Ravensburger has stretched and shaped Disney Lorcana since the trading card game’s first release in August. With the most recent set, Ursula’s Return, the gaming company released a standalone game that brings a whole new way to engage with Lorcana. Ravensburger sent Nerdist a copy of Illumineer’s Quest Deep Trouble for review. After putting in time trying to defeat Ursula, we collected our thoughts. Overall, Deep Trouble is a challenging battle and an excellent way for single players to access Lorcana.

What We Like About Illumineer’s Quest Deep Trouble

We love seeing a spin on the way players engage with Lorcana. Deep Trouble features all the same gameplay mechanics you’re used to from regular play, but the twist with Ursula makes it feel different and fresh. Ursula is a powerful villain, and the story and her deck reflects this. The dark nature of her deck adds a cool selection of beautifully creepy art to the game, too. This separate game enriches the lore of Lorcana, which we always enjoy seeing.

I appreciate how Deep Trouble allows for a single-player match or cooperative play with others. Having both options is helpful for those who may not play in a Lorcana league but still want to collect and play. The game’s set up is simple and quick to learn. Assuming you know how to play Lorcana, you’ll be up and running in less than 10 minutes.

Deep Trouble is a challenging game, as I guess it should be since you’re fighting Ursula. It’s a thing worth noting so you can set expectations. I was convinced I was doing something wrong because I lost so badly. Out of three solo games, I won against Ursula only once with the provided Amethyst and Steel deck. In the other two games and in another one with two players, Ursula won by hilariously large margins. I played all the games on the easiest mode. If you advance to more challenging modes, you’ll need your own custom decks to stand a chance—the rules for Deep Trouble even suggest this.

What We Don’t Like About Illumineer’s Quest Deep Trouble

My quibbles are largely related to design and packaging. Deep Trouble replaces the gift set for the Ursula’s Return release, so the packaging is similar to that of a gift set. However, this is its own game. Once you open the box, there’s nothing to contain the pieces in. You can use your own deck boxes and storage, of course, but I wish this came in a dedicated game box to hold the playmat, Ursula’s deck, the two player decks, and the encounter cards.

The playmat has only a single row to track lore. So basically, you can track Ursula’s lore. If you try to stack up the lore trackers for two players in that same row, you run out of space. Yes, there’s a place to track lore for Deep Trouble in the app, but I don’t want to default needing to have my phone out.

Illumineer’s Quest Deep Trouble is available wherever you buy Disney Lorcana.

The post DISNEY LORCANA’s ILLUMINEER’S QUEST: DEEP TROUBLE Is a Challenging Adventure appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana is a game that has only continued to pick up speed and fan love. And without anyone realizing it, the release of Disney Lorcana‘s fifth set is here. Ravensburger has announced the next set of Disney Lorcana cards will be called Shimmering Skies and has given us a brand new look at what’s in store. Here’s everything we know about this magical fifth set, Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies.

Title

As mentioned, the fifth set of Disney Lorcana cards is called Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies.

Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies’ Story

Disney Lorcana‘s fifth release will continue the story told in the first four sets of cards. A release shares, “The realm of Lorcana holds a great festival to celebrate its recent victory over Ursula, which concluded the previous set, Ursula’s Return, filling the realm with fun and revelry. During the celebration, a new mystery begins to unfold as parts of the Great Illuminary fall off, crashing down around the crowd.”

Uh-oh, what could that mean for Disney Lorcana? We’ll just have to play Shimmering Skies and find out.

Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies‘ New Franchise and Characters

One of the most exciting parts of Disney Lorcana is the gorgeous new renditions of familiar and beloved Disney characters. Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies will bring Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph into the mix. A release notes, this Disney franchise will join “Lorcana in a substantial way and is the franchise’s first appearance since Ralph appeared on the Pick a Fight action card in Rise of the Floodborn.” That’s very exciting for fans of this particular Disney adventure. New Wreck It-Ralph characters coming to Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies include “Wreck-It Ralph, Vanellope Von Schweetz, King Candy, Fix-It Felix, Jr” Additionally, Elemental spirits from Frozen 2, including Bruni and Gale, will join in the Disney Lorcana fun.

Click To View Gallery

A release additionally shares, “Shimmering Skies features Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph with the introduction of Disney characters like Vanellope Von Schweetz and Fix-it Felix, Jr. In addition, players can anticipate new gameplay mechanics with an evolved story with gorgeous art – all of which is infused with electric energy that amplifies both the celebration and the gameplay. More details on mechanics and other cards will be unveiled closer to availability. All cards in this set can be used to update existing Disney Lorcana TCG decks or played alongside the previously released sets, The First Chapter, Rise of the Floodborn, Into the Inklands, and Ursula’s Return.”

What Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies Will Include

The Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies release will include the following

• Two Starter Decks
  • Amethyst and Ruby (Elsa and Wreck-It Ralph) 
  • Emerald and Steel (Scar and Kronk) 
• Illumineer’s Trove
  • Contains: (8) booster packs, lore counter, card dividers and new shimmering dice
• Two new Deck Sleeves and Boxes
  • Featured glimmers are fan favorites from sets 1 and 2
    • Tiana – Celebrating Princess
    • Aladdin – Heroic Outlaw
• Two New Portfolios
  • Back of card artwork (Front and back)
  • Six glimmers by artist Nicholas Kole across the front and back

Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies Release Date

Disney Lorcana will be released at local game stores, Disney Stores, and Disney Parks on August 9, 2024. Shimmering Skies will then be released by mass market retailers and DisneyStore.com on August 23, 2024. 

A Disney Lorcana and Disney VIllainous: Introduction to Evil Crossover

Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies and Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil will be having a crossover this summer. An exclusive, alternate-art, foil version of the Disney Lorcana: Shimmering Skies card, Prince John – Gold Lover, will be available in new, stickered, and limited copies of Disney Villainous: Introduction to Evil board game. This limited-edition Disney Lorcana card will be illustrated in the art style of Disney Villainous.

The post Everything We Know About DISNEY LORCANA’s Next Set, Shimmering Skies appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return has been with us since May, and we’ve all been learning how this latest chapter plays into a building storm in the magical realm of Lorcana. Ursula is nothing if not persistent. She’s also, unfortunately, super powerful. The Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s Trove reflects all things Ursula with its moody color palette and tendrils of a dark smoke. Ravensburger sent an Illumineer’s Trove to Nerdist for review, so let’s take a closer look.

Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s Trove

To review, here’s what comes with the Illumineer’s Trove:

• 8 booster packs
• 1 lore tracker
• 6 dice to track damage
• 6 card dividers
• 1 storage box

You’ll notice this chapter’s Illumineer’s Trove sadly does not bring back the lore booklet that digs into more of the story. Hopefully we see it come back in future sets or in another form.

The MSRP is $49.99. The booster packs alone make it worth it, but then for a little extra, you get themed items to zhuzh your gameplay and storage. These extras have increased in quality with each release. The storage box has splashy art with heroes and villains fighting and emphasizing that Ursula’s Return is about action and stopping Ursula. It’s quality and the kind of box I would find a purpose for if I didn’t need it for all my Lorcana cards.

While we’ve seen dividers and a lore tracker in a previous Illumineer’s Trove, these fit right into the darker theme of this release. Wisps of smoke or a dark mist wrap the lore counter, which shows numbers in a fuchsia color. The dividers are different in that, instead of marking the color of the ink, they’re for organizing your cards by rarity. With their muted colors, these dividers fit right into the overall vibe. And hey, I like them because maybe it will help me finally memorize the rarity symbols.

Finally, my favorite part of the Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s Trove: the damage counter dice. They’re swirled aqua and purple with gold numbers—lovely with just a hint of transparency, which I choose to interpret as light hitting the shallow depths of the ocean. Also, those are just some of my favorite colors. I’m never going to be mad about adding more dice to my collection.

The Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Illumineer’s Trove is available from your local game store and mass market retailers now.

The post DISNEY LORCANA Gets Moody With URSULA’S RETURN Illumineer’s Trove appeared first on Nerdist.

The time has almost come for Disney Lorcana’s next set to arrive. The trading card game from Ravensburger continues to take inspiration from Disney animation to build a thoughtful game with consistently beautiful artwork. Ursula’s Return marks the fourth chapter of the game and brings with it more teamwork, strategy, boosting Hero cards, and playing with the Resist and Challenge keywords. Ravensburger sent Nerdist the Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Starter Decks, which combine Amber & Amethyst and Sapphire & Steel inks. They follow the general features of each ink, but if you’re at all a fan of Encanto, Amber & Amethyst will have your heart. Here are other highlights from the Ursula’s Return Starter Decks.

