The 10 Best Digital Card Games, Ranked

Competitive trading card games have existed since 1993 when Magic: The Gathering first made their debut with the alpha set. Since then, dozens and dozens of properties have made their own card games based on pre-existing franchises and new ideas alike.

In the modern era, many companies have chosen to make their card games virtual. Whether they exist on a phone app or through Steam, virtual card games are something that any avid gamer should try at least once. Among them, the best digital TCGs offer a way to get the cards that players want without shelling out too much money, having healthy and entertaining gameplay.

10 Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is a phone app that allows players to use their favorite archetypes from the original Duel Monsters series. The game has unique player skills and lets one play as various characters from different series, along with a few other mechanics that make it different from the real-life game.

Duel Links has a fun premise, but the biggest issue is that the box system makes it difficult to get new cards. Ideally, online games have a way to craft the cards players really want, and Duel Link‘s method of only supplying random packs with no good crafting system makes it hard for players to finish their favorite decks.

9 Cardfight!! Vanguard Zero

Based on the popular anime series Cardfight!! Vanguard and the physical card game of the same name, Vanguard Zero has redefined the game with new guarding mechanics. Any player who has enjoyed Bushiroad games in the past should give Vanguard Zero a try.

The game finds itself in an odd spot after entering the “G” era. While the gameplay has become more skillful and complex, complete decks have also become more difficult to obtain thanks to a new difficult-to-pull rarity. Unlike Duel Links, players can craft cards, but the amount of in-game currency required to craft the new “Generation Rare” requires a ton of grinding or a ton of spending.

8 Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

Fans of The Witcher might already know about Gwent without ever playing the actual digital game. Gwent is a game inside a game that has been turned into a more official form outside The Witcher series.

Gwent does a fantastic job at getting players a strong deck quickly, with decent rewards and the scraps system helping players to open packs more frequently and also craft specific cards they want. Compared to other games, however, Gwent is fairly simplistic but can appeal to casual and competitive players alike.

7 Legends Of Runeterra

For fans of League of Legends or Arcane, Legends of Runeterra is Riot’s very own TCG. League of Legends‘ cutest and coolest champions battle in this epic card game with elements of both Magic: The Gathering and Hearthstone.

Legends of Runeterra lets fans build decks quickly and easily with their wildcard system that lets players redeem a wildcard for any card of the same rarity. The combat is unique and fluid among trading card games, with a meta that’s usually pretty healthy to boot.

6 Slay The Spire

Slay the Spire is a perfect fit for players who enjoy card games but don’t necessarily want the competitiveness of facing other real people. Slay the Spire is a PvE TCG where players construct a deck by adding cards slowly as they climb the spire, facing new enemies that get them new cards with each round.

After the initial purchase on Steam or Nintendo Switch, Slay the Spire fans will be able to play as much of the game as they want without spending. No DLC is required.

5 Hearthstone

Hearthstone‘s biggest weakness is also the biggest strength for some players: the heavy amount of random card effects. For players willing to sacrifice a little of the competitiveness that consistency offers in exchange for wacky random aspects that make every game feel different, the signature TCG of World of Warcraft, one of the best MMORPGs, is the game for them.

The crafting system in Hearthstone is solid, but if players want to build more than one deck per expansion, real-life purchases may be required.

4 Pokémon TCG Online

For fans without local game stores who love the Pokémon TCG, Pokémon TCG Online is the next best thing. Not only are the new releases synched up with the physical game, but players can even experience the same wide variety in rarities and art (a unique trait to online TCGs based on physical games.)

The only issue with Pokémon TCG Online is the currency system. While players can get a few packs with in-game currency, their only way to get specific cards they want is through codes that can only be obtained by buying real packs. Players can buy relatively cheap codes from paper TCG players who don’t play online, but it’s still a bigger investment than most online TCGs.

3 Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

For most people looking to play Yu-Gi-Oh in digital form, Master Duel far outshines Duel Links. Not only is it more true to the paper game, but the unique royal finish rarity cards give players the same thrill of hunting for a special card that opening real-life packs provides.

Master Duel has plenty of in-game currency to buy packs with and an efficient crafting system that lets them trade a few cards they don’t want for one card they want of the same rarity. Like Yu-Gi-Oh in real life, Master Duel is perhaps the most intricate and competitive of any digital trading card game. But for players who don’t quite understand the many new summoning mechanics, there’s always a solo mode for those that just want to enjoy their favorite iconic Yu-Gi-Oh card with their friends.

2 Magic: The Gathering Arena

The genesis of all trading card games was Magic: The Gathering, and the digital version is just as beloved as the original. Arena takes note of MTG‘s multiple formats and has created its own diverse system where players can find the format that best fits their wants. Players can focus on sealed gameplay, standard constructed with the last few sets, or historic that allows them to use older cards.

MTG: Arena uses the wildcard system like Runeterra, but it also has tons of ways for players to experience the thrill of opening a bunch of packs. Like Pokémon TCG Online, there are real-life products that have Arena codes, but players can also get packs for free through grinding games or using new promo codes for every set.

1 Shadowverse

One of the most popular digital games in Japan is available both through Steam and on mobile. Not only does the show have its own anime like Yu-Gi-Oh, but it also has unique beautiful rarities. Not only are there animated cards like in Hearthstone, but Shadowverse features the leader card system where players can unlock a new avatar if they pull it as a card.

As far as accessibility, Shadowverse is one of the easiest games to build a competitive deck in. Cygames is always handing out rewards to new players and veterans alike so that nobody feels like they can’t keep up competitively. The game even features a vast PvE mode for players that just want to enjoy a story while they play cards. From competitive to casual play, Shadowverse really has the best of anything a TCG could offer.

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