Last updated on May 17, 2025
Barroom Brawl | Illustration by Craig J Spearing
Greetings planeswalkers! Every single piece I’ve written for Draftsim to date has dealt with one game and one game only: Magic: the Gathering. But did you know there are plenty of other trading card games on the market? It’s true, it’s true! You may have walked planes, but have you ever tried walking games instead?
Today we’ll be examining 17 different trading card games that are currently played today, ranked from least to most popular. So without further ado, let’s Map the Frontier and see what other options are out there for aspiring card gamers!
What Are Trading Card Games?
Ballroom Brawlers | Illustration by John Stanko
First, let’s establish some definitions: What exactly is a trading card game? Well, borrowing from Wikipedia’s definition, a trading card game is a type of card game that mixes strategic deck building elements with features of trading cards. The term “trading card game” is often used interchangeably with the term “collectible card game,” but I think this is actually slightly deceptive! I like to distinguish between the two terms as follows:
Thus “collectible card game” is an excellent way to describe digital card games like Hearthstone, Eternal Card Game, and Legends of Runeterra, which don’t have trading between players or third party stores. Today’s article will be focusing only on trading card games though. If your game doesn’t let you lend cards to your buddies, you won’t find it listed below in this article. As such, everything below will be paper TCGs; perhaps a later article will cover digital ones.
Honorable Mention: Altered
Altered isn’t technically out yet (it releases September 13th this year), but it looked appealing so I thought it deserved a mention! It’s designed by some French card game industry veterans (they were behind Dixit, Mysterium, Diceforge, and Seasons, according to their site). I can’t speak much to the gameplay yet but the art looks great, and their digital model for packs looks quite generous (scan the pack you’ve opened to get the same cards online) looks quite generous. They’ll apparently even mail you cards from your digital collection if need be, so I’ll be keeping an eye on this one!
#17. Metazoo
Metazoo is an out-of-print card game that was released in 2020 (an unfortunate year to be sure). Metazoo had two main niches:
- It was flavored around “cryptids,” mythology, and folklore; expect cards about Bigfoot, chupacabras, and the like.
- Many of its cards broke the fourth wall, with gameplay mechanics affected by things like the time of day, a player’s outfit, and more (similar to an MTG Unset).
I can find Metazoo packs at one large LGS, but I’ve never seen anyone play it myself. It doesn’t seem “try-hard” enough to have ever picked my interest, but perhaps I just hate fun. Either way, your best bet for playing it would be to pick up some product and jam with friends, as you certainly won’t find a local scene for an out-of-print game like this.
#16. Force of Will
Force of Will is an anime-inspired card game that’s been on the global market since 2013. I briefly remember some talk of it being an MTG killer when it came out. Some of the game’s appealing qualities included:
- Fantastic anime artwork.
- Rules that were overall very similar to MTG/other card games, for a quick learning curve.
- A more user-friendly take on lands that keeps the pacing while reducing bad beats.
- Each deck featuring a “commander” of sorts that your strategy would center around.
Unfortunately, Force of Will is low on this list because the game is practically dead at this point. It isn’t technically dead like WoW TCG or Digimon’s first card game, but I can’t recall the last time I saw anyone playing it or stores having products on their shelves. Online buzz pins the downfall of the game on secondary market woes and overprinting. I had been meaning to try it a decade ago, but perhaps I made the (sadly) right call.
#15. Weiß Schwarz
Weiß Schwarz is an anime card game that’s been on the market since 2007. Its most eye-catching quality is its absolutely massive catalog of franchises that it draws its card pool from. If you love anime, then you’ll probably like battling with characters from:
- Attack on Titan
- Fate/stay night
- Kill la Kill
- Re:Zero
- Persona 3-5
- Sword Art Online
- KonoSuba
- Lucky Star
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
I used to see regulars playing this occasionally at my LGS, but I must confess that I’ve never played a game myself. One unique quality of the game is that decking does not eliminate a player; instead, the game simply lets you shuffle up your discard pile (known as a “waiting room”) back into your deck. The game lacks any kind of official Limited format, so if you get into it, you’ll be playing Constructed with an absolutely massive card pool. I wouldn’t count on finding much local play for it though; it’s much more popular overseas, particularly in Japan (which their website makes pretty clear).
#14. Cardfight!! Vanguard
Cardfight!! Vanguard is another anime-style card game that’s been out globally since 2011. It’s similar to Yu-Gi-Oh! in that it has its own anime series with parallels to its own gameplay, which consists of summoning units to attack/defend against your opponent. The popularity of this game seems to be on a bit of a downturn, as my primary LGS stopped selling packs of it years ago. I’ve also heard various complaints online about the game’s uncompetitiveness (apparently RNG is higher than in most card games) and expensive chase cards. Can’t honestly say I’d recommend it!
