Spilling The Sinistea

Today, Ezra and Chelsea discuss the latest expansion of the Pokémon TCG sets with Surging Sparks. They talk about the most expensive cards if you’re looking to buy singles and whether it is better to buy boosters or individual cards to build your best, creative deck. They discuss their favorite cards, some deck strategies, and what you don’t want to miss in this large, 252-card list.  Disclai...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea dive into the world of games guiding. Ezra goes deep into the world of games journalism and gives an inside look into the world of a videogame guider. They talk about the games they have used guides for (and the ones they wish they had a guide for), when many people may like to use a guide, and give props to those who want to go in blind and complete the games...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea give their initial thoughts into the Pokémon TCG Pocket mobile app. They delve into their first 5 days with the app, talk about battling, pack opening (including the crumply pack theory), and wishes and concerns as the game continues to grow and evolve.     Episode References: Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket: https://www.pokemon.com/us/pokemon-v...

Happy Halloween! In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea talk all about the spookiest and scariest Pokémon. They break down who would be on their Halloween team and which Pokémon give them the heebee-jeebies to celebrate this final episode of the 2024 Halloween spookfest.    Connect with Ezra & Chelsea: Website: https://bonus-action.com   Twitter: https://twitter.com/BonusActionSOC...

Today, in the spirit of Halloween, Ezra and Chelsea talk about the pros and cons of purchasing Pokémon themed Halloween costumes online or in-store, making your own, and plenty of ideas for easy or last-minute Halloween options for anyone in your family. As Halloween lovers (and a former cosplayer in Ez), they share ideas for people of all budgets and skill levels.    Episode References:...

In this episode, Chelsea and Ez discuss the Pokémon 2024 BOOster Bundle card packs and whether they are worth purchasing. They talk about the value of handing them out for Halloween and the benefits of opening them for collections and playability. They also review some particularly good cards, and Ez won’t shut up about how SHINY the holos for the set are this year. Disclaimer: Ezra was gifted pro...

Today, Ez and Chelsea talk about their random adventure of the week….to retrieve Ezra’s long-lost, original copy of Pokémon HeartGold! They also delve into what to look for when finding and considering playing vintage games, the scams and problems you may encounter (especially around the batteries), and why you should be a good vintage game consumer.     Connect with Ezra & Chel...

In this episode, we go on a wild, tangent-filled adventure about why Ash Ketchum leaving the anime as a main character was a solid and necessary choice by the Pokémon anime creators. They touch on why Horizons is the perfect fit for modern audiences, how it does a better job of providing connections for viewers, and what on earth it is Ash is doing now that he is no longer forced to travel the wor...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea talk about the newest expansion in the Scarlet & Violet Pokémon TCG collection: Stellar Crown. This set isn’t for collectors, but it is a feast for fans of deck building and complex strategy. They chat about the best cards for deck building, how the Energy strategy works with Stellar Tera cards, which Stadium and Ace Spec cards are worth using, and how best...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea talk about their experience at the Pokémon Play Lab at PAX West 2024. They break down the beginner-friendly mechanics of how Play Lab is set up, discuss the demo decks they had the chance to run, and talk about which Pokémon is really the superior electric mouse.  See below for the card lists and remember, supporting the scalpers harms TCG players in the l...

Do you have a game that you love and want to play but it is a bit of a toxic relationship? For us, that is Pokémon GO! Today, Ezra and Chelsea have what can only be called a bit of a rant about the Pokémon gimmicks in PoGo that are causing us to stress for no reason or spend real-life money in a game we so desperately want to love but feels like it does not equally love and support its fanbase.&nb...

The latest news from Pokémon GO has us very excited! Chelsea and Ezra talk this week about the announcement regarding the introduction of Dynamax and Gigantamax into PoGO. As diehard fans of the Sword and Shield (as we’ve talked about many times before) and lovers of the Dynamax mechanics, we are stoked to see it coming to the mobile app. We break down how we think it may work, talk about why it i...

