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With the latest expansion trailer just dropped, we're doing a quick preview of some of the cards previewed for the Pokémon TCG Pocket Space-Time Smackdown expansion:
The highly anticipated Space-Time Smackdown expansion, arriving on January 30th, will bring players into the Sinnoh region, featuring legendary Pokémon Dialga and Palkia as powerful ex cards. This expansion boasts over 140 cards, including exciting new Pokémon ex, Trainer cards, and Pokémon Tool cards too. Without further ado, let's preview the cards we absolutely know are coming into the game.
Dialga ex
Dialga ex is our first card for our Space-Time Smackdown Preview! This Pokémon is a 150 HP Basic Pokémon with two powerful attacks. Its first attack, Metallic Turbo, deals 30 damage and attaches two Metal Energy from your Energy Zone to one of your Benched Pokémon. The second attack, Heavy Impact, hits for 100 damage but requires four Energy. I predict this card to be META and an auto-include in Metal archetypes, especially when paired with a1-182-melmetal, a potent Metal Pokémon that thrives on Energy acceleration.
Dialga ex can quickly set up your strategy by placing two Energy on itself, dealing consistent damage over two turns, and fully powering a1-182-melmetal in the background. Also, in a situation of having a second Dialga ex on your Bench, you can use one to power up the other, allowing a fully charged 150 HP Pokémon to hit for 100 damage every turn.
Moreover, unlike other Pokémon cards like a1-255-moltresex, a1-132-gardevoir, or a1-267-misty, which focus Energy acceleration for specific Pokémon types only, Dialga ex breaks the mold. Its ability to accelerate Energy to ANY Pokémon regardless of type opens up options for Pokémon that require only Colorless Energy, such as a1-279-wigglytuffex or a1a-32-mew-ex. This flexibility gives will it a competitive edge in the future META.
Palkia ex
Palkia ex is a 150 HP Basic Pokémon with two versatile attacks. Its first attack, Slash, deals 30 damage for just one Energy, making it an efficient early-game option. The second attack, Dimensional Storm, whacks the opposing Pokémon for a massive 150 damage while dealing 20 damage to all of your opponent’s Benched Pokémon. It's like having a1-89-greninja on steroids.
However, it requires you to discard three Water Energy, making it challenging to use consistently. Dimensional Storm is best suited as a powerful finishing move when you need to close out a game decisively. Additionally, Palkia ex’s impressive bulk and synergy with Water Energy decks allow it to deliver consistent chip damage and facilitate smooth transitions into mid- and late-game strategies.
While Palkia ex may not provide Energy acceleration like Dialga ex, it offers incredible value as an early-game lead. Its ability to deal 30 damage starting on the first turn for a single Energy is highly effective, especially when paired with its robust 150 HP. This makes it an ideal setup Pokémon for Water decks, where you can use Palkia ex to apply pressure while preparing heavy hitters like a1a-76-gyarados-ex to finish the game.
Cynthia
Next up for our Space-Time Smackdown card preview is the stunning full-art Cynthia card, a Supporter that adds an impressive 50 extra damage to attacks from your Garchomp or Togekiss during your turn. The effectiveness of this card depends largely on how strong Garchomp and Togekiss will be after the expansion drops. Additionally, it hinges on the potential of their attacks with and without the extra 50 damage.
If Garchomp or Togekiss are already hitting for enough damage to clear most threats, Cynthia might not add significant value. However, if the additional 50 damage allows Togekiss to take out a key metagame staple like Celebi in one hit, this card could become a crucial part of competitive decks. Cynthia's potential to shift attack thresholds makes her an exciting option for players looking to fine-tune their strategies.
Pachirisu ex
Pachirisu ex features the Sparking Gadget attack, which costs two Lightning Energy and deals 40 base damage. This damage increases by an additional 40 if your Pokémon has a Tool attached, making it possible to hit for 80 damage. On the surface, this is an impressive attack rate for a Basic Pokémon. If Pachirisu ex has 110 or 120 HP, similar to Pikachu ex, it could become a metagame staple—provided there are enough Pokémon Tools available to enable this condition consistently.
For those unfamiliar, Pokémon Tools are a new type of card introduced into the game as explained in another post. These items attach to your Pokémon, providing stat bonuses or modifiers until the Pokémon is knocked out or the Tool is removed by another card’s effect. In the right setup, Pachirisu ex could thrive, delivering solid damage at an efficient cost while benefiting from this strategic synergy with Pokémon Tools.
Conclusion
I'm thrilled to see the game receiving the love it deserves from players worldwide. Personally, I can't wait to open some packs and try out the new cards. Not the mention that, the addition of the Trading feature will make it even easier to build and customize decks when the Space-Time Smackdown expansion goes live! Please don't forget to bookmark our website for the latest Guides, and the most up-to-date info about Pokemon TCG Pocket Tournaments.
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