Pokémon Ascended Heroes stands out as my favorite recent set. However, the rapid price increases can make tracking down chases quite challenging. I’m not keen on splurging for SIRs, especially when many are priced well into the triple digits. Luckily, there’s a budget-friendly alternative! If you don’t mind exploring Japanese Pokémon cards (and you definitely should), the Mega Dream ex booster boxes offer a fantastic deal: 10 booster packs packed with chances to snag those coveted chases – all at a surprisingly reasonable price.
Now, “reasonable” might be a stretch here. While these boxes are certainly cheaper than most items from Ascended Heroes, Japanese Pokémon TCG products were once much less expensive before the ‘hype tax’ kicked in. Generally, high-value Japanese booster boxes hover around $100, so it’s impressive that Mega Dream ex remains relatively unaffected by the surrounding hype of Ascended Heroes.
My Pokémon Ascended Heroes review praises its stunning artwork and ample cards for your collection, but that appreciation fades if the packs are out of your price range. While not every chase is available in Mega Dream ex, many fan-favorites like the Mega Dragonite ex SIR are. From my experience opening Mega Dream ex packs, the pull rates are genuinely impressive.
The much-discussed Mega Gengar ex SAR showcases the powerful Ghost-type in magnificent detail, and there are also two breathtaking gold Mega Hyper Rares to add to your collection. Plus, the adorable Pikachu ex SAR (the Terastal version, not the forest variant) is also featured, alongside those stunning Mega Attack cards. I’m thrilled to have pulled one from Mega Dream ex, which I can’t say about Ascended Heroes.
Of course, like any Pokémon product, there’s an element of chance, and you might end up with just a handful of IRs and an empty wallet. But from my own experience, Japanese packs typically yield better pull rates, and the card quality is held to a higher standard. If I weren’t Wargamer’s dedicated Pokéxpert (trust me, Matt is getting tired of this title), I’d solely focus on collecting Japanese cards. Yet, for the benefit of our readers, it’s essential to provide a balanced view between English and Japanese versions.
If you’re intrigued by the prospect of Japanese Pokémon cards, you can score a Mega Dream ex booster box for about $90 on TCGPlayer. This gets you 10 booster packs brimming with Ascended Heroes content at a fraction of the cost per pack. Sure, they’re in Japanese, but if you prioritize competitive play over collecting, you can always wait to purchase English singles later at lower prices. Mega Dream ex is perfect for those like me who are chasing those elusive SIRs.
If you’re all about Pokédeals (and who isn’t?), join our Wargamer Discord community! We’ll notify you about any retail-priced or below-market listings to help you keep those Pokémon collections thriving. What better way to celebrate Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary than by investing in some awesome cards, right?
