By Jennifer Tan AKA Mrs Tan
This multimillion dollar industry, that was simply based on booster packs and collectable cards, has gone into the video game industry with an amazing step by step dual based strategy game.
The game in itself is pretty simple. You are a Planeswalker of one of 5 colors available. Each color represents a type of magic. Water, Death, Sun, Forest, and Fire, each weld different creatures, spells, enchantments, and abilities, you use to bring your opponent’s life total, from 20, to 0. Your deck is usually custom built to your liking, and can play in so many different ways, but for noobs they do sell semi pre-built decks to get the hang of it.
When Ming Bob and I first started playing in June, his first words were “Welcome to cardboard crack” and he was right. Since then, we own about 5000 cards combined, the game on each console, and play weekly at Gameland USA in their small but fun tournaments. I also spent quite a bit of time playing at San Diego Comic Con, in a ball room of over 2500 people.
So what makes this game so fun? Everything! If you like MMO’s and RPGs, this is the card version of yourself. You pretty much become the planeswalker you choose, and those spells and creatures you summon on your turn, can be as dark and grusome, or pure and angelic as you are. I personally like to cause chaos when I am playing, so I run mostly black decks. Zombies, demons, vampires, and creatures that don’t even have names in our world, that swallow you whole. LOVE IT!
The video game version for the Xbox 360 is pretty addicting. Its the same concept, but you can’t run to Ebay to buy that rare card you need for your deck to pwn everyone. The turn format is also really helpful, if you are new to the game, since there are quite a few steps in the turn process itself. I will say this though, its no where near as fun as a face to face duel.
I welcome anyone who wants to learn how to play, or already knows, and wants to put their deck to the test against my Drowning Death deck! I am at Gameland USA every Friday night! You can pick up your very own MTG decks at major retailers, but I suggest Walmart, Target is way overpriced.