The 2024 Pokémon World Championships happened last weekend in Hawaii, bringing some interesting decks and strategies from the TCG competition, but lackluster announcements from The Pokémon Company for the rest of the year. Ezra and Chelsea break down their thoughts on the TCG competition decks, the new TCG Pocket game coming to mobile on October 30, 2024, and give some predictions for the next few...

Today, Ezra and Chelsea talk about the latest TCG set - Shrouded Fable. For those looking for just the base set, the cards are super playable and, with a tiny set list of only 99, super easy to get. The struggles with this set come with the rare and special cards at the end - while most of them are gorgeous, they are hard to pull and are not worth buying the tins, ETBs, and other special sets due...

In a bit of a continuation from their last episode regarding previous games they want to play, Ezra and Chelsea talk about Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, its latest availability on Nintendo Switch Online, and other games that we might (or want) to see come to the Switch. This is super exciting news for players who miss the nostalgia of the games on the Game Boy Advanced, Game Boy Color,...

In this week’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea discuss their desire to fall back in love with the world of Pokémon video games by revising old favorites before the release of Pokémon Legends: Z-A in 2025. They delve into favorite characters, favorite mechanics, and what they’re hoping to see out of the new game. As always, there are side conversations about why they fell out of love with many of the vid...

Ez and Chelsea tackle the massive responsibilities of being Pokémon professors to the next generation of trainers. How do you get your offspring/nibling/random kid at the grocery store asking you questions in the toy aisle into Pokémon? Here are a few tips about embracing creativity, nurturing curiosity, and building memories together to strengthen the new batch of future Pokémon Masters.   E...

In this week’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea dive into the realm of Pokémon TCG deck building - specifically themed decks! Whether you have a favorite Disney character you want to honor, a superhero that’s calling for their own tough-to-beat deck, your favorite meal, or any other theme you can dream up, they’ve got tips for building your perfect deck! Listen in to hear about how we built some of our f...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea dive deep into their love of all things squishable and Pokémon. They discuss the pros and cons of different Poké Plushes from Build-A-Bear to key chains to articulated Pokémon friends and everything in between. Whether you’re looking for an immensely huggable friend, something cuddly for you or your tot, or a buddy to keep you company as you go about life’s day...

In today’s episode, Ez and Chelsea discuss (rant) about the biggest missing element of Pokémon Go - Gen 8. They ask Niantic where Galar Starters are, theorize why Gen 8 is still mostly missing from the mobile app, and discuss how key mechanics could be implemented in the future. Mostly, they are both deeply confused as to why Sobble and Scorbunny are still missing from their storage boxes.  ...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea dive into the imaginings of what could be for the next generation of Pokémon. They discuss some of the things that worked and were beloved by players from previous generations, things that The Pokémon Company could embrace and bring in, and state their desire (and the desire of many Pokémon fans) to build a game that makes players want to explore, want to creat...

This week, Ezra and Chelsea chat about how they got started in the TCG, the origination and modifications of their primary decks (Galarian Obstagoon/Piers and a Leon’s Charizard), and how playing Expanded in group settings can sometimes cause unexpected challenges. They also go into how playing Expanded socially compares to the current (and former) competitive scene and invite anyone who listens a...

Fans of Pokémon come in all ages - if you’re a new fan just getting started or an OG looking to get back into the trading card game, we have a slew of tips for picking out a deck, expanding on strategy, and having fun. We also talk about younger player safety, what kids need to know, and how parents can guide their young trainers as they get their footing.   Episode References: Pokémon Scarle...

In today’s episode, Ezra and Chelsea gush about all things kitty related. They discuss their collective 5! cats, tell the stories of how they were acquired, and then treat them like the Pokémon companions that they are - we typed them, gave them movesets, and, when applicable, assigned them to Pokémon game characters. Hit us up on Twitter or email and share your pet stories with us!   Episode...

Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are two of the biggest Pokémon games in the last few years. However, the gimmicks provided in each give two very different experiences to the player. Today, Chelsea and Ezra discuss why the Sword and Shield mechanics of Dynamaxing are superior to the Tera Raids of Scarlet and Violet.      Connect with Ezra & Chelsea: Websit...