Should you open Dialga or Palkia Space-Time Smackdown packs in Pokémon TCG Pocket?

Space-Time Smackdown is the latest addition to the set roster in Pokémon TCG Pocket, boasting two incredible booster packs and a wide variety of beautiful cards. There’s something to get excited about with this set, no matter if you’re a collector or player.

If you’re stuck on whether to open Dialga or Palkia packs in Pocket, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our breakdown of the best Space-Time Smackdown packs for collectors and competitive players.

What is the best Space-Time Smackdown pack in Pocket?

While they’re closely tied in terms of competitive value, the Palkia booster pack is a better pick if you’re looking for the best Space-Time Smackdown cards to add to your Pocket collection.

As with previous expansion sets like Genetic Apex, there are pack exclusives to consider in Space-Time Smackdown—both for Dialga and for Palkia. There is some crossover between the packs, but finding the best pack means focusing on the exclusive cards on offer.

You can see the highlights for both of the booster packs in the table below.

While the Dialga pack does have some hits and an abundance of beautiful full-art cards, there are more competitively promising picks in the Palkia pack, ranging from interesting Supporters and Pokémon Tools to powerful new ex gems.

One of the main highlights of the Palkia booster pack is Bastiodon. While it may seem unassuming, this card holds a lot of potential to disrupt matches, thanks to its Guarded Grill ability. This lets the user flip a coin if Bastiodon takes any damage. If heads, the damage is cut by 100.

Cyrus and Mars stand out as exceptional Supporters, too. Cyrus is similar to Sabrina but with a meaner side, allowing the user to swap in an opponent’s Benched ‘mon with damage on it.

Mars is similar to the Red Card, forcing the opponent to shuffle their hand away and then draw for each point remaining that they need to win. If your opponent is close to winning three points in a match, playing Mars could balance the scales back in your favor.

In terms of heavy-hitting Pokémon, the stars of the Palkia pack are Mismagius ex, Palkia ex, and Infernape ex. With striking attacks on offer and plenty of utility, this trio will likely rise to the top in the competitive meta.

This isn’t to say that the Dialga booster pack is bad, though. Darkrai ex, Gallade ex, and Dialga ex are all extremely viable—particularly Dialga ex if it’s paired with Melmetal—and the Supporters Dawn and Volkner are promising as well.

If you’re hoping to hit the ground running and build a strong deck right out of the gates, we’d suggest picking the Palkia pack in Space-Time Smackdown. If you’re not fussed about competing, though, both the packs have a plethora of beautiful full-arts to chase down and add to your collection.