Picking the right trading card game for you can be a complicated decision. You have to weigh up not just which looks the coolest to you, but also how much it costs and who else in your local area plays. Fortunately, the genre is more diverse than ever, and there are lots of different routes you can go down.

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Whether you want to just crack packs and look at pretty cards, want something more anime-themed, or want to get in at the ground floor of a new game and discover it with everyone else, here are the best TCGs to check out in 2023.

Flesh and Blood Tag
Flesh and Blood
The Best New TCG

The TCG For Grown-Ups

Launched in 2019, this New Zealand TCG developed and published by newcomer Legend Story Studios offers a more mature take on the fantasy genre than the likes of MTG. Combine that with high-value chase cards and a bustling in-person play scene, and Flesh and Blood has become a real force to be reckoned with in the TCG space.

Pros
  • A mature and gritty fantasy world.
  • Complex and strategic gameplay.
  • Support for both constructed and limited play.
Cons
  • It can be tricky to find stores that sell it.
  • The unique ban system might confuse new players.
  • Some balance problems here and there.

Launching back in 2019, Flesh and Blood has quickly risen up as one of the biggest potential competitors to Magic: The Gathering's throne as the fantasy TCG to beat, thanks to a heavy focus on collectability, deep and strategic gameplay, and plenty of in-person events and tournaments.

Taking a darker, more mature tone than most TCG, Flesh and Blood is violent, gory, and often grim – but still full of amazing world-building and that stunning art you'd expect from a TCG. Add to that a really fun, complex game, and Flesh and Blood has become the one to watch in just a few short years.

Digimon Card Game Cover
Digimon Card Game
The Best TCG For Beginners

The second TCG to come out of Namco Bandai's Digimon series, the Digimon Card Game may be a newer addition than most here, but it has already picked up a dedicated playerbase and over a dozen expansions to build decks with.Featuring characters from right across the DIgimon series like Tai, Agumon, Taiga, or Angoramon, whether you're a long-time Digimon fan or just intrigued by the monsters on offer here, there's a lot to enjoy without being too overwhelming to newcomers.

Pros
  • Easy to learn, and has a smaller card pool than other games.
  • Includes all your favourite Digimon.
  • Lower cost than the big name games like MTG and Pokemon.
Cons
  • It being so niche may make it harder to find a local scene.
  • Newer cards tend to be stronger (prone to 'power creep').
  • A hard sell if you don't like Digimon already.

Since its launch in 2020, the Digimon Card Game has quietly been building up a reputation in the TCG genre. A vibrant and exciting game full of stunning art, it's also remarkably beginner-friendly, and a great way to break into the community.

There are tons of starter decks to choose from to get into it quickly, or you could pick up a few booster packs and start building your own deck with ease. It's also a good low-cost choice – you'll be able to get a decent collection in no time.

While it is a great starting point for new TCG players, it is still relatively niche, which means you may have to do a bit of digging to find your local scene. Fortunately, with more and more local game stores running events for it, you'll be sure to find someone to play with.

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Yu-Gi-Oh!
The Best Anime TCG

It's time to d-d-d-d-duel!

Starting out as a manga completely unrelated to the duel monsters we know today, Yu-Gi-Oh! has become a hugely successful anime and TCG series.With multiple expansions a year and tons of special products, Yu-Gi-Oh!'s big appeal is its lavish manga art. Picking your favourite archetypes - from deserts and cute animals, to demons and robots - and mastering their strategies also gives you an endless amount to learn and master.

Pros
  • Cheaper than other TCGs.
  • Quick, highly tactical games.
  • Top-tier anime art.
Cons
  • Cards can be tricky to parse.
  • Very combo-heavy, with lots of turn-one wins.
  • Smaller cards will need special sleeves to protect them.

Yu-Gi-Oh! is a big player in TCGs, having spent over 25 years building on its wild and wonderful assortment of characters, aesthetics, and archetypes. No other game will let you make decks combining cute anime animals, tasty desserts, and Egyptian God Dragons, after all.

While Yu-Gi-Oh!'s design is feeling a little dated now, and the card frames desperately need a visual overhaul, it's still by far the best TCG you can get into if you want brilliant anime art, a high skill ceiling to take on, and speedy, combo-heavy gameplay.

It's also a lot cheaper than other TCGs, with booster packs, boxes, and even the decks themselves costing less than similar games, like Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering.

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Pokemon TCG
The Best For Collectors

Gotta Collect 'Em All!

Based on Nintendo's mega-hit, the Pokemon TCG has been going for over 25 years now, bringing with it thousdands of Pokemon, trainers, energy, and item cards.Perhaps the most appealing aspect of Pokemon is how collectible it is, with older cards being highly sought-after (such as the famous Shadowless Base Set Charizard), and every expansion adding new alt-art and secret rare cards to hunt down.

Pros
  • Suitable for all ages.
  • Gorgeous art.
  • Lots of promos, rare cards, and alternate art to collect.
Cons
  • The game is more random than other TCGs.
  • Older cards could set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars.
  • High demand can make it hard to find.

The cool thing about TCGs is that they're collector's items just as much as they are a game. Plenty of people are way more into finding and showing off their rare Pokemon Trading Card Game cards more than they are playing the game, and Pokemon is more than happy to oblige.

Alongside the regular cards, every Pokemon expansion is bursting with secret rares with glorious full-art, special holo foiling, and more to make cracking booster packs feel more exciting. If that isn't enough to you, Pokemon regularly releases special products, such as 2021's Celebrations or 2023's Crown Zenith, which give you the chance to get exclusive promo cards not found anywhere else!

If you want to get into the big-time collecting, though, be prepared to drop some serious cash. The rarest cards only show up in auction once in a blue moon, and even then often go for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Whether you're wanting to crack packs or go for the very best, though, Pokemon is an excellent way to get into the trading part of trading card games.

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Magic: The Gathering
The Best Overall

30 years old and going strong.

Created by Richard Garfield in 1993, Magic: The Gathering is widely considered the world's first trading card game. With hundreds of sets, tens of thousands of cards, and dozens of different rulesets (known as 'formats') to play by, it is a tactically dense game full of discovery and creativity.

Pros
  • Tens of thousands of cards.
  • A near-infinite number of strategies.
  • Stunning art.
Cons
  • Can be intimidating to learn.
  • Hard to keep up with constant releases.
  • Can be expensive.

The granddaddy of all trading card games, Magic: The Gathering popularised the idea of trading cards, and has been going strong for over three decades since. Set in a bustling multiverse with worlds inspired by everything from Gothic Horror to Cyberpunk, each release takes you somewhere new and exciting with lavishly-illustrated cards.

More than just pretty pictures, though, Magic is a deep and complex strategy game, with a nigh-unlimited number of decks you can build. Best of all, Magic isn't really one game: between formats like Standard, Pioneer, Modern, and the ever-popular Commander, you can change up how the game is played and always find new ways to breathe life into it.

MTG's long history may make it intimidating for newcomers to start, but if you can crack it you'll find one of the most rewarding TCGs around. Just don't expect it to come cheap, as Magic releases new sets every few months, and keeping up with the new cards turns it into a full-blown hobby in its own right!

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