What do all the icons on Pokémon cards mean?

The icons on Pokémon cards actually serve as a quick guide to understanding key aspects of the game. For starters, the little symbol in the bottom right of every card tells you its rarity - common (circle), uncommon (diamond), or rare (star). Energy symbols show what type of energy the Pokémon uses, like fire, water, electric, etc., and this matches up with energy cards you’ll need to play the game. Trainer cards have their own symbols to indicate their type - items, supporters, and stadiums, each affecting the game in different ways. Lastly, if you see a symbol that looks like a pokeball with a number next to it, that’s the card's set symbol and the number is its identification in that set. Super helpful for collectors!

All those icons and symbols might seem confusing at first, but they're actually there to help out. Each one gives important info about how to use the card in battles, what type of card it is, and even its rarity and collectibility. Takes a bit to get used to, but once you got it, you're golden.