What I collect in Pokemon Part 2: Playmats
Playmats Playmats Playmats
I've collected playmats for almost 10 years now and I've traded and sold some here and there. I like playmats so much because it's one of the unique ways to express yourself in a card game. I love good high quality image, bold colors, slick feeling, doesn't snag on my card sleeves, smooth. The main goal of my playmat collection is to get each main World Championship Playmat. I don't have plans to get every competitor, staff and side event playmat. Just the ones that peak my interest. Before going through my collection I wanted to highlight 2 blunders I've made as a playmat collector and if you ever are buying playmats these are things to look out for. So a standard non-Spellground like playmat consists of 2 layers. The fabric image layer on top and the foam underlayer. Typically the top layer will hold up much longer than the main foam underlayer. PERFECT EXAMPLE
Easily one of the greatest Worlds playmats of all time but this is the first blunder I made as a playmat collector. I bought this one online but didn't inspect the photos enough because……….
I did not at all check the back. I didn't even look at the back of playmats till this came in the mail. Bought in 2017. Check your playmat foam. Either the edges start to fray or the foam on the back will start to chip and crack. Clearly whoever had this before hard folded it and to make this point clear DONT EVER DO THAT TO A PLAYMAT. You can roll a playmat as long as you don't do it too tight and once you see cracking or breakage on your foam it's time to retire the playmat.
This next blunder I'd say is not nearly as bad but just weird.
I'm not upset about this one but more just confused at this. I got this in 2023 online as well so a year after this playmat came out. I couldnt even see this in the posting photosbecauee of how small it is. I'm also not sure what caused this being pinched under a heavy object or heat damage or something. I've debating trying to iron it out but I'm afraid to. To help get around issue spike this is either so what I do and buy in person or from a trusted source but if youre buying from a reseller online ASK FOR MORE PHOTOS. It never hurts to ask and a lot easier to guarantee you're getting what yore looking for. Now after the lesson on playmat purchasing let's get to my collection. Also my rating for these playmats are based off how good they look, how the location is integrated to the design, color scheme, and just what makes it good or bad.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYMATS
I do not own 2011-2014 and I'd say that's the first block of Worlds playmats. 2010-14 is the first block of playmats that are the most difficult to find. Specifically 2010 and 2011 due to how early they were and also just with how great the artwork is on them. 2015 Worlds would mark the first year staff and competitors got their own exclusive playmats. These playmats are nothing to write home about. The main playmats look better than what staff and competitors got. Great playmat design for this year's Worlds though. Love the thick bold lines outlining the Pokemon. Great use of blue, greens and reds. 9/10 The history of Massachusetts combined with the port feeling makes this a great and unique design that we haven't seen replicated at another Worlds.
Mid. I want to like it but it's like too busy and too simple at the same time. The center I like but it's too cramped and the background doesn't flow with it. 5/10
Yeah 2018. This one I feel is underrated. Great pop and color balance and honestly making Nashville look cool. The white background is a little simple for my taste but overall fantastic. 9/10 To my knowledge this would also be the first year to have exclusive side event playmats.Block 2 spans from 2015-2017 which is the block having very mid grade playmats for competitors and staff but 2018 would mark a golden era of playmat designs. Having some of the best designs period.
10/10 no question. This is the only Playmat that has depth. The more you look at it the more you find in it. DC is such a brilliant location for Worlds because there's so much you can work with. US Revolutionary era history, the architecture, the capital/Congress, etc. They took the brilliant route of focusing on the museums. The background white helps amplify the cave esthetics. The variety of Pokemon were smart choices and the lighting used is brilliant. Easily one of the greatest Worlds themes and one of the best playmats ever.
This is the only year where I own both the competitor amd staff playmats. Not intentionally. Just found a couple good deals for them. Competitors and staff I feel deserve to get the best playmats from these events. This is the first good competitor playmat since it's distinctly different and screams that you compete on this. Love it. 8/10 because it's a little simple but I can see this one as an easy fan favorite.
See, like this. Great great great. Distinctly different from the regular and competitor playmats. 9/10 fantastic for the staff. Excluding the side event playmat because it's kind of a wash, this Worlds has the best run of exclusive playmats in my opinion. Did an amazing job with the artwork this year.
