Collectible card games (CCGs) are all over the Google Play store now. The popular genre gives players a digital platform to scratch their trading card game itch with strangers and friends online. With all of the games on the market, it can be hard to pick out the right game for you. This is especially so when you consider how much time or even money might be necessary to build a decent collection. Here is a guide to help you decide if you want to invest your time into Shadowverse, Hearthstone, Legends of Runeterra, or even a hidden gem.
Fun Factor
The most important factor to consider when choosing a CCG (Or any game for that matter) is simple: Is the game fun? There are plenty of solid games on the market, but some certainly stand out as more fun than others. This is, of course, subjective, and different people will prefer certain games more than others. There are plenty of games that use the model that Hearthstone made popular and added their own creative twists to them. Shadowverse has a neat evolve mechanic that allows for big swings. Legends of Runeterra successfully added turns and more interaction to the formula. Eternal offers a deep strategic experience.
While a lot of games follow the Hearthstone formula, few have gone their own way to create neat, novel experiences. Gwent is a one-of-a-kind game that allows for big plays at all phases of the game. This is made possible due to the lack of a mana system. Crystal Soul Arena allows players to play their cards simultaneously without their opponent knowing what they are playing. Games like Yu-Gi-Oh: Duel Links, Pokemon TCG, and Magic Arena bring classic trading card games to your smartphone.
There are tons of entertaining games available, it’s up to the player to decide what mechanics work for them.
Most Entertaining CCG: Either Gwent or Legends of Runeterra
Generosity
This is likely the most important part of a CCG next to how entertaining it is. Generous developers are essential for not only getting players started but also keep them coming for more. Developers can give out premium currency, free pulls, or cosmetics.
Hearthstone might be the most well-known CCG, but it sure isn’t one of the most generous games. Fortunately, the last few years have seen plenty of games that are great to the players. Shadowverse consistently gives players freebies. Free packs and the currency needed for packs are given almost daily. A player that regularly plays Shadowverse will always be able to craft at least two or three meta decks at all times. Eternal is also similar when it comes to generosity.
Legends of Runterra has recently stolen the show when it comes to generosity. Within a year, even F2P players will likely have every champion (The highest rarity card). In Runeterra, it’s insanely easy to craft decks, and after a few months, a player will never be limited by what they can afford. Instead, they can play whatever deck they want, which is something that no other card game can do.
One more game that is quite generous is Gwent. In Gwent, a player willing to focus on one or two factions can go pretty far when it comes to crafting decks. It does feature paid passes, but these feel mostly optional as they are full of cosmetics. There were a few recent changes to Gwent‘s economy that makes it a little less friendly for F2P, but it’s still solid.
Most generous CCG: Legends of Runeterra
Production
Of course, aesthetics are insanely important when it comes to card games, and this applies even more to digital card games. A card game that can be played digitally needs a specific aesthetic and a coherent theme to hook players. Beautiful card art is a great place to start, but attractive boards and tunes need to be considered as well.
For those who are interested in anime aesthetics, it’s hard to go wrong with Shadowverse. The game is full of the hottest anime girls and boys, as well as a neat theme about jumping across universes to tie it all together. There are also many crossovers with other anime franchises like Kaguya Sama, Granblue Fantasy, Princess Connect, and even One Punch Man to attract fans outside of Shadowverse. The only downside to this is that sometimes these characters don’t fit in the world of Shadowverse. Legends of Runeterra recently had a similar problem with a KDA crossover. Many players thought K-Pop stars don’t fit the Runeterra aesthetic. Whether crossovers and anime cuties are your thing is up to you to decide.
If players are looking for great presentations outside of card art, Gwent and Runeterra are certainly some standouts. Both games use existing franchises to create neat experiences within the worlds that their characters live in. These cards, boards, and skins all have tons of flavor. Card effects make sense for the characters that they are applied to. For example, in Gwent, one of the Geralt cards specializes in killing big attackers. In Runeterra, most of the champion cards have effects that correlate with their counterparts in League of Legends. These games also come with tons of flavor text and tunes that fit the worlds that they live in. Both games can be enjoyed by those who aren’t fans of the franchises, but they shine for those who can truly appreciate everything the presentation has to offer.
Best Production/Presentation: Gwent
Meta Diversity
Another thing that players will want to consider is meta diversity. No one wants to play a game where they constantly play against the same deck over and over again. Games like Hearthstone and Yu-Gi-Oh can suffer from a lack of diversity due to how much it costs to make decks. Real costs will have an influence on how many decks players can create, resulting in less diversity. Shadowverse also occasionally goes through sets where only three or four decks are prominent in ranked ladders. A healthy ecosystem is essential, or players can get bored of a game pretty quickly.
CCGs that currently have a healthy ecosystem are Legends of Runeterra, Gwent, and Shadowverse. Of course, this could quickly change as new expansions release and metas are explored. These games consistently have multiple decks that counter each other well at the top of tier lists. If they don’t Legends of Runeterra and Shadowverse are both great at balancing their games. This especially applies to Runeterra which typically sees at least one significant balance change a month to multiple cards.
The CCG With The Best Meta: Legends of Runeterra
Our Favorites
Currently, Legends of Runeterra is at the top of available CCGs. The game is incredibly balanced, with constant updates bringing in new cards and changes. It’s also incredibly easy to get into, with easy-to-understand rules and a generous system that allows players to quickly build great decks. Shadowverse has recently fallen out of favor due to how interactive Legends of Runeterra is, but it’s still an enjoyable game with great anime art and collaborations.
Gwent is also fun, and different from most of the games on the market right now. It’s full of fantastic presentation and like Legends of Runeterra is easy to get into.
Interested in getting into gacha gaming? Check out our guide on the best gacha games available.
