The Best Pokémon Booster Boxes That Arrived in 2023

2023 has been a superb year for Pokémon and we have had some brilliant set releases. We thought it would be nice to take a little trip down memory lane and look back at the cream of the crop from this year and then take a quick look into our crystal balls to give you some predictions for 2024.

A lot has happened in 2023. We have had 6 sets released, from Sword & Shield Crown Zenith right through to our newest set Scarlet & Violet Paradox Rift. The new Scarlet & Violet era brought us Generation 9 Pokémon, as well as a whole host of new characters, trainers and great new cards for the newest sets. We’ve had 2 Special Expansion sets released this year, Crown Zenith and Pokémon 151 and neither of those have associated booster boxes, so we will be directing our focus to the remaining Scarlet and Violet sets.

We have had some changes to the game which have affected how we will rank these sets. Most notably has been the return of ex Pokémon. These powerful Pokémon can be Basic, Stage 1 or Stage 2 and it has brought back the need to evolve up from baby Pokémon, rather than just having a massive 2 prize V Pokémon in play from the start. This has helped to slow the game down somewhat, although speedy decks have still sat near the top in most tournaments. It has also meant that we have seen a resurgence in some item cards like Rare Candy, as people try to get their huge Stage 2 ex Pokémon into play as soon as possible. But without further ado, let’s get into our rating of the best booster boxes from this year.

4. Scarlet & Violet Obsidian Flames

So, this was a tricky pick, because Obsidian Flames was superb for collectors and you could pretty much guarantee you would get one of the special Charizard ex cards out of a booster box. But outside of that Charizard, there has not been much that has really changed the game or kept people excited for the set. We did also get a fantastic Pidgeot ex, although it hasn’t seen as much gameplay as I would have expected. Perhaps after we have this season’s rotation and some of the quick setup V decks disappear, these cards will have more time to shine. Charizard ex has been one of the rarities among the Scarlet and Violet era, in that it has managed to maintain its value for the most part. Lots of cards from the upcoming boxes have seen massive price spikes on release, followed by even bigger price drops in the following weeks, but the Special Illustration Rare Charizard ex, in particular, has managed to hold its value well.

3. Scarlet & Violet Paldea Evolved

Paldea Evolved was a pretty good set, including some strong cards and some collectable ones too and it had quite an impact on the game. We got some excellent Trainer cards, including Iono, which has been a staple in just about every deck since its release. Iono received a Full Art and a Special Illustration art version and these have been the most valuable cards from the set. You can now find the Full Art version for less than £40, but the Alternate Art version will still set you back a whole chunk of change! We also got cards like Super Rod and Superior Energy Retrieval, which have found their way into almost every deck out there. There were also a great mix of Illustration Rare cards and ones for collectors to keep an eye out for, including Special Illustration Rare versions of the generation 9 starter Pokémon. Overall, Paldea Evolved was a great mixed set, good for players and collectors alike.

2. Scarlet & Violet Base Set

Scarlet & Violet Base Set was the first main set of the era and the year and brought us the ex mechanic and a flood of excellent cards. We got some meta staples such as Miraidon ex and Gardevoir ex. It was a massive set in terms of playability and collectability and will continue to be going forward. As we hit rotation, many more cards will be unlocked and powerful new combos will emerge. It will also be a great set for collectors, as it is the first set in the new era. It was the first set to have the changes to Tool cards and collectors enjoy having these really individual sets. The most valuable card from the set on release was Miriam Special Illustration Rare and it has continued to hold that spot going forward. It will likely cost you less than £60 to pick up now and is not being played as much as it was, particularly since the release of Super Rod in Paldea Evolved. Scarlet and Violet was also our first look at Tera type Pokémon and we were first shown this mechanic with Gyarados ex and Arcanine ex. Although neither have been particularly well represented in the game, they will always have a special place as the first Tera type cards released.

1. Scarlet & Violet Paradox Rift

Paradox Rift is the latest release from the Scarlet and Violet era and although the set has only been out a short time, it looks like it is going to have a huge impact on the metagame. Much like we got Rapid Strike and Single Strike style Pokémon in Sword and Shield Battle Styles, Paradox Rift has brought us Ancient and Future Pokémon and a whole lot of support for them. Cards such as Iron Hands ex and Roaring Moon ex have been really hyped up as being super powerful cards that are going to change the game. It’s also a great set for collectors, with a massive list of secret rares and some fantastic artwork. As we said, the Ancient and Future mechanic looks like it’s really going to change the game and we have some superb support cards that synergise well with decks built around each mechanic. We continue to get Tera type Pokémon, which have been somewhat lacklustre since their release, as well as incredible Special Illustration Rare cards and Full Art trainers.

Are the 2023 booster boxes as good as 2022?

All of the 2023 booster boxes released have impacted the Pokémon community in different ways and each one has given us some great cards. There have been lots of standout cards which have been extremely playable and are always seen at the top tables of tournaments. However, there has not been too much of real high value from these sets. Oftentimes we have seen big spikes in prices shortly after release and then equally big crashes in price in the following weeks. The most valuable cards from any of these sets remain the Charizard ex’s from Obsidian Flames. The Special Illustration Rare version is still around £100.

It’s always difficult to compare booster boxes to previous years, and comparing them to the best booster boxes of 2022 is quite difficult. The booster boxes released in 2022 were pretty special and one of them is my pick of the modern sets to pick up and hold onto for a few years, Brilliant Stars. We also had Astral Radiance, Lost Origin and Silver Tempest. Each of these sets are well known for their amazing Trainer Gallery Cards, awesome Secret Rares and meta changing deck staples. It’s hard to make the comparison, as the Scarlet and Violet era is still building its foundations for successful future releases.

What does the future hold for Pokémon?

Talking of future releases, what do we think the Pokémon booster box landscape will look like in 2024? Well, I think it will continue to go from strength to strength and there will always be some great sets released. I think we will see some great boxes released next year which will manage to top the ones we have seen so far this year. The second year of a generation is when we start to see some real gems, although that’s not to be too dismissive of the sets we’ve had this year. I would still recommend picking up single cards from the illustration rare galleries and even some sealed boxes if you can afford to. ‘Investing’ in Pokémon products has become quite a trend in recent years and if you can grab some sealed product and keep it hidden away for a few years then it is likely to rise in value. Which sets will rise most and by how much is anyone's guess, but we always see an increase once the sets have been discontinued.

We can look back on 2023 with fondness and remember all the great booster boxes that were given to us. It brought us our first look at generation 9 and has changed the game in a big way. If you want to grab any of the boxes we’ve talked about today, make sure you check out our website where you will find them all, as well as all the singles you need for your next deck.