When I caught my first glimpse of the trailer for Extradimensional Crisis, it instantly transported me back to the Sun and Moon era—a time when I began to notice the quirky and imaginative twists the Pokémon TCG was capable of. The arrival of Ultra Beasts in Pocket brought back memories of tearing open Crimson Invasion packs and trying to figure out which dimension those bizarre creatures hailed from. It was chaotic, bold, and oddly satisfying. So, I decided to take a nostalgic journey back to Alola and revisit some of my favorite cards from the Sun and Moon expansions.

My Favorite Sun and Moon Pokémon Cards

Umbreon GX 154/149

0$58.99 at TCG Player

Espeon GX 152/149

0$36.69 at TCG Player

Sylveon GX 158/145

0$194.00 at TCG Player

Charizard GX 150/147

0$350.00 at TCG Player

Mewtwo GX 78/73

0$373.99 at TCG Player

Shining Mew 40/73

0$70.37 at TCG Player

Mewtwo GX 76/73

0$54.49 at TCG Player

Shining Rayquaza 56/73

0$54.94 at TCG Player

Raichu GX 75/73

0$42.00 at TCG Player

Lucario GX 135/131

0$98.02 at TCG Player

This new set feels like it’s pulling threads from across that era—Buzzwole, Nihilego, Type Null, even Lusamine with her uniquely specific energy effect. It all feels familiar in the best possible way, reminiscent of the unpredictability of Forbidden Light, the flash of Ultra Prism, and the shiny overload of Hidden Fates.

Cosmic Eclipse

Mega Lopunny & Jigglypuff GX 226/236

0$170.00 at TCG Player

Blastoise & Piplup GX 215/236

0$264.99 at TCG Player

Arceus & Dialga & Palkia GX

0$394.00 at TCG Player

Solgaleo & Lunala GX 216/236

0$330.00 at TCG Player

Reshiram & Zekrom GX 222/236

0$340.00 at TCG Player

Cosmic Eclipse wrapped up the Sun and Moon era in style with its Character Rares. I still remember the first time I saw the Arceus, Dialga, and Palkia GX card—it was nothing short of epic. Rosa’s Full Art had a gentle yet commanding presence, and Pikachu’s Character Rare brought a warmth that felt distinct from anything else in the set.

Hidden Fates: Shiny Vault

Mewtwo GX SV59/SV94

0$64.00 at TCG Player

Espeon GX SV60/SV94

0$100.00 at TCG Player

Sylveon GX SV76/SV94

0$124.00 at TCG Player

Umbreon GX SV69/SV94

0$223.00 at TCG Player

Charizard GX SV49/SV94

0$470.00 at TCG Player

Hidden Fates released in August 2019 and sent the hype meter soaring. The Shiny Vault was packed with treasures, with Shiny Charizard GX standing as the crown jewel. I never pulled it, but I witnessed someone do it at a local event, and the room fell silent. Even pulling a shiny Rowlet opened my eyes to the sheer potential of this set.

Unified Minds

Raichu & Alolan Raichu GX 241/236

0$199.50 at TCG Player

Dragonite GX 248/236

0$151.29 at TCG Player

Mewtwo & Mew GX 242/236

0$199.11 at TCG Player

Raichu & Alolan Raichu GX 221/236

0$200.64 at TCG Player

Mega Sableye & Tyranitar GX 226/236

0$284.96 at TCG Player

Unified Minds continued the trend with powerful cards like Mewtwo & Mew GX, which felt like they leapt straight from fan fiction. Slowpoke and Psyduck GX brought both laughter and respect on the competitive scene. Cherish Ball was another standout, becoming essential despite its understated design.

Unbroken Bonds

Red's Challenge 213/214

0$107.38 at TCG Player

Marshadow & Machamp GX 199/214

0$169.99 at TCG Player

Reshiram & Charizard GX 217/214

0$204.99 at TCG Player

Greninja & Zoroark GX 201/214

0$219.98 at TCG Player

Gardevoir & Sylveon GX 205/214

0$526.12 at TCG Player

Unbroken Bonds doubled down on tag teams, with Reshiram & Charizard GX being a major highlight. Gardevoir & Sylveon GX had undeniable charm, while Dedenne GX became a utility powerhouse in countless decks.

Detective Pikachu

Psyduck SM199 Stamped

0$9.49 at TCG Player

Detective Pikachu SM190 Stamped

0$7.91 at TCG Player

Charizard 5/18

0$7.45 at TCG Player

Detective Pikachu - SM170 (Stamped)

0$12.33 at TCG Player

Detective Pikachu SM170

0$38.00 at TCG Player

Detective Pikachu rode the wave of movie hype in April 2019. Every card featured the live-action CGI designs, creating an eerie yet realistic aesthetic. While I didn’t open much of this set myself, I vividly recall someone pulling Mewtwo GX and marveling at its menacing design.

Team Up

Eevee & Snorlax GX 191/181

0$269.99 at TCG Player

Gengar & Mimikyu GX 186/181

0$183.20 at TCG Player

Gengar & Mimikyu GX 164/181

0$319.95 at TCG Player

Magikarp & Wailord GX

0$500.00 at TCG Player

Latias & Latios GX