#13. Universus
Universus is another older card game (released around 2006) that could rightfully be called an “anime card game.” Cards feature characters from anime like My Hero Academia, Cowboy Bepop, and Yu Yu Hakusho. They also had a novel set focused on the famous “Critical Role” series (of Youtube D&D fame). The gameplay has you playing as a character in the form of a “character card,” fighting against your opponent character with various attacks. I was able to find boosters for this one at only one local store, and have yet to see anyone play it in person. It does seem to have a larger scene in America than Weiß Schwarz though.
#12. Final Fantasy Trading Card Game
Final Fantasy Trading Card Game is a card game based on, well, Final Fantasy. It was initially only available in Japan, but went worldwide with a hard reboot in 2016. The game features a ton of characters, abilities, and moments from the famous RPG series. Gameplay is combat-focused, with each player trying to deal 7 damage to the other to win the game. One unique rule is that damage causes you to mill cards face-up, potentially disrupting your strategy. It also supports Draft/Sealed play which is great news.
Unfortunately, I’ve never seen this one played in person, so it might have a stronger scene overseas. I’m a big fan of the franchise and the card art, but would find it easier to get into most of the other games on this list. And lastly, don’t forget; Final Fantasy will be in MTG soon enough anyways!
#11. Shadowverse: Evolve
Shadowverse is a popular digital CCG with a ruleset that greatly resembles Hearthstone. Shadowverse: Evolve is a recent attempt (July 30th, 2023) by the same company to bring the game into paper form, albeit with some extra spice in the form of its titular “evolve” mechanic.
Shadowverse: Evolve features excellent anime art (what can I say, I’m biased towards this art style) and easily understandable gameplay that somewhat closely follows MTG. You have 10 lands (play points) that grow each turn, 20 life points, creatures with power and toughness (that can attack each other like in Hearthstone), and more. I’ll be curious to see if this ends up being a hit in paper, but for now I can’t say I’ve seen much of it (just some product on an LGS shelf).
#10. Grand Archive
Did I mention that I love anime art? Because Grand Archive is yet another new card game with excellent anime-inspired artwork! It came out in April 2023 and promised an anime art style with Western card game mechanics. Just looking at an example card I can already see what they mean by that:
With absolutely no experience playing the game, I can tell this card has:
Of course, it would be a bit forward of me to pretend the game is just an MTG port: MTG has no “class bonuses,” and I doubt the game means “Ally” in the same way MTG does! The game’s also unique in that each deck will have a commander-style “champion” card, with its own life total and abilities. You win the game by taking your opponent’s champion from whatever life they started with (most seem to be around 17-20) to 0.
Either way, it’s pleasantly close to MTG and also supports Limited play via Draft and specially configured prereleases. I’m going to look for this one next time I go to a local store, as I’ve unfortunately never seen it played in person.
#9. Dragon Ball Super Collectible Card Game
Dragon Ball Super Collectible Card Game Website
Dragon Ball Super Collectible Card Game (DBSCCG for short) is a solid card game based on the famous Dragon Ball franchise. It features characters from all of Dragon Ball’s long history, but has a particular focus on the most recent Super series.
I never stuck with it, but did enjoy playing basic decks against some friends a few years ago. It’s a fast-paced, combat focused game with a win condition similar to Pokémon’s prize cards (your life total is eight face-down cards placed at the start of game). It gets a solid spot on this list as it’s one of several TCGs that I could buy packs of locally (always a good sign for whether or not a game is being played). Gameplay seems to focus on one large eternal Constructed format with a fairly hefty banlist, but it does have Limited in the form of special draftable booster boxes. If you have any locals playing it, I’d encourage you to give it a try!
#8. Digimon Card Game
Digimon Card Game is a somewhat new card game that was released about three years ago alongside a reboot of the original Digimon anime. I had cards for the old, short-lived Digimon card game as a kid, but the rules have been completely reworked since then. The game now features a “breeding phase” that lets you breed for stronger Digimon during games, and lots of Digimon vs Digimon combat as you would expect.
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t really have much of a Draft format at the moment, though it did recently have its first ever paper Sealed prerelease. Perhaps I’ll check out the next set and see how it plays!