I believe this is a playmat you could have additionally bought from the Pokemon Center store. Does a great job sticking to the theme. It's a little simple for me but I love the side stamps. 7/10
Fast forward 3 years to London 2022. 7/10. This Worlds could have been one of the greats in terms of playmats but the competitor playmat is disappointing. Also factoring in this playmat. This one is good and has my Pikachu event outfit. Just so cute. One big issue. Reading the "London" is just not easy for the eyes. They were close they year though.
10/10 This should have been just the main event playmat. To my understanding there is only 100 of this playmat in the world and I have one. I got this a year after worlds from someone online and I knew it I don't get this playmat now I could see this shooting up in the thousands quick. Another one of my all time favorite playmats. Keen eyed readers may have spotted it in the Brew City report. This playmat uses the bag round better than the main event playmat and the Pikachu gets to be the star of the show.
5/10 just too soft looking for my taste. To me this is a repeat of 2022. Mostly meh of not great designed playmats with one stand out and for this year that is……….
Easy no question. Best playmats from the event. To me this is the best competitor of all time. This is the Japan World Championships. Exciting. Vibrant. Makes a bold statement. Great. 9/10 Can be a little busy.
Other Large Event Playmats
These are playmats I have from events larger than a League Cup but smaller than Worlds.
This is a playmat I see plenty of old head pokemon players use. By that I mean people that have been around a whole really like this one. The unique choice of using geometrics shapes combined with the nice colors from these legendary Pokemon makes it a stand out among the Nationals era playmats. 7/10
Sun and Moon die hard fans are always looking for this one. Another great shape design with the deeper blues with contrasting orange brings the vibe of this era. Love this one. 8/10 little simple for my taste.
Yeeeeeah let's get into these. For the 2024 season all 4 Internationals had a Ancient/Future theme and the competitor playmats show the same these and also have a great design BUT the staff playmats are on a different level. I only have the North American and European playmat but I want them all. I think the North American one is the best because the colors pop so well off of it and the Pokemon variety is nice and striking. 9/10 NAIC 8/10 EUIC
Traditional Event Playmats
Since the Black and White era (with some small exceptions) TCG events would use this template concept for their playmats. Typically the artwork used on the pack of the most recent set and stretch it onto a playmat. Pretty simple. Nothing complicated. Most of these playmats to me are a wash but there are some stand outs.
This is the only Staff Playmat in this category I've found in the wild. And of Mega Manetric? Absolutely. Definitely one of the most broken Pokemon cards ever. The colors work really well here. 8/10 exciting.
I'm a sucker for hand painted art style. The boarder I think is unnecessary but the central artwork is grand and gorgeous. 9/10
If you read my World Championship 2024 couch report I stated that back in 2016 I was a die hard Greninja hater. What I didn't know is that it seemed too good for the format. In retrospect after playing with the deck actually my conclusion on it is that good players played with it well. The deck is a clunker. If you have bad luck don't play this deck. If you don't get your water duplicates off you just straight up lose. Anywho the Breaks from this era look so cool and Greninja being one of the heavy hitters of this era just adds to this one. Stupid Water Shuriken and Shadow Stitching. 8.5/10
This is the only one of the bunch I got at an event. At the side event of Roanoke, VA 2017 Regionals. It was just a best of one with 3 rounds and if you go undefeated you got the playmat. I did and was pretty hyped. I remember doing a Darkrai mirror which I usually won because I ran 3 Hex Maniacs so no Hoopa or Shaymin for them. Also faced someone with Mega Groudon which scares me because if I'm too slow they'll start one shot-ing but they started with a dud hand so I was able to get ahead enough in the prize trade. Great memories from this event and this may be my new playmats soon just because of the memories alone. 8/10 simple design but cool explosive background.
I wanted to note that this playmat is unique compared to my other ones. I remember buying this one from somewhere in Europe. Germany I think. Anyway if you feel and look at this playmat it's oddly thicker than all the other playmats I have this this section. Not sure if it's because European playmats are made differently or this is a very new playmat and just hasn't been used very much. Not sure but just wanted to point that out.
Playmat thickness comparison
Got this for playing at Baltimore, MD 2022 Regionals. 5/10. The artwork is too messy for me. Giratina is one of the most popular legendaries but I think this one they kinda fumbled.
