*ding ding!*
SATOSHI: This is in response to the articles about giving up Pokemon and
going to Magic: The Gathering.
....Okay, a simple question. How many of you, when you started Pokemon,
thought you would use it as a 'stepping stone' to Magic: The Gathering? I
would believe not too many. If that was the case, wouldn't they go right to
M:TG? There's nothing wrong with this, but there IS a better way to do it.
Play both games at once.
Yes. Both at once. It is possible. Anyone will tell you that "giving up on"
or "moving on" to another game after putting hard earned cash into it is not
an easy thing to do. One reason: what are you going to do with the excess
cards from the game that you've 'given up' on? Not many peope would be
interrested in buying loads of used commons and uncommons, I'll tell ya.
I guess what I am trying to say is this. Do NOT give up on a card game just
to starta new one? And if your reason quitting is the simplicity of the
Pokemon TCG...wait for the rest of the expansions. While it won't be as
involved as M:TG, Pokemon will be better than it is now.
When I began the Pokemon TCG back in 1997(or was 1998?), I had this dream
to be a "CCG master." What do I mean? I mean someone who could play the
major CCGs(i.e. Star Wars, Star Trek, M:TG, Pokemon, and the others) and
play them _well_. I've just gotten into M:TG, and I am throughly enjoying
the game so far.

But still, there were some...interresting arguments on the subject. Let's
tackle a few, shall we?

1-"Magic is wayyy more complicated and challenging than Pokemon."
Oh, really? Well, that is mostly true, but consider this: Magic: The
Gathering has NO deck size limit, and can use the same mana (the partial
equivilant to 'energy' in the Pokemon TCG) repeatedly to summon creatures,
cast spells, etc. Pokemon has a 60 card limit, which forces the players to
fit their ideas into the space constraints, and each creature has to be
powered up ("summoned"; while not exactly the same, no one wants to have a
pokemon with no energy sit on the bench for a long time) seperately. Pokemon
does have its own strong points.

2-"Magic: The Gathering has a lot more cards though!"
Yes. Yes it does. It has also been around longer than Pokemon. Next!

3-"Magic: The Gathering's art is a lot better than Pokemon's!"
True...most of the time. People, Wizards(volutary or not)targeted this game
towards a younger crowd. Obviously, the pics need to look a bit more
inviting than M:TGs. And who said Pokemon art was BAD? Yeah, and I could say
that the 'Peanuts' comic strip had pretty simplistic art, but it doesn't
change how good the strip was, does it? Pretty pictures don't make the game,
folks. And I can think of a few cards that look pretty good for Pokemon,
anyway. I.E. Dark Blastoise, Charizard, Dark Raichu, Dark Golduck....

4-"Magic: The Gathering has a much more intense story line than Pokemon!"
Yes it does. Y'know why? Pokemon's target range is little kids. It's true,
and I've come to accept it. They can't write novels upon novels for
Pokemon...'cause in Wizards eyes, no one would read them.

SATOSHI: Hmmm...that's all for now, I guess. To anyone who has 'moved on
from'(quit) the Pokemon TCG for M:TG...try to play both. You'll find it's a
whole lot more fun that way. Still don't wanna play both, eh? Oh well...can
I have your Pokemon cards? ;) Good Luck and Happy Gaming, everyone!