Ursula’s Return Amber & Amethyst Starter Deck

Okay, okay. Did I enjoy the cooperative nature of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs cards when they released in Rise of the Floodborn? Yes. Their abilities interacted and boosted each other in helpful ways if the right cards ended up in your hand at the right time. But it meant flipping through a lot of characters who look quite a bit alike. The Ursula’s Return Amber & Amethyst Starter Deck brings the same kind of dynamics but with the family Madrigal from Encanto. The variety of the characters, who are much more vibrant than the dwarves from Snow White, along with unique support abilities make for a magical deck with so much opportunity. The main drawback, if you can call it that, is Encanto songs will be in your head every time you pick up the deck.

As with any deck you build, the Ursula’s Return Amber & Amethyst Starter Deck has its hurdles. Mirabel Madrigal, Gift of the Family, can’t add lore to other Madrigals if you don’t have them in your hand. However, the 60-card deck has 23 Madrigals (if I counted correctly). I’m not calculating probabilities, but odds of having a Madrigal in your hand seem solid—especially if you can use your MacGuffin at the beginning to redraw some cards in hopes of getting a Madrigal. You can use the Madrigals to stack lore and get ahead quickly. Protect these angels with whatever you can.

Remember to try out the new Sing Together mechanic too, which lets you use multiple characters to sing one song.

The Ursula’s Return Amber & Amethyst Starter Deck includes the below cards. Cards marked with an * are from a previous release.

3x Agustin Madrigal – Clumsy Dad
1x Ariel – Singing Mermaid
2x Félix Madrigal – Fun-Loving Family Man
2x Julieta Madrigal – Excellent Cook
2x Mickey Mouse – Leader of the Band
3x Mirabel Madrigal – Gift of the Family
1x Mirabel Madrigal – Prophecy Finder
3x Prince Eric – Seafaring Prince
2x Rolly – Hungry Pup*
2x Sebastian – Court Composer*
3x Stitch – Alien Dancer
2x Heal What Has Been Hurt*
2x Healing Glow*
1x Look at This Family
2x Lost in the Woods
3x Antonio Madrigal – Animal Expert
1x Bruno Madrigal – Out of the Shadows
2x Camilo Madrigal – Prankster
2x Dolores Madrigal – Easy Listener
3x Elsa – Queen Regent*
2x HeiHei – Persistent Presence*
1x Isabela Madrigal – Golden Child
2x Luisa Madrigal – Magically Strong One
3x Marshmallow – Terrifying Snowman
1x Pepa Madrigal – Weather Maker
2x The Queen – Hateful Rival*
2x Tick-Tock – Ever-Present Pursuer
2x Poor Unfortunate Souls
3x Casa Madrigal – Casita

Ursula’s Return Sapphire & Steel Starter Deck

This deck does not have the Madrigals, so it’s slightly less delightful. However, as someone who played exclusively Sapphire & Steel for a while, I see a lot of potential here. Rather than a group of characters unifying the deck, a type of characters stand out: Heroes. Characters with the Hero descriptor bring multiple layers of stalwart and true with Resist and Challenger abilities. The Ursula’s Return Sapphire & Steel Starter Deck is the kind of deck that makes you feel pumped up to play—like you’re doing a training montage to “Eye of the Tiger” and so ready to quest while challenging your opponents.

Most of the cards here are fierce and ready to conquer the day, but you have some possibilities for lore as well. One of my favorites is Rapunzel, Appreciative Artist. She costs five ink, has three lore, and if you have a Pascal in play, she gains ward. Then you have the Dig a Little Deeper song card that lets you look at the top seven cards of your deck (seven!) and keep two. The catch is it costs eight ink and it’s not inkable. But you can use the Sing Together mechanic. It’s the kind of card you likely won’t get on the table often but when you do, it will be very satisfying.

Like I said, a lot of potential.

The Ursula’s Return Sapphire & Steel Starter Deck includes the below cards. Cards marked with an * are from a previous release.

• 2x Mickey Mouse – Detective*
• 2x Pascal – Inquisitive Pet
• 1x Prince Phillip – Gallant Defender
• 1x Rapunzel – Appreciative Artist
• 2x Sisu – Wise Friend
• 2x Transformed Chef – Castle Stove
• 2x Dig a Little Deeper
• 2x Seldom All They Seem
• 3x Aladdin – Resolute Swordsman
• 3x Ariel – Determined Mermaid
• 1x Hercules – Beloved Hero
• 3x Kida – Royal Warrior*
• 2x Li Shang – Imperial Captain
• 2x Ling – Imperial Soldier
• 3x Mickey Mouse – Standard Bearer
• 2x Mulan – Armored Fighter
• 1x Philoctetes – No-Nonsense Instructor
• 3x Robin Hood – Beloved Outlaw*
• 1x One Last Hope
• 2x Smash*
• 3x Imperial Bow
• 3x Thebes – The Big Olive

Ursula’s Return will release at local game stores, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and select Disney Store retail locations on May 17, 2024. It will then be available from mass market retailers on May 31, 2024.

The post DISNEY LORCANA: URSULA’S RETURN Brings ENCANTO Magic appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney animated movies wouldn’t be the same without adorable animal companions helping out the protagonists. Actually, all the critters have to do is appear and look cute and/or menacing, and we’re sold. It’s been a delight to see our favorite Disney animals in Disney Lorcana, the trading card game from Ravensburger. The next set of Disney Lorcana, Ursula’s Return, will have animal companions too, obviously. Today we can reveal five of the animal companion cards from Ursula’s Return. All of these buddies are making their first appearance in Lorcana, too!

Click To View Gallery

We have an Emerald Cri-Kee (Mulan), an Emerald Jaq (Cinderella), a Ruby Khan (Mulan), a Steel Rajah (Aladdin), and an Amethyst Tick-Tock (Peter Pan). We know Tick-Tock isn’t an animal companion in the traditional sense, but we still wanted to show him off. After all, he’s only a crocodile doing what crocodiles do. Even if he does eat people, Tick-Tock has his charms.

Of these cards, Cri-Kee jumps out. With a value of three lore, Cri-Kee will be excellent at questing. Plus, when you play this little one, all of your other characters get an additional three strength—not just one, all of them. Played at the right time, Cri-Kee could help your characters throw down in some challenges. We also appreciate Jaq simply for this line on his card: “Teamwork makes the cheese work.”

These animals join a ton of new faces from movies like Encanto and Fantasia, along with new Floodborn heroes. Rise of the Floodborn saw Ursula freed from the Illuminary and now she’s ready to take over Lorcana. Ursula’s Return sounds a lot like it’s going to be Ursula’s revenge. We’re eager to know more about how gameplay will evolve with this fourth release of Lorcana. We won’t have to wait for too long. Ursula’s Return will release at local game stores, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and select Disney Store retail locations on May 17, 2024. It will then be available from mass market retailers on May 31, 2024.

The post We Reveal Animal Companion Cards From DISNEY LORCANA’s Next Set appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana is a game that cannot, will not slow down. We’ve known about Ravensburger’s plan for quarterly releases since the trading card game debuted, but we’ve never been prepared for how quickly time flies. It feels like only yesterday we were learning about how to best incorporate Into the Inklands cards into our decks. But now, it’s time to look ahead to Lorcana‘s fourth set. Here’s everything we know about Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return.

Title

The fourth Disney Lorcana set is called Ursula’s Return.

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Story and Mechanics

Disney Lorcana‘s next release will continue the story told in the first three sets. This time Ursula is at the center. The Rise of the Floodborn release saw Ursula freed from the Illuminary. And now, in Ursula’s Return, the sea witch is “ready to put her plans into motion and take over Lorcana with only the players and their trusted glimmers standing in her way.”

We’re sure it will all work out just fine.

Ravensburger states gameplay will evolve with this set, but we don’t have any specifics on new mechanics yet.

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Characters

Disney Lorcana releases come with over 200 cards (at least they have historically), so we don’t know every character that will be in the fourth set. However, we do know Ursula’s Return will include Bruno and the rest of the Madrigal family from Encanto. That means Felix, Julieta, Mirabel, Bruno, Dolores, and Luisa. We’ll also see Sorcerer’s Apprentice Mickey and Yen Sid from Fantasia. A sneak peek included glimpses at Floodborn Ariel and Floodborn Mulan, too.

What Disney Lorcana: Ursuala’s Return Will Include

The Ursula’s Return release will include the following:

• Starter Deck – $16.99, Amethyst & Amber
• Starter Deck – $16.99, Sapphire & Steel
• Booster Packs – $5.99
• Illumineer’s Trove – $49.99
• Card Sleeves – $9.99
• Deck Boxes – $5.99
• Playmats (featuring Rapunzel and Tinker Bell) – $19.99

Disney Lorcana: Ursula’s Return Release Date

Ursula’s Return will release at local game stores, Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, and select Disney Store retail locations on May 17, 2024. It will then be available from mass market retailers on May 31, 2024.