#7. Star Wars: Unlimited
Star Wars is a media giant that needs no introduction, so it’s no surprise to see it represented in the TCG sphere. Star Wars: Unlimited is the franchise’s most recent foray into trading cards, but hardly it’s first; a quick online search shows “Star Wars: the Card Game,” “Star Wars: Deckbuilding Game,” “Star Wars: Han Solo Card Game,” and more. I also remember having movie cards when I was a kid and The Phantom Menace had just been released!
Anyways, Star Wars: Unlimited was released on March 8th, 2024. The base set seems to focus mostly on the original trilogy, though characters from later films (such as Rose) are present. Some unique facets of the gameplay are:
- Pre-game setup with each player presenting a Base and Leader card (i.e. Command Center + Darth Vader).
- Two different combat zones at once in “Ground” and “Space.”
- Cards played face down as resources, similar to Lorcana.
- Official support for Limited gameplay, with both Draft and Sealed being options.
I’m not the biggest Stars Wars fan to be honest, but I won’t lie; anything I can draft has my interest!
#6. One Piece Card Game
One Piece is another media giant, known primarily for the excellent (and ridiculously long) manga series that birthed it. It got its hands into the trading card game business late 2022, and has been going pretty strong ever since. This is one of the better represented card games locally that isn’t part of the usual big three, as I see plenty of products on local shelves whenever I go to FNM. Its main highlights seem to be:
- Full support for both Sealed and Draft formats, with Sealed pre-releases and fully draftable boosters (the only catch is leader cards are chosen after you draft your deck).
- Gameplay with fair resemblance to many other TCGs (competitive play has “Aggro,” “Midrange,” and “Control” archetypes just like Magic).
- Characters and moments from One Piece, which draws millions of readers with each new chapter.
This is another game that I unfortunately haven’t been able to play yet, so I’ll be looking to give it a try with the next set that comes out!
#5. Flesh and Blood
Flesh and Blood was another “Magic killer” I heard about that was released in late 2019. It boasted impressive design credentials and had lots of Magic pros (particularly Brian Gottlieb and Gerry Thompson) telling people to check it out at the time. When compared to MTG, Flesh and Blood’s gameplay is remarkably different in a number of ways:
- The basic gameplay formula of F&B is Hero vs Hero combat. You have a titular Hero character, a number of equipment cards for that hero, and then a deck full of actions that usually represent attacks by that hero.
- Unlike MTG, which typically has players starting small and building up into more powerful spells later, F&B is a front-loaded game. Your Hero is generally at their strongest right away, and each turn you and your opponent will find yourself being worn down.
- Because of the Hero focus, archetypes are easily defined by whatever Hero character a player is using. There will often be variations, but the core gameplay loop between two Lexi decks shouldn’t be that far off.
While F&B probably won’t be killing Magic: The Gathering anytime soon, the game has maintained a strong reputation and a dedicated player fanbase. I know of several grinders on Twitter that I follow who have left MTG entirely to play F&B instead. It also fully supports Draft which is another nice touch. Though I wasn’t gripped by the gameplay myself (a little too different from MTG for my tastes), I’d still highly recommend checking it out.
#4. Lorcana
Lorcana is the current frontrunner for new TCGs, and has been immensely popular ever since it came out last year. If you don’t believe me, just think back to the product shortages it experienced on release; my friends couldn’t get any product until Rise of the Floodborn was out!
I haven’t played much of it myself, but I watched some footage to prepare for this article. It seems to be a cross of Magic (20 lore to win, characters with power/toughness, modified mana/land/color system) and other games like Yu-Gi-Oh! Characters can notably attack each other, which is a dramatic change from MTG’s attacking/blocking system. It also smooths out the variance inherent to lands by letting you play most cards as ink (Lorcana’s term for lands/mana) face-down.
Another one of Lorcana’s strengths is that it’s one of a handful of card games on this list to support Limited play. Lorcana packs are designed to be drafted, just like MTG and F&B. The game is also releasing a unique take on archenemy this month in the form of Illumineer’s Quest: Deep Trouble. The game surely has a bright future, so I’ll probably be trying this one sooner rather than later!
#3. Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh! is a popular and ancient card game that can be traced back to Ancient Egypt (or 1999, if you aren’t using anime lore). As a personal aside, it’s actually the only reason I ever discovered MTG; I went to an LGS to get sleeves for my Fire King starter, tried MTG on a whim, then realized I liked it better. Sorry, Yu-Gi-Oh!
But don’t let my personal preferences fool you; Yu-Gi-Oh! remains popular for good reason! Some of the game’s strengths include:
- Fast, dangerous gameplay that revolves around archetypes, combos, and convoluted gameplay loops. The lack of any sort of mana/land system makes Yu-Gi-Oh! incredibly volatile compared to something like Magic!
