Mega Evolution Card List: Ultimate Guide to 10 Amazing Chase Cards
The Mega Evolution card list is where the newest era of the Pokémon TCG begins. Released on 26 September 2025, Mega Evolution brought Mega Pokémon back to the game after almost a decade, added a brand-new rarity called the Mega Hyper Rare, and set the template every later set in the series has followed. This guide walks through the whole Mega Evolution card list: how the 188 cards are numbered, how many of each rarity you are hunting, which ten cards collectors chase hardest, and which sealed products make the most sense if you are opening packs in Australia.
If you are new to the series, it helps to know that Mega Evolution is the first main expansion of the Mega Evolution Series, which runs alongside the Pokémon Legends: Z-A video game. Later sets such as Phantasmal Flames, Ascended Heroes and Delta Reign all build on what started here, so learning this set first makes the rest of the era much easier to follow.
Table of Contents
Mega Evolution card list at a glance
Before getting into individual cards, here are the numbers that define the set. Keep them handy when you sort your pulls, because they tell you instantly whether a card belongs to the main set or the secret rare range.
- Release date: 26 September 2025 (English)
- Set code: ME1, set symbol MEG
- Total cards: 188, made up of 132 main set cards and 56 secret rares
- Japanese source sets: Mega Brave and Mega Symphonia, both released on 1 August 2025
- New rarity: Mega Hyper Rare, a gold etched treatment given to just two cards
- Booster packs: 10 cards each, sold in 36-pack booster boxes, 6-pack booster bundles and 9-pack Elite Trainer Boxes
How the Mega Evolution card list is numbered
Every card carries a number out of 132. Cards numbered 001 to 132 are the main set: commons, uncommons, rares and the double rare Mega Evolution Pokémon ex. Anything printed with a number higher than 132, such as 179/132, is a secret rare. In the Mega Evolution card list the secret rares run from 133 to 188 and sit in four clear blocks.
- 133 to 154: Illustration Rares, full-art cards of regular Pokémon
- 155 to 176: Ultra Rares, full-art Mega Evolution Pokémon ex plus Trainer, Item, Stadium and Tool cards
- 177 to 186: Special Illustration Rares, the scenic full-art versions of six Mega Pokémon ex and four Supporters
- 187 to 188: Mega Hyper Rares of Mega Gardevoir ex and Mega Lucario ex
The Ultra Rare block is worth a second look. For the first time in years, Item and Tool cards received full-art ultra rare versions, so playable staples such as Fighting Gong and Mega Signal sit in the secret range next to the big Pokémon.
Every rarity in the Mega Evolution card list
Here is the full rarity breakdown for the 188 cards. Counting by rarity is the quickest way to measure how far along your binder is, and it shows why the top of the Mega Evolution card list is so hard to finish.
- Common: 67 cards
- Uncommon: 43 cards
- Rare: 12 cards
- Double Rare: 10 cards (the playable Mega Evolution Pokémon ex)
- Illustration Rare: 22 cards
- Ultra Rare: 22 cards
- Special Illustration Rare: 10 cards
- Mega Hyper Rare: 2 cards
The ten Mega Evolution Pokémon ex include Mega Venusaur ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Lucario ex, Mega Absol ex, Mega Mawile ex, Mega Latias ex and Mega Kangaskhan ex. Each one appears as a double rare in the main set, and the most popular also return as Ultra Rares, Special Illustration Rares or Mega Hyper Rares in the secret range.
Top 10 chase cards in the Mega Evolution card list
Market prices move every week, so treat this as a ranking rather than a price list. Across Australian and international sales through 2026, these are the ten cards collectors have chased most consistently.
- Mega Lucario ex, Mega Hyper Rare 188/132
- Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Hyper Rare 187/132
- Mega Lucario ex, Special Illustration Rare 179/132
- Mega Gardevoir ex, Special Illustration Rare 178/132
- Mega Venusaur ex, Special Illustration Rare 177/132
- Mega Latias ex, Special Illustration Rare 181/132
- Lillie’s Determination, Special Illustration Rare 184/132
- Mega Kangaskhan ex, Special Illustration Rare 182/132
- Mega Absol ex, Special Illustration Rare 180/132
- Acerola’s Mischief, Special Illustration Rare 183/132
One reason the set stays popular is that no single card runs away with all the value. Two Mega Hyper Rares and ten Special Illustration Rares spread demand across the set, so a good pull from almost any part of the secret range feels rewarding.
The two Mega Hyper Rares
Mega Hyper Rares are gold cards with etched line work across the whole surface. Mega Evolution has only two of them, Mega Gardevoir ex at 187 and Mega Lucario ex at 188, which makes them the hardest pulls in the set. Community pull-rate trackers estimate them at well over a thousand packs each, so most collectors buy these as singles rather than chasing them in packs.
