Most
gamers know that Nintendo first introduced the Pokemon TCG
in Japan in late 1996. But a lesser-known fact is that
another series of Pokemon game cards were produced by
Bandai around the same time that the TCG cards hit the
shelves. The so-called Banpresto card series was only sold
through vending machines, making them among the rarest of
all early Pokemon collectibles. There are 151 cards in
all—one for each of the original characters—and each
has a full-color front and back. Among the cards are
several prism cards, featuring such favorite characters as
Charizard, Pikachu and Mew and Mewtwo. The backs of the
cards include tips for playing the Pokemon Gameboy Red,
Green and Blue cartridges, as well as information about
the monsters’ strengths and weaknesses. Pictured here is
the Charizard prism card. Thanks to Glenn at Pocketmonsters.com
for the information.
