Considering that since 1993, at least 200 collectible trading-card games (TCG) have been attempted but only about 10 have caught fire with fans, introducing one is a risky venture. Especially when powerhouses such as Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon and Magic the Gathering still consume players’ time and money.
So can popular-culture lovers digest another card challenge?
Upper Deck is betting $1 million in cash prizes they will through its new TCG and the initial release of its Vs. System game, Marvel Origins, pitting multiple players against one another in the world of Stan Lee’s favorite superheroes and villains.
Each of the 220 cards features original illustrations from familiar sequential artists such as Howard Chaykin, Brian Steelfreeze, Andy Kubert and Chris Bachalo. They will apply their talents to an arsenal of characters, including Wolverine, the Human Torch, Thomas Cassidy of Hellfire Club fame and the powerful Onslaught.
However, what really makes the game special is its expansive possibilities in the DC Comics set to arrive in June, when cross-branded heroes will team up and battle one another.
“Since we have both the DC and Marvel licenses, this will let players do what comic-book collectors since the dawn of comics have wanted to do,” says Mike Hummel, lead game designer for Upper Deck, who has spent 11 years playing and creating trading-card games.
“Which is [to] find out what, would happen if Superman and Spider-Man teamed up? Or what would happen if Batman had to face off against Dr. Doom? Things that rarely happen in the comics can frequently happen in the card game.”
The game requires a 30- to 60-card deck, depending on tournament rules, created by purchasing booster packs priced at $3.49 per 14-card pack. To win, the players must stun the opponents’ characters until a predetermined number of their endurance points are wiped out.
A deck’s strengths can be built around classic comic-book teams such as the X-Men, Brotherhood of Mutants, Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom or by setting up a rogue deck using any characters that lean toward defensive postures or quick offensive charges.
It’s a complicated mix that should satisfy the advanced card gamer looking for a pop-culture, multiplayer challenge.
To help boost the game’s start-up, Upper Deck is catering to the professional TCG player by developing weekly, officially sanctioned contests and a $1 million Pro Circuit tournament in which $250,000 will be awarded during four events.
The series of tournaments will last throughout the year.
“Games like this are fueled by organized play programs and are social events,” Mr. Hummel says. “The key to success is reaching a critical mass with players who buy the product, can visit their local hobby store and can interact with others who are enjoying the game.”
The TCG virgin
Having never tried to immerse myself in a collectible TCG, I thought Marvel Origins might be a great starting point for this comic-book fan.
After opening the starter kit, priced at 12.99 and containing two 40-card decks (X-Men versus Brotherhood), a large play diagram and 30-page instruction manual, I carefully perused the rules and explored Upper Deck’s official Origins Web site (www.ude.com/marvel) for more tips before attempting to decipher the action.
The game revolves around setting up three rows of cards from a carefully constructed deck in a turn-based fashion. The back row primarily contains action cards, while the front two rows contain character cards that can support one another during attacks (or combine their might to battle opponents).
Battle outcomes are determined by numbers placed on each card, which are tallied together to reveal whether the characters are stunned, knocked out or exhausted … much like my brain after reading the manual.
Beginners will find the game a bit of a challenge, especially when trying to use individual character powers in battles or incorporating chains of Plot Twist and Location cards into the mix. I used Mr. Hummel as my mentor, so I figured out the noggin-draining fun in just a few hours.
Not to worry. There’s help for those who find little birdies tweeting over their heads after attempting to absorb the first few pages of instructions. Mr. Hummel promises an online, virtual tour of the game, conducted by the mutant mentor Professor Charles Xavier at month’s end. The tour can be found on the company’s Web site.
Although Mr. Hummel refused to divulge how to create the ultimate deck of Vs. System cards, he was willing to say that he loved the Dr. Doom deck and the mechanics behind him. Considered a “control” deck, it prevents opponents from accomplishing goals needed to win the game while making life miserable through a nasty set of surprises.
Note: Spider-Man Sneak Peek starter decks will be hitting store shelves mid-May to further enhance the Vs. System decks.
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