PCOverview
Pokémon Play It! is a virtual collectible card game developed by Fluid Entertainment for Windows PCs in both Europe (sometime in 1999) and North America (on February 2000). It was published by Wizards of the Coast as a bonus CD-ROM in the "Base Set 2" version of the 2-Player Starter Set.
Intended to be a promotional CD-ROM for the Pokémon Trading Card Game, Pokémon Play It features a limited recreation of the real-life game using pre-made Half Decks (made from the cards in the 2-Player Starter Set) against a single opponent. It also includes an in-depth tutorial on the game's mechanics, and numerous multimedia extras (including a quiz with unlockable wallpapers, printable coins and game mats, and information about the publisher's Pokémon League).
The game received a revised edition later that year as a bonus CD-ROM included in the Thunderstorm Gift Box (North America) and Tempest Gift Box (Europe). Known in-game as "Version 2", this revision features a revamped tutorial (which is combined with the main "Play" mode and is progression-based) and tools to both keep track of card collections and diagnose decks.
Decks
Version 1
The game includes four 30-card Half Decks to choose from, with the initial two consisting solely of cards from the 2-Player Starter Set. Two additional Half Decks can be unlocked by entering the word "fire" on the main menu.
The opponent will use the Water Deck when the Fighting Deck is used, and will use the Fighting Deck otherwise.
- Fighting Deck - Fighting Energy. Machop (w/ Machoke), Diglett, Doduo, Meowth.
- Water Deck - Water Energy. Goldeen (w/ Seaking), Staryu, Seel, Dratini.
- Fire Deck (unlockable) - Fire Energy. Charmander (w/ Charmeleon), Ponyta, Growlithe.
- Xtra Deck (unlockable) - Fire Energy. Growlithe (w/ Arcanine), Charmander, Ponyta, Magmar.
Version 2
In Version 2, the Fighting Deck, Water Deck, and Fire Decks from Version 1 are used for the game's three "Basic Challenges". For the game's "Advanced Challenge", players choose from seven 60-card Full Decks.