Introduction

Vibes TCG has taken off to new heights, and to the longtime community, it’s no surprise. The game is a celebration of absurdity, strategy, and community, all wrapped up in a plump-penguin-themed bow. With hand-drawn art featuring the beloved Pudgy Penguins IP and deceptively deep gameplay, Vibes has carved out a unique identity in the trading card world.

Behind the lovable art lies a serious collectible scene: limited print runs, multiple foil variants, and a growing network of collectors hunting down the elusive 1-of-10 sketch cards.

Whether you’re a new collector or an early adopter, this guide is your roadmap. I’ll cover the structure behind the sets, the rarity hierarchy, which cards are worth chasing, and why sketches remain the ultimate prize. With only two sets released so far, Vibes is still in its early days, and that’s exactly what makes it such an exciting time to collect.

Rarity Structure + Sketches

Vibes TCG uses five core rarity tiers, plus a special Promo tier. The first five can be pulled from packs, while Promos are distributed as preorder bonuses or at in-person events. Each tier has its own color-coded set icon, located at the bottom center of each card. Enter the Huddle has an igloo icon, where Legend of the Lils has a penguin head icon, both of which are color coded based on rarity:

• Common – White

• Uncommon – Grey

• Rare – Gold

• Epic – Red

• Sketch – Purple

• Promo – Orange

Sketch cards are limited to 10 copies per card. These are based on Clare Altman’s original concept sketches and feature a distinctive blue foil treatment. Set 1 sketches are unnumbered; Set 2 sketches are individually numbered out of 10.

In Set 1, Common through Epic cards were available in both non-foil and a single foil variant. Set 2 retained the same structure but introduced a second foil type: Arctic Foil, which features a cooler, flashier finish. Think cracked ice foil from the Sports card world, with glass-like holo shards around the card.

Sketch cards are the true chase, but certain Promos and Epic foils have also become highly sought after by collectors.

Set 1, Enter the Huddle: Sealed Product & Chase Cards

Sealed Product

The first Vibes TCG set, Enter the Huddle, had a total print run of 15,000 boxes, packaged in cases of 10 boxes each. The original MSRP was $144 per box.

As the game’s popularity has grown, sealed Set 1 boxes have become increasingly scarce. Resale prices have climbed steadily, with recent sales regularly landing around $500-700 per box. With a limited print run and strong demand from both players and collectors, sealed Enter the Huddle boxes are quickly becoming grail-tier items.

Set 1 cards also have the first edition stamp on the rarity symbol, making them stand out compared to future sets.

Chase Cards

While Sketch cards are the standout chase across both sets, Set 1 offers several other cards that have become highly desirable to collectors and players alike.

Epic Foils

Certain Epic-tier cards in foil form have gained particular attention:

• Bunkus, Who Is The Stars

  – A staple in early meta decks due to its strong gameplay impact.

• Luca Saves the Penguins

  – A nod to Luca Netz and the story behind Pudgy Penguins’ revival; this card carries added cultural and collector weight.

• Sir Vibesalot

  – A fan favorite for both art and gameplay.

• The Mega Penguins (Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Green)

  – Each served as a core piece in early deckbuilding strategies. The Red Mega Penguin in particular has special relevance, as it's based on the long-time Pudgy Penguin owned by Spencer Gordon-Sand, the CEO of Orange Cap Games.

Error / Blank Cards

A small number of error or blank cards have surfaced from Set 1 packs, similar to other TCG misprints. These are unofficially collectible and sometimes treated as novelties or one-of-a-kind oddities.

For a closer look at some of these grail-tier pulls, check out this video by Matt Bartlett: 👉Matt's Set 1 Grails Breakdown

https://x.com/MattBartlettVE/status/1946274092669186392

Set 2, Legend of the Lils: Sealed Product & Chase Cards

Sealed Product

The second Vibes TCG set, Legend of the Lils, had the same print run as Set 1; 15,000 boxes, packed in cases of 10 boxes each. The original MSRP was $120, but post launch, retail prices have quickly risen.

What sets Set 2 apart is the quality of the product itself. For the first time, Vibes was printed on fully trademarked Orange Core TCG paper, giving the cards a sturdier, more premium feel. Alongside this, the foil treatments received a major upgrade. Regular foils were improved for sharper shine, and the new Arctic Foil introduced a cooler, flashier treatment that quickly became a favorite among collectors.

Packaging also took a leap forward. Boxes feature gold and purple foil accents, giving the product a polished, premium presentation that stands out immediately on a shelf or at an event. Between the upgraded materials, new foil, and striking packaging, Legend of the Lils marked a turning point where many in the community began to recognize Vibes as a truly high-quality trading card game.

Chase Cards

As with Set 1, Sketch cards are the ultimate chase. In Legend of the Lils, sketches are individually numbered #/10 in gold foil at the top-right corner, making them stand out even more as true grails.

Beyond sketches, Set 2 introduced several unique chase cards that have captured attention:

Epic Arctic Foils – Key competitive cards like Colosseum and Binkus are especially desirable in Arctic Foil, combining gameplay relevance with visual appeal.

Nyan Cat – The first-ever Secret Rare in Vibes TCG, numbered 151/150. Featuring art by the original Nyan Cat creator, this card is a cultural crossover and a centerpiece collectible. Both Foil and Arctic Foil versions carry a premium. (Notably, no Sketch version exists of this card.)

Sir VibesaLil – A spiritual successor to Set 1’s Sir Vibesalot. Arctic Foil versions of this card are just stunning.

Set 2 broadened the chase beyond sketches, offering a mix of competitive staples, cultural collaborations, and the sleek new Arctic foil which make it a landmark release for both players and collectors.

Promo Cards

Vibes TCG also has a growing line of promo cards, which are distributed through preorder bonuses, partnerships, or in-person events. I’ll cover these in more depth at a later time, but a few standouts are worth noting here:

VanEck Success Penguin – A collaboration that was distributed to high ranked players of the digital game, and one that continues to carry strong collector demand.

Prosperous Penguin (PSA Exclusive) – Another high-profile crossover that blends the worlds of Vibes and the traditional card market, making it especially appealing to collectors.

Sketch Baron – Distributed to only the top 16 players of each digital game season, these epic promo cards are far and few between. These are each hand numbered and signed by the artist Clare Altman.

Promos sit outside the main rarity structure, but the most notable ones are already commanding a premium in the secondary market, and they’re likely to remain key pieces for dedicated collectors. Stay tuned for a deep dive into these elusive promos.

Conclusion

With only two sets released so far, Vibes TCG has already built a strong foundation for collectors. Sealed product from Enter the Huddle is already being treated as grail-level, and Legend of the Lils raised the bar with improved materials, new foils, and the game’s first Secret Rare.

Sketch cards remain the pinnacle of the chase as they are limited to just 10 copies each - they represent the rarest form of every card in the game.

It’s still early days for Vibes, and that’s part of the excitement. Whether you’re collecting sealed, chasing epics and foils, or hunting down grails like Nyan Cat and Success Penguin, the landscape is wide open. For collectors who want to be part of a growing hobby with strong community roots, Vibes is proving to be one of the most rewarding TCGs, and it’s just getting started.