Magic the Gather Arena is Wizards of the Coast’s latest and greatest attempt at digitizing their world famous Trading Card Game, Magic the Gathering. Although it’s not their first outing in the digital realm, Wizards hopes that by taking a more modern approach, and adopting a free to play model they can make their classic card game much more approachable from a collecting, deck building, and gameplay perspective, both for newcomers and seasoned players alike.
I’ve been a fair weather fan of Magic the Gathering for a long time. Which means every now and again I get the urge to break out my cards and play a game or two, or even buy a handful of booster packs just to feel the rush of uncovering something cool, rare, or if I’m really lucky, super expensive! The only real issue with collecting the physical paper cards is that they take up a lot of space, require superior organization skills (which I lack), and of course it can get pretty dang expensive. Especially if you plan on playing the game competitively to any degree. But, like I said, I do occasionally get the urge to jump back in despite all of those things. This time however it wasn’t the physical cards I was drawn to, but instead the siren’s call of a free to play app named Magic the Gathering Arena. Which in my mind would be the perfect way for me to quench my thirst for collecting, strategizing, and realizing that building GOOD decks is way harder than I want to admit. That’s not to say I didn’t eventually cave and pick up a few booster packs anyway, but that’s besides the point. I’m only human dangit! Those colorful sleeves that line the self checkout shelves are so enticing!! Thankfully, I’m not reviewing my inability to cave to my temptations.
Continuing on, what actually drew me to the Arena app was that it was so easy to access. I could play it on my phone, or if I was super ambitious, on my computer. So, whenever I got the urge to jump in, I could. Plus, with a variety of events to participate in, the potential for unlocking booster packs from the latest sets, as well as the opportunity to play against people of all skill levels from all over the world, I was excited to test my skills. That and I was curious to see how quickly I would be oriented back into the groove of the game, especially after not having touched a card, physical or otherwise, in what seems like close to a decade.
Now, I could go through the ins and outs of actually playing Magic, but I’d prefer you’d be able to read this review to the end instead of being bored out of your skull with technicalities and such. Instead, I want to relate to you my onboarding experience back into the weird and wonderful world of the game through Magic the Gathering Arena. Which if I’m going to be perfectly honest, was smooth as butter. That is, after I deciphered their oddly organized menu system and finally figured out where the options, modes, and items I wanted to mess around with were actually located. Once I did though, I’ve come to the realization that I’ve never been so excited to play, experiment, and immerse myself in the world of Magic the Gathering, for what feels like the 10th plus time.
Truly, it all really starts with the subtle things added to the Arena app that make the experience of actually playing this 30ish year old card game exciting! From the gorgeous card art, to the impactful effects added to each action you take. Even your ability to customize your deck with alternate card art as well as fancy card backs, makes you want to keep coming back so you can see what your next opponent has done to personalize their experience. It’ll probably also inspire you to think about what you’d like to try next. Of course a lot of these extra things, including the booster packs which you’ll eventually need to build custom decks, cost something whether it’s the in-game currency or the paid currency. However, all of it is attainable without having to spend a single cent, and if you’re patient enough you can earn whichever currency you need to get whatever it is you want. Whether that’s to participate in the paid events like the booster drafts, buying booster packs, or acquiring cosmetics, Magic the Gather Arena gives you more than enough opportunities to fulfill all of your collecting and playing desires that will cost you nothing more than your time.
In fact, I played the game for a solid month without spending any money, and through playing it with the starter decks you can unlock freely, I was able to earn enough of the in-game currency to unlock dozens of booster packs, build a multitude of decks, and experiment with all of the new mechanics until I was comfortable enough to try out the more competitive scene. You’ll even unlock “wildcards” of varying rarities by opening packs that can be used to “craft” any card of that same rarity. Perfect for building your dream deck. Especially if you’re missing one or two specific cards. Now, I will admit that I did cave, and I did end up spending $20 on their introductory bundle which gave me enough of the in-game currency to buy into their “battle pass” equivalent, and have enough left over for a few other things. In all honesty, it wasn’t necessary and if I had been a bit more patient I wouldn’t have had to spend that money, but it was fun to see how far twenty bucks got me nonetheless.
With all that in mind, what makes playing Magic the Gathering on Arena so great is how the app streamlines the mechanics, the technicalities, and even the tedium of playing the classical paper version. And I know there are some old fogies out there complaining that that’s what it’s all about, but in my mind, when you take those things away it lets you focus on what I think is the best part. The strategizing, and mind games used to best your opponent. Plus, none of these mechanics are obfuscated in any way, they just save you from having to remember all the minutia, and allow you to focus on how those things CAN work in a much more relaxed environment without the worry of misinterpreting or doing something wrong. Something I truly appreciated and allowed me to better understand how I could create a fun deck with exciting synergies!
Alrighty, we can take a deep breath, get a drink of water, take solace in the fact that we’re almost there! There’s probably a lesson to be learned about self restraint and how it correlates to the amount of money you spend on magic cards and the length of a review, but hey, we’re in this together. Nevertheless, what it really boils down to is your innate ability, and possibly desire, to want to like Magic the Gathering that’ll determine if Magic the Gathering Arena is for you. If you don’t know what the heck this or any other TCG is, or maybe you think that Magic is for the darkest depths of the nerdiest nerdoms, then this will literally do nothing for you. Short of maybe making you realize that you’ve been a nerd all along, and you don’t know what the heck you’ve been missing out on over these past decades!
However, if you’ve been Magic-curious, are new to the scene, or are coming back after a long stint of self reflection and a Magic-free lifestyle, then Magic the Gathering Arena is THE best way, in my personal opinion, to learn the ropes and have a little fun with this classic card game. So, if you’re at all interested in trying it out, or trying it again, then you don’t have anything to lose. It’s free after all! Well, I guess unless you’re impatient like me and really really really want that black lotus card art.
Magic the Gathering Arena elevates the classic card game by streamlining its mechanics, and making the game approachable, learnable, and fun for newcomers and long time fans alike. Two free-to-play, but you’re probably going to pay anyway, thumbs up from us!!