This is a great Charizard playmat. I keep an eye out for any Charizard playmats and with this Charizard being a top tier cards this one I think will be sought after later on. 8/10 very cool design
Professor Program Playmats
These are playmats exclusive to Organizers and Judges and staff members. You accrue points to use in the Professor store to purchase these very exclusive items including playmats. The first four are part of what I call the "Generations" or "Dex" series of playmats. For each generation they have a playmat. Also there are white and black variants of these playmats but I don't know what the difference is. I see these usually as black. As of the making of this report up to generation 6 has been released.
This was the playmat I used at the Base - Fossil tournament to fit the theme. I think this one looks better with the white boarder. Just makes the simpler creature designs feel more focused. 9/10 classic
Eh this one is ok. Gen 2 I know has a low Pokedex count which I think hurts this playmat. 7/10
I expect this one to be a fan favorite. People have a deep passion for this generation wheather it's the video game fans or the EX Block fans. This one is maybe the best one out of the playmats I do have in the category. Gen 3 designs just work so well here. 9.5/10
8/10 I love gen 4 and the legendaries look great here but the rest of the Pokemon designs from this gen just doesn't translate as well like gen 3.
This is one of those grail playmats. I just a couple months ago got this playmat and I've tries for years to find this playmat. Darkrai is my favorite legendary and I know this one will get a rare special appearance here and there. I do not like that the card spots are a bit smaller than the actual cards. 7.5/10 simple looking
Official Pokemon Product
These are the remaining official Pokemon playmats in my collection.
This is another strange playmat. For one it's not the standard playmat size.
Why is it like this? Number two the artwork is cool. Number three this one is very cheap right now. People are trying to get rid of this one. I feel like people are sleeping on this one. 7/10
Now this is a change I 100% support. Goodbye frayed edges.
This fraying is typically caused by using a hard plastic playmat tube and having that edge slide against the hard plastic edge. One thing that very much helps with that problem is embroidered edges. The Scarlet and Violet 151 playmat having this and newer official playmats having embroider edges makes me hope even Worlds playmats could get this treatment in the future. 7/10 not the hugest fan of an all white playmat. May look gross over time.
Unofficial Product
These are playmats with designs not officially licensed by TPCI.
This is one of those all time favorites. https://x.com/Wolflance2?t=cbfUnooQ59LHMDtLVDmULA&s=09 and Mikey made this playmat for our local league in 2017. Also I may be the only one that has mine signed by the artists. 9.5/10
Hex Maniac artwork done by the team above. Very cool and spooky design. 8/10
This was one given to me by some friends who played at this event. What a brilliant idea for a playmat. Love it 10/10
Now we are at the finale. This next one is my personal favorite playmat. The best
THE GOAT
Seriously just what a beautiful playmat. The art style, like when we were talking about the Mega Tyrannitar playmat, this one is near perfect. Fantastic era. Fantastic art. 10/10. Couple issues though.
As you can see this playmat I've been using for 8 years and this is early signs of aging and that means it time to retire this playmat from a full time to a part time playmat. This one will be used once or twice a year now. Another critique is this era of playmats if the size.
Playmats of this era were sized smaller than typical modern playmats. The modern playmats size is to me the perfect playmat size for Pokemon.
This is an extreme example of space being used on a playmat. Now imagine if this was with the HGSS playmat being used instead. A little over an inch is cut off the top which is all the extra space at the bottom. When I use a playmat I want to be comfortable. I want to have space to stretch. Not have my cards falling off the edges of the playmat.
One big pro to using the older era of playmats is that they are thicker. I prefer this as there's a nice separation of feeling like you're not on the table. Makes me feel more comfortable on a more guaranteed level surface. I wish all playmats were this thick.
Conclusion
In the future I do plan on doing a full report on the history of Worlds playmats but I don't want to do it without having high resolution images of them and the Winner playmats from the more recent eras are tough to find as a there's very few of the top x and winner playmats so these ones are much more difficult to document properly. I have plenty more playmats I want for my collection but right now I'm the most focused on what will be coming in Part 3. Stay tuned. Also if you are at all interested in the damaged playmats shown at the beginning let me know. I'm mainly looking to trade for another playmat if possible. Thank you for reading.