Since Magic: The Gathering’s launch in 1993, the world of trading card games (or TCGs; or even CCGs, which stands for collectible card games, and means the same thing!) has gone through numerous peaks and valleys in terms of popularity, but has arguably never been more popular, or mainstream, than it is now. Consequently, there are a lot of big, easily accessible games out there, which you can find in national stores and online, which also have healthy, large communities; this also means you shouldn’t find it too difficult to find people to play against, for whatever game piques your interest.
The problem that a lot of people have in getting involved with TCGs, however, is knowing where to begin with any particular game. With each game having a range that usually includes decks, sometimes a variety of different booster packs, as well as other sets that have a multitude of uses (without necessarily being intended as complete game experiences), it can be really tough for a new player to know the best way to get involved with the most popular TCGs. So let’s give you a helping hand, and nudge you in the right direction on the best starting point for the most popular trading card games!
1. Magic: The Gathering – Foundations Beginner Box
As the game which created the entire genre of CCGs back in 1993, Magic: The Gathering (or MTG) has been available for more than 30 years, and as such has built up a loyal and dedicated player base, as well as a rich, deep lore and a sometimes bewildering, ever expanding set of game mechanics.
It can be very daunting for new players, and the sheer variety of products released for every new MTG set, not to mention the speed at which sets are released, can be off-putting even to players who know the basics of the game. MTG publisher Wizards of the Coast has been keenly aware of this over the last few decades, and has always sought to remedy the problem with entry level sets, to varying levels of success.
However, they’ve now hit upon what is undoubtedly the best gateway to learning and playing MTG ever, with their Foundations Beginner Box set. MTG Foundations is a new set designed entirely around introducing and keeping new fans involved with the game, with cards that can be used beyond the set itself, if players wish to keep using them.
The box itself features a “scripted” demo game which will immediately get two players up and running, as well as enough cards (and accessories, including a very helpful board) to give players a significant number of decks to experiment with, or to have a stab at creating their own when they’re ready to do so.
The trick with MTG is knowing that the game itself is pretty straightforward to play; it’s the cards, and the many thousands of rules variations they may have, which can complicate the game, and the Foundations Beginner Box helps players to realize this pretty quickly. The Foundations set in general ensures that players aren’t dealing with advanced concepts, such as double faced cards, instead allowing players to build up their confidence with the game’s mechanics at a steady pace, and should ensure that even newcomers are drawn into their new hobby for many years to come.
2. Pokémon Trading Card Game – Battle Academy
Though it hasn’t been around for quite as long as Magic: The Gathering, the Pokémon Trading Card Game has been around since the late ’90s. Just like MTG, Pokémon has a hugely dedicated fanbase, and seems to constantly draw in new fans; though it does appeal to a younger player base in general, if you do attend organized play events or groups, you’ll see Pokémon fans of all ages who continue to enjoy playing the game.
The best entry point with the Pokémon TCG is the Battle Academy set, which is packaged like a board game. That immediately makes it stand out against other Pokémon products, not to mention other trading card game sets and boxes!
Battle Academy, like the MTG Foundations Beginner Box, contains cards that will allow players to try out a scripted game before going ahead with a full game once they’ve learned the basics. Though Pokémon is, in general, a simpler game overall to learn than MTG, it can still be daunting, given the various card types and their different uses. Battle Academy really simplifies everything and makes the game easier to grasp for players of any age; it includes not just two full decks to play against each other, but also a third deck with some more advanced and powerful cards, which players can use to practice before taking the plunge with more cards too.
The board and accessories are useful even beyond the set too, which is why we’d recommend the Battle Academy set instead of the My First Battle boxes, despite the latter being the intended entry point for the youngest and most inexperienced of players. The My First Battle sets do simplify things even more, but the cards can’t be used when you move onto building your own decks, and Pokémon itself is simple enough to learn with Battle Academy, without needing to go to the most basic level.
3. Yu-Gi-Oh! – 2-Player Starter Set
Another long running game which began way back in the ’90s, Yu-Gi-Oh! is based on a manga and anime series in which the main character plays a card game against numerous opponents, summoning cool monsters and activating devious traps along the way.
The long history of Yu-Gi-Oh!, as well as the vast number of cards available, make it seem a lot more overwhelming to learn than it should be; it’s not difficult to learn the basic rules of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and the 2-Player Starter Set is another product which eases players in gently with a scripted game, before taking the training wheels off and letting them have fun with the two included decks.
Cleverly, the set’s scripted game is taught via the included comic book, which is an invaluable boon to players who may be more visual learners, as is the case with me. One thing that’s especially useful for new players to know is that, barring the small selection of cards which have been “banned,” all Yu-Gi-Oh! cards throughout the game’s long history are legal for use in organized, competitive, and tournament play, unlike games such as MTG and Pokémon, which “rotate” cards out of legality after a certain time period. So if you know, or if you are, someone who used to play Yu-Gi-Oh! years ago, any cards they still have can still be used to this day!