A Disney Lorcana Cooperative Game

This release will also launch with the first Disney Lorcana TCG cooperative game, Illumineer’s Quest “Deep Trouble.” The game has four difficulty levels and sees Illumineers fight Ursula. Ravensburger says, “The game includes a guided gameplay area for Ursula, two preconstructed Disney Lorcana TCG player decks (featuring Disney’s Mulan and Yen Sid and built with cards from the first four Disney Lorcana TCG sets) and a fierce Ursula deck. This sea witch plays by her own rules.”

Originally published on March 20, 2024.

The post Everything We Know About DISNEY LORCANA’s Next Set, URSULA’S RETURN appeared first on Nerdist.

Each Disney Lorcana release brings a change that impacts the game and player strategy. Sure, the Ravensburger game is only on its third release, but this has been true so far. The latest chapter, Into the Inklands, brought location cards. To say they change everything sounds dramatic, but the cards do change a lot by adding another dynamic to the board. Along with the starter decks and other products, each Disney Lorcana release comes with an Illumineer’s Trove and a Gift Set. Ravensburger sent Nerdist one of each for review, and the Illumineer’s Trove in particular has some nice extras, but they come at the cost of our favorite part of past troves.

Into the Inklands Illumineer’s Trove

Here’s what comes with the Illumineer’s Trove:

• 8 booster packs
• 1 lore tracker
• 6 dice to track damage
• 6 card dividers
• 1 storage box

For a $49.99 MSRP, the Illumineer’s Trove remains, in my opinion, the best value in Disney Lorcana. The booster packs alone would cost $47 on their own, and the extras that come in the trove have improved in quality. Let’s look at those extras first.

The Into the Inklands Illumineer’s Trove box features card art from the adventurous set. Pirate Piglet is one of the best illustrations in Into the Inklands and you can’t convince me otherwise. The sides of the storage box showcase some of the locations from the set, and as someone who always wants to look at backgrounds in Disney animation art of books, these grabbed my attention.

The lore tracker is sturdier than previous iterations and carries the theme of Into the Inklands well enough. However, the dice and the card dividers are the winners here. I imagine dice will only become more of a thing for Lorcana as Ravensburger flexes on Lorcana merchandising and products (which seems like a matter of time), and these are a lovely start. They’re a inky, shimmery dark blue with gold numbers and pretty enough that I’d buy them on their own. Then the card dividers, one for each ink, are well-constructed and helpful for sorting out your collection. They’re much more functional than the so-so quality deck boxes from previous Illumineer’s Trove sets.

And speaking of the deck boxes, they’re gone in this release’s Trove. I don’t mind since they were flimsy. However, my favorite part of the previous Illumineer’s Trove releases is gone too: the booklet! The booklet had a list of the cards and called out some specific cards and ink combos to look out for in the set. More importantly, it featured part of the Lorcana lore and brought the game’s world to life more with text and illustrations. I’d rather have that than card dividers. Hopefully this means Ravensburger is working on standalone story booklets. We’ll see what the future brings.

Into the Inklands Gift Set

The Into the Inklands Gift Set comes with:

• 2 oversized foil cards
• 2 playable foil cards
• 34 damage counters
• 4 booster packs
• 2 lore tracker tokens

The Gift Set has a MSRP of $29.99. The booster packs alone get you to almost $24, so if you’re into collecting the oversized cards, this set is for you. While I like the idea of the oversized cards, they don’t do anything for me. I store them and then never look at them again. However, if you want to frame them or otherwise display them—maybe in your gaming space—then this is the set for you. While the damage counters and lore tracker tokens have improved in quality over time, I switched to tracking damage with dice ages ago. I do appreciate the attention to detail with the tokens changing to match the current chapter, in this case Into the Inklands. Gift sets can be fun to pair with a starter deck for a new player.

Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands is already out in local game stores. Mass market retailers get the third set later this week on March 8, 2024.

The post DISNEY LORCANA Changes Things with INTO THE INKLANDS Illumineer’s Trove appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana‘s lore will expand with the upcoming release of Into the Inklands. The third chapter in Ravensburger‘s Disney animation-inspired trading card game comes with a different card type and some fresh faces. A fresh set of Disney Lorcana also means it’s time for new Enchanted cards! These cards are the rarest variety in the game and feature special artwork and foil. Today, Nerdist is happy to exclusively reveal one of Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands‘ Enchanted cards. It’s none other than Morph from Treasure Planet at his absolute shiniest.

This pink blob of space goo is one of my favorite parts of Treasure Planet, and given this card’s Mimicry ability, he’s about to be one of my favorite cards in Lorcana. This Emerald card allows any character with Shift to be played on it as if this character had any name. It’s very fitting for Morph, who can alter his shape into basically anything. And with the number of shift cards in Lorcana, this card gives you options in its regular or Enchanted forms. Though, we can’t imagine you’d be playing with an Enchanted card.

Enchanted cards are, to say the least, challenging to find. They’re so rare it’s not guaranteed you’ll pull one from a whole booster box of 288 cards. That rarity means Enchanted cards are the most valuable in the game. If I was lucky enough to pull an Enchanted Morph card from a pack, I wouldn’t sell him though. I’d double-sleeve this beauty and then kiss his little face.

Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands will first release at local game stores on February 23, 2024. Mass market retailers will get the third set on March 8, 2024.

The post This DISNEY LORCANA: INTO THE INKLANDS Enchanted Card Can Morph Into Anyone appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana‘s third set, Into the Inklands, approaches. The trading card game from Ravensburger puts the spotlight on Disney animation. Each of the two released chapters has altered gameplay in varying ways with new abilities and items. The most powerful ink combinations have mostly stayed consistent, just with new characters, items, and actions to fuel them. Players like me are settled in and comfortable with our preferred decks and strategies. But Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands is here to shake things up with location cards and fresh mechanics to go with them. Ravensburger sent us Into the Inklands starter decks for review, and we like how the location cards morph the game.

Disney Lorcana starter decks come with 60 cards each. They’re meant for playing right out of the box, making them ideal for newcomers and for learning a set’s new mechanics. In Rise of the Floodborn, for me, that was learning how to use bounce abilities to maximize lore. Though I wasn’t sure of bouncing at first, I soon built an Amethyst and Steel deck around it. Here, the starter decks will help you learn how to leverage the location cards.

The Into the Inklands starter decks also introduce new movies and series to Lorcana. We have DuckTales and TaleSpin characters (Don Karnage!), a million puppies from 101 Dalmatians, and Kida from Atlantis. In a touch representative of the level of detail given to this game, the text on Kida’s card is only in Atlantean. Somehow, the Ruby and Sapphire starter deck includes another HeiHei card—someone at Ravensburger must be HeiHei’s number one fan.

This time the two starter decks come in the following ink combinations: Amber and Emerald and Ruby and Sapphire. Amber and Emerald leverages those million puppies I mentioned, bringing in super adorable Dalmatians that offer support. Like the Seven Dwarves in Rise of the Floodborn, the puppies play best when they have each other to rely on. Plus, there’s the silly ability of being able to have up to 99 copies of the Dalmatian Puppy – Tail Wagger card in your deck. The Ruby and Sapphire deck includes some teamwork making the dream work, too, through Huey, Dewey, and Louie. If you manage to play that whole trio, you have a nice array of levers to pull.

Each deck has two location cards each: Never Land (Amber), De Vil Manor (Emerald), Agrabah (Ruby), and Motunui (Sapphire). Certain characters have abilities that interact with the locations and showcase the boosts locations can offer. The Emerald Peter Pan can gain lore once per turn from moving to a location. When the Ruby Moana quests at a location, you can ready all other players at the location (which recalls the Amber Moana’s ability from The First Chapter).

These character abilities are on top of those a location may already have. Location cards have an ink cost, a cost to move characters to them, willpower, and a lore value. A player gains a location’s lore if the card is in play at the start of the turn; a location doesn’t quest like a character does. Location cards’ ability to go after lore alone makes the addition of the card type a game changer. To win a game of Disney Lorcana, a player must gain 20 lore. So, having another kind of card to help you do that—another card one’s opponents must challenge to remove—means changing strategy.

Aside from experimenting with location cards, two of my favorite cards in the starter decks are an inkable Emerald Robin Hood that delivers four lore for a cost of only six ink and an uninkable Ruby Simba card that delivers three lore for a cost of two ink. If I played an Emerald deck regularly, I would absolutely consider including four of those Robin Hood cards. The Simba card is like Pinocchio and Lilo from previous releases.

