Top Pokémon Cards from the 2025 McDonald’s Happy Meals: The Strongest Picks

Exciting news for Pokémon enthusiasts: a new Pokémon Trading Card Game collaboration with McDonald’s is currently underway across the United States. Titled “Dragon’s Discovery,”this unique initiative sees the return of physical Pokémon cards included in Happy Meals nationwide. The set comprises a variety of reprints from popular collections like Sword & Shield and Silver Tempest, each boasting a distinctive holofoil pattern designed to attract both fans and collectors alike.

Charizard: A Force to Be Reckoned With

Maximize Your Damage with Leon Cards

Charizard, an iconic figure in the Pokémon universe, is undeniably powerful, particularly the version featured in Vivid Voltage. Although it possesses just one attack, its potential for damage is remarkable. The move, Royal Blaze, starts with a commendable 100 damage, which amplifies by 50 for every Leon card found in the player’s discard pile. This ability provides an avenue for colossal damage when strategically utilized in gameplay.

In addition to its offensive prowess, this Charizard card offers a tactical advantage by allowing players to draw extra cards. Its Battle Sense ability lets players examine the top three cards of their deck, retaining one while discarding the remaining two. This feature can be crucial, enabling players to pull essential cards to secure victory—be it through healing Pokémon, depleting an opponent’s deck, or acquiring additional Leon cards to bolster Royal Blaze damage.

Unleashing Dragapult with Dreepy’s Assistance

Enhance Damage with Dreepy Discards

Dragapult card from Silver Tempest — Custom image by Jessica Barthelt

The Dragapult card, a standout from the Silver Tempest set of 2022, exhibits formidable strength when played correctly. With its second attack, Spooky Shot, players can inflict a strong 120 damage to their opponents for just two energy—a tall order for most Basic and Stage 1 Pokémon to withstand. It also boasts a health point total of 150, enhancing its survival capabilities against multiple assaults.

Nonetheless, Dragapult truly excels with its first attack, Dragon Launcher. This ability allows the player to discard any number of benched Dreepy cards, correlating with the number of opponent Pokémon in play, and subsequently unleashing 100 damage on the chosen target. Such strategic pre-planning paves the way for potentially game-changing plays that can swiftly alter the dynamics of a match.

Roaring Moon: The Apex of Ancient Pokémon

Utilize Ancient Discards for Increased Damage

Roaring Moon card from Temporal Forces — Custom image by Jessica Barthelt

Roaring Moon has emerged as a pivotal card within the competitive Pokémon TCG landscape. Returning from the Temporal Forces set, it stands out as the most formidable Ancient card in the collection, especially when integrated into a deck featuring other ancient Paradox Pokémon. Its first attack, Vengeance Fletchling, delivers an initial 70 damage, with an additional 10 for each ancient card in the discard pile. Coupled with the high-powered Speed Wing attack, inflicting 120 damage, Roaring Moon proves itself an indomitable force on the battlefield.

In summary, this collaboration with McDonald’s holds exciting prospects for both collectors and competitive players. Despite these cards being reprints, their powerful capabilities undeniably pack a punch, allowing users to dominate opponents with various strategic approaches to unleash substantial damage. This engaging partnership between the Pokémon Trading Card Game and McDonald’s is not to be overlooked, particularly for those keen on fortifying their decks with potent new cards.

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