Author Profile

About a decade ago, Lowell moved to Japan for a year or two but is still there, raising a Shiba Inu named Zelda with his wife while missing access to good burritos. He also has a love/hate relationship with Japanese role-playing games.

Lowell began his career reporting on live events such as the Penny Arcade Expo and E3 back in 2012. Over the last couple of years, he carved a niche for himself, covering competitive Pokémon as he transitioned into game criticism full-time.

Username
Lowell
Articles
123 (29 reviews)
First Article
Fri 6th, February 2015
Avg. Review Score
6.6
Find Them On
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  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Tier List & Best Decks

    Now including Space-Time Smackdown

    One of the most complicated parts of a new card game, digital or otherwise, is knowing which cards to pursue en route to building a competitive deck. For Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, what decks you should run highly depends on which cards you’ve pulled as there are so many. To help you start building to be...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Palkia EX Deck Guide

    Big Pink Palkia is better than you think.

    While much of the hype surrounding the Space-Time Smackdown set of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is centered around Dialga EX, you’re going to have a bad time if you ignore the power Palkia EX brings to the table — especially when you consider cards like Misty and newcomer Manaphy. It may not look...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Lucario Deck Guide

    Big punches equals big wins.

    One of the standout counter decks in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket hasn’t been, fittingly, Fighting type decks featuring a combination of Hitmonlee and Marshadow alongside a variety of other iconic Pokémon like Aerodactyl EX and Marowak EX. With the release of Lucario in the Space-Time Smackdown expansion,...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Gyarados EX Deck Guide

    We slept on this powerful deck.

    Gyarados is one of the most iconic non-Legendary Pokémon, going from the weak Magikarp to an absolute wrecking ball of a Water and Flying type. While the Genetic Apex version of Gyarados left much to be desired, we slept on the Gyarados EX released with the Mythical Island mini-expansion. Despite Pikachu EX, it...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Dialga EX Deck Guide

    Choo Choo! All aboard the Dialga train.

    Despite being only a few months old, energy generating cards have dominated Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. Moltres EX, Misty, and Gardevoir have been meta-staples since the beginning, and with the addition of the Space-Time Smackdown expansion we have another engine on our hands, and this time it’s a...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Darkrai EX Deck Guide

    Edgelords and former emo kids rejoice!

    A fan-favourite Darkness-type Pokémon is here to (hopefully) end the reign of Mewtwo EX. That’s right — Darkrai EX has arrived in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket with the Space-Time Smackdown expansion, and with it comes hope for a more stable meta. Darkrai EX can’t do it all on its own, however...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Space-Time Smackdown - Best Cards, Full Pack List

    The WWE of Pokemon card sets.

    Have you completed the Genetic Apex and Mythical Island sets in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket? No? Well, bad news for you then: the next two packs are here! Space-Time Smackdown features Pokémon Diamond & Pearl's box art legendaries Dialga and Palkia, but don't just play favourites; which pack should you focus...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Mew EX Deck Guide

    Mew EX is here to keep the meta in check

    We might’ve spent hours trying to find Mew back in the original Pokémon Red & Blue – even going so far as to search beneath trucks – it isn’t a super difficult card to obtain in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket’s Mythical Island set. Mew EX is flexible enough to slot into just about any deck,...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Best Mythical Island Cards, Full Pack List

    It's time for a Mewstyerious vacation

    The first expansion for Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is here in Mythical Island. While it’s a mini-expansion, we hope you saved up some Pack Hourglasses to rip open several cards on your first day. Or maybe you have the most powerful card of all – the one in your wallet – ready to go. Either way,...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Celebi EX Deck Guide

    Oh no, this Grass fairy is going to be a problem

    It was too much to hope that a meta-dominating card wouldn’t be added to Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket with its first expansion, Mythical Island. From anti-meta cards like Mew EX to some great additions to type archetypes in Vaporeon, Celebi EX and Serperior had people running scared when they...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Dragonite Deck Guide

    Big orange Barney can totally ruin your opponents’ days.

    Dragon types were widely regarded as one of the best types at least until Fairy type came along. Without a Fairy type in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket and no weaknesses to speak of, Dragon types should be back on top, right? Well, not really, but that doesn’t mean Dragon types are...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Alakazam EX Deck Guide

    Punish your opponent’s for hoarding energy with this Psychic and Water deck.

