This is a list of Pokémon Trading Card Game sets from the collectable card game that first released in Japan in 1996. As of April 2022, there are 98 card sets released in the U.S. and 91 card sets in Japan, including special sets. As of September 2017, collectively, there are 6,959 cards in the Japanese sets and 9,110 cards in the English sets. The large difference stems from Non-Holo Foil duplicates of rare cards included in English sets that are not printed in Japanese sets. As of March 2017, 23.6 billion cards had been shipped worldwide. The sets are generally considered into two lists: One for the first line of Wizards of the Coast cards and the second after Nintendo's acquisition of the card game after Wizards. The series first launched in English in late 1998, and Wizards of the Coast handled publishing. First Generation Sets 1998 Pokémon Demo Game Plastic Pack The 1998 Pokémon Demo Game Pack was the earliest Pokémon card pack to be produced and released in the English Pokémon TCG and served as the first introduction to Pokémon cards in the United States. This Pokémon pack consists of 24 Base Set shadowless cards and an instruction manual. Pokémon Base Set The Base Set, ( & 1st Starter & Expansion Pack) is the name given to the original core release of cards and Theme Decks for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. It was released in Japan on October 20, 1996 (one month after Bandai Pokémon Carddass 100 Pocket Monster Part 1 Green & Part 2 Red, September 1996), and in the United States on January 9, 1999. It is the only set and expansion so far not to have a set logo or symbol (with the exception of the error "no symbol" Jungle set cards). It is one of few sets to include Fighting, Fire, Grass, Lightning, Psychic, and Water Energy cards, now commonly known as basic Energy cards. The set also contained Double Colorless Energy, the first special Energy card. The set is one of the most well-rounded sets available, with a mixed amount of Pokémons of all types and includes only Pokémon from the original 150. Some of the more popular examples are Charizard, Blastoise, Venusaur, and Pikachu. The set's four main theme decks were based on four different strategies (offensive, defensive, tactic, and speed). This set also had a 2-player starter set, containing