Pokemon Sun & Moon Team Up released in February 2019 and introduced the tag team mechanic, pairing two Pokemon on a single powerful basic card. The set contains 196 numbered cards plus additional variants that push a master set build to roughly 199 slots or more. It has appreciated dramatically in value over the years, driven largely by collector demand for its unique card types, exclusive promos, and a handful of chase cards that rank among the most sought-after in the entire Sun & Moon series.
What is the tag team mechanic and why did players dislike it?
Tag team cards place two Pokemon on one basic card, giving them combined attacks and high HP. The catch for competitive play is significant: when a tag team Pokemon is knocked out, the opponent takes three prize cards instead of the usual one or two. Since the goal of the game is to collect all six prize cards, a single knockout hands the opponent half their win condition in one move. On top of that, these cards are classified as basic Pokemon, meaning players could put them straight into play without evolving, making them both powerful and a liability at the same time. Collectors, on the other hand, loved the concept immediately, and the dual-Pokemon artwork became a major draw for the hobby.
Which tag team cards are in the set?
Team Up includes six tag team GX cards: Celebi & Venusaur GX, Magikarp & Wailord GX, Pikachu & Zekrom GX, Gengar & Mimikyu GX, Latias & Latios GX, and Eevee & Snorlax GX. Each appears in multiple print versions across the set's card types, giving collectors several versions of each pairing to chase.
What card types exist in Team Up, and why is the numbering so confusing?
Because Team Up is a Sun & Moon series set, it carries the full range of card types from that era: standard cards, reverse holos, prism star cards, regular GX cards, full art GX cards, alternate art GX cards, full art trainer cards, and rainbow rares. That variety alone makes the set complex to collect.
The numbering adds another layer of confusion. The official set total is 196 cards, but collectors need closer to 199 binder slots to account for the extras. First, there is a Lycanroc GX that carries the Team Up set symbol but can only be pulled from the Shiny Vault subset inside Hidden Fates. Essentially every detail of the card points to Hidden Fates, yet the Team Up symbol appears on it, which has caused no shortage of collector confusion. Second, Pokemon Communication is numbered 152 of 181 in the set, but it has two additional siblings: a 152A promo version with alternate artwork that is not available in booster packs, and a 152B version with its own alternate artwork that is available in packs. Tracking all of these down is part of what makes master-setting Team Up a genuine challenge.
What products were released with Team Up, and which ones have exclusive promos?
Several products came out alongside the set, and a number of them include promos that cannot be found in booster packs.
The Build & Battle box was the first product available, sold at prerelease events before the set's official launch. Each box contained four booster packs and an evolution pack mini deck. Buyers received one of four possible prerelease stamped promo cards at random. These are standard holos with a special stamp, and some, including a Charizard variant, carry meaningful collector interest.
Two theme decks were released: Relentless Flame, featuring Charizard, and Torrential Cannon, featuring Blastoise. Both decks include exclusive cracked ice holo versions of their featured Pokemon. Charizard and Blastoise do appear in the main set, but only as non-holo or reverse holo cards. The cracked ice holo pattern is entirely exclusive to these decks, making them a distinct collector target. Each deck also includes a cracked ice holo coin matching its featured Pokemon.
The Elite Trainer Box came with eight booster packs and the usual assortment of TCG accessories, all featuring Pikachu & Zekrom artwork. Notably, it did not include a promo card, which was standard practice for Sun & Moon era ETBs.
Blister packs came in several forms. Three-pack blisters included either a Deoxys or a Necrozma promo card alongside an Alolan Ninetales coin. Single-pack blisters came in two waves: the first featured Pikachu and Mimikyu black star promos with a Litten coin, while the second wave included two-card promo sets where Magikarp and Pikachu were non-holo and Gyarados and Raichu were cosmos foil exclusives. Interestingly, those four promo cards are actually from the Burning Shadows set despite being packaged with Team Up product.
Three tag team tins were also released, each featuring a textured alternate art promo card. These textured promos are exclusive to the tins and are a separate collectible from the standard alt art versions in the set.
Dollar store three-packs were sold at Dollar Tree and Dollar General for one dollar each. Each mini pack contained a common, an uncommon, and a very small chance at a hit for the third card.
A booster box was also available at retail, containing 36 booster packs.
What are the chase cards in Team Up?
The Latias & Latios GX, often called the Love Birds by collectors, is widely considered the top chase card not just in Team Up but across the entire Sun & Moon series. Its alternate art version in particular has seen dramatic price appreciation and commands significant premiums in graded condition. Community discussion consistently points to this card as the primary driver of the set's overall value.
Gengar & Mimikyu GX in its alternate art version is another major chase card, with graded copies having moved substantially in value. Magikarp & Wailord GX is also highly sought after, with its alternate art version carrying strong collector demand. Pikachu & Zekrom GX rounds out the top tier of desirable pulls.
Rainbow rares, which apply a full rainbow foil treatment to GX and trainer cards, are another category collectors pursue across the set. The full art trainer cards and prism star cards also attract dedicated collectors who want complete runs of each card type.
Why has Team Up appreciated so much in value?
Several factors have combined to push Team Up prices higher over time. The tag team mechanic was unique to a specific window of the Sun & Moon era, giving the set a distinct identity that later sets did not replicate in the same way. The Latias & Latios GX alternate art in particular became a focal point for collector attention, and as awareness of that card grew, interest in the broader set followed. The complex product ecosystem, with its exclusive cracked ice holos, textured tin promos, and stamped prerelease cards, gives collectors many different targets to pursue, which sustains ongoing demand. Sealed product from the set has also attracted attention from collectors who view the box itself as the collectible, independent of what might be pulled from it.
As with any collectible, prices fluctuate and past appreciation does not guarantee future performance. This article is educational only and is not financial or investment advice.