Pokémon’s Official Board Game Returns for the Series’ 30th Anniversary
Bandai Spirits has officially revived one of Pokémon’s classic tabletop games with the launch of Plakoro, a refreshed dice-based battle game that marks the debut of the company’s new Bandai Tabletop Games brand.
Pokémon celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2026, and the franchise continues to evolve beyond video games and the Trading Card Game through new collectibles, board games and tabletop experiences designed for fans of all ages.
Originally released in 1997, Plakoro has been redesigned for the anniversary with updated gameplay and refreshed components while keeping its blend of luck and strategy that made the original game popular.
Designed for two players, the game lets each trainer battle using Pokémon represented by collectible character dice, with players managing attacks, energy, and customizations as they compete to knock out their opponent’s team.
Each Starter Set includes everything needed to begin playing immediately, including one Character Dice, three Energy Dice, 18 Custom Chips, a Character Card, seven Move Cards, a Life Counter and a play sheet with the instruction manual.
Six different Starter Sets are now available, giving players the choice of beginning their collection with Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Eevee or Mew.
The Bulbasaur Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), offers a complete ready-to-play kit built around the iconic Grass-type starter Pokémon.
The Charmander Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), includes the same complete gameplay set while featuring the popular Fire-type starter.
The Squirtle Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), gives players another ready-to-play option centered around the Water-type starter Pokémon.
The Pikachu Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), brings the franchise mascot into the new tabletop game with a full beginner-friendly set of components.
The Eevee Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), offers another entry point for players who prefer one of Pokémon’s most versatile and beloved characters.
The Mew Starter Set, priced at ¥990 (approx. $7 USD / £5 GBP), with a limited-time introductory price of ¥500 (approx. $3 USD / £3 GBP), rounds out the launch lineup with the Mythical Pokémon as its featured battler.
Players looking to expand beyond the Starter Sets can also pick up the Plakoro Adventure Box 01, priced at ¥385 (approx. $3 USD / £2 GBP), a blind-pack expansion containing one randomly selected Character Dice, four Custom Chips, a Character Card, five Move Cards and an instruction sheet.
The first Adventure Box assortment features Muk, Onix, Pinsir, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, with each Pokémon available in two different poses and three rarities consisting of Normal, Rare and Super Rare variants, creating a total of 36 possible collectibles to discover.
The Plakoro Starter Sets and Adventure Box 01 are now available from hobby goods retailers, such as HobbyLink Japan, following their launch on July 18, 2026.
If you enjoyed this article, you can see more from us directly in your Google feed by adding us as a preferred source.
This post may contain affiliate links, and Essential Japan may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