    Sick of all the EX Pokémon going around in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket? One of the first Psychic types most players met, Abra and its evolution Alakazam is to the rescue. A much less rare card than something like Mewtwo EX, this list is easy to put together and...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Venusaur EX Deck Guide

    Believe it or not, trees and plants make up the hardiest decks around.

    In other Pokémon games, Grass types generally have poor defenses as they’re weak to far too many types. In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, each card is only weak to one type of damage, so Grass types have gotten a massive buff, so to speak. This includes the first PokéDex...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Blastoise EX Deck Guide

    Bazooka through your opponents with this Water type deck.

    To no one’s surprise the original Starting Pokémon trio all come together to make some powerful decks in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket in their EX forms. So, where does everybody’s favorite blue turtle Blastoise stand? While Charizard EX is the best of them, Blastoise EX has...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Mewtwo EX Deck Guide

    This deck will cause real-life psychic damage to your opponents

    Mewtwo is one of those unforgettable Legendary Pokémon with power and style in equal measure. As you’d expect, Mewtwo is ridiculously overpowered in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket. Well, the EX form of Mewtwo is! When Mewtwo EX is combined with other Psychic types, you'll create...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Marowak EX Deck Guide

    Get ready to whack your way to victory – if you can flip heads

    If Marowak EX is anything to go by, getting hit with a bone combined with a boomerang is detrimental to your lifespan. One of the most unique Pokémon from the original Kanto region and one of the easiest EX cards in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket to obtain, Marowak EX decks might...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Pikachu EX Deck Guide

    A shocking way to play

    Pikachu isn't allowed to be bad in a Pokémon game, right? We’re pretty sure there’s a division deep within The Pokémon Company that makes sure everyone’s favourite electric rodent is top-tier. Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is no different, with a deck designed around the EX version of Pikachu being one of the very...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Starmie EX Deck Guide

    Get your swimsuit – it’s time to splish & splash your way to victory

    Starmie isn’t typically a Pokémon that people consider powerful. Everyone’s first crush Misty used it in the anime, but other Water-type Pokémon from Kanto like Blastoise, Lapras, and Vaporeon have generally taken the spotlight. That’s not the case in Pokémon Trading...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Articuno EX Deck Guide

    This icy deck only requires two rare Pokémon instead of several to freeze opponents out

    Articuno EX is arguably the most potent of the Legendary birds in Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, which is a departure from the mainline games as the Ice type is generally worse than the Electric and Fire types of the other birds. While Articuno EX does...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Charizard EX Deck Guide

    This deck was made for those that picked Charmander first

    In every spinoff Pokémon game, Charizard makes an appearance in some way, shape, or form, and Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket makes sure the Fire-type Pokémon continues to dominate. Charizard EX is one of the most powerful decks in the game, capable of putting out more damage than any...

  • Guide Pokémon TCG Pocket: Which Booster Packs Should You Open?

    Mewtwo, Pikachu, or Charizard – I choose…uhh, hang on a second

    Never has opening trading card packs been so complicated. In Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, opening either the Genetic Apex Mewtwo, Pikachu, or Charizard booster packs freely will likely set you back on your way to building a full collection and a competitive deck as each one...

  • Review Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket (Mobile) - A Breezy, Beautiful Take On TCG, Gacha Aside

    Ironically, no trading allowed

    Digital card games like Marvel Snap have seen a lot of success in recent years with short, satisfying matches that you can finish in a few minutes. The mobile release of Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket almost seems like a direct answer to this trend. From uncomplicated card text to simplified rules, it axes much of...

  • Feature Here's 10 Games We Played At TGS 2024 Coming To Switch

    Fantasian! DQ3! Phantom Brave! Sonic, again!

    With the Nintendo Switch winding down, the Switch successor still unannounced, and Nintendo itself not typically showing games at the Tokyo Game Show, it can be a little hard to find titles you can play on your favourite hybrid handheld console between massive booths for Monster Hunter Wilds and the...

  • Hands On Professor Layton & The New World Of Steam - New World, But Feels Like The Old Prof

    As puzzling as ever

    It has been a while since we’ve seen Professor Layton and his protege Luke. For a while, the mind-bending puzzle series seemed like a Nintendo mainstay - at least on the DS and 3DS. The last game starred Katrielle Layton, the daughter of the titular Professor, and received rather mixed reviews when it came out for 3DS in 2017...