10 Best Card Games You’ve Never Heard Of


When people think of card games, they probably think of traditional playing cards or one of the great trading card games such as Magic the Gathering or Pokemon. However, players may not be aware of all the great card games that fly under the radar.


RELATED: The 10 Best Card Games, Ranked

There are some less popular trading card games that are just as fun as the big names, if not more. There are also a variety of unique card games designed to be played immediately. These lesser-known games might not share the same cultural cachet, but they’re definitely worth trying.

10/10 Keyforge is unique in several ways

A Martian surrounded by creatures in Keyforge

key forge is called the first “unique” deck game because every deck is unique. Players cannot swap cards into and out of their decks like in a trading card game, instead playing with procedurally generated decks that are pre-made.

Because key forgeIt is actually one of the cheapest card games for new players due to its unique structure. All a player has to do is buy a single deck, which usually costs around $10, and they have everything they need to play the game. The game itself is a lot of fun and expertly designed by Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic the Gathering.

9/10 Rattle! Combines card and board game elements

A Clank game in progress!  Fantasy board game

Rattle! and its various spinoffs are part deck building game and part board game. in the Rattle!players take on the role of treasure-hunting adventurers plundering a dangerous dungeon. Players use the deck they build throughout the game to traverse the game board, steal treasure, and escape before being caught by an enraged dragon.

RELATED: 10 Pokemon With The Best Trading Card Art

Part of the fun in Rattle! comes fromPlayers try to decide when they have collected enough treasure. There is pressure to delve deep into the cave and collect the valuable items, but the longer players stay, the less likely they are to figure it out. Rattle! becomes a delicate balance between greed and caution, making the game feel intense while making it easy enough for casual gamers to enjoy.

8/10 span is a challenging game with a fun theme

Egg markers and bird cards from the Wingspan Card Game

span is a deck building game where players try to build the best board to generate victory points. The game is fun and complex, and since it’s a deck building game, it changes every time it’s played.

Another fun part about span is his subject. Every card in it span is a specific species of bird. In addition to gameplay features, each card also provides true facts about the birds depicted. span remains the perfect board game for players who also enjoy bird watching or just having fun and learning something new.

7/10 The Great Dalmuti is a twist on a classic game

An image of various cards from The Great Dalmuti card game

The Great Dalmuti is a modified version of the card game tycoonalso designed by magicis Richard Garfield. The game can be played by up to 8 players and is designed for players to easily hop in and out between rounds, making it a good game for gatherings.

There The Great Dalmuti is published by Wizards of the Coast, it was recently re-released and re-themed Dungeons and Dragons. Dungeon Masters looking to shake things up in their campaigns can grab a copy and incorporate it into their campaign as a fun side activity for their players.

6/10 Gwent is an excellent digital card game with strange origins

Promotional artwork for Gwent The Witcher Card Game featuring Geralt and Ciri

Everyone who played The witcher 3 probably recognizes Gwent as the card game in the game that was so good they delayed saving the world to play it. Thanks to the popularity of the mini-game, CD Projekt RED turned around Gwent into your own free online card game.

RELATED: The 10 Best Trading Card Games for New Players

Gwent: The Witcher card game pits players against each other as they try to get the most points on their side of the board. Players must win two rounds out of three in order to win a match with a limited number of cards. Gwent is a great game because it has a low barrier to entry while being complex enough to keep players interested and challenged.

5/10 Marvel snap Games are short and sweet

Marvel SNAP Posters: America Chavez, Miles Morales, Ironheart, Galactus and Doctor Doom.

Card games can be a small investment, both in terms of money and time. Happily, Marvel snap doesn’t ask too much either. Recently released for free on iOS, Android and Windows, the game is fun without having to pay for any of the extra features.

One of the best aspects of Marvel snap is the fast pace of his games. Games last less than five minutes, making it the perfect card game to squeeze into a busy schedule. There are also many fan-favorite superheroes to collect with their own unique abilities, giving players plenty of deck-building options.

4/10 A few mornings scooping snow from history

Image of the game board from the card game A Few Acres of Snow

A few acres of snow is a historical deck building game set during the French and Indian Wars. The game’s title actually comes from a quote describing Voltaire’s relinquishment of Canada’s value to France. There’s a lot to love here for history buffs who enjoy games about real wars.

what does A few acres of snow The gameplay is interesting. When a player takes control of spaces on a game board, they also add new cards to their deck. This means that the longer the game lasts, the more powerful each player’s deck becomes.

3/10 Arkham Horror: The Card Game offers a narrative experience

Arkham Horror The Card Game components and cards in the box

Arkham Horror: The Card Game is quite a unique experience. It’s a cooperative storytelling experience that feels almost more like an RPG than what players imagine when they think of a card game. It uses HP Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos as inspiration for its setting, but happily leaves behind the more problematic nature of the author’s work.

RELATED: 10 Pokemon That Are Better In The TCG

Arkham HorrorGameplay is divided into story sections, much like chapters, allowing players to decide how long they want to play in one session and what they want to pick up next time. Over time, players improve their characters by adding more powerful cards to their decks. The game is definitely worth checking out for players who like card games but are looking for a new experience.

2/10 the booty is a cult classic card game

A group of literally fat cats in card art from The Spoils

the booty was a trading card game in a manner similar to Magic the Gathering. In fact, the game seemed to be taking deliberate steps to refresh some of the mechanics magic made popular, such as B. Giving players more consistent access to resources. Unfortunately, the game never gained enough popularity to remain financially viable, but those who played it loved it.

the booty can be played by more than two players, and its fast, streamlined gameplay. The game also had a very comedic tone, with humor so sophisticated as to refer to obscure political speech and as unassuming as a map titled Drive By Boobing. the booty‘ odd charm and fun mechanics leave a lasting impression on everyone who plays it.

1/10 flesh and blood it’s all about playing together

Official Prism art from the Flesh and Blood Monarch set.

flesh and blood is steadily gaining popularity among TCG players. As more trading card games go digital, flesh and blood was created to preserve personal play, hence the name flesh and blood.

flesh and blood Players choose a specific hero to build a deck around, and each hero is limited in the types of cards they can use. Then, players fight one-on-one or in a free-for-all format, trying to reduce their opponents’ heroes to 0 health. The game is complex and challenging while still being fun. Players who miss this Collect part of magic You might want to consider giving flesh and blood one try.

NEXT: The 15 Best Anime Based on Trading Card Games