If you’ve seen the card game section of the grocery store, you probably walked by Magic the Gathering cards (MTG). It’s one of those collectible card games like Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh where players need physical cards. MTG Arena, the online game, is a great way to try it out without investing a lot of money.
The History of Magic: The Gathering
Magic has the distinction of being the oldest trading card game. (MTG started in 1993, while Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! didn’t start until 1996 and 1999 respectively) As of February 2023, there were approximately fifty million players of MTG. Players typically play with physical cards, but there is a digital version called Magic The Gathering Arena. (For more information, check out the Wikipedia entry on Magic: the Gathering)
Magic the Gathering Arena
The base game consists of building decks of cards to play against your opponent’s decks. You make a theme for your deck and pick key mechanics you enjoy with the hope of defeating your opponents life total. Habitual players tend to work on decks over time and regularly fine-tune them. It’s possible to spend a lot of money on this game if you aren’t careful.
Magic The Gathering Arena is an online game where players can join via computer or mobile device. If people want to try MTG without investing large amounts of money, MTG Arena is a good place to start.
Players are dropped into a tutorial where they play against the game AI in order to learn the basics. Then, they are given a few digital decks they can use to play against online opponents. Going forward, players have the option to earn more cards by ranking up in a competitive league. They can also pay a fee to purchase cosmetic items like profile pictures or card covers AKA sleeves. Arena will also have seasonal challenges so players have special goals to work towards.
I started MTG Arena because my hubs plays the physical game and Arena. Trying out your loved one’s hobbies is a great way to connect with them. To my surprise, I enjoyed playing and I still play MTG Arena today.
Should you try out Magic the Gathering Arena?
MTG Arena is for you if:
- You have someone in your life who plays MTG. MTG a complex game with a wide universe. Playing MTG Arena is a good way to learn about it.
- You have a child who has expressed interest in MTG. Parents should investigate their kiddo’s interests…we want to know they are safe and not doing something detrimental to their wellbeing. Also, learning about it would also allow for more bonding. How cool of a parent would you be if you could plan and strategize with them for their next Magic the Gathering deck?
- You are curious about MTG and enjoy strategy games. MTG is a multi-layered, complex game. If you want to try a modern strategy game, you’ll probably like it!
If you decide to check MTG Arena out, let me know! My username is Joyfulgamingco. You can add me and we can play against each other!
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