Neo Genesis

About this set

Game

Pokémon TCG

Released

December 2000 (English)

Size

111 cards in the English release

Featured here

1 cards

Neo Genesis opened the Neo block and brought Pokémon from the second video-game generation into the card game for the first time, including Lugia and the baby Pokémon such as Pichu.

The set changed some of the card design language. Its holo cards use a different foil pattern from Base Set, and the set added the Darkness and Metal types and the Baby Pokémon mechanic, a rule that gave those cards a special protective role in play.

Neo Genesis is a good example of a set that is easy to appreciate through its design alone, even for people who never played the original rules.

What to look for in this set

How to explore this set

Neo Genesis rewards a look at design before rules. Put it beside Base Set and compare the foil. The holo cards here use a different pattern, and the frame feels a step more modern. That small exercise teaches you more about eras than a long timeline does.

The one featured card to open first is Lugia. It is a Basic Psychic Pokémon and the debut of that legendary Pokémon in the card game. Its card shows the game was ready to feature a new generation of Pokémon as flagship cards.

Then look for the new rules. The set added the Darkness and Metal types, and it introduced Baby Pokémon such as Pichu, with a special protective role in play. If you read about Weakness and Resistance, remember that new types meant new matchups to check.

Do not worry if you have never played. Neo Genesis is a good example of a set that is easy to appreciate through its design alone.

What changed after it

Neo Genesis opened the Neo block in December 2000, still in the Wizards of the Coast period. In 2003 the English game moved to the Pokémon company's U.S. arm, and the later eras brought new Energy types, frames and special card groups. By 2019, Hidden Fates showed a very different idea: a themed side release instead of the next step in a block.

For the starting point, see Base Set.

Questions readers ask

Is Neo Genesis part of the original Base Set era?

It belongs to the same early years, but it started its own block, called Neo.

How many cards are in it?

The English release has 111 cards.

Which card should a newcomer open first?

Lugia. This site does not give prices, but the card page explains what the card shows about the set and why its reputation grew over time among people who grew up with the Neo sets.

Mechanics you will see

• Weakness & Resistance Type matchups printed on every Pokémon card.