Digital card games have come to prominence ever since the Covid-19 pandemic made playing at the local game store far less appealing. Whether it’s staples of the traditional paper format, such as Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon, or digital-only games such as Hearthstone and Gwent, these are the ten most fun to play card games out there, whether you’re a competitive player or an unabashed filthy casual.
10. Gwent (PC / Xbox One / PS4)
Gwent is based on the game of the same name from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The goal is to win two of three rounds, with decks consisting of only 25 cards. This makes for fast-paced strategic gameplay where every card in the deck is important.
Gwent is free to play, with microtransactions, and features several different modes of gameplay catering to both competitive and casual players. Ranked seasons are month-long, with rewards given at the end of the month based on rank.
Gwent is a complex game. While not particularly difficult to learn, it is considered to have a high skill cap, which can frustrate newer players. When it comes to this game, patience is a virtue.
Download Gwent here: https://www.playgwent.com/en/play-gog
9. Eternal (PC / Mac / Xbox One / Switch / Android / iOS)
Eternal is one of several digital card games born of the success of others such as Hearthstone and the original form of digital Magic: The Gathering, M: TG Online. It is free to play, with a fantasy wild west motif and unique lore to differentiate itself.
Eternal features many different play modes, including Draft and Gauntlet, in-game PvP events, and over twenty unique expansion sets. While not as popular as many of the other CCGs on this list, Eternal is still a quality game and an excellent choice if you’re looking for something besides the standard M: TG-style fare.
Download Eternal here: https://www.direwolfdigital.com/eternal/
8. Shadowverse (PC / Mac / iOS / Android)
Shadowverse is the lone anime-style representative here. Launched in 2016, it is, like Eternal, another of the Digital-only games born of the success of Hearthstone and Magic Online. The game is fast-paced, and, unlike Hearthstone, focuses on a design style that minimizes randomness.
Shadowverse is, like most digital, CCGs, free to play with microtransactions. It heavily emphasizes its anime-style art, using bright special effects to enhance the experience. Give Shadowverse a try if you’re looking to unleash your inner weeb.
Download Shadowverse here: https://shadowverse.com/
7. Ascension (PC / Mac / iOS / Android)
Ascension is the first of the two Deckbuilder-style games on this list. Unlike traditional CCGs, where you start with a predetermined deck of cards, in Ascension you spend the game building your deck by buying cards to produce a win condition based on your choices.
Originally coming in a traditional board-game format, Ascension has seamlessly made the transition to a digital game, producing lots of new and exciting expansions to make the gameplay different every time.
Purchase and Download Ascension here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/320430/Ascension_Deckbuilding_Game/
6. Slay the Spire (PC / Mac / Linux / Xbox One / PS4 / Switch / iOS / Android)
While the artwork isn’t as sublime as, say, Shadowverse, Slay the Spire is a surprisingly fun game that has much more replayability than you’d think. It’s nuanced and tests your monster-hunting skills, getting more difficult as you go along.
Purchase and Download Slay the Spire here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/646570/Slay_the_Spire/
5. Legends of Runeterra (Windows / iOS / Android)
Legends of Runeterra is the first of what might be considered the Big 5 of digital CCGs. Based on the lore of League of Legends, the ultra-popular MOBA from Riot Games, the game combines elements of several different CCGs to produce a unique style of its own.
Players must choose a Champion and build their deck based on its abilities. Unlike other CCGs, LoR is not strictly turn-based. Players take turns playing minions and spells, with each player taking turns being either the attacker or defender, with strategies varying heavily based on which priority you have.
Download Legends of Runeterra here: https://playruneterra.com/en-us/
4. Pokemon (Windows / Mac / Android)
Pokemon TCG Live is the successor to Pokemon TCG Online. With the ability to battle other Pokemon trainers from around the world, the game is a true Pokemon experience, allowing players to discover who truly is the best Pokemon trainer.
The game is free to play with plenty of in-game customizations and daily challenges to keep players excited to discover the newest Pokemon. With updates coming much more frequently than in its previous incarnation, Pokemon TCG Live is great fun for new and experienced trainers alike.
Download Pokemon TCG Live here: https://tcg.pokemon.com/en-us/tcgl/
3. Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel (Windows / Switch / PS4&5 / Xbox Series X&S / Xbox One / Android / iOS)
One of the two options for Yu-Gi-Oh players, the other being Yugioh Duel Links, Master Duel is more akin to its counterparts Hearthstone and MTG Arena in being the source for high-level competitive Yugioh play in a digital environment.
Master Duel stays true to the play styles and wordings of the traditional paper version of the game, giving an authentic Yugioh experience to its players. While Duel Links has its benefits, one being the larger available card pool and a greater catering to the casual player base, Master Duel feels more like the real thing, giving players the best chance to get their game on.
Download Yu-Gi-Oh Master Duel here: https://www.konami.com/yugioh/masterduel/us/en/
2. Hearthstone (Windows / Mac / iOS / Android)
Based on the now-defunct World of Warcraft CCG, and designed based around the same systems that have made Magic: The Gathering a success, Hearthstone has continued its success despite all of the controversy surrounding Activision-Blizzard.
The addition of the Battlegrounds format, based on the popular new auto-battler genre, has given the game another exciting way to play that requires no card collection to play. With new sets coming out on a steady basis, and the balancing team now acting at a faster pace to counteract stagnant metagames, Hearthstone is a fun choice for competitive and casual players alike.
Download Hearthstone here:https://hearthstone.blizzard.com/en-us
1. MTG Arena (Windows / Mac / iOS / Android)
Download MTG Arena here: https://magic.wizards.com/en/mtgarena
Also Be Sure To Read:
- [Top 25] MTG Best Artifacts
- [Top 25] MTG Best Horror Cards
- [Top 25] MTG Best Life Gain Cards
- [Top 15] Best Dragons in MTG
- [Top 15] MtG Best Equipment Cards
- [Top 15] MtG Best Counterspells
- [Top 15] MtG best Planeswalkers
- [Top 15] MtG Best Commanders
- [Top 20] MTG Best Human Cards
- [Top 10] MTG Best Haste Creatures
- [Top 10] MTG Best Artifact Commanders
- [Top 15] MTG Best Demon Cards
