Energy Switch is an Item, a Type of Trainer. It has been with us for a while, but far, far from "nearly the beginning". If you joined after its release, Energy Switch seems old, but if you're a long time player, it may still feel pretty "new". :lol: With respect to the life of the game, calling it something from its "beginnings" is rather misleading. I guess I should write an article on Pokémon TCG history just to try and provide convenient names for the periods; I think of "the beginning" as the Neo sets at the latest.
Energy Switch debuted in Aquapolis, a set that officially released January 15th, 2003. That would be four full years after the official release date for the Base Set (January 9th, 1999), and while the third generation of Pokémon wouldn't debut until EX Ruby & Sapphire five months later (June 18th, 2003), the "e-card" sets (Expedition, Aquapolis, and Skyridge) are the actual third generation for the TCG; the original Base Set, Neo Genesis, and Expedition were all "base sets" meant as foundations for their iterations of the game. Yes, the reprint sets Base Set 2 and the Legendary Collection don't count as such, though they provided a similar function.
The effect of Energy Switch is simple and actually quite, quite good; even a one-shot movement of Energy can create a huge swing, and that is why "Energy moving" cards count as Energy acceleration in my book. So many forms of Energy acceleration are designed to be "balanced" by attaching to something other than the Active Pokémon. Bending the rules even just once often becomes amazing. So... why is this card only being recognized relatively recently?
Nature of the game. First, it debuted during a rocky time, two sets before the TCG traded hands from WotC to Nintendo/TPCi. Note that I am uncertain of the official corporate identity that took it over, but it evolved into those in charge now. :wink: Many cards were overlooked because as you may have noticed... we weren't quite half-done with 2003 and we hit set number four, a set that issued in the third video game generation of Pokémon. Long story short, WotC new they were losing the license, and wanted to rush out the sets they had the legal rights to release.
So 2003 ended up getting six full sets. Considering the format that WotC ended on was "Neon" (Neo-on, Neo Genesis and later sets) and that was only the second ever Modified format which had two cards banned (one right away, but one mid season), it was a time of upheaval. We gained Bill back, we gained Supporters, and before we had that all figured out we switched over to "Eon" (Expedition and later sets) Modified, meaning we lost Bill (it was reprinted in the set before Expedition) as well as Neo Genesis Cleffa.
As has almost always been the case, we also had to worry about deck space, and wouldn't you know it, BAR decks (running out of time, you'll have to look them up) already had a way of moving Energy so it didn't need Energy Switch. Then we started seeing heavy reliance upon multi-Energy Special Energy cards, like Double Rainbow Energy (released in the first set of 2004). Simply put, there were too many other options for simple Energy manipulation tricks.
Kind of like how Pokémon Reversal went unnoticed for almost as long, because it debuted while Double Gust was still legal, and then was shown up by formats where sniping attacks or Poké-Powers or more reliable Trainers (Warp Point, Pow! Hand Extension, etc.) were simply better options. For those unaware, I consider Pokémon Reversal to be a bad card... but not a weak card. Right now it is overshadowed by Pokémon Catcher, but all Pokémon Reversal does different is give the illusion of safety through "luck".
Wait, so what about Energy Switch itself? Quite potent when the format allows for it. You need a format where there is room for it in the deck... or at least where the return justifies it. Right now an Energy Switch will often allow you to Retreat or otherwise change out your Active Pokémon for something else that has its big attack ready to go (thanks to shunting an Energy from the previous Active to the new one)... and this is a format of OHKOs and 2HKOs. Added benefit is that you might even be able to combo into a Max Potion that discards less (even no) Energy.
However, I don't want this card to remain with us for long. Why? Yes it promotes clever plays, but I remain convinced that damaging attacks first turn are one of the big problems with the game... which means first turn Energy acceleration is a "no-no" unless it can't enable an attack right away. If Energy Switch exists, it means something that accelerates Energy to itself can then be used to funnel that Energy to something else. If you don't care about that... yeah, love this card; it is quite handy. :thumb:
