If you’re a fan of the classic board game Splendor and also have a soft spot for Pokémon, there’s something new that might just catch your eye. It’s a special edition called Pokémon Splendor, where the familiar mechanics of collecting gemstones are cleverly reimagined with the colorful world of Pokémon. Currently, it’s only available in , and there’s no word on an international release yet. A Fusion of Worlds: Pokémon Meets Splendor Pokémon Splendor stays true to the original game’s rules, with players gathering Pokéballs instead of gemstones. The rules about collecting three different colors or two chips of the same color still apply, with the addition of the Master Ball acting as a wildcard, much like the joker gemstones in the standard Splendor game. The core mechanics of Splendor remain unchanged in this version, but there’s an enjoyable twist. The game features three levels of cards, each corresponding to a Pokémon’s evolution stages from the Kanto region. To add to the fun, there are also two decks of legendary and rare Pokémon that don’t evolve but require a Master Ball to catch. These special Pokémon grant more points and can help bring extra Pokémon to your side. Instead of collecting nobles, as in the standard Splendor game, players in Pokémon Splendor aim to evolve their Pokémon. Each card in the lower two levels shows the next evolution and the Pokéballs needed for that transformation. This process does not involve chips, focusing solely on the cards a player has. When players have the necessary cards for an evolution, they can swap the current Pokémon for its evolved form and remove the base card from the game, but only if the next level Pokémon is either displayed or already reserved in their hand.
