5 Best Games Like Magic: The Gathering Arena

Magic: The Gathering is widely regarded as one of the best trading card games ever created. The card game's digital counterpart, Magic: The Gathering Arena, is partly responsible for the card game's popularity and longevity. This more user-friendly and accessible version has made learning the game easier than ever. As a result, many people are getting into it, and if so are you, it's worth taking a look at the five best games like Magic: The Gathering Arena on this list.

Because, like Magic, many other card games have jumped on the mobile and digital bandwagon. However, because Magic is widely regarded as one of the most difficult card games to learn, the games on this list are much easier to wrap your head around. But that doesn't mean the card games on this list aren't complex in their own right. Each one has its own concept, characters, and rules for how to play the game. All of which have parallels with Magic: The Gathering Arena. So let's see what's in store.

5. The Elder Scrolls: Legends

If you've played any of the Elder Scrolls video game series games, such as Oblivion or Skyrim, to name a few, you'll probably enjoy The Elder Scrolls: Legends, which is based on the Elder Scrolls series lore. This turn-based mobile card game includes a story-driven campaign, as well as competitive online matches, all with Elder Scrolls-themed cards. Which, as you might expect, includes a plethora of different characters and spells in its hand-crafted deck builder.

The goal of the game is simple; players begin with 30 health and a deck of 50-70 cards. Cards are played with Magica points, and each card has its own set of health and attack points, as well as special abilities that activate when placed on the table. This also includes equipment and magic cards that can be used to pair with and boost other cards. This, like Magic: The Gathering Arena, requires a lot of card and deck composition. Then, one card at a time, players fight to get their opponent's health down to zero.

4. Gwent: The Witcher Card Game

More of a Witcher series gamer than Elder Scrolls? Perfect there's a card game for it too, known as Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. Like the series itself, this card game highlights skill rather than luck to come out on top. You begin by selecting a faction, as each one represents a distinct playstyle with its own set of cards. Then you customize a deck of 25 cards and begin with 10 in your hand. There are two card rows, one for melee and one for range.

The catch is that you can play any card in your hand right from the start since there's no mana or magic cost. This means you have to decide if you want to come out swinging or save your best cards for later. The goal is to score more points than your opponents in a round by winning card fights and gaining control of the board. The person with the most points at the end of the round wins. The winner of the game is the first to two rounds, so it's a best-of-three series. The highlight of Gwent: The Witcher Card Game is undoubtedly its various factions which bring a compelling learning curve when it comes to game strategy.

3. Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel

It's difficult not to include Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel in this list of the best games like Magic: The Gathering Arena because it, too, has been ranked alongside Magic as “one of the best trading card games of all time” and went through a similar transition to offer a digital version of itself. Originally a trading card game, Yu-Gi-Oh!, has been adapted for online and mobile play with Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. This adds to its fun because in this online version, the cards you play come to life on-screen.

Given that Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel contains over, a jaw-dropping, 10,000 cards, this feature never gets old. All of these cards, of course, are based on the original trading card game. Which, if you collected them as a child, should bring back some pleasant memories. Or, equally, the case if you watched the TV Series. Nonetheless, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is one of our top recommendations if you enjoy Magic: The Gathering Arena.

2. Legends of Runeterra

Legends of Runeterra is one digital card game that quickly gained popularity since its release in 2020. The reason for this is obvious: it is based on League of Legends (LoL), one of the most popular and well-known MOBA games of all time. It's safe to assume you've heard of it, and whether you like it or not, it's worth checking out its online card game counterpart, Legends of Runeterra. As it's less rage-inducing than most people know LoL to be.

Following a pretty common structure, you play cards using mana points to widdle down your opponent's health. There are different types of cards, like Allies, which act just as creature cards in Magic: The Gathering Arena. They come with attack and health values and you can use spell cards to boost them. The best part, of course, is that these Allie cards are based on the LoL lore, so you'll see many similar faces to the ones you play as in the MOBA.

1. Hearthstone

When it comes to online card games, no one is more well-known than Hearthstone. As a result, it's our number one pick for the best online card game like Magic: The Gathering Arena. Developed by Blizzard, Hearthstone was made to be an online card game based on the World of Warcraft series. Hence why it's subtitled as “Heroes of Warcraft”, and evidence as to why it's one of the most popular online card games out there – even almost a decade after its release.

Hearthstone plays very similar to Magic and other games on this list, such as Legends of Runeterra, in that you play cards with mana points and try to be the first to reduce your opponent's health to zero. However, that is much easier said than done, and victory will require a lot of strategies and a little bit of luck. Nonetheless, it has a lot of tactics and composition, which makes building decks for its various classes all the more intriguing.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Are there other games like Magic: The Gathering Arena that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!