2-Player CD-ROM Starter Set, Grass Chopper, Hot Water, Lightning Bug, Psych Out Theme Decks
Grass Chopper, Hot Water, Lightning Bug, and Psych Out are four Base Set 2 theme decks. Each 60-card pre-constructed deck comes packaged with a holographic Pikachu coin, a Base Set 2 card checklist, a (then-current) Pokémon TCG rule book, and several cardboard damage counters. They were originally released in stores with Base Set 2 on February 28th, 2000 for $9.99 each, but are now long out of print.
With the release of these theme decks also came a 2-Player CD-ROM Starter Set, an updated version of Base Set’s 2-Player Starter Set. Like the original, its purpose was to introduce players to the Pokémon TCG by teaching them how to play it.
These theme decks were the first to use cardboard damage counters; every theme deck from this set and on used them. Originally, Base Set, Jungle, and Fossil’s theme decks contained glass damage counters.
2-Player CD-ROM Starter Set
This “2-Player Starter Set” is packaged with two 30-card theme decks. Two players can use the decks against each other for the purpose of learning how to play the TCG.
This is the only theme deck to feature a holographic card from a different set - a semi-exclusive 1st edition Base Set Machamp card. Unlike the 1st edition Machamp in Base Set’s 2-Player Starter Kit, the Machamp in this starter set uses a galaxy holofoil pattern like all holo cards from Base Set 2, distinguishing it from the card’s original starry holofoil pattern. Machamp cannot be obtained out of any booster packs of Base Set, making the card semi-exclusive to the two aforementioned decks. A collector may consider this card completely distinct from the original if going by the holofoil pattern.
The “Pokémon TCG - Play It!” CD included in this starter set is a program in which players can battle a computer-generated character named Julie. When you first play the program she walks you through how to play the TCG using simple decks, such as one featuring Seaking from Jungle. Once you have learned how to play, you can then battle her using other pre-made decks. The program also includes other features, such as quizzes that, if beat, will allow you to print out certificates that you can take to your Pokémon League to redeem for points. The CD was later updated to version two and released in the Thunderstorm Gift Box, and again in Kellogg’s cereals with other games as part of a promotion.
The kit additionally comes with a special playmat and starter game guide, which walks players through how to play the TCG using the included decks. Combined, both decks primarily focus on Fighting and Water-type Pokémon. For more information on this product, jump to the top of this page.
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Grass Chopper Theme Deck
“Grass Chopper” features a holographic Clefairy card and primarily focuses on Grass and Fighting-type Pokémon. For more information on this deck, jump to the top of this page.
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Hot Water Theme Deck
“Hot Water” features a holographic Poliwrath card and primarily focuses on Water and Fire-type Pokémon. For more information on this deck, jump to the top of this page.
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Lightning Bug Theme Deck
“Lightning Bug” features a holographic Chansey card and primarily focuses on Lightning and Grass-type Pokémon. For more information on this deck, jump to the top of this page.
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Psych Out Theme Deck
“Psych Out” features a holographic Wigglytuff card and primarily focuses on Water and Psychic-type Pokémon. For more information on this deck, jump to the top of this page.
An error occurs on this theme deck’s packaging in which Poliwrath is shown to be the featured holographic card when it is in fact Wigglytuff. After creating the “Hot Water” theme deck template, which features Poliwrath, Wizards of the Coast probably then used its template to create “Psych Out,” forgetting to change Poliwrath to Wigglytuff. The error may have been overlooked because “Psych Out” focuses on Water-types and is blue, and so Poliwrath would seem to fit into the deck in quickly glancing at the packaging.
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Pikachu Coin
The “2-Player CD-ROM Starter Set,” “Grass Chopper,” “Hot Water,” “Lightning Bug,” and “Psych Out” each come with a black and yellow, holographic Pikachu coin that cannot be found in any other Pokémon TCG product.
