The newest mobile Pokemon game, Pokemon TCG Pocket, focuses more on collecting cards than on playing with them, and some players have begun printing physical copies to display as part of their collections.

Unfortunately, buying and selling your own printed copies of Pokemon cards is illegal, so if you try you may find the printing companies rejecting your order, and if you distribute them or post them online you may end up dealing with The Pokemon Company's lawyer.

Fortunately, there is a way to get physical copies of some of the cards to add to your collection... sort of. Many of the common, uncommon, rare, and promotional cards feature artwork originally found in the original Pokemon Trading Card Game, so your favorite cards might be available to buy right here on Coolstuffinc.com!

Bulbasaur

There were three printings of the Genetic Apex Bulbasaur, two of which featured original art. The third, which was available for a limited time through a Wonder Pick event in December 2024, features art from way back in 2007's Secret Wonders expansion.

This iconic card, illustrated by Kouki Saitou, features Bulbasaur leaping with its vines extended to attack, and features the free Shake Vine attack to put your opponent's Active Pokemon to sleep, as well as Bullet Seed, which does damage based on the number of coin flips you win.

Caterpie

The Caterpie appearing in the Genetic Apex expansion was illustrated by Miki Tanaka, another long-time Pokemon TCG artist. It saw limited use in the Genetic Apex meta, since its Find a Friend attack can give you another Grass-type Pokemon and it eventually evolves into Butterfree, which was used early on as a healing engine.

The same illustration was originally used on a Caterpie from Expedition, a 2002 set which introduced a bar code on the left side of the cards so that you could swipe them in an e-reader to play games on your Game Boy Advance.

Metapod

The Genetic Apex print of Metapod features the distinct art of Yuka Morii, which looks like it's moulded out of clay instead of drawn. Which it is! Morii is a clay sculptor who creates Pokemon models and photographs them to create the illustrations for the Pokemon Trading Card Game.

If the art looks familiar, that's because it was originally used in the 2017 Sun & Moon set. This Alolan Metapod even has the same Bug Bite attack as the version in Genetic Apex, although as we often see in the physical version it does significantly more damage.

Butterfree

Butterfree had both a rare printing in Genetic Apex and a promotional printing from the Lapras ex Drop Event in November 2024, both of which borrow art from the Pokemon Trading Card Game!

The rare print was illustrated by Shin Nagasawa, who has been illustrating Pokemon cards since 2009, but is also credited with providing monster designs for Final Fantasy VII and other video games. This art was originally used in the 2017 Burning Shadows expansion, where Butterfree can also heal your Pokemon.

The promo version shares its art with the first Pokemon card from Miki Kudo, who also illustrated the highly desirable Charizard illustrated family in 151. The original art can be found on the Butterfree from 2016's Generations, which shares the Gust attack with the Genetic Apex version.

Weedle

The Weedle in Genetic Apex is illustrated by Hajime Kusajima, using the watercolor technique that was his signature at the time. His art has changed significantly over time, but you can still find his older watercolors.

The original art can be found in EX FireRed & LeafGreen.

Kakuna

Like Butterfree, Kakuna features art from Miki Kudo. This one was originally printed in Crimson Invasion, where it trades Bug Bite for Multiply, an attack that moves up to three Kakuna from your deck to your Bench. Pokemon TCG Pocket doesn't have a way to skip stages yet, so this change feels like a missed opportunity.

Beedrill

Beedrill is illustrated by You Iribi, a relative newcomer to the Pokemon TCG, who first started providing art in 2016's Fates Collide. Just a few years later, in 2019, they illustrated Beedrill for Team Up, a popular set from the Sun & Moon era.

Gloom

Two versions of Gloom appear in Genetic Apex, but only the uncommon print features art previously printed on a physical card. Anesaki Dynamic provided the art for the sleepy Gloom in 2019's Unbroken Bonds, which is also featured on the Genetic Apex version.

This card is notable because while both cards have the same Drool attack and cost, this is a rare example of a Pokemon TCG Pocket card doing more damage with the same attack than its physical ancestor.

Vileplume

Vileplume was illustrated by Kyoko Umemoto whose work can be found all over Japan thanks to the Poke Lids project, where manhole covers throughout the nation were decorated with colorful Pokemon imagery.

The same art was originally printed on the 2003 Aquapolis Vileplume, which had a bar code that contained map information for an action game for the Game Boy Advance's e-reader,

Paras

Paras may have caused Legends: Arceus players nightmares, but the version in Genetic Apex is illustrated by legendary artist Naoyo Kimura, the same artist who illustrated the very desirable Pikachu with Grey Felt Hat promo in 2023.

The original version in Team Up is another example of the Pokemon TCG Pocket card being stronger, since the digital version does 30 damage with a single Scratch, compared to the 10-damage Scratch and 20-damage Slash on the Team Up version.

Parasect

The Genetic Apex version of Parasect has a disconcerting Pokedex entry, suggesting that the bug that was Paras has died and is being puppetted around by the mushroom. The art, though, is adorably painted by Eri Yamaki.

The same art was used in 2017's Sun & Moon expansion. It seems like the Sun & Moon series was a favorite of Pokemon TCG Pocket's game designers.

