Pokémon 151 Elite Trainer Box Review – Gen 1 Pokédex Set ETB Review UK 2026 — Worth It?

If the Pokémon 151 Ultra Premium Collection is the deluxe experience, the Elite Trainer Box is the natural entry point — more accessible in price while still opening 9 packs from one of the Pokémon TCG's most beloved modern sets.

Pokémon 151 stands apart from standard sets through its deliberate nostalgia engineering. The set covers only the 151 Pokémon from the original Red and Blue games — Bulbasaur (#001) through Mew (#151) — with artwork reimagining these original designs in the SV-era illustration style. For players and collectors who started their Pokémon journey in the late 1990s or early 2000s, opening Pokémon 151 packs produces a distinct emotional resonance that newer sets simply cannot replicate.

The card selection within the set is excellent. Every original 151 Pokémon appears, plus supporting trainer and energy cards. The three final evolution ex cards — Charizard ex, Venusaur ex and Blastoise ex — appear in standard, full-art and Special Illustration Rare versions. The illustration rares depict Pokémon in everyday scenarios from the original games: Charizard resting, Pidgey in a field, Clefairy under the moon — all in a soft, painterly style that collectors prize.

The ETB accessories continue the 151 theme with Pokédex-style card backs on the 65 card sleeves and period-appropriate presentation throughout.

For collectors of any generation, the Pokémon 151 ETB is among the finest product releases in the modern Pokémon TCG era and a worthwhile purchase for nostalgia alone — the pulls are simply a bonus.