Whether your binder is missing a few cards or your competitive deck needs extra Fighting-type muscle, mark your stopwatch: popular third-party marketplace TCGplayer has kicked off its massive 2026 Mayhem summer promotion this Friday, May 29, but for a limited time only.
During the event, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM ET, you can earn 8% cashback (well, in-store credits) on everything across the marketplace, including popular TCGs like Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Disney Lorcana, and One Piece. Plus, if you’re a TCGPlayer subscriber, that rate jumps to 10%+, stacked on top of your standard loyalty bonuses. Neat!
Right now, with so many Pokémon cards out there and prices shifting by the hour due to the recent release of Chaos Rising, it can be tricky to figure out where to spend your cash. The right answer to ‘which Pokémon card should I buy’ is always ‘your favourite!’ But if you’re looking for a bargain or want to strengthen your deck ahead of the Chaos Rising meta, there are a few cards worth your attention.
Mega Greninja ex SIR (#114/083) – Chaos Rising
This is one of the top chase cards of Pokémon TCG’s latest set. It’s hard to recommend the all-gold Mega Greninja ex – 120/083 – it’s a gorgeous card, but the price is steep.
Meanwhile, this card from Chaos Rising still features fan-favourite Mega Greninja in an awesome upside-down ninja pose. It’s fallen 4.45% in price since launch on TCGPlayer, but is now steadily creeping back up. It’s still not a cheap card, selling for $304.17 at the time of writing; however, this promo can help offset that price tag if you want to add this Mega Evolution to your binder.
Special Red Card (UR #113)
While collectors fill binders with Special Illustration Rares, the competitive scene is eyeing up something more unassuming. The Special Red Card is a brand-new hand disruption card, similar to Iono from Paldea Evolved.
With the April rotation, players are looking to the Special Red Card to fill that gap. Since it’s a Trainer card, you can still use a Supporter card during your turn. It’s surprisingly affordable for now, but that may change as the Chaos Rising meta evolves, so bag it with this discount now.
Charizard ex – 151
But what about cards that are picking up steam? This cashback offer lets you undercut rising cards, and it wouldn’t be a Pokémon TCG list if I didn’t bring up the chase Charizard from 151.
This gorgeous card was spiking in popularity a few months back, from $275 up to $450. But recently, market watchers have seen this card steadily rise again over the past week. If you want it, now’s the time.
Karrablast – SV: Black Bolt, Illustration Rare
I don’t just want to call out cards that are triple-digits – that’s not accessible to a lot of Trainers right now.
If you’re on a budget, why not treat yourself to this adorable Karrablast card from Black Bolt, which is seeing a bit of a resurgence at the moment. It’s leapt from $10 to $18 in the past few days, so getting some store credit back is a win in my eyes.
Eevee – 173 – SV: Scarlet & Violet
Eevee is one of the most popular Pokémon of all time – and my personal favourite. If you’re looking for a gift for the Trainer in your life, or you’re a fellow Eevee Pokémaniac, this Eevee card from SV: Scarlet & Violet is one of my favourites. Fun fact – there was a version of this card that was a Pokémon Center Exclusive included in the Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Box.
You can pick it up for $16.99 on TCGPlayer right now.
Lapras – Sword & Shield: Crown Zenith
Sword & Shield: Crown Zenith is often overlooked by collectors because it didn’t really have a singular chase card, like Umbreon VMAX from Evolving Skies, or a massive Charizard chase card, and it came out late in the Sword & Shield era when many collectors were already focused on 151.
But this expansion has some of my favourite full-art, holographic artworks ever, including this lovely Lapras, illustrated by Zig.
Pitch Black Booster Box – Pitch Black (ME05)
Another highlight of TCGPlayer’s Mayhem Summer Sale is that it applies to preorders as well. Pitch Black preorders are now live on TCGPlayer, and you can secure a Pitch Black Booster Box for $255.76. Though it’s pricey, with 36 packs (360 cards total) in the box, you’ll have plenty of chances to pull the elusive Mega Darkrai ex.
Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, and Mega Excadrill ex are all joining the fray in this expansion and are expected to be popular once Pitch Black releases. Plus, earning up to 10% in store credits for your next purchase means you’ll get a good chunk of credits for future buys. Alongside up to 10% off, TCGPlayer is offering a chance to win $50 in store credit every day, until May 28. You only need to sign up once to be entered into all remaining drawings, so the sooner you do it, the more chances you’ll have to win!
All store credit earned during the sale will be deposited into your account 3-5 business days after the event ends, so don’t panic if it doesn’t appear immediately. If you’re a subscriber, don’t worry if your cart shows the standard 8% rate at checkout; your bonus credit is calculated and applied to your account 3-5 business days post-event.
Sara Heritage is a freelance journalist for IGN, specialising in Pokémon TCG. When she’s not gaming, you’ll probably find her building yet another LEGO set she absolutely did not need, or chaining ranked matches in Pokémon Champions.
