While these cards can be striking in their own right, they don’t quite evoke the same immersive effect as Illustration Rares that showcase Pokemon out in the world. I found myself missing the art style from prior sets in this regard, and as a result, this feels like a set with fewer big chase cards.
Along with a more pared-back art style for many of its Illustration Rares, Chaos Rising has a bit of a repetition problem for its rare pulls. In theory, I got about as many ex and Mega ex cards as with prior Mega Evolution-era expansions. But I wound up with quite a few more repeat cards, even among the rarer pulls, and that made the experience of opening packs feel pretty brutal. That said, if you’re trying to build a deck that needs multiple Mega Dragalge ex, for instance, you might just be in luck with Chaos Rising.
Of course, just because my pulls were a bit disappointing, that doesn’t mean Chaos Rising has nothing to offer. There are still a few hidden gems in the Illustration Rare, Ultra Rare, and Special Illustration Rare lineup. A few trainers from Pokemon Legends: Z-A are featured here, including Ultra Rares for Emma and Philippe. And the colors for Mega Pyroar ex’s Ultra Rare are certainly eye-catching. They may be a bit harder to pull than in prior sets, but there are a few good collectors’ cards in the mix. For me, they’re just a bit thinner on the ground than with some of the other recent releases.
Strategic Potential Abounds in Chaos Rising, If You Like Creative Deck Builds
If there’s one thing that struck me with Chaos Rising, aside from the sheer number of Mega Dragalge ex cards I pulled, it’s the creative potential. This expansion leans into Pokemon abilities and moves that have special effects in battle. This adds some interesting potential for Pokemon TCG players who like to change up their strategies. In particular, there are some options to build new decks around the expansion’s new Mega ex cards.
With Mega Greninja being the star of the show, this expansion adds some solid Water-type Pokemon and support cards to play around with. The Great Haul Net item card, for instance, lets you quickly put some Water-type Pokemon and Energy into your hand. That’s a pretty easy card to pull in my experience, too, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get to add to your Mega Greninja-themed deck. There are also quite a few compelling Fire-type Pokemon and cards, including an adorable Vulpix that’s definitely going into my binder ASAP.
While not many Chaos Rising cards stood out to me as major Swiss Army additions to any deck, I do like the creative options on offer here. I can see some opportunities to try out different approaches using the Pokemon abilities and items featured in this collection. So even if I came away wishing I’d pulled a few more cards with art that took my breath away, I do think there’s potential in Chaos Rising. Just maybe more on the deckbuilding side of things than your new favorite display card.
Pokemon TCG: Mega Evolution – Chaos Rising releases on May 22nd. The lineup includes an Elite Trainer Box, Booster Bundle, and Booster Display. Trainers can also try out the collection early and snag a Build and Battle box for Chaos Rising by attending a local Play Pokemon event starting on May 9th.
ComicBook received Pokemon TCG samples from the Chaos Rising expansion for the purpose of this review.
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