While some aspects of gameplay in Into the Inklands are familiar—using groups of characters for support, sometimes in ways that overwhelm your deck—the locations bring a breath of fresh air. Even if you enjoy the deck you’ve built and honing your strategy, it can feel repetitive. That also holds true if you’re playing the same competitors regularly. But the introduction of a card type and all that comes with it comes at the right time. Into the Inklands brings an exciting change to the world of Disney Lorcana, and we can’t wait to see how it plays out.

Disney Lorcana: Into the Inklands will first release at local game stores on February 23, 2024. Mass market retailers will get the third set on March 8, 2024.

Featured Image: Ravensburger

The post DISNEY LORCANA: INTO THE INKLANDS’ Location Cards Bring Fresh Challenges appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter is a new trading card game that gives us a fresh outlet to play with our favorite Disney characters and create epic crossovers. Would Maleficent and Cruella de Vil be friends or foes? Could Stitch endear himself to the likes of Captain Hook? And would Robin Hood and Elsa make a good team? Those are the six characters that make up the first set of Disney Lorcana trading cards. The game was announced at the D23 Expo, but it launched in August 2023, with new sets releasing four times a year. So far, the second set, Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn, has officially released. The second set of trading cards shows off more original Disney artwork than any other product, and from what we’ve seen so far, the cards are all beautiful. Additionally, for anyone in need, a reprint of Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter will also be released this December.

Here’s everything you need to know about the game, including details of its cards, app, rules, and more. You can also check out our review of Disney Lorcana for an in-depth look at the game from a player’s perspective.

Jump to: Disney Lorcana Cards // Disney Lorcana TCG Companion App // Disney Lorcana Story // Disney Lorcana Rules // Disney Lorcana Release Dates, Availability, and More

Disney Lorcana Character Cards

Disney Lorcana is a partnership with puzzle and game maker Ravensburger, who has lots of other great Disney content. Fans at last year’s D23 Expo were able to buy an exclusive first-edition pack of the cards. They also got their hands on an exclusive Mickey Mouse card called “Brave Little Tailor” that isn’t part of the set. The other characters have their own unique abilities. Captain Hook is listed as a forceful duelist and has a sword for a hand. Maleficent appears in her dragon form in the Disney Lorcana trading cards, while Cruella de Vil’s strongest quality is “miserable as usual.” I wonder how that presents itself in gameplay. There’s also Elsa the Snow Queen, Robin Hood, the unrivaled archer, and Stitch as a rock star.  Certainly an interesting lineup.

Click To View Gallery

More Disney Lorcana Cards: From Maleficent to Olaf

It seems like more or less every Disney character will find their way onto a Disney Lorcana card. Here are a few more looks at what’s to come. The “Dragon Fire” Lorcana card, for example, features Disney’s Maleficent in her dragon form, “breathing cursed green fire.” Use of this card will allow players to “banish [a] chosen character.”

We also glimpsed a new Disney Lorcana card that brings a cheerful face to the gaming table, Olaf. Warm hugs for all! Disney’s Jumba Jookiba and Princess Aurora joined the ranks of Disney Lorcana as well. And even accessories are coming onboard. A new type of card, an item card, features the “Magic Mirror.” Very mysterious.

Click To View Gallery

Recently, Nerdist went behind the scenes with Ravensburger creative director Shane Hartley, who shared more about how the game was conceived. And, of course, we got to see the magical art of four new Disney Lorcana cards.

Disney Lorcana Launches Trading Card Game Companion App

These cards are just a taste of what the full game will hold. Already, we’re a little overwhelmed by the sheer amount and artistry of all the Disney Lorcana cards that exist. But this trading card game wants keeping track of all its cards to be a breeze—and that includes both the ones you own and the ones you want. The official Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game Companion app is here to help all users keep magic high and chaos low.

A release shares:

The Disney Lorcana TCG Companion app features a complete card catalog, which can be used by players to keep track of cards in their collection as well as “wish list” cards they hope to add to their deck. TCG rookies and experts alike will also appreciate the app’s deckbuilding feature, which allows them to create and manage their own custom deck right from their phone. Other highlights of the app include easily accessible how-to-play information and videos, a lore points counter tool and the latest news updates from Disney Lorcana TCG.

The Disney Lorcna app is free to download and is available on the Google Play and Apple App Stores.

The TCG’s Story

Disney Lorcana recently released more about its lore. It’s official story shares:

Welcome to the Great Illuminary, the center of a magical realm called Lorcana… The Illuminary summoned you here because of your powerful imagination… Nearby, a unique tool catches your eye. It’s an inkcaster, and when you pick it up, it feels both exciting and familiar. Instinctively, you hold it high above the open book. Magical ink pulsing with energy flows through the mechanism and combines with the light from a story star on a page of the lorebook in front of you, creating an image of a Disney character. With the power of your inkcaster, the image rises off the page. This is a glimmer, a new version of the character that only exists in this world. As an Illumineer, you can create glimmers of characters and items to add to the lore of Lorcana—a treasure that must be preserved and protected at all costs. 

Soon, other Illumineers across the globe will be called to the aid of Lorcana. You’ll summon glimmers to quest with you as you search for missing lore in a race against time. Only together can you protect this wondrous realm from threats. 

Will you answer the call?

Disney Lorcana’s Rules

We finally have a better understanding of Disney Lorcana‘s rules and gameplay. According to a release, here’s how the trading card game works:

Players become “Illumineers” and wield magic ink to summon a team of Disney characters known as “glimmers,” who appear in both familiar and reimagined forms. In Disney Lorcana, players embark on a search for lost lore with their teams of glimmers. They’ll play characters, actions, and items from their hand and choose whether to “quest” for lore with their glimmers or challenge their opponents. The first player to collect 20 lore wins.

Additionally, Disney Lorcana‘s quick start rules note, “Disney Lorcana is a strategy card game where each player makes their own deck before the game starts, and the decks aren’t mixed together. You can play with one of the available ready-to-play decks, make changes to one of those decks, or build a deck that’s entirely your own! In a game like this, cards can allow you to do things that aren’t normally a part of every turn. If a card’s text ever contradicts the game rules, follow what the card says.”

That all sounds simple enough, but we have a feeling actually playing might get a bit more complicated. Thankfully, the game’s official website has a dedicated “How to Play” page with video guides to walk you through playing your most magical game. These will help you to understand how to generate ink, what different cards you can have in your deck, what abilities each has, and more. And hopefully, the game will leave you singing just a little bit.

Disney Lorcana‘s Release Date and More

Finally, all that Disney knowledge rattling around our brains will win us more than just trivia contests! Disney Lorcana launched “at local game stores” on August 18. And has now been released via mass retailers, as of September 1. To keep up with exceptionally high demand, more Disney Lorcana booster pack product will be sent to North American stores in October. Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter will also be reprinted and, according to Comicbook.com, will release on December 22, 2023 at 12 AM PT/3 AM ET on ShopDisney.com’s Disney Lorcana page.

The article shares that “It is expected to include most (if not all) of the products, including starter decks boosters, the gift set, and maybe even the The Illumneer’s Trove.” Meanwhile, certain products, such as Starter Decks and Booster, can be pre-ordered now at various retailers such as Hot Topic and BoxLunch.

Meanwhile, the second set of cards Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn released on November 17 in specialty/hobby stores and on December 1 for the mass market.

Country Availability and Language Options

The game originally released in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. And it comes in English, French, and German. But now, Disney Lorcana will also be released in an additional 10 countries: Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Mexico. This expansion will occur “with the release of the third set in early 2024.” The game will also come in Italian as of its third set release.

Decks and Other Merchandise

Players will be able to purchase starter decks of 60 cards in “two of the six ‘inks’ — Amber and Amethyst, Emerald and Ruby, or Steel and Sapphire.” These decks will come with two foil cards of the characters on their boxes and also include a booster pack (12 random cards, including one foil card and one card of varying rareness) and game tokens. More robust sets will also be available for purchase. Additionally, “themed playmats, card sleeves, deck boxes, and card portfolios featuring Disney Lorcana art will be available at launch.”

Ravensburger has many other licensed products from properties like Despicable Me and Minions. There are Star Wars puzzles and an Alien board game. Plus, some less obvious partnerships, like a card game for Taco Bell. 

Originally published on September 9, 2022. Original reporting by Melissa Miller.

The post DISNEY LORCANA Trading Card Game: Cards, Story, Rules, and More appeared first on Nerdist.

When Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter arrived over the summer, I followed the Ravensburger game inspired by Disney animation into the trading card rabbit hole. I learned about deck-building, the perils of booster packs and boxes (when I could track them down), and the value of buying single cards. I joined a weekly Lorcana league at a local game store and enjoyed seeing how quickly a community formed around the game. After a few months of perfecting my decks and preferred ink combinations with The First Chapter, it’s all changing with Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn. The second set’s starter decks bring additional features that, while friendly to beginners, bring depth and fresh challenges to the game.

