Getting Started With CCG Games

By Michelle Howe


Many people picture blackjack or poker when thinking about card games, but those are far from the only options that exist. While there are plenty of games that can definitely be played with a standard deck, there are many more that use different types of cards for increasingly complex types of play. With so many ways to organize them, CCG games have become extremely popular to many groups of players.

A CCG, or Collectible Card Game, is one that requires a specialized deck of cards to play. This is assembled by the player, either individually or by purchasing packs, and focuses on a particular theme. Although common starter decks can be bought, most players end up adding or subtracting cards from theirs until they have perfected it exactly to their liking.

The theme of any particular CCG may be something that was created especially for that game itself. This is true of games such as Magic: The Gathering. With these, the story and characters were written for the purpose of being included here, and do not come from an outside source.

There are plenty of options that do draw their inspiration from previously existing situations and characters, however. Titles based on Star Trek, Marvel superheroes, and World of Warcraft, Blizzard Entertainment's online game, are examples of existing properties that have CCGs based on television shows, comics, and video games respectively. Creators must be careful when using these types of themes that their creations do not stray too far outside of existing fiction.

Like any other game, the rules will vary from type to type, but a few things are common between most of them. They tend to move in phases, which usually involve preparing and then executing movements according to the cards that are in a player's hand. There is usually an endgame toward which all players are moving, whether that is simply eliminating all other competitors or reaching a previously determined goal or milestone.

This style of competition lends itself very well to tournament play, and many of them have formed in recent years. If playing with friends simply is not enough to satisfy your competitive urges, you can test your skill levels by taking one of these on. They usually range in size from smaller local tournaments to large, even international ones, particularly for more popular types.

Many people may not have the time or the money to meet up with others to play, so online versions are popular as well. Although they still usually cost money, it can be less expensive, and finding matches is usually easier. The rules must sometimes be altered to suit the new format, but overall the experience is very similar.

Those who love collections as well as those who simply love to compete in a friendly game will find CCG games to be both fun and challenging. Learning the rules and perfecting your play style is a delicate art, but worth the time. Keep competing and see how good you can get!




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