4. Disney Lorcana – Gateway
Smash hit trading card game Disney Lorcana has been a massive critical and commercial success since launching in 2023. It’s the game that, arguably more than any other, has proven that there’s definitely enough room in the TCG space for more than just the Big Three of MTG, Pokémon, and Yu-Gi-Oh!, when it comes to mainstream acceptance and even general availability.
Though not a difficult game to learn (check out our how to play Disney Lorcana guide), as with most trading card games, Lorcana is a definite step up in complexity from games that non-gamers will be used to; for example, you might expect some curious players to be experiencing Lorcana for the first time after being used to games such as Uno, Exploding Kittens, or Doomlings. So even though seasoned gamers may find Lorcana easy to pick up, that won’t be the case for everyone.
Which of course is where the Disney Lorcana Gateway set comes in. Like other sets on this list, it offers a scripted game to ease players into the way the cards and turns work, but it also has new cards that are added into each deck as more lessons are learned. This gives players a sense of progression and ensures that each element of the game is steadily absorbed; by the time the final cards are added into each deck, players will be raring to go with more Disney Lorcana sets and cards. The next step from there will be any one of the currently available starter decks (two are shown above), each of which contains a preconstructed deck which is ready to play and suitable for beginners, or players who already know the game’s basic mechanics.
5. Star Wars Unlimited – Two-Player Starter
Having released in early 2024, Star Wars Unlimited has, like Disney Lorcana, quickly demonstrated that there’s room for multiple trading card games in the hearts and minds of players. What’s most refreshing about Star Wars Unlimited when it comes to its product range is just how breathtakingly straightforward it is; all that’s released per set is one type of booster pack, and one Two-Player Starter set.
So there’s no multiple booster pack types, or confusing types of bundles; it’s as straightforward and stripped down as possible. If you want to get involved with Star Wars Unlimited, just pick up whichever Two-Player Starter catches your eye; each is themed around a different era in the Star Wars saga. For instance, the image above shows the Spark of Rebellion set, with a deck headed up by Luke Skywalker as its Leader, and the other with Darth Vader. There’s also Shadows of the Galaxy, which features The Mandalorian vs Moff Gideon, or the Clone Wars-era Twilight of the Republic starter, which has Ahsoka vs General Grievous.
Though devoid of the scripted games other sets on this list have, each Two-Player Starter has easy to understand rules, and the play mats for each player are full of useful guidance that will help players navigate their first few games. They’re the best play mats in a starter set that we’ve seen for any trading card game, and they make picking the game up, even without a scripted deck, very easy even for the most inexperienced of players.
5. Flesh and Blood – Ira Welcome Deck
Launched in 2020, Flesh and Blood has quietly gone on to being one of the most satisfying TCG experiences, enjoyed by a healthy and thriving player base. Of all the games on this list, it’s undoubtedly the cheapest to get into, because the deck you’ll use to learn the game is completely free of charge.
That’s right, just head to your local Flesh and Blood seller (you can check out the closest store to you by using the game’s official store locator), and ask them for the Ira Welcome Deck. Not only is it free of charge, but the staff in-store are also likely to be able to help you with learning how to play Flesh and Blood too, with it being made even easier to pick up, thanks to the simplified gameplay that the Ira Welcome Deck provides.
Named after the hero, Ira, Crimson Haze, who heads up the selection of cards you’ll receive, the Ira Welcome Deck is a fantastic, accessible point of entry for new players, introducing them to the fantasy world of Rathe, with its gorgeous artwork and compelling, attack chain-focused gameplay. Flesh and Blood does a great job of making a face off between two heroes feel satisfyingly weighty and meaningful, zeroing in on a single fight, rather than an epic, multiversal war for supremacy which games such as Magic: The Gathering portray.
6. UniVersus – Clash Decks
One of the longest running games on this list, UniVersus was first launched in 2005 as the Universal Fighting System, or UFS. Having gone through numerous redesigns and rebrands since then, the game is now embarking on perhaps its most exciting period ever.
The selling point of UniVersus is that it features a wealth of licensed, pop culture franchises as the basis of its decks and cards, with which you play a fighting game-style battle of combos, attacks, and defense. Series such as Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia have been the most prominent in recent years, but the game has also covered diverse properties such as Godzilla, Critical Role, Cowboy Bebop, Star Trek and Tekken. All cards are cross compatible, so you can send the Attack on Titan Survey Corps to try and take down Godzilla, if you wish!
It must be said, however, that UniVersus is not particularly beginner-friendly, and it’s a really difficult game to learn. It’s great when you know how to play, but getting to that stage is the hard part. The easiest way in is to pick up Clash Decks; these contain cards that aren’t as advanced as those found in other products, such as booster packs and Challenger Series decks, so they’re the best starting point for newcomers. Note that you’ll need one per player too.
