Pokémon TCG Pocket Players Blown Away After Discovering Some Cards Reference Iconic Game Boy Locations

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket players have gushed over its card art for months, but many are just now realizing that some of its monsters have been hiding details that connect them to the Game Boy games.

Investigations into some Pokémon cards’ clues began over the weekend when Reddit user asch_win pointed out that Spearow features a few familiar landmarks. The Normal/Flying type is surrounded by grass, a fence, a few trees, and, most notably, two buildings. These are not just any buildings, however, as asch_win clarifies that the purple and yellow background building actually appears to be Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen’s Celadon City Department Store. Just off to the left of Celadon City is the Kanto region’s Route 16, which just so happens to include a fenced-in patch of grass where players have a chance to catch Spearow.

It seems undeniable that developers Creatures Inc. and DeNA intentionally created the card to reference the iconic games that helped launch Pokémon into the phenomenon it is today, but Pokémon TCG Pocket’s fun details don’t stop there. Reddit user jteede spotted even more connections to early titles, including a full-art Diglett card set just East of Vermillion City, a Haunter card located next to the infamous Lavender Town tower, and more. Asch_win also brought a magnifying glass up to a few of the Supporter cards, revealing that they, too, reference specific locations from Pokémon history.

Most card illustrations’ settings show monsters living their lives in dreamlike areas, seemingly without ties to Pokémon lore. Some, including one Pikachu variant, can even be recognized as cards that can be collected in the real world. Others, however, exist only within Pokémon TCG Pocket, which is where many players are finding these well-hidden Easter Eggs.

The Pokémon TCG Pocket community has now spent the weekend picking apart other cards in search of additional references. Highlights include what appears to be the S.S. Anne cruise liner tucked away in a Gyarados full art card as well as Oddish, Venonat, and Bellsprout cards that all come together to tell a story set by FireRed and LeafGreen’s seaside Snorlax.

Only one additional booster expansion set, titled Mythical Island, has been released for Pokémon TCG Pocket since it came to mobile gaming fans in October, bringing its total to four packs to choose from. More are, of course, expected to launch in the future, with additional cards occasionally worming their way into collections via Wonder Pick Events and other updates. As Creatures and DeNA continue to deliver more cards from across the series’ many generations, players should be sure to keep an eye out for any other references.

In the meantime, you can read up on the current Wonder Pick event, which puts Charmander and Squirtle center stage. Be sure to also check out why the developers are playing coy about whether pack choice matters or not.

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.