How to Use PTCG Sim to Play Old Pokemon TCG Formats

If you are an old-school Pokémon TCG player, you probably have been slightly disappointed by Pokémon TCG Live’s lack of older formats. But one TCG player has created their own online Pokémon card game sim that aims to allow every card to have ever been printed.

On December 25, a Twitter user going by Michael Long announced that he launched PTCG Sim, a completely free online Pokémon TCG simulator that “supports the last decade of expansions.” According to Long, PTCG Sim is his first big coding project and it will continue to expand over time.

hey pokemon peeps 🎅 i’ve been working on a pokemon tcg simulator and i’m happy to announce that PTCG-sim is now live! this tool is completely free and supports the last decade of expansions

try it out here (best on desktop): https://t.co/vA9OYlb8X8

and yes. pvp is supported :) pic.twitter.com/7ey2A7MEj2

— Xiao Xiao Long (@xxmichaellong) December 25, 2023

In the comments, competitive and casual players alike applauded Long for releasing PTCG Sim. Many trainers have issues with Pokémon TCG Live due to the bugs, how the ranked system works, and the lack of formats. Right now, Live only supports standard and expanded, meaning you can only play in matches with legal sets. PTCG Sim will allow players to upload decks and conduct matches that span the last 10 years of formats.

PTCG Sim

Some players have already asked if Long plans to add even more formats and he responded: “Yes, gonna have them all!”

While PTCG Sim supports the most recent sets, it will ultimately allow players to battle with decks all the way back to the beginning of the TCG. Right now Long confirmed that it only goes back to 2011 Worlds format, but this is just the start.

Even though it’s a bit buggy, trainers have commended Long for the effort and have started giving him some feedback and suggestions.

This is something that has been missing for years in the pokemon tcg community that I think YGO has down with Project Ignis. Great work! Do you plan to open source it or allow for people to make contributions?

— 99¢ taco tuesday (@Neal1231) December 26, 2023

How to Use PTCG Sim

Using PTCG Sim is pretty simple. Here’s how to build a deck and start playing a match.

Build a Deck on PTCG Sim

1. Head to PTCG Sim
2. Click on the Import tab
3. Copy and paste a deck list from any of the formats back to 2011
4. Alternatively, click on the Book button to check out popular decks from the past 10 years
5. Once your deck is pasted, click Import
6. The cards will load into the battlefield automatically

Play a Match on PTCG Sim

1. Once your deck is on the battlefield, you’ll see it as a 60-card pile
2. Click Set Up if you’re playing against a friend to draw cards and set up prizes
3. Alternatively, click Set Up Both if you also want your opponent’s side to be set up
4. Click on a ‘mon card in your hand and drag it onto the playmat area, either in the active spot or the bench
5. From there, it plays exactly like Pokémon TCG Live, where you can attach one energy per turn, play items, attack, etc.

Pokemon

Can You Play PTCG Sim With Friends?

Yes, you can!

Playing online with friends is luckily also pretty straightforward. Head to the 2P tab and you’ll find Online Multiplayer Mode. Enter a name and then a Room ID, which can also be randomly generated. Then, send both to a friend so they can join your room.