Written by Jim Ziegler

You know how every year McDonald’s releases Pokémon-themed Happy Meals, with promotional reprints of current cards? The 2024 set, themed to match the Year of the Dragon, is finally out… now that it’s 2025 and the Year of the Snake starts this week.

The promotion was revealed a couple months ago, and started in France in December. Some Pokémon content creators even went so far as to buy the French Happy Meals online in order to stream opening them early, because the American release didn’t start until the fourth week of January 2025.

In addition to the late release, this (last?) year’s set also features cards that have already rotated out of the Standard format, like the Charizard from Vivid Voltage bearing regulation mark D, which rotated out in 2023. It seems bizarre to give out cards that are already prohibited from being used in normal play, especially when they’re good enough to build functional decks around. I used this exact Charizard in an off-meta Leon deck that did pretty well, considering the other decks being played at the time.

It’s a good way to get your fix of packs if you aren’t lucky (or rich!) enough to get ahold of Prismatic Evolutions, but coming this late raises the question: Will McDonald’s have a dedicated 2025 set? Or have they broken the pattern of releasing a new set of promos every year?

If the Pokémon TCG isn’t your jam, the burger chain is also hosting Poké Stops and gyms for an undisclosed period, and the Happy Meals come with a gift code for twelve Pack Hourglasses and twelve Wonder Hourglasses for Pokemon TCG Pocket if you order them through the mobile app. These codes can be redeemed at least twice, between two different accounts, so make sure you share them with your friends.

It seems like each account can only redeem one of the codes, so ordering a Happy Meal each day isn’t going to get you an extra pack a day. But if you want free packs without buying burgers, keep an eye on my Bluesky profile, where I’ll be giving away all of my gift codes as soon as I have enough to reach the character limit.

If you have a code and can’t figure out how to redeem it, I’ve got you covered: Check out my Pokemon TCG Pocket guide on how to redeem gift codes!

IN THE WORLD OF POKÉMON

Pokémon Standard Constructed Tournament

Sunday, 3:00 PM

Show everyone that you’re the best! Like no one ever was! Join the battle at the weekly Standard Constructed Tournament! Regulation F, no deck list required. Entry fee: $7.

Pokémon League Casual Play

Monday and Saturday at 6:30 PM, Sunday at noon

Receive a pack of your choice from any in the store, as well as a promo pack. Participants are entered into the end-of-season prize pool. Entry fee: $10

Pokémon GO Scavenger Hunt

Grab an achievement sheet in-store and GO out to collect them! Complete the scavenger sheet to earn a booster pack and a promo pack, and to be entered into a drawing for an Elite Trainer Box and other prizes. Entry fee: $10 

GATHER FOR MAGIC

FNM: Standard Constructed Tournament

Friday, 6:00 PM

Standard is back at Gam3Escape! Bring your deck and battle with other Planeswalkers for packs, promos, and other prizes. Entry fee: $10

Commonder-ish League

Thursday, 6:00 PM

Build a deck with only commons and uncommons (and a commander of any rarity) and play against other decks with the same restrictions! Can you break the board without breaking the bank? Entry fee: $10

Casual Commander

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 6:00 PM

The most popular format in Magic, Commander, is back on the table. Bring your favorite deck, or playtest a new one against other magicians. No entry fee: These battles are for honor, not prizes!

TIME TO DUEL! Yu-Gi-Oh!

Advanced Constructed Tournament

Wednesday & Friday, 7:00 PM, Saturday 2:00 PM

Duel for supremacy in the Yu-Gi-Oh Trading Card Game. Earn booster packs and OTS Tournament Packs while demonstrating your skills as a duelist. Entry fee: $10

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Azurite Sea Lorcana League

Monday, & Saturday, 6:30 PM

The adventures in the Inklands continue with Locana League. Bring your sealed deck, or join the fun! The initial entry fee includes a starter deck of your choice, a booster pack, and a 200-card deck box to keep your sealed cards from getting mixed up with your collection. Entry fee: $25 (one-time charge)

Azurite Sea Lorcana Set Championship Tournament

Saturday, 3:00 PM

Deck lists due 30 minute prior to event start time, 2:30pm. Entry: $25 ($20 league/monthly members)

STAR WARS: UNLIMITED

Casual Play League

Tuesdays, 6:00 PM, Saturdays, 1:00 PM

Whether you’re an aspiring Jedi, a sinister Sith, or a bounty hunter looking for your next score, Star Wars: Unlimited has all the excitement of your favorite space opera in cardboard form. 

THIS MEANS WAR(HAMMER)!

Casual Warhammer

Friday & Sunday, 5:00 PM

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. At Gam3Escape, there is only Warhammer! Whether it’s a Tyranid terror or a Blood Angel battalion, stage your army and prepare for battle at the weekly Casual Warhammer event. 

CARDFIGHT! VANGUARD!

Divinez Constructed Tournament

Monday, 5:30 PM

Bring your cards and get ready to fight! Cardfight! Vanguard is back with weekly tournaments, every Monday night. Entry fee: $6

Check out Jim's articles at The Gamer: https://www.thegamer.com/author/james-ziegler/ and like, follow, and subscribe to his Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Alolan_Professor