Mega Forces and Ascended Heroes Tins: Week One Buying Guide
By Dexhaul Team · August 31, 2026
Both tin waves shipped on August 28. Three days in, Mega Forces and Ascended Heroes are available across many sellers, but with a wider price spread than most launches see this early.
The key difference between the two lines: Mega Forces is a standard tin format (one tin, one promo card, four booster packs from Mega Evolution sets), while Ascended Heroes comes in two sizes, a Mini Tin and a larger Mega Tin. Knowing which format you actually want saves money before you click buy.
This guide breaks down what is in each line, what sellers are currently charging, and the one thing most buyers miss when comparing the two.
What Is in a Mega Forces Tin
Each Mega Forces tin contains four booster packs drawn from the Mega Evolution TCG series plus one foil promo card featuring the tin's featured Pokémon. Three tins launched together: Mega Darkrai ex, Mega Zeraora ex, and Mega Dragonite ex.
Mega Darkrai ex is the most recognizable of the three. Darkrai has a long TCG history dating back to the Diamond and Pearl era, and the Mega Forces version features a new ex variant in a format that did not exist during the original XY print run. Zeraora is the newer face: a Mythical Pokémon introduced in Sun and Moon that skipped the original Mega Evolution era entirely, so the Mega Forces tin is its first appearance in that format.
Dragonite rounds out the set. As one of the original 151, Dragonite carries strong nostalgia value heading into September, when the 30th Anniversary Celebration wave launches on September 16.
Mega Forces Tin Prices Right Now
The official MSRP on Mega Forces tins is $21.99 per individual tin. Week-one seller pricing tells a different story.
The widest spread is on individual tins.
Booster Boyz lists the Mega Zeraora ex tin at $29.95, which is the lowest individual price currently live in the catalog. Card Dynasty lists Darkrai at $31.00. Boxed Vinyl is at $49.95 for the Dragonite ex.
Bundle pricing compresses the gap. MHDEALSPLUS offers the full set of three for $89.95, which works out to roughly $30 per tin if you want all three anyway.
One important flag: several sellers still carry their listings under "Pre-Order" or note a September 30 ship date. These are sellers who listed early and have not updated their storefront copy.
The products launched August 28 and are in production. If a listing describes a late-September ship date, that reflects a specific seller's fulfillment timeline, not a delay in the product itself. Check individual seller ship estimates before ordering if timing matters.
What Is in an Ascended Heroes Product
Ascended Heroes launched the same day as Mega Forces but is a different product line entirely.
The Mini Tin is the entry point: a small metal tin containing two booster packs from the Ascended Heroes set (ME2.5) plus a coin. These are designed to be collectible on their own, not just a pack delivery mechanism. The Mega Tin is the larger format: it contains more packs and a foil promo, similar in concept to the Mega Forces tin but from the Ascended Heroes set.
The set itself, Mega Evolution 2.5: Ascended Heroes, sits between the numbered Mega Evolution sets and draws on XY-era Mega EX cards reimagined with the ex mechanic. The official Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution product line now spans five numbered sets plus this half-step release.
Ascended Heroes Prices Right Now
Ascended Heroes Mini Tins are running $14.88 to $43.00 depending on the seller.
CardHoard has them at $34.95. Double Infinity Gaming is at $29.99. The RNG Therapy listing at $14.88 is the lowest individual price in the catalog right now.
The Mega Tin format, sold by POKESTOP817, is priced at $69.95. That is a premium over the Mini Tin entry point, and it reflects the larger format and additional pack count.
The most striking option in the Ascended Heroes line is the Mini Tin Display: MHDEALSPLUS lists the full ten-count display at $429.95. That is a case purchase designed for stores or collectors who want a sealed display unit, not a single-product buy. Flipside Gaming offers a set of three Ascended Heroes tins at $189.95 for buyers who want multiple formats without going to a full display.
Mega Forces vs. Ascended Heroes: The Key Difference Most Buyers Miss
Both lines shipped the same day and both carry "Mega Evolution" branding. That similarity has caused some confusion in buyer discussions this week.
The booster packs inside are not the same.
Mega Forces tins pull from the numbered Mega Forces set (ME05). Ascended Heroes products pull from the Ascended Heroes set (ME2.5).
If you are targeting specific cards from one set, the other line's packs will not get you there.
Collector-angle buyers will note that the Mega Darkrai ex promo in the Mega Forces tin is the better long-term piece: Darkrai has a deep TCG history going back to the platinum era, and a Mega ex version is genuinely new territory for the character. Zeraora's Mega Forces promo is more of a novelty: a Mythical that received the Mega treatment after Mega Evolution was already retired from the main game, so it exists only as a card construct.
For casual buyers who just want to open packs, the choice mostly comes down to price per pack.
At $29.95 for four packs, the Zeraora ex Mega Forces tin runs about $7.49 per pack. The Ascended Heroes Mini Tin at CardHoard's $34.95 for two packs is $17.48 per pack.
If pack value is the goal, Mega Forces tins are the more efficient purchase.
What to Buy at Each Budget
Under $35: the Mega Forces Zeraora ex tin from Booster Boyz at $29.95 gives you the lowest per-pack cost in the entire launch. If you want to sample the Mega Forces set without committing to all three tins, this is the entry point.
Around $90: the MHDEALSPLUS set of all three Mega Forces tins at $89.95 is the most complete way to collect the launch. All three promos, all three tin designs, and the pack count to make pulls meaningful.
Collector only: if you are buying the tin for the metal container and promo card rather than to open packs, the Mega Darkrai ex tin is the strongest keeper of the three. Darkrai has the longest TCG lineage and a genuine new ex format appearance. The tin design holds up as a display piece on its own.
Ascended Heroes collectors: the Mega Tin at $69.95 from POKESTOP817 is the better single-unit purchase over the Mini Tin if you want the full Ascended Heroes experience. The Mini Tin works as a standalone collectible or a lower-cost entry point, but the Mega Tin delivers more pack content for the format.
Timing: Does It Matter to Wait?
Week-one pricing on Pokémon tins rarely drops in the short term. The launch window is when the most seller inventory is active and the most price competition exists. Sellers who priced high at launch tend to stay high or sell at the inflated price to buyers who do not shop around.
One scenario to watch: if the Mega Forces tins turn out to contain pulls from a specific Mega Evolution set that overlaps with the 30th Anniversary Celebration wave launching September 16, demand could shift. The 30th Celebration is the bigger event in terms of announced product volume, and some buyers who are rationing spend between now and that launch will defer these tins. That could create small pricing dips in the next two weeks.
There is no certainty in short-term tin pricing, and this is not a forecast. What is certain is that both lines are live now with multiple sellers, and the price spread is wide enough that shopping around before buying is worth the two minutes it takes.
Search DexHaul to compare live listings for Mega Forces tins and Ascended Heroes products from independent sellers, updated in real time. DexHaul is independent and unofficial, not affiliated with The Pokémon Company.