Take a look at our beginner’s guide to UniVersus for a truly in-depth look at getting started with the game; we’d even advise that you start here, before getting hold of Clash Decks!
7. One Piece Card Game – Starter Decks
Given that the long running, hugely popular manga and anime saga has been around since the ’90s, it’s a surprise that it took so long for a One Piece card game to emerge. Though there was an entirely different One Piece CCG released back in 2003, it didn’t manage to find an audience, perhaps due to a general lack of availability in stores, and was consequently very short-lived.
The current One Piece Card Game, however, was released in 2022 and has quietly found itself a dedicated base of fans, with a healthy audience of both players and collectors who are keen to get their hands on the game’s beautiful cards, at different levels of rarity.
One Piece is a pretty straightforward game to learn and play, and our advice for newcomers would be to choose the Starter Deck which is headed up by your favorite character (note that, like UniVersus, you’ll need one Starter Deck per player). In One Piece, decks are headed up by leaders with different colors, which dictate what cards can be included in the deck, and the deck’s general play style too. A wide range of One Piece’s many story arcs have already served as the basis for the game’s numerous sets, so if you have a preferred story, character, or crew, the chances are it’s in there somewhere!
8. Dragon Ball Super Card Game – Starter Decks
Being an anime and manga saga that’s been around in various forms since 1984, it’s no surprise that (like One Piece), Dragon Ball has its own card game. What might be surprising, not to mention confusing, is that there isn’t just one Dragon Ball TCG, but two.
Dragon Ball Super: Masters and Dragon Ball Super: Fusion World are two separate card games which play broadly similarly, but aren’t compatible. Masters is the slightly more complex experience of the two, with Fusion World intended to be a more basic experience for beginners. However, Masters is not a difficult game to learn or play, certainly nowhere near the level of complexity or with the steep learning curve that you’ll find in, say, UniVersus; so whether or not you opt to try Masters or Fusion World may just depend on your level of confidence, or which game is better supported for you locally. The basic gameplay is broadly similar across both games, with just a slight simplifying of the mechanics and keywords in Fusion World, making it easier to learn.
For either game, both of which have a similar look and feel, we’d recommend, as we did with One Piece, picking the Starter Deck which has the character which appeals to you most; and again, just like One Piece, the gameplay in both Dragon Ball titles revolves around a main character, so using a Starter Deck (with one needed per player) featuring a character you’re a fan of makes the most sense.
9. Digimon Card Game – Starter Decks
Though Digimon is often unfairly derided as a knock-off of Pokémon, its history is almost as long. It’s a lot more diverse in terms of its creature designs, which use all kinds of fantasy and sci-fi elements to build its huge array of evolving monsters, taking in mechs, angels, and demons amongst the usual cute animals.
Given Pokémon’s success and Digimon’s own longevity, it’s strange that the Digimon Card Game isn’t more prevalent, but there are a few reasons for that. Firstly, there have been numerous Digimon TCGs over the years, with different game mechanics and card designs; as other TCGs on this list have remained the same game over the years since their launch, even after going through redesigns of their cards, it’s easy for players to pick up and stick with them. Digimon, on the other hand, is harder to persist with, given that it’s been relaunched in different forms over the last few decades.
However, in its current form, which launched in 2020, it’s a really good game with some truly unique elements that make it special. An excellent energy system, which neatly balances card play risk vs reward, a “breeding area” which allows you to safely raise more powerful digital monsters, and beautifully designed cards can all be found in the Digimon Card Game. It’s another game which has an easy entry point, in that to get going, you can just pick up the Starter Deck of your choice (remember, you’ll need one Starter Deck per player).
Publishers Bandai don’t make the game particularly easy to learn, but as with most of the titles on this list, the Digimon Card Game is a fun and easy game to play once you know the basics.
10. Altered TCG – Starter Decks
The newest game on this list, Altered is a much friendlier and inclusive looking game than the majority of currently available TCGs. With a focus on exploration and friendship rather than combat, with players aiming to be the first to meet up with their companion after they each set out on expeditions, it has a different feel in practice too.
In our review of Altered, we said that the game is fantastic “…for players of all ages and experience levels, with a great deal of charm and compelling, easy-to-learn gameplay.” Its Starter Decks are accessible and well designed to guide even the least experienced players through their first steps with the game.
There are currently six Starter Decks available, and with Altered not being tied to an existing license, but rather creating its own charming, whimsical world that mixes familiar literary characters with both fantasy and sci-fi elements, there’s sure to be a character (and companion) which appeals to you over the others. A Starter Deck per player is needed, and these decks have all of the cards and accessories needed to set off on your own, new TCG expedition.
So there we have it, our recommendations for the best way to start in 10 of the most popular trading card games available right now. If you’re still looking for guidance on TCGs, why not check out our parent’s guide to Pokémon, how to play Magic: The Gathering, or even how to play Star Wars Unlimited with just a few booster packs per player?
