Fusion Strike ETB: 8 Packs, Mew Sleeves & Awesome Alt Arts
Eight packs, Mew sleeves and no promo: a clear look at the 2021 Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box, its old code card and the set's alternate arts.
In this guide 7 sections
The Fusion Strike ETB comes from a different era of the Pokémon TCG. Made for Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike, the expansion released on 12 November 2021, it holds eight booster packs from what was then the largest English expansion in years, plus sleeves featuring Mew and a full play kit. It also has two quirks that modern buyers should know about: there is no promo card, and its code card was made for a game that no longer runs. Here is the full rundown.
Fusion Strike (SWSH08) has 284 cards: 264 in the main set and 20 secret rares. It adapts the Japanese set Fusion Arts, released in Japan on 24 September 2021, and it held the record as the largest English expansion until Ascended Heroes overtook it on 30 January 2026.
Fusion Strike ETB contents, item by item
The official contents list for the box is:
- 8 Sword & Shield—Fusion Strike booster packs
- 65 card sleeves featuring Mew
- 45 Pokémon TCG Energy cards
- A player’s guide to the Fusion Strike expansion
- A Pokémon TCG rulebook
- 6 damage-counter dice
- 1 competition-legal coin-flip die
- 2 acrylic condition markers
- A collector’s box with 4 dividers
- A code card for the Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
Compared with a current box, a few things stand out. Recent Scarlet & Violet and Mega Evolution ETBs carry nine packs, while the Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box has eight. It includes a printed rulebook, uses two acrylic condition markers rather than a plastic coin, and has four dividers instead of the six found in Mega Evolution series boxes.
No promo card in this box
Modern ETBs usually include a full-art promo, such as the Zarude in the Pitch Black box. The Fusion Strike ETB does not have one. The Mew sleeves are its signature design element instead, which suits a set built around Mew V and Mew VMAX. If a promo is the main reason you want an Elite Trainer Box, a newer set will serve you better.
About the Pokémon TCG Online code card
Each Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box includes a code card for Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. That game was shut down on 5 June 2023, and Pokémon TCG Live, which launched on 8 June 2023, replaced it. Bulbapedia’s Pokémon TCG Online page covers the changeover. Treat the code card as part of the original packaging rather than something that will unlock content today.
A quick refresher on the Fusion Strike set
Fusion Strike introduced a third battle style, Fusion Strike, alongside the Single Strike and Rapid Strike styles from earlier Sword & Shield sets. The official product description promised over 20 new Fusion Strike cards, 20 Pokémon V, eight Pokémon VMAX and a new Special Energy card.
- Headliners: Mew V (#113) and Mew VMAX (#114), with Genesect V (#185) and Hoopa V among the adaptable new Pokémon V
- Gigantamax Pokémon: Rillaboom VMAX, Cinderace VMAX and Inteleon VMAX
- Fusion Strike Trainers: Power Tablet, Elesa’s Sparkle, Cross Switcher, Crossceiver and Chili & Cilan & Cress
- Special Energy: Fusion Strike Energy (#244)
- A curiosity: Deoxys (#120) carries all three battle styles at once
Every pack you open from a Fusion Strike ETB draws from this mix, along with familiar Trainers such as Quick Ball, Judge and Bug Catcher. The full background on the set is on Bulbapedia’s Fusion Strike page.
The alternate arts and secret rares
Fusion Strike is best remembered for three VMAX alternate arts, all numbered beyond the 264-card main set:
- Mew VMAX (#269): illustrated by AKIRA EGAWA
- Espeon VMAX (#270): illustrated by Kouki Saitou
- Gengar VMAX (#271): illustrated by sowsow
The rest of the top end is large. Cards #245 to #264 are ultra rares, including two versions each of Mew V, Genesect V and Greedent V plus full-art Supporters such as Elesa’s Sparkle and Shauna. Cards #265 to #279 bring rainbow versions of VMAX and Supporter cards alongside those three alternate arts, and #280 to #284 finish the list with Flaaffy, Power Tablet, Training Court, Grass Energy and Fire Energy.
With 284 cards, a Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box is a taste of the set rather than a route to completing it. Eight packs can turn up anything, but no box guarantees an alternate art.
Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box vs booster box vs sealed case
Three Fusion Strike products cover very different needs:
- Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box: 8 packs plus sleeves, Energy, dice, markers and storage. Best for gifts, Mew fans and anyone who wants the full kit.
- Fusion Strike Booster Box: 36 packs. Each English Sword & Shield pack has 10 cards plus a Basic Energy and a code card. Best for set building and group openings.
- Fusion Strike Sealed Case: six booster boxes, or 216 packs in total. Best for large group breaks or keeping several boxes together.
If you are comparing Sword & Shield era boxes more widely, the Evolving Skies Booster Box comes from another 2021 Sword & Shield set known for its Umbreon VMAX and Rayquaza VMAX alternate arts. Our guide on how to choose a Pokémon booster box explains what to look for in any sealed box.
Who a Fusion Strike ETB suits in 2026
Five years on, this box mostly appeals to collectors. It suits Mew fans who want the themed sleeves, collectors building a Sword & Shield shelf of sealed ETBs, and anyone who simply enjoys opening packs from an older set. It is less suited to brand-new players looking for a current play kit, because the code card belongs to a retired game and the box has no promo.
Tips for opening an older ETB
- Check the wrap first. Look over the shrink wrap and corners before opening, especially if you plan to keep the box.
- Store it flat and dry. Keep a sealed Fusion Strike ETB out of direct sunlight and away from humidity.
- Reuse the sleeves. The 65 Mew sleeves are ideal for a display deck of your favourite Fusion Strike pulls.
- Sort with the dividers. Four dividers work well for Pokémon, Trainers, Energy and your best cards.
- Keep the rulebook handy. It is a useful reference when teaching friends the basics of the game.
Shop the range
The Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box is a neat snapshot of late Sword & Shield, from the Mew sleeves to the four-divider box. Browse the full Pokémon TCG range for more Sword & Shield sets and the latest releases.
Fusion Strike ETB FAQs
Does the Fusion Strike ETB include a promo card?
No. The Fusion Strike ETB has no promo card. Its contents are eight booster packs, Mew sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide, a rulebook, dice, condition markers, a box with four dividers and a code card.
How many packs are in a Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box?
Eight Fusion Strike booster packs. Each English Sword & Shield pack contains 10 cards plus a Basic Energy and a code card.
Does the code card still work?
The ETB’s code card was for Pokémon Trading Card Game Online, which shut down on 5 June 2023 and was replaced by Pokémon TCG Live. Don’t count on it unlocking anything today.
What is on the sleeves?
The 65 card sleeves in the Fusion Strike Elite Trainer Box feature Mew, the Pokémon at the centre of the set.
When was Fusion Strike released and how big is it?
Fusion Strike was released on 12 November 2021 with 284 cards (264 plus 20 secret rares). It was the largest English set until Ascended Heroes in January 2026.