Ravensburger sent Nerdist one of each starter deck for review purposes. The starter decks have 60 cards each and are designed for immediate play. Both feature different ink combinations than The First Chapter’s starter decks. Additionally, both decks include some cards from the first release. Though they might not have any of the set’s most powerful cards, the starter decks are a well-rounded representation of Rise of the Floodborn. Both have stunning art of Disney characters and hint at the mysterious flood of ink that transformed some of the characters.

Rise of the Floodborn Amethyst and Steel Starter Deck

Called the Might and Magic deck, the Rise of the Floodborn Amethyst and Steel Starter Deck is all about transformation. This deck features several Merlin and Madam Mim transformation cards from their wizard’s duel in The Sword in the Stone. Besides being excited to see the characters from the 1963 film, the Amethyst ink cards come with effects for when the characters enter play and when they leave play. This can mean gaining lore, drawing a card, peeking at the top card of your deck, or returning a card to your hand.

With the Steel ink, you have cards that represent the best of the ink’s traits. That means bodyguards, damage dealers, and solid lore values. The Amethyst cards in this deck thrive with Steel at their back. Though I’m already imagining some modifications I would make with Steel cards from The First Chapter.

A huge selling point of this deck is Resist. After several months playing The First Chapter, it’s going to take me a while to incorporate Resist and to remember its value. This new keyword brings the ability for a character to resist damage. We’ve seen all kinds of modifications to strength values, but not to damage. If you’re playing Lorcana for the first time with Floodborn, use this to your advantage. If you’ve been playing Lorcana, I’d get this deck just to practice using this ability. It has the potential to be a gamechanger.

Play this deck if you’re bold enough to banish your own cards or return them to your hand. (Reader: I am not bold enough. I want to hang on to my cards as long as possible and quest with them).

Rise of the Floodborn Sapphire and Amber Starter Deck

The Rise of the Floodborn Sapphire and Amber Starter Deck focuses on teamwork. It is, in fact, the Tactical Teamwork deck. That’s largely because of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Seven Dwarfs play off each other, lending Support and abilities triggered upon banishment. They can build up lore and get very quest-y very quickly. Additionally this deck brings in more items (perfect for Tamatoa item deck builders) and adds new faces like Winnie the Pooh and Judy Hopps.

While the Sapphire in this starter deck doesn’t load the inkwell as quickly as Sapphire cards in The First Chapter, it delivers on items and being ink fodder. It also helpfully brings in a character capable of challenging Evasive opponents for only two ink (Cruella de Vil, Fashionable Cruiser). Sapphire has intriguing items, too.

That said, Amber is what shines in this deck. I found myself inking Sapphire cards over and over to get Amber cards in play. I was initially skeptical about the sheer number of Seven Dwarfs cards, thinking I would get tired of seeing them, let alone playing them. They seem to rule the deck. But I quickly became a fan. Using the Seven Dwarfs to their full potential will take more finesse but even in a handful of games, they proved beneficial for challenging the opponent and also for questing. This deck’s features make it easy to get characters with high lore value out on the board and make your opponent go on the defensive. It can go from low lore to high lore quickly to make a comeback, too.

Play this deck if you like to rely on a quest-heavy strategy. (Hi, it’s me).

Overall, the Rise of the Floodborn starter decks complement the existing game’s meta while introducing new possibilities. It delivers on expanding Lorcana’s story while bringing fresh characters and gorgeous new art.

Disney Lorcana: The Rise of the Floodborn will release first at local game stores on November 17. Mass market retailers follow on December 1. Get more information at the official Lorcana website.

Featured Image: Ravensburger

The post DISNEY LORCANA: RISE OF THE FLOODBORN Starter Decks Bring More Depth to the Game appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana shifted the world of trading card games (TCGs) with its release in August. Ravensburger’s first TCG celebrates all things Disney animation with thoughtful cards and gorgeous art—not to mention Lorcana‘s overall story. That story is expanding with the game’s second release, Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn. The upcoming set of cards builds upon The First Chapter. It brings in characters from other stories, new items, and of course, more songs. Today, Nerdist can exclusively reveal five Rise of the Floodborn song cards: Painting the Roses Red, Go the Distance, You Can Fly!, Let the Storm Rage On, and Strength of a Raging Fire. Those of you who favor a “Steelsong” deck are going to be pleased.

Disney Lorcana co-designer and game design manager for Ravensburger North America Steve Warner tells Nerdist choosing the song is a combined effort between the narrative and game design teams. The narrative team writes the story and selects which franchises to highlight for each set. Then, the game design team selects which songs to include based on that information.

Warner explains, “We usually create song designs from either a ‘bottom-up’ or ‘top-down’ approach. ‘Bottom-up’ is when we start with a mechanic that we want to bring into the game and then find the best song name or lyric from those highlighted stories to name it. ‘Top-down’ is sort of the opposite, where the songs or lyrics inspire the mechanics and cards we create.”

Click To View Gallery

The biggest factor in deciding the part of the song to use or its ink color is asking if it makes sense. “I’m not just talking about the song, or the lyrics used to name the card, but also things like whether the scene of the movie or its overall mood matches the mechanic or how it fits into the current set,” Warner says. “We also consider things like what franchise the song is from and even if we’ve done other cards from that song.”

For Rise of the Floodborn specifically, Warner says the Strength of a Raging Fire song card was an ah-ha moment for them. “We were rewatching Mulan for research and the moment we saw the iconic training scene from ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You,’ we knew exactly what we wanted the card to do.”

We can’t wait to play (and, let’s be real, sing) these new song cards when the second set arrives. Disney Lorcana: The Rise of the Floodborn will release first at local game stores on November 17. Mass market retailers follow on December 1. Get more information at the official website.

The post We Reveal 5 DISNEY LORCANA: RISE OF THE FLOODBORN Song Cards appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana debuted to huge success in August. Such huge success, in fact, getting hold of The First Chapter has been a challenge. Ravensburger recently announced it would be reprinting chapter one in 2024 to meet demand. That reprint will come after the game’s second set of 200 plus cards. And now we know more about that second set. Ravensburger has revealed details for what’s next for its Disney trading card game. Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn brings new characters, different starter decks, and the origin of the floodborn glimmers. Here’s how Disney Lorcana will expand.

What Are Disney Lorcana‘s Floodborn?

Glimmers with the floodborn trait are characters whom a mysterious flood of ink transformed. The same flood damaged the Great Illuminary. That caused the game’s six inks (Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Steel) to blend and release in a mixed-up, chaotic form. Ravensburger shared in a release, “When storyborn or dreamborn glimmers encountered this mixed ink, they surged with a power that changed them, transforming them into floodborn glimmers. As the magical ink poured out of the Illuminary, treasured lore went with it, including Disney’s King Triton’s powerful trident.”

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn New Characters and Cards

Click To View Gallery

Matching The First Chapter, Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn will have over 200 cards, all with brand-new artwork. We’ll see familiar characters in different ways, but this second Disney Lorcana set will also bring newcomers to the game. Winnie the Pooh and Tiana will both appear for the first time. Additionally, the set will include glimmers from The Jungle Book, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Great Mouse Detective, Pinocchio, Zootopia, and Raya and the Last Dragon.

All the new Disney Lorcana cards are playable with the first set. You can preview 13 of the cards above, and you may notice a different game ability: Resist. The Resist keyword indicates how much additional damage characters may be able to withstand. For example, Resist +2 on a character would mean any damage dealt to them is reduced by 2.

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn Starter Decks and Booster Packs

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn will include two starter decks featuring different combinations of inks from set one. The pairings this time are Amber and Sapphire and Amethyst and Steel. Starter decks will be priced at $16.99. Booster packs will cost $5.99.

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn Illumineer’s Trove and Playmats

The set will also feature a new Illumineer’s Trove and at least two new playmats, one featuring Winnie the Pooh and the other depicting the Beast. As a reminder, the Illumineer’s Trove includes collection storage box, two deck storage boxes, eight booster packs, 15 game tokens, and a player’s guide.

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn Release Date

Disney Lorcana: Rise of the Floodborn will release first at local game stores on November 17, followed by mass market retailers on December 1.

Disney Lorcana: Disney100 Edition

For the holidays, Ravensburger will release the Disney Lorcana: Disney100 Edition. Available at local game stores and mass retailers on December 1 for $49.99, the Disney100 Edition comes with six cards. The cards are from The First Chapter and Rise of the Floodborn but feature alternate artwork from Disney animators. Each card features an exclusive Disney100 frame design, a satin holographic foil finish, and a copy of the animator’s signature prominently displayed.

Artists featured include:

• Mickey Mouse – Friendly Face – Mark Henn
• Elsa – Gloves Off – Brittney Lee
• Genie – Powers Unleashed – Eric Goldberg
• Stitch – Abomination – Alex Kupershmidt
• Maleficent – Uninvited – Lorelay Bové
• Maui – Demigod – Bill Schwab

Each Disney100 Edition comes with four Rise of the Floodborn booster packs.

