User:SpaceNarwhal/Holofoil
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The contents of this article have been suggested to be split into 'Holos' & 'Rev Holos'. Please discuss it on the talk page for this article. |
Holofoils cards (also known as Holographic Foil, Foil, Holo, Reverse-Holo, Reverse foil or Holographic) are a special type of card from the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Most are Pokémon cards. They are identical to their normal counterpart aside from a holofoil effect in the picture (Holo) or the card background (Reverse-Holo). A small amount of Rare (
) cards within each expansion are holofoil. They may be pulled from Booster packs as the rare card, but is not guaranteed. They are rarer compared to non-holofoil rare cards.
In most of the English versions of Japanese sets, cards that were originally only holofoil are given non-holofoil counterparts. The e-cards are an exception to this, as even the Japanese versions of the sets had holofoil and non-holofoil versions of cards. Only the non-holofoil versions had dot codes that could be read with the e-Reader. This was apparently because the holofoil caused complications with the dot codes. When holofoil cards have non-holofoil counterparts, the non-holofoil cards are the more common of the two, even though both are marked with the same rarity. As such, they are numbered differently within sets and generally considered different cards in terms of collectibility. In play, however, the cards operate the same, and thus are viewed mostly as the same.
Both crystal and pearl figures from the Pokémon Trading Figure Game appear to be based upon this concept. However, unlike the cards, the figures are not numbered differently.
Holofoil Patterns
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. |
Cosmos
Cosmos holofoil was used on all holo cards between Base Set and Call of Legends, along with various promotional cards. It consists of dots and circles of different sizes spread across the image of the Pokémon.
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Tinsel
Tinsel holofoil was used on standard holo cards between Black & White until Legendary Treasures, along with various promotional cards. It consists of horizontal stripes across the image. In Japanese holofoil cards of these sets, the border of the card also has a tinsel holofoil effect.
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Sheen
Sheen or Mirror holofoil is used for holo cards from XY onwards, and on various promotional cards. There are differences in the pattern depending on the language of the card; Japanese holofoil cards refract light in a diagonal direction from bottom left to top right across the entire card; Korean holofoil cards have the same effect and direction, but only cover the image of the Pokémon; and international releases have the same effect as Japanese cards, but only cover the image, and the direction is from bottom right to top left.
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Cracked Ice
Occasionally called Broken Glass or Shards, Cracked Ice holofoil is used for the exclusive version of the featured card in Theme Decks from the BW Era/Series onwards, along with promotional cards included in Blister Packs.
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Crosshatch
Crosshatch holofoil is generally used only for cards awarded at Play! Pokémon events. The crosshatch effect is often applied to the background of the card, as in a reveerse holo card.
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Pixel
Pixel or Confetti holofoil is used exclusively for cards in the McDonalds Collection sets.
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Reverse-Holofoil
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This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: PICTURES! |
Whilst not strictly a pattern of holofoil, reverse-holographic cards are regarded as an alternative print of the cards in a set. Since Legendary Collection, one reverse-holographic card has been included in each booster pack. In contrast to a regular holofoil card where the holographic effect is applied to the picture, a reverse-holographic has the holographic effect applied to the entire card apart from the picture. A reverse-holographic counterpart is usually available for every card in a set, excluding Ultra Rare and Secret Rare cards.
Reverse-Holofoil Patterns
Legendary Collection
To appeal to collectors, Legendary Collection was the first set to include reverse-holographic cards. Wizards took a hint from Magic and made a reverse-holographic card for every single card in the set. This trend carried over with Nintendo's occupation of the TCG, and has featured in every expansion since.
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Expedition - EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua
Expedition once again featured reverse-holofoil cards, but the design was changed from the "wheel" treatment (which was reminiscent of European fake holofoil designs) to a plain "refractor" design. They are more "official" looking than the ones found in Legendary Collection. One problem brought to Wizard's attention was that both the holofoil and non-holofoil rare cards had identical reverse-holographic counterparts (apart from the card number). Wizards rectified this in Aquapolis by numbering the holofoil cards differently and not producing reverse-holofoil for them.
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EX Hidden Legends - EX Power Keepers
The reverse-holographic design changed in EX Hidden Legends. Instead of the previous "plain" holographic design, the same foil was used with an energy symbol pattern. To further distinguish the reverse-holographics and holographics, the type of the Pokémon was displayed as a faint foil symbol in the attack box. The reverse-holographic versions of the holographic rares also have a foil rarity symbol. The reverse-holographic design has changed with every new Expansion since.
In EX Team Rocket Returns, the reverse-holographics feature the set logo in the bottom right corner of the character window. Also, the Reverse-holographic versions of the holographic rares have gold foil name text, as well as the foil rarity symbol. These features were added to avoid confusion with the holographic rares. Every set until Diamond & Pearl has followed this tradition.
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Diamond & Pearl - onwards
With the release of Diamond & Pearl reverse-holographic cards now have a "pixel" design. Refractor versions of normally holographic rares do not have their regular holofoil, unlike earlier expansions. This style of reverse-holographic card remains in use for all new expansions.
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