Weepinbell

Miki Tanaka also illustrated the Weepingbell in Genetic Apex, which shares its art with the version from Aquapolis. The physical version is another card with an e-reader code in the margin, but it requires four other cards to play the Sneak and Snatch game encoded there. If you're looking for that game, you'll also need Sudowoodo, Bellsprout, Pinsir, and Scyther from the same set.

Victreebel

Victreebel sports the crayon-like style of Sumiyoshi Kizuki, who contributed art to the Pokemon Trading Card Game since Team Rocket, the third expansion to hit the American market.

The art originally appeared on the EX Legend Maker Victreebel, whose Nectar Pod ability functioned similarly to the Fragrance Trap ability on the Genetic Apex print.

Exeggcute

Exeggcute continues to be relevant to the Pokemon TCG Pocket meta, even if it's only a stepping stone to evolve into Exeggutor ex. But the art is credited to kawayoo (Kawaguchi Yoohei), a popular illustrator that Pokemon TCG players will recognize as the artist of the full-art Lugia V.

The physical Ultra Prism print doesn't have the 20-damage Seed Bomb, instead getting Continuous Eggsplosion as an attack. This attack is identical to Eevee's Continuous Steps attack, except that it requires Grass Energy.

Exeggutor

The non-ex Exeggutor occasionally saw play alongside its bigger brother, but doesn't see much use right now. Which is a pity, since it features Yukiko Baba's strikingly clean art style, reminiscent of early Saturday-morning cartoons.

The original print, another from Aquapolis, plays with huge stacks of Energy to deal enormous damage to your opponent's Active or Benched Pokemon.

Tangela

Tangela is illustrated by Midori Harada, who will be most familiar to Pokemon TCG players for her illustration of Cramorant, which was a key piece of Lost Zone decks, and who sometimes provides landscapes for video game guides.

The art of Tangela in Genetic Apex comes from the Everyone's Exciting Battle collection, which was only released in Japan. This product worked a bit like Magic: The Gathering's Jumpstart products, in that it contained a variety of quarter decks to build from.

Scyther

The Scyther from Genetic Apex has the same art and Sharp Scythe attack as the version printed in 2019's Hidden Fates expansion, although the original physical one is a little more expensive, costing two Energy instead of one.

The artist, Hasuno, has done a lot of cards, especially in the Sun & Moon era. Probably their most desirable card is the Japan-exclusive Scream Mimikyu, but Hasuno also provided the art for one of the three Eevee prints in Genetic Apex.

Pinsir

Another one from Eri Yamaki, the uncommon print of first Pinsir printed in Pokemon TCG Pocket featured art borrowed from the 2019 Team Up expansion. The Illustration Rare's art is new, though, and isn't available to add to your physical collection.

The Genetic Apex could score a One-Hit Knock-Out on your opponent's Active Pokemon if you score two heads and it has 100 or less HP, but the Team Up version straight-up KOs a Pokemon for the same two coin flips.

Cottonee

The Cottonee that appears as a Grass-type in Genetic Apex uses the same art as the Fairy-type Cottonee in Ancient Origins. Fairy-type Pokemon and Energy are no longer supported, so these are destined to become curiosities to later generations of Pokemon fans.

The art for this one was provided by Kanako Eo, a graphic designer for Game Freak. As a Pokemon and character designer since Ruby & Sapphire, she may be responsible for the designs of some of your favorite Pokemon.

Whimsicott

Like Cottonee, Whimsicot pulls its art from the Ancient Origins set, where it also appears as a Fairy-type. But the digital version is a clear upgrade, with higher HP and damage from Rolling Tackle, despite a lower Energy cost.

This particular Whimsicott is illustrated by Atsuko Nishida, a graphic artist who has worked at Game Freak since before Pokemon was first developed. She's credited with the designs of several popular Pokemon, including Pikachu, Charizard, and six of the eight Eeveelutions.

Petilil

Featuring another beautiful piece from Naoyo Kimura, Petilil only saw limited play early in the Genetic Apex meta. If you have fond memories of using Petilil in your Venusaur deck, you can find the same art on the 2016 BREAKpoint print.

Lilligant

Lilligant was the first Grass Energy accelerator, before Serperior and Leafeon ex were introduced in later expansions. But since it was softer and slower than Moltres ex, and couldn't be used from the Bench like Gardevoir, it wasn't very successful.

This is another vibrant piece from You Iribi, which was previously featured in the 2017 Guardians Rising expansion. If the digital version had the same Petal Blizzard attack, it might still see use as a Cyrus enabler.

Skiddo

Skiddo is unfortunate to have seen no play in any meta to date, but that doesn't stop it from winning our hearts with adorable art from Naoki Saito, an artist who designed Trainers for the Sun & Moon video games.

Fans of Saito's work, which appears on a lot of Trainer cards in the Sword & Shield and Scarlet & Violet eras, can also find this Skiddo art in Crimson Invasion.

Gogoat

The final Grass-type Pokemon in Genetic Apex, Gogoat is the only example of all Grass-type Pokemon in an evolutionary line featuring art from the same original expansion.

The dynamic art of Gogoat running through a canyon originates from Crimson Invasion, and the physical card is miles ahead of the digital one. Maybe if the version in Genetic Apex did ten more damage, healed itself, and was Super Effective against other Grass-types, it would have seen more play.