- An irreverent sense of art/flavor that goes all over the place, from badass dragons to anime waifus to ice cream dog monsters (“Madolche Cruffsant”).
- Trap cards that give the game tension and let you interact with your opponent in many different ways (including on their turn).
- A frequently updated and frankly massive banlist that often takes the hammer to broken decks/cards. The game also has two other soft ban lists: Limited (one copy) and Semi-Limited (two copies).
- An excellent digital client in Duel Links, which reportedly blows Magic Arena out of the water in terms of affordability and convenience.
One knock against Yu-Gi-Oh! is that it doesn’t really support competitive Limited play. This is likely because of how archetype focused the game is. Cards often reference other specific cards, and desire to be played in cohesive shells. While Yu-Gi-Oh! has definitely had its fair share of broken cards (cough cough Pot of Greed), the game has fewer cards like Tarmogoyf, Sheoldred, the Apocalypse, and Oko, Thief of Crowns than Magic does. Most staples seem to be essential interaction like Effect Veiler (or Limited cards like Change of Heart and Monster Reborn), rather than busted midrange threats.
#2. Pokémon
Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and MTG have been the big three for decades now it seems. Pokémon TCG is a long-running card game (since 1998) famous for a couple of things:
- For one, it’s a TCG for the number one media giant in the world. Pokémon remains to this day the highest grossest franchise ever.
- It actually used to be made by the same company as MTG (Wizards of the Coast), but changed hands to the Pokémon company in 2003.
- Its gameplay is pretty distinct from Magic’s, as it aims to capture the feeling of a true 6v6 Pokémon battle, albeit with a lot of differences from the video games.
- Energy cards vaguely resemble lands as a resource system, but are attached directly to your Pokémon, which means you’re always risking multiple “Stone Rains” when your Pokémon faints.
- One famous facet of Pokémon TCG is its prize system, which introduces variance into the game by having you randomly exile six cards from your deck face-down. You’ll be able to draw these cards as you knock out your opponent’s Pokémon, but could find your one-ofs missing when you go to tutor for them!
- Speaking of tutors, the game features a lot of them, and lacks any sort of interaction on your opponent’s turns. The onus is often on you to “do your own thing” before your opponent does!
- Pokémon also has a more generous digital model than MTG does. Booster packs you open will come with a code for a similar pack on Pokémon’s online client.
- It doesn’t have much in the way of Limited gameplay, just one Sealed prerelease each year (the most recent being Crimson Haze).
- Lastly, one thing Pokémon is unfortunately known for is being popular with scalpers, who frequently buy it out from all sorts of local stores. It also seems to be more popular than MTG for pack/box opening videos in general (this is likely due to Pokémon’s immense popularity and the game’s excellent artwork, which features gorgeous chase cards with alternate art).
The last time I personally played this game was in 2018 or so. We were a little bored of MTG at my LGS, so we decided to do an unofficial Pokémon Sealed League. Unfortunately, this ended up being a terrible idea; the game has so many tutors that whoever opened the best Ex monster would almost always win! Still, I’d highly recommend the game to anyone with a taste for Constructed formats.
#1. Magic: The Gathering
I mean, is it really any surprise what #1 was going to be? Magic gets bruised sometimes by worthy competitors, but at the end of the day MTG still remains the trading card game to play. Magic’s greatest strengths at this point are its history, name recognition, and its superiority to other games in Limited and multiplayer formats. EDH has been a Godsend to MTG, as none of the other TCGs I’ve listed have anything close to it. While you’ll often hit rough patches in certain formats (i.e. Standard with Oko, Thief of Crowns, Eldrazi Winter, etc.), there’s almost always something fun to do in Magic.
What is the Best Selling Trading Card Game?
This question often depends on where in the world you are. In Japan for example, Pokémon TCG absolutely dominated other TCGs in 2023, with sales outperforming its top eight competitors combined. Given my obvious United States bias, I wrote the article based on a mixture of internet research + many local experiences in central Florida game shops. For Americans, the big three remain dominant, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see Lorcana outperform Yu-Gi-Oh! one day if current trends continue.
Wrap Up
Godsend | Illustration by Daniel Ljunggren
And with that, we’ve come to the end of our journey. I enjoyed writing and researching for this one, as I must admit that I sometimes forget that games other than Magic even exist! I’ll be trying some of these excellent new titles before Magic inevitably Drag to the Bottoms me again. Perhaps I’ll see you at an LGS sometime.
If you want to know more about Magic or other TCGs, join the Draftsim Discord for more conversation, and be sure to follow us on Twitter/X. Until then, take care, and may your free time always be spent well!
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