In the next Pokémon TCG set, Destined Rivals, the first 3 ex cards for Nidoking are coming to the trading card game in the form of the SIR, Ultra rare and Double rare forms of Team Rocket’s Nidoking EX. Alongside these, the rest of the evolution line is coming to the set in the form of Team Rocket’s Nidoran F, Team Rocket’s Nidorina, Team Rocket’s Nidoqueen, Team Rocket’s Nidoran M, and Team Rocket’s Nidoran F. Lets take a look at each of these cards:
Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex (SIR)
Team Rocket’s Nidoking EX is slated to be the first Special Illustration Rare to come to the Pokémon Trading Card game.
This card is likely to be the most expensive and sought after card in the set, and it will be interesting to see how it compares to the Illustration Rare version of Nidoking that was released in the Scarlet & Voilet 151 set, which was the last time we saw a Nidoking card make its way into the Pokémon TCG.
I think this card is an amazing card. It is one of my favorite cards I have seen. The card contains the art form of a Manga, with a sharp image and deep emotion from Nidoking. Overall, the artwork on this card is one of my favorites I have ever seen on a card and I think from a collectors perspective this will be a must have card from the set. It will be interesting to see how the overall market likes the card since, of course, this is just my own biased opinion.
SMS Cardz Collectability Rating: 9.9/10
Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex (FA)
The Full art variant of Nidoking ex is the second rarest variant of Nidoking ex coming to destined rivals.
This card features Nidoking standing in an attack stance with Team Rocket’s Giovanni standing behind. This card is a gorgeous card, featuring deep purple background that fits extremely well with the Nidoking at the center. Nidoking also has a light blue outline that helps very well to contrast it from the large amounts of purple in the card.
The card has a simple yet elegant design to it. It is not as intense as the SIR variant of the card, but nonetheless it is a very well designed card. This card is a perfect addition to the collection of someone who is Nidoking fan or someone who likes to collect cards featuring the color purple. This is all around a great card.
SMS Cardz Rating: 9.3/10
Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex (Double Rare)
The Double Rare Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex is the 3rd most rare variant of Nidoking ex in the Deatined rivals set.
This card, in comparison to previous ex cards, pulls ahead in being a card that shows aggression and detail in the Nidoking. One of my general downsides of standard ex cards is the lack of Pokémon specific characteristics, but this Nidoking card does a good job apt balancing this flaw.
However, this card fails to come anywhere near the positive aspects aesthetically of the other Nidoking cards being released in this set. It is an above average double rare in my opinion but does nothing challenge the quality of the Full art rare and especially the SIR Version.
SMS Cardz Rating: 5.6/10
Team Rocket’s Nidoran F
The Team Rocket’s Nidoran F is set to release in the upcoming Destined rivals set of the Pokémon TCG. This is the second time we are going to see a Nidoran F card featuring Giovanni as the leader since Gym Challenge in October 2000.
Additionally, this is the first time we have seen Nidoran F since the Scarlet & Violet 151 set where we had a very average card art in that release for Nidoran F.
While the card is not spectacular, the angry stance and emotion presents an artwork that in my opinion is the best that we have seen for a Nidoran F card in the TCG.
Nidoran stands in a magma filled area, reminiscent of the Nether in Minecraft, aggressively defending its territory. Mushrooms line the decapitating log by its side as it awaits its enemy with confidence.
SMS Cardz Rating: 6.1/10
Team Rocket’s Nidorina
Team Rocket’s Nidorina is another solid card being released for the Destined Rivals set. The card is again the first card for Nidorina being released since the Scarlet & Violet 151 set back in 2023. Before that, Nidorina had not seen a card released since the Sun an Moon era in the Team Up set.
While this is a sold card, I would say it is my second least favorite of the family being released in the set, being better than the Nidoran F. That said, this is probably my favorite artwork for a Nidorina card since it’s release in HGSS Triumphant set.
The card features Nidorina on what appears to be some sort of cabinet that resembles King Kong climbing amidst the buildings. The artwork is creative and I think Nidorina collectors would be happy to have this in a collection.
SMS Cardz Rating: 7.1/10
Team Rocket’s Nidoqueen
Sadly, for Nidoqueen’s return to the TCG in the Destined Rivals set, we are once again getting a low rarity card. Back in SV 151, Nidoking had an illustration rate while Nidoqueen received another base rarity card. The last time we saw a more sought after version of Nidoqueen was with the SM Team Up pre-release where it had both a staff and normal pre-release version given to it.
This card, however, has great artwork. Team Rocket’s Nidoqueen stands crouched in a dark forest, with a sort of fish lense distortion to the background behind it. Nidoqueen seems to push the surroundings off to the side as it awaits its opponent.
The card does not have anything spectacular, but there is great use of detail that puts Nidoqueen into a very immersed environment.
SMS Cardz Rating: 6.6/10
Team Rocket’s Nidoran M
Team Rocket’s Nidoran M is the second to last card being released in the Destined Rivals set. Including all variants released of the Nidoran, this will be the second time featuring Team Rocket’s Giovanni and will be the 31st and 32nd variants of the Pokémon released (including reverse holo and stamp variations).
This card has a very fun art in my opinion. Nidoran M is sitting on the floor of a lab, underneath a lab bench, surrounded in clouds of what appear to be toxic haze. Nidoran M is looking at the observer with an almost silly, confused look, while it appears to be the culprit behind the toxic haze of its environment. This art varies from the art of the rest of its basic rarity card mates, except Nidorina, which all appear to be in the setting of a toxic forrest. Maybe Nidorina is in the same location as Nidoran M?
This is a very fun artwork, that I really enjoy, but falls short in my opinion of other artworks such as that from Plasma Freeze and that from Steam Seige (my favorite).
SMS Cardz Rating: 7.8/10
Team Rocket’s Nidorino
Team Rocket’s Nidorino is the final card of the Nidoking family to come to Destined Rivals. Just like Nidoran M, this will be the 31st and 32nd variant released of the Pokémon, assuming there will be a normal and reverse holo variant released for Nidorino. This is the 2nd card released in the Scarlet & Violet era following its release in the SV 151 set.
Nidorino finished off the releases from the evolution line with another great artwork. Nidorino stands, as if provoked, to defend its area in the forest. While the background is simple, The detail does a good job of putting Nidorino in the setting without overwhelming the artwork. This is one of my favorite of the Nidorino artworks released, except from its Rising Rivals release. The red bottom of the dark forest is reminiscent of the glowing ground in Team Rocket’s Nidoran F, with trees that look to be the same as those from Team Rocket’s Nidoqueen and even Team Rocket’s Nidoking EX (SIR).
SMS Cardz Rating: 6.9/10
* This post is not sponsored or endorsed by The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, Game Freak, or any affiliated entities. All opinions expressed are my own and are based on personal analysis and experience. The SMS Cardz Ratings are subjective and intended for entertainment and informational purposes only.
