pokemon tcg gameboy color best starter deck

Pokemon TCG: Best Game Boy Color Starter Deck

By Kevin WilsonDecember 18, 2025

Are you a Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG) enthusiast who grew up with the Game Boy Color? If yes, you're in the right place. We're about to embark on a nostalgic journey back to the late '90s, exploring the best strategies and decks for the Pokémon TCG, perfectly tailored for the Game Boy Color era.

During this period, the Pokémon TCG was in its infancy, but that doesn't mean it lacked depth and fun. In fact, the simple rules and mechanics made it an excellent entry point for many players. So, let's dive into the best starter decks from the Game Boy Color days, and understand their strategy, strengths, and weaknesses.

Understanding the Pokémon TCG Landscape in the Game Boy Color Era

Before we delve into the best starter decks, it's crucial to understand the game's landscape during the Game Boy Color era. The rules were simpler, with a focus on basics like trainer and energy cards. The goal was to reduce your opponent's HP to 0, and the concept ofEX cards or GX cards was still far away.

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Moreover, the deck types weren't as diversified as they are today. You mainly had to choose between non-EX and EX decks, with the latter being more powerful but less consistent. Keeping these factors in mind, let's explore the best starter decks from this era.

The Base Set Non-EX Deck

The Base Set Non-EX deck was the first issed deck in the Pokémon TCG, and it's an excellent starting point for beginners. It doesn't include any powerful EX cards, focusing instead on consistency and early game presence.

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The Base Set Non-EX deck primarily relies on Basic Pokémon like Pidgey, Rattata, and Zubat. These Pokémon have low retreat costs, making them easy to switch in and out of the game. To support this strategy, the deck includes trainers like Professor Elm, White Herb, and PlusPower to boost strength and consistency. Energy retrieval is also crucial in this deck, with cards like Energy Search and Potion.

The Base Set EX Deck

If you're looking for a more aggressive start, the Base Set EX deck is an excellent choice. It includes powerful EX cards like Charizard, Venusaur, and Blastoise, which can one-hit KO many Basic Pokémon with their high HP and strong attacks.

However, this power comes at a cost. EX cards have a significant weakness: when they're knocked out, the player awarding the knockout prize gets to choose their reward from the discard pile, making them less consistent. To compensate for this, the Base Set EX deck includes card draw support like Bill's clarification and trainers that can help manage the discard pile, like Fuchsia Town Gym.

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A Brief Overview of Strategy and Playstyle

Both decks share similar strategies, focusing on getting out fast and aggressive starters to maximize early game damage. However, they differ in terms of consistency and power, with the non-EX deck being more consistent but less powerful, and the EX deck being more powerful but less consistent.

Both decks also rely heavily on trainers and energy cards. The Base Set non-EX deck uses cards like Professor Elm and Energy Search to maximize early game energy presence, while the EX deck uses cards like Bill's Clarification and Copycat to maintain card advantage throughout the game.

Succession and Evolution

As the Pokémon TCG evolved, so did the decks. Later sets introduced powerful supporters like palmiles and trainers that could attach energies to the bench, further improving the decks' consistency and power. However, the Base Set decks laid the foundation for the many decks that followed.

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Moreover, the Base Set decks had a significant impact on the Pokémon TCG community, initializing the concept of 'starter decks' and making the game more accessible to new players. They may seem simple by today's standards, but they hold a nostalgic charm and deserve a place in every Pokémon TCG enthusiast's heart.

Whether you're a seasoned TCG player or a newcomer looking to experience the game's rich history, the Base Set decks offer a delightful journey back in time. So, why not dust off your Game Boy Color, load up a Pokémon TCG ROM, and give these classic decks a try? Who knows? You might just fall in love with the game all over again.