Fans hoping for the much-anticipated 30th Anniversary Ultra Premium Collection from The Pokémon Center were met with a surprise drop of mini tins on October 15. While the tins are collectible and feature appealing artwork, their release has drawn criticism for being underwhelming compared to expectations.
The mini tins, priced at $9.99, contain only two Pokémon Trading Card Game packs. This offering stands in stark contrast to the Ultra Premium Collection (UPC) that many collectors were eagerly awaiting, especially with the UPC set to release soon. The decision by The Pokémon Center to offer these smaller items instead of prioritizing the larger, more sought-after collection has caused frustration within the fan community.
Compounding the disappointment, the distribution method for the mini tins has also faced scrutiny. The tins are sold randomly, and purchasing multiple listings to collect different designs can be a time-consuming process. Furthermore, The Pokémon Center's website is known for its aggressive anti-bot measures, which can inadvertently flag legitimate users, increasing the risk of account bans for those attempting to secure multiple items. The difficulty of adding even a single item to the cart during a busy drop, let alone a full set of tins, has led many to express their dissatisfaction.
Collectors who are still keen on acquiring the 30th Anniversary mini tins can look for designs featuring Greninja, Night Pikachu, Mewtwo, Umbreon, Zapdos, Moltres, Mew, and Lapras.