Special Illustration Rare Pokémon
Six Mega Pokémon ex received Special Illustration Rares: Mega Venusaur ex, Mega Gardevoir ex, Mega Lucario ex, Mega Absol ex, Mega Latias ex and Mega Kangaskhan ex. The Mega Absol ex was illustrated by Mitsuhiro Arita, one of the original artists from the earliest Pokémon cards, which gives it extra appeal for long-time collectors.
Supporter Special Illustration Rares
Four Supporters round out the Special Illustration Rare block: Acerola’s Mischief, Lillie’s Determination, Lt. Surge’s Bargain and Wally’s Compassion. Trainer artwork has a strong following, and Lillie’s Determination in particular has held its value well because it is also a card that players use.
Connected artwork worth collecting
Several Illustration Rares in the Mega Evolution card list are designed to sit next to each other. The best known example is the Mega Venusaur ex Special Illustration Rare, which completes a scene with the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur Illustration Rares. Placing those cards side by side in a binder page is one of the most satisfying mini goals in the set, and the two Illustration Rares are far cheaper than the Special Illustration Rare that finishes the picture.
What a Mega Evolution master set involves
A standard set is the 188 numbered cards. A master set adds every reverse holo version, and in Mega Evolution only commons, uncommons and rares have reverse holos. Double rares, Illustration Rares, Ultra Rares, Special Illustration Rares and Mega Hyper Rares are printed in one version only. Trackers put the full master set at roughly 310 cards, so plan for a large binder if you want every version.
- Start with the 132 main set cards, because most of them come from your first few booster boxes
- Add the reverse holos as you open, keeping duplicates for trades
- Pick up the 22 Illustration Rares next, since they are the most affordable secret rares
- Leave the Special Illustration Rares and Mega Hyper Rares until last and compare singles prices before buying
Cards that matter for players
Collectors focus on the secret rares, but the Mega Evolution card list also changed the competitive game. Mega Evolution Pokémon ex are basic or stage cards with high HP that give up three prize cards when knocked out, which is one more than a regular Pokémon ex. That trade-off shapes how every Mega deck is built. Mega Lucario ex quickly became a strong Fighting attacker, Mega Gardevoir ex found a home in Psychic decks, and Trainers such as Lillie’s Determination and Fighting Gong became staples in their own right.
If you play, the double rare versions of the Mega Pokémon ex are the ones to collect in multiples. They play exactly the same as the expensive secret rares and cost a fraction of the price.
Which Mega Evolution products to open
Your best choice depends on whether you are building a binder, building a deck or keeping product sealed. Here is how the main products compare.
- Mega Evolution booster box: 36 packs and the best value per pack if you want to work through the Mega Evolution card list quickly
- Mega Evolution booster bundle: 6 packs, a simple way to try the set without a big spend
- Mega Lucario Elite Trainer Box and Mega Gardevoir Elite Trainer Box: 9 packs each with sleeves, energy, dice and a storage box
- Mega Kangaskhan ex box: a promo card plus packs for collectors who love the Kangaskhan artwork
- Mega Evolution booster box case: for stores and long-term sealed collectors
You can see everything currently in stock on our Mega Evolution product page.
Mega Evolution card list FAQ
How many cards are in the Mega Evolution card list?
There are 188 cards: 132 in the main set and 56 secret rares numbered from 133 to 188. With reverse holos the master set grows to around 310 cards.
What is the rarest card in Mega Evolution?
The two Mega Hyper Rares, Mega Gardevoir ex 187/132 and Mega Lucario ex 188/132, are the rarest cards in the set. Mega Lucario ex has usually been the most valuable of the pair.
When was Mega Evolution released in Australia?
The English set launched worldwide on 26 September 2025, and Australian stores received stock on the same release window.
Where can I check the official card list?
The Bulbapedia Mega Evolution page keeps a complete checklist with every card number, and the official Pokémon website hosts the card database for rulings.
Keep exploring the Mega Evolution era
Once you have worked through the Mega Evolution card list, the next set to look at is Phantasmal Flames, which introduced Mega Charizard X ex. After that, Ascended Heroes became the biggest English set ever printed, and Perfect Order, Chaos Rising and Pitch Black carried the era through 2026. For the newest release, read our Delta Reign guide, and browse every other article on the Obsidia Collectables trading card blog.
Whether you are chasing a gold Mega Lucario ex or simply filling the first page of a new binder, the Mega Evolution card list rewards patience. Open steadily, trade duplicates, and buy the last few singles when prices settle. That approach has worked for every set in the era so far.