The post Ravensburger Reveals Details for Next DISNEY LORCANA Set appeared first on Nerdist.

Disney Lorcana brings Disney animation to the world of trading card games. Perfect for fans of Disney’s animated films and trading card game beginners, Disney Lorcana is about to become your new personality. The cards are beautiful and collectible with abilities that bring Disney storytelling to the table in moments that will make you nod and say, “Yes, of course.” Gameplay flows quickly, making it all too easy to play just one more game. Nerdist spent some quality time with an early review copy of Disney Lorcana from Ravensburger. For context: I played the game with two players, I’m a huge fan of Disney animation, and while I play a lot of tabletop games, I’m not super experienced with trading card games (the only one I’ve played for any amount of time is Star Wars: Destiny).

What Is Disney Lorcana About?

In Disney Lorcana, the player is an Illumineer. Players must protect Lorcana by using magical ink to play glimmers. To win, players race to collect 20 lore. Questing for lore will win the game, but players can challenge their opponents along the way.

Is It Easy to Learn Disney Lorcana?

Despite needing to learn the above terminology, getting started with Lorcana is so quick and straightforward that it feels like a trick. I’m all too used to playing games that take 20-30 minutes to review the instructions for the first time and set up the board. With Disney Lorcana, we were ready to play in 15 minutes with only minimal fumbling through the first round of play. However, I wouldn’t call the first game (or even the first few) skillful. You play, learn, and refine as you go. Initially, I focused on gaining lore as quickly as possible—which is good, gathering 20 lore first is how you win—but I did so at the expense of paying attention to my opponent’s lore and cards in play.

Lorcana is a game about balance. Strategy comes with practice and getting to know your cards. The approach that works best for you will be subjective. After playing 10 times, I’m still figuring out the nuance of when to turn cards to ink and when to hang onto them and when to challenge and when to quest for lore.

What’s Disney Lorcana’s Replayability Like?

The more practice you get, the faster Lorcana games go. It’s easy to fit games into your schedule or to sit down for a best two out of three. And you’ll want to. I’ve played at least once every day for the past week, and I don’t see that changing. And once booster packs are out and I can build my own deck? Forget about it. The combination of gorgeous Disney art, honing my technique, and wanting to play as many of the cards as possible keeps me coming back again and again.

Which Disney Lorcana Starter Deck Is Best?

I gave mostly equal time to Lorcana’s three starter decks: Amber and Amethyst, Emerald and Ruby, and Sapphire and Steel. These decks come ready to play with different strengths. Amber and Amethyst “likes to quest early and often.” Emerald and Ruby “is especially good at delaying your opponents’ progress early on.” Sapphire and Steel “is great at quickly increasing the amount of ink in your inkwell.”

Those descriptions from the quick-start rules for each deck proved true. While I cannot tell you which Lorcana starter deck is best, because they’re weighted equally, if in different ways, and much depends on luck of the draw, I can tell you about the play styles and which I enjoyed the most. I am not taking into account which characters are in which deck; I would never be able to choose.

Amber and Amethyst has plenty of characters with a low ink cost. You can play characters quickly and start questing for lore early. Those low-cost characters are easy prey, but numbers matter, as does having options. This deck is my personal preference because I like getting cards into play as early as I can. You can defend with this deck, but it’s gentler than the other two.

If you are an aggressive and sneaky strategist, Emerald and Ruby is for you. This deck has strong cards in all categories, ideal for dealing damage to your opponents. This does not match my playstyle, however. I struggled anytime I tried the Emerald and Ruby deck, while my opponent flourished with it.

Sapphire and Steel has some sharp offensive cards too, but it’s with more brute force than Emerald and Ruby. Cards in different categories help you fill up your inkwell, which means you can put your more powerful characters into play. These high-cost characters can challenge repeatedly before other characters drain their willpower and banish them. Despite that, Sapphire and Steel feels like a kinder deck than Emerald and Ruby. It’s my second favorite since it occupies a middle ground between the other two decks.

I haven’t tried mixing and matching other combinations of two inks yet (you can have up to two ink colors in a deck).

Disney Lorcana’s Design

The first thing I did with my decks was look through every card because I needed to see the art. Some characters, items, and songs look right out of the animated films they come from. Other cards look from the world of the animated films but with some extra zhuzh. All the card illustrations are lovely. Ravensburger includes the artist’s name on each card so you can look up your favorites online. Each card’s mechanics complement the character, item, or action. I am consistently impressed with the thoughtfulness applied to Lorcana’s cards.

The only element I found lacking is the paper playmat that comes with the starter decks. This is what you use to place your cards and track your lore. It gets the job done. I understand it needs to fit in the starter deck packaging, but its nature meant I accidentally slid my lore tracker around. However, a d20 easily solves this, as does the Lorcana app (which was not live at the time of review).

Is Disney Lorcana Worth It?

If you are a trading card game fan and especially if you are a Disney animation fan, Disney Lorcana is absolutely worth it—especially with starter decks costing $16.99. It’s quick to set up, easy to learn the basics, and then continues to challenge you as you develop your skills.

The first set of over 200 cards, Disney Lorcana: The First Chapter, debuts August 18, 2023 at local game stores and Disney Parks. The game then arrives in mass retailers and on shopDisney on September 1.

The post DISNEY LORCANA Is About to Become Your New Personality appeared first on Nerdist.

Ravensburger’s Disney Lorcana brings the world of Disney to the arena of trading card games. Featuring characters and items you know and love from your favorite Disney animated films, Lorcana takes players to familiar places in a new style. The game’s story unfolds in a unique setting. It positions players as Illumineers who must bring together elements from the Great Illuminary to protect Lorcana. This includes glimmers, new versions of Disney characters that exist only in this world. Blending decades of Disney nostalgia in this different framework takes a deft hand. The Lorcana creative team, all fans of Disney animation, has that awareness, as Nerdist learned when we went behind the scenes of Disney Lorcana‘s art.

“From the beginning we had a clear vision of a cohesive art style for the majority of our cards that we call ‘modern storybook.’ It’s an illustration style inspired by the work of some of our premier and featured artists in the first set,” Ravensburger creative director Shane Hartley tells Nerdist. “Since our glimmers come from Disney stories past and present, the illustrations needed to feel nostalgic but not old, familiar but original and exciting. The modern storybook style we developed has visible line work to align with animation as well as vibrant color washes that purposely break those lines, making each image come alive. It mixes the traditional hand drawn and painted attributes seen in fairy tale storybooks with new digital techniques.”

The modern storybook style establishes a distinct look for Lorcana‘s art, and additionally, design pillars feature in the designs—literally. They used pillars to tell part of the story. The booster packaging has a large pillar, or column, beside the character. Hartley notes those are ink columns from an inkcasting room inside the Great Illuminary. The character you see is a glimmer emerging from magic ink. “So, the pillars not only create a branding element to frame the characters on the packaging. They also provide a visual representation of how glimmers are created in Lorcana using magical ink,” Hartley explains.

Lorcana‘s many elements from packaging to cards to character design connect to make an expansive -wo.rld. For example, the “o” in the Lorcana logo, is the Illuminary’s silhouette. The outer ring shows how each of the six magical inks converge on a story star in the center. That reinforces the creation story of glimmers.

The magical inks play a key role in the game. As an Illumineer, players use an inkcaster to summon glimmers. Hartley says designing the six ink icons of Lorcana was a huge team effort. They began by gathering references and mood board visuals that evoked the traits reflected in each ink’s play style. “It’s important to note that in addition to each ink having its own personality and traits, they all include glimmers of both heroes and villains, so it’s not just a matter of good and evil,” Hartley says.

He calls Lorcana’s inks the building blocks, or periodic table, of the world. Hartley says, “It was important to create icons that looked like a family, ones that were unified in shape and visuals as well as working individually. They also needed to work in different combinations, since you can have two inks in a deck. Very early on we landed on using a hexagon as a container for the icon, with its six sides representing the game’s six inks. This also felt complementary to the game’s logo design, which we decided on first.”

