Wartortle Alternate Art vs Full Art: Collector’s Guide

In TCG ·

Wartortle card art from Team Up (SM9), illustrated by Misa Tsutsui

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Two Faces of a Classic: Alternate Art and Full Art in Pokémon TCG

For collectors and players alike, the Pokémon TCG presents a delightful tug-of-war between two art-focused variants: alternate art and full art. While the mechanics of a card stay the same from set to set, the artwork—often a different illustrator, a different mood, or a different print style—can tilt the value and the joy of possession. Our spotlight falls on a Water-type staple from Team Up: Wartortle, a Stage 1 evolution evolving from Squirtle, with HP 90 and a practical two-attack toolkit. As we compare alternate art and full art through this card’s lens, we’ll explore not just aesthetics, but how art choices intersect with playability, rarity, and market trends ⚡🔥.

Wartortle: a quick snapshot of the card’s identity

  • Type: Water
  • HP: 90
  • Stage: Stage 1 (evolves from Squirtle)
  • Attacks: Tackle (Colorless, Colorless) for 30; Waterfall (Water, Water, Colorless) for 70
  • Weakness: Grass ×2
  • Retreat cost: 2
  • Set: Team Up (SM9)
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • Illustrator: Misa Tsutsui
  • Variants: holo, normal, reverse listed in detailed variants
  • Legal in formats: Expanded only (not standard)

In the Team Up era, Wartortle’s artwork by Misa Tsutsui captures a playful, water-splash moment that resonates with the set’s electric bond between trainers and partners. While the standard print sits comfortably in holo or non-holo forms, the beauty of alternate art and full art lives in the way that image communicates with collectors and players alike. The two-attack profile—moderate Tackle and a two-Water Waterfall—offers a dependable midgame toolkit for Water decks, especially when you’re building around Squirtle’s family line and synergy with the Team Up environment. The card’s expanded-legal status hints at its usability in a broader rotation, even as modern staples leave some older prints on the sidelines in standard play 🎴🎨.

What the art actually means for collectability

Alternate art cards are typically released alongside a standard print, offering a different illustration, sometimes by a different artist, and often with a distinct frame or composition. Full art (a variant sometimes called “full-bleed”) takes the artwork to the edges of the card and can encompass bold, immersive scenes. In practical terms, collectors may chase both types for display-worthy artwork and for the possibility of premium pricing when the print run is limited or particularly beloved by fans. For Wartortle, the official holo printing and the standard non-holo are already popular; an alternate art version would usually command a premium if it exists for this card in a given print run, due to rarity signaling and the allure of fresh artwork on a familiar name 🔥💎.

The translator of the art—Misa Tsutsui—has a knack for aquatic ambience that aligns perfectly with Water-type energy. The elegance of Tsutsui’s lines often elevates the card beyond mere sport—the kind of glow that fans photograph, share, and collect. When comparing variants, keep an eye on details like border treatment, foil pattern (holo vs non-holo), and the lore implied by the scene. Even if the card mechanics remain identical (Tackle for 30 and Waterfall for 70 with two Water energies cost for the latter), the visual story can shift a lot of the perceived value for a collector who loves the Team Up era’s vibe ⚡🎴.

Market signals: price ranges and what to expect

Pricing data across regions helps illustrate how variant art affects value. In the Team Up print of Wartortle, the holo variant typically trades higher than non-holo—partly because holo foils tend to be scarcer and more collectible. For a broader snapshot, consider the following general trends drawn from the card market and TCGPlayer data included in the card’s profile:

  • Cardmarket (EUR): Non-holo average around 0.21 EUR, with holo averages hovering higher (around 2.07 EUR) and variability that can spike in market peaks.
  • TCGPlayer (USD): Normal print often lists around 0.5 USD average, with market price near 0.52 USD; reverse-holofoil variants fetch higher, with mid prices around 0.95 USD and highs reaching around 5.00 USD in some listings.

These figures underscore a few realities: holo variants generally sustain a premium, reverse-holo variants can fetch even higher prices in some contexts, and the exact value depends on condition, edition, and how aggressively a market is chasing Team Up’s Water archetypes. Since the data snapshot is current to mid-2025, price movement in physical and online markets—plus the appearance of new print runs or reprints—can shift values quickly. For Wartortle fans, this means that secure, well-maintained copies of the alternate art or full art prints could hold appeal as a long-term investment or a treasured display piece 🔮.

Playing around with the idea of “art variants” in deck-building

From a gameplay perspective, Wartortle’s two-attack profile offers a dependable midrange option in Water-centric decks. If you’re weaving in Squirtle to enable a full evolution line, you can use Waterfall’s 70 damage to threaten common early-game threats while your bench strategy sets up a bulkier late-game plan. In expanded formats, where more tools exist for energy acceleration and attack-speed manipulation, the artwork you choose doesn’t alter the math, but it does influence your persona at the table. A card that looks striking—whether as alternate art or full art—can affect how you feel about executing a well-timed Waterfall, the tempo of your game, and the joy of the moment when you flip a holo or reveal a bold new art piece 🔥🎮.

For collectors, the decision between alternate art and full art isn’t purely cosmetic. It’s about the thrill of owning a unique variant, the narrative arc that a particular illustration suggests, and how those choices smell like nostalgia years later. In Wartortle’s case, the elegance of Tsutsui’s water-themed imagery complements the Team Up era’s team-based themes and can make the card a centerpiece in a Water deck’s showcase, as well as a conversation starter in display cases between matches 💎🎴.

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