Lesser-known card games

Card games have a long history, though it's unfortunately riddled with myths and inaccuracies. The first mentions date back to China around 1000 AD. They reached Europe during the 15th century, and here, people started playing them during the Hussite Wars. I mean, what else are you supposed to do while sitting on a wagon fort waiting for the enemy? Things took off from there, and card games started popping up like mushrooms after rain. And then, in 1993, Magic: The Gathering arrived…

Magic instantly became a cult classic, spread across the globe, and practically became a synonym for card games (if we ignore games like poker, bridge, and the like). One of the few games that came close to its success is Pokémon TCG. But besides these two staples, there are plenty of beautiful smaller games that are definitely worth a try. Today, we'll take a look at a few of them.

Flesh & Blood

This trading card game was born in 2019 in New Zealand. Unfortunately, it hit right at the start of the COVID fun, so it took a while to reach the world. That makes the authors from Legend Story Studios work even harder on its support, marketing, and organizing tournaments worldwide. The game offers a highly unique system.

At the start, two equipped fighters stand against each other, trying to beat each other to death. No big surprise there. The rest is a different story. The game isn't based on playing creatures and mana, but on direct attacks against the player, initiative, timing, the occasional spell, and, to a large extent, deck management. The result feels more like a fighting game in the style of Mortal Kombat. Each hero has their own unique style. Some rely on repeating smaller attacks, others defend for a long time before crushing the opponent with one brutal strike or reflecting attacks back at the opponent. Ideally, during their own turn. It's a wild ride, and a single point can often decide the match.

Flesh & Blood brought fresh new elements to the world of card games. Plus, it boasts a truly beautiful visual style. We have organized tournaments and a secondary market for cards here too. The price of some rare pieces climbs into the thousands. You just have to find them :)

KeyForge

Behind this unique card game is Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: The Gathering. He launched it in 2018, offering a fresh system and gaming experience. The core concept is that every 37-card deck is unique and contains a one-of-a-kind combination of cards. You just open the deck, shuffle, and start playing. If you want a change, you have to buy a new deck. Simply put, there is no deckbuilding in this game, which is an advantage for some players, but it does keep you buying new stacks of paper.

The game system itself is also unique. Each deck contains a random selection of three factions (out of ten currently available). At the start of a turn, the player must declare which faction they will play, and they cannot play or activate any other cards that turn (unless a specific ability allows it). During the game, you play monsters and cast spells. You can use monsters to attack the opponent's monsters or harvest Aember, the in-game currency used to buy keys. Whoever gets three wins.

KeyForge is a fast and easy-to-learn game. It has gorgeous illustrations and can deliver truly tense matches. By the way, you can check out the rules.

Ashes Reborn: Rise of the Phoenixborn

Ashes is another card game that does things differently. It complements cards with dice (similar to Star Wars: Destiny). At the start of a turn, players roll a pool of dice, which they then use to activate abilities, cast spells, or summon warriors and monsters. The fun part is that the game offers many ways to manipulate dice or even cancel and reroll the opponent's dice. Nothing feels better than watching a friend's carefully laid plans fall apart!

In a turn, you can perform one main action and one side action. Turns are very fast, and the game itself is snappy. The authors regularly add new heroes with their own playstyles. You don't have to worry about the game getting boring quickly, even though it's not a trading card game. It definitely knows how to excite even more demanding players. After all, high ratings from all over the world speak for themselves. If you want to check out the rules, you can do so here.

Summoner Wars

You might have noticed that I tried to pick card games that bring something fresh to the table. That goes double for Summoner Wars. This game could be described as card-based chess. Players choose from several unique heroes, set up their cards on the board in starting positions, and try to destroy the opponent's main unit—the Summoner. Unit cards have unique combat and movement styles. Anyone who has played chess can surely imagine the basic gameplay principle.

During the game, you summon more units, the front line is constantly moving, and you really need to think tactically. That is the only key to success. However, even the best-planned offensive can fail due to a bad dice roll, as dice are used to resolve unit clashes.

Summoner Wars can really give your brain a workout, even though the rules themselves are easy to pick up, and battles become quite balanced very quickly.

Personally, I'm a fan of card games. A lot of very nice pieces didn't make the cut. Who would read such a monster article? :) Still, I can't help but give a few quick tips on games worth trying. The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game is an atmospheric cooperative card game for fans of the books. Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition perfectly adapts the big board game into a lighter card format that hasn't lost any of its charm. The Unmatched series brings battles between highly unlikely opponents to the table. Or the popular Munchkin, where anything is possible. Whatever card game you choose, you're guaranteed fun that you can enjoy practically anywhere.

author Karel Krajča