Hartley shared in-depth information about each of the glimmer’s characteristics:

• Amber glimmers are purposeful, patient and dedicated.  They often work within their community, so the icon was inspired by knots and weaving to illustrate the strength found by working together. The whole is greater than the individual.
• Amethyst glimmers are incredibly powerful and use otherworldly powers and arcane abilities to achieve their goals. Amethyst was probably the first icon we did and were happy with, although it was also tricky. Our first iterations of this icon leant itself more to villains, which isn’t an accurate representation of the inks. It took some work to get to a version that looked good for heroes, too.
• Emerald glimmers are flexible and can easily adapt as things change. I think this icon took the longest to develop, as it was difficult to create a visual of something that felt like it was elegantly bobbing, weaving and diving—but in a flat 2D shape.
• Steel glimmers are strong and can be large, armored, or just plain powerful. The idea of a defensive fortress is something we had very quickly, but the refinement actually took a while, as we wanted to make sure it was also a symbol of strength and force.
• Ruby glimmers are daring; this is the ink of the speedsters, the brave and the risk-takers. We purposely created an asymmetrical design for this icon to show how these glimmers leap right into action.
• Sapphire represents glimmers who are intelligent, strategic and inventive; these are the thinkers, planners, and creators in Lorcana. This icon has elements of an eye and sacred geometry.

The inks connect to another important part of Lorcana: the Great Illuminary. The Great Illumnairy holds the inkcasting station. Concept artists tried several designs to create an aesthetic informed by magic and science that felt timeless. Hartley adds, “We wanted the Great Illuminary to feel almost like it was alive, or an autonomous machine.  The top is similar to a lightning rod and is designed to draw the story stars into it, pulling them through the top and down through the center before projecting them to the inkcasting stations. The gold and bronze outer shell of the magical sphere has openings and separations that mysteriously reveal the vast inner workings.”

The design team “powered” the Illuminary structure with flowing lines, or grooves. Those serve as the conduits for the power of the inks to travel throughout the Illuminary.

As Hartley mentions, creating the look of Lorcana was a collaborative effort. We can exclusively reveal four cards today from three of the artists who created card illustrations for the first set: Nicholas Kole, Koni, a.k.a. Amandine Girard, and Hedvig Häggman-Sund. All are fans of Disney, citing the films and characters as inspiration. Kole says, “I was a musical theater kid in high school; I have an encyclopedic Disney music library in my head. Any time I get a Disney Lorcana assignment I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll have that movie’s soundtrack stuck in my head until I move on to the next card. That emotional connection to the source material is pretty potent stuff; each illustration feels connected to a whole world of art and music and memories.”

Calling back to those memories can enhance the art, too. Koni mentioned working on her favorite characters takes her back to childhood and that makes the characters more alive. The creative process then becomes more personal.

Disney artists like Jin Kim, Cory Loftis and James Baxter inspire Häggman-Sund. Koni looks to the color work and atmospheres in films like Coco. She also calls out the overall creative process it takes to bring Disney films to life. Kole is a huge fan of Milt Kahl, Shiyoon Kim, Ami Thompson, and also Cory Loftis. Kole says, “They’re all incredible commanders of line and shape, but more than that, I can feel loads of heart and sincerity coming through their work and that’s what draws me to the artists I remember forever.”

Speaking to inspiration for Disney Lorcana‘s art, Hartley says, “For me and for the team, it’s important to stay true to the origins of the stories and the personalities of the characters but then expand upon that in new and exciting ways. The last thing we want to do is something that feels inauthentic for a character or their personality. We look at elements of a character’s story and iconic moments, their clothing, their regions, and even the cultural themes and time periods represented and explore how these characters might adapt or be reinvented in this new world. Just like the Illumineers in the game who are casting these glimmers, we’re creating new and familiar versions that feel true to the Lorcana realm and to join us on our quest.”

Disney Lorcana will be available at hobby stores and Disney Parks on August 18. It will be available at mass retail and shopDisney on September 1. Learn more at Ravensburger’s site.

The post We Go Behind the Scenes of DISNEY LORCANA’s Art Design appeared first on Nerdist.

Who needs Magic when you’ve got the Force? The galaxy far, far away is expanding into a yet another themed trading card game with Fantasy Flight Games’ Star Wars: Unlimited. According to the company, the new Star Wars TCG will feature the most iconic heroes, villains, ships, and settings from the franchise. These would cover movies, TV series, comics, video games, and everything in between. Each card will feature newly commissioned art, too.

Star Wars: Unlimited First Look at Trading Cards, Artwork, and Gameplay

More recently, Star Wars: Unlimited also revealed a first look at some of the cards. We love our glimpse of these new Star Wars trading cards. The artwork in Star Wars: Unlimited is absolutely amazing.

But how do we actually play this game? The official gameplay description for Star Wars: Unlimited reads, “In this game, you build a deck using cards you acquire from randomized booster packs, and each of those cards has different strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. The game is called “Unlimited” for a reason; with over 200 cards in the first set—Spark of Rebellion—alone, there are countless strategies and combinations just waiting to be discovered. Choose your leader, build your deck, expand your collection, and launch yourself into a galaxy of unlimited potential!”

The game’s goal? To destroy your opponent’s base before they destroy yours. But how you do it is totally up to you. For now, “all you need to know is that your deck consists of cards that you draw and play, your leader, and your base.” And “Each round consists of you and your opponent alternating back and forth, performing a single action each turn.” Basically, anything you do in the game is considered an action, and that includes “playing a card, attacking with a unit, activating an ability, etc.” Knowing which action to use when is a huge part of your strategy. And, of course, you never know what your opponents will do.

You’ll also play on two separate fronts in Star Wars: Unlimited: the ground arena and the space arena. Different cards have different impacts on these spaces. Some of your most powerful cards are your leader cards. No surprise, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader are two such cards.

That’s what we know for now, but more gameplay details for Star Wars: Unlimited will release soon.

Star Wars: Unlimited Synopsis

Fantasy Flight Games states:

Star Wars: Unlimited is a fast-paced, dynamic game that is both easy to learn and strategically deep. The robust development of the game has been underway for the past three years, and fans can look forward to a regular release schedule of three sets per year. Fully integrated into the entire experience, Organized Play has been designed alongside the game from the beginning and will be ready on day one. From weekly store-level community experiences to worldwide large-scale events, there will be something for gamers of all levels

Wizards of the Coast released a Star Wars trading card game back in the early 2000s—a game many fans have fond memories of playing. That game lasted until about 2005, with the theatrical release of Revenge of the Sith. Fantasy Flight Games launched Star Wars: Destiny back in 2016. That one ultimately—and unfortunately—had a very short run. And there were others. Hopefully, Star Wars: Unlimited fires on all thrusters, and delivers the Star Wars TCG that fans have been waiting for. Star Wars: Unlimited will go into hyperspace and launch globally in 2024. Its first set will be called  Spark of Rebellion. But since that’s a bit in the future, we’ll have to make do with Disney Lorcana.

Originally published on May 10, 2023.

The post STAR WARS: UNLIMITED TCG Reveals First Look at Cards and Gameplay appeared first on Nerdist.

A huge fan of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game has taken duels to the next level, even the next dimension. He created an augmented reality version that places a 3D version of each character on their card. The monsters even poster and attack on command. The video below from YouTuber SuperZouloux shows off the build, which required learning how to code, designing a custom electronic mat, and installing chips in 3,600 Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. For a game that’s been popular for over 20 years, this is an advancement worth celebrating, even if for now it’s in just one guy’s game room in France.

We learned about this inventive build on Kotaku. Augmented reality trading card games are undoubtedly an idea many people have thought would be an amazing technological feat. It’s impressive that this guy and his team of helpers pulled it off. While the video above has English subtitles, the one below does not. It’s of the first duel played on the new AR system, so it’s possible to understand what is going on even if you don’t speak French.  

While it may not be the most popular anime, clearly the Yu-Gi-Oh! fanbase is still going strong. The SuperZouloux YouTube channel is dedicated exclusively to the game. The video detailing the build has nearly 250,000 views in only a few days. And with his enthusiasm and obvious delight at the new technology, we’re sure there are new followers loving his work.

This AR game definitely reminds us of Dejarik, the 3D holographic chess game from Star Wars. And while no one has made a real-life version of that game yet, clearly the technology exists now. We’d love to see that next.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post Augmented Reality YU-GI-OH! Brings Duels Into 3D appeared first on Nerdist.

In August 1993, Magic: The Gathering became the first modern trading card game. It has stayed relevant over the intervening decades with crossovers like Fortnite, Street Fighter, and Stranger Things. But the classic cards also hold a lot of nostalgia. Knowing this, Wizards of the Coast is releasing the 30th Anniversary Edition beginning November 28, 2022. The set, modeled after the Limited Edition Beta cards, will sell for $999. And even though the cards can’t be used in sanctioned tournaments, the image gallery of artwork is enough to tempt any Magic fan.  

According to the publisher: “Each display of 30th Anniversary Edition will contain four packs of pure nostalgia reimagined in a modern context. Each pack contains 15 cards, 13 cards in the modern frame—1 rare, 3 uncommons, 7 commons, and 2 basic lands—plus one basic land in the retro frame, one additional retro frame card, and a token.” 

The set will also be a limited edition, like the early releases with black borders and pointed edges that are coveted by collectors. Black Lotus cards may continue their reign as the ultimate find. Each of the 30th Anniversary cards has that special artwork on the back at least.

Wizards of the Coast are planning lots of other sets and special releases in the next year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Magic: The Gathering, including a Lord of the Rings mashup. Proving it’s never too late to get into Magic, there’s even Bob Ross paintings on some cards. Netlfix also announced an animated series coming soon. Thirty years later and the magic of Magic is still going strong. 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post MAGIC: THE GATHERING Celebrates 30 Years with $999 Set appeared first on Nerdist.

Pokémon is the world’s most popular trading card game, inspiring fanatics around the world. A video showing the making of the cards is a rare look at the process from start to finish. Who knew so many people and steps are involved? It starts with spreadsheets, artwork, and editors making sure everything is correct. Then there’s designing the packaging, the logo, and the naming. The printing process requires color checks, foil lamination, and cutting. And people have to sign off on things at every step along the way. It’s a lot of work for small pieces of paper, but Pokémon fans have long known that the cards are much more than that.

We learned about the video on Kotaku. Apparently it was intended as an internal video for employees of The Pokémon Company and the printing shop. Luckily they knew better than to include any proprietary information in it that could help forgers make better cards. Highlights from the assembly line video include seeing discarded names for the “Ultra Prism” set. It could have been “Prismatic Parallels” or “Prism Prison,” among many other options.

The massive printing press can make 26.62 million cards per day. The video ends with a shot of the warehouse, stacked deep with those millions of Pokémon cards ready for shipping. It gives real arc of the covenant vibes from Indiana Jones. Indeed, something valuable is hiding among all those boxes.

Millions of people around the world covet Pokémon cards. When McDonalds included them in Happy Meals, things quickly got out of hand. A rare Pikachu card recently sold at auction for $900,000.

Featured Image: PokeBeach

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post See How POKÉMON Cards Are Designed and Made appeared first on Nerdist.

Hi! You may remember me from the Shadows Over Innistrad preview article right here at Geek & Sundry a few months back. I’m here to talk about two cards from June’s hot Eternal Masters premium Magic: The Gathering reprint set. Eternal Masters will contain cards from throughout Magic’s history, with a focus on cards that haven’t been reprinted in a long time and cards that have never had a premium foil version before. Each pack will have a guaranteed foil card of any rarity, as well as the usual commons, uncommons, and a rare or mythic rare.

There are two green cards in particular that I’m focusing on from Eternal Masters. Two cards that are better than rare, especially in a draft or sealed format.

What? Why is a green common and uncommon better than rare? Because they’re amazing bombs in draft play that are often picked first ahead of many rares and even mythic rares. What makes them better than rare is you might see them multiple times per draft, and each copy in your deck makes your deck’s engine hum even louder.

That’s right, I’m talking about Rancor and Llanowar Elves.

Rancor

Ah, Rancor. This little Enchantment has always seen a ton of play across multiple formats. This card once cost 1 and a green (two mana altogether) in development in its original set, Urza’s Legacy, but a mishap caused it to be printed with just one green symbol and no number, and it was left that way. Rancor even came back in Magic 2013 since then. In the Modern format, where every regular expansion set from 8th Edition onward is legal, Rancor sees quite a bit of play in “Bogles,” a deck based around small creatures with many enchantments that have Hexproof, so they can’t be targeted by the opponent.

Other than the big power boost and cheap cost, Rancor is special in that it often returns to the owner’s hand after the creature or the enchantment dies. If the Rancor is countered, or the creature it’s targeting is killed while Rancor is on the stack, Rancor will still go the graveyard; otherwise, it’ll bounce back to your hand to be cast again later. A well-timed Rancor will often be seen multiple times per game, giving that boost to Power and the all-important Trample keyword to whatever creature it’s on.

Llanowar Elves

Llanowar Elves. Fyndhorn Elves. Elvish Mystic. Whatever name this card has been printed under, this unassuming 1-mana creature that taps for a green mana has been around since the beginning of Magic, and it’s always been incredibly powerful. So much so that the Magic developers have sworn off “mana dorks” that cost 1 in the Standard format, because they accelerate the player to 3 mana on turn 2 a large percentage of the time. Like Rancor above, Llanowar Elves is a first pick in limited formats. In Modern and Legacy constructed play, players will often stick to the far more versatile Noble Hierarch, but Modern Elves runs a full four copies alongside their many other inexpensive Elves.

Pick Green!

If you’re planning to play in any Eternal Masters events (assuming your local store runs any), and you open either Rancor or Llanowar Elves, odds are you’re going to be playing green. And with two cheap, powerful spells like this one, you’ll already be accelerating well past the opponent. And isn’t that what you want to be doing as a green mage in a game of Magic: The Gathering?

Image Credits: Wizards of the Coast

Feature Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast

The post These Magic: The Gathering ‘Eternal Masters’ Cards are Better than Rare appeared first on Nerdist.

Collectible, customizable, and trading card games (CCGs and TCGs respectively) have been around for years now. I got my first taste during the boom in the mid-nineties between Magic: The Gathering’s original rise and Pokémon TCG’s campaign for dominance. I marveled at all the captivating artwork in my hands and the seemingly endless possibilities when it came to battling my opponents.

But Magic and Pokémon weren’t the only players on the block. Other companies jumped on the bandwagon, attempting to launch their own games based on geeky properties that were hot at the time. Many of these games lasted only a handful of expansions or less before the bubble burst in the early 2000s. With through the wonders of eBay and a few mom and pop dealers lurking online, it’s still possible to play most of the games of yesteryear. Here are five games worth digging up and playing today.

The X-Files CCG (Voyager Promotions)

Released at the height of The X-Files craze, The X-Files Collectible Card Game allowed two players to square off as their favorite FBI agents. Covering the events from the first three seasons, the goal is to discover which x-file your opponent is hiding from you. The game plays like a spookier version of twenty questions as you attempt to narrow down whether the other player has a file on something like Tooms, the Arctic worm, or that creepy computer from “Ghost In The Machine.” The X-Files CCG is perfect for X-Files fans looking to participate in the adventures of Mulder and Scully or for anyone that wants to try a game that focuses less on battles and more on detective work and problem-solving.

Young Jedi CCG (Decipher, Inc.)

I’m right in the sweet spot to feel a little nostalgic for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The podracing game for Nintendo 64 and the Young Jedi Collectible Card Game are two big reasons. The original Star Wars CCG made by Decipher is a thorough and complex game that has a steep learning curve. The Young Jedi CCG was the company’s attempt to appeal to the Pokémon crowd, but with a Star Wars veneer. You and your opponent battle over control of several planets using your favorite characters and weapons from the first Star Wars prequel (no one can defeat my Gungan army). Gameplay is relatively simple, so it’s easy to get the hang of quickly. The Young Jedi CCG is for anyone who wants to play in the Star Wars universe without getting bogged down by lots of rules and preparation. Now this is podracing!

Tomb Raider CCG (Precedence Entertainment)

Based on the original PlayStation video game, the Tomb Raider Collectible Card Game can be played solo or with friends. You play as your favorite tomb raider (but who isn’t going to be Lara Croft?) and build dungeons to quest for ancient relics. When playing with up to three other players, you can lay traps and other obstacles to try and prevent them from beating you to the treasure. If you have warm feelings for the original Tomb Raider video games, the Tomb Raider CCG features lots of great art from the polygon days. For anyone looking for a solo card game experience, this is the perfect chance to adventure on your own.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer CCG (Score Entertainment)

Slay vampires and other demons with the kids from Sunnydale in the Buffy The Vampire Slayer Collectible Card Game. Two players battle for dominance over the city as either heroes and companions or villians and minions. Use your favorite characters from the show like Willow or Buffy (sorry Xander) to face challenges and each other. Whomever maintains control of Sunnydale for six turns (or be first to get ten destiny points) wins. The Buffy CCG is for former nineties goth kids and Buffy fans obviously, but it’s a neat game for anyone familiar with board game mechanics desiring an experience with a bit more customization.

X-Men TCG (Wizards Of The Coast)

Part of a big tie-in with the Bryan Singer-directed film of the same name, The X-Men Trading Card Game is basically a variant on the Pokémon Trading Card Game. What Marvel or X-Men fan wouldn’t want to construct a team featuring their favorite mutants doing battle with each other!? Though it only lasted one set before being canceled, the game is a breeze to pick up and play and features unique artwork that attempted to blend the gritty aesthetic of the films with X-Men’s comic book roots. Build your best team and let’s battle!

Let us know in comments if there are any other trading or collectible card games you are playing! Did you play any of these games back in the day? What franchises do you want to see turned into a card game?

Photo Credits: Steven Ray Morris

The post 5 Out-of-Print Collectible Card Games Worth Checking Out appeared first on Nerdist.