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I was a big Magic the Gathering player back when it first started. I’d do tournaments, spend hours tweaking decks, pay more than I could afford on boxes of the latest expansion… you name it. Even though my obsession gave way to other interests once I got into college, I don’t think I ever lost the desire to get back into my old hobby. But, as anyone who has played could tell you, getting back into Magic can sometimes be a hassle – especially since the game’s revamp and the fact that most of my collection is now considered illegal in most tournaments. But, things are looking up.
One of the few surprises at PAX 08, at least for me, was an early working demo of Magic the Gathering for XBLA. For all intents and purposes, Magic the Gathering looks and plays just like the paper version of the game, only now your cards are digital. The game works you through each of the game phases and though the timing was a little hard to grasp, mostly due to the timed “Interrupt” system, otherwise it worked great.
Compared to the paper game, the XBLA version places a greater emphasis on decks rather than individual cards. As you play through the game, you’ll unlock new decks similar to the themed starter decks you can buy in stores. For my session, I was given an all-white speed deck that was really effective – especially against the all-green deck I was pitted against that couldn’t seem to get things going. Once you unlock a new deck, you can use it as is or combine it with other decks to create your own. I didn’t get to see the deck creation aspects in action, but judging from the number of decks that scrolled up on the screen, there should be loads of options for players.
The XBLA version of Magic the Gathering was still early and nowhere near final release, but even in its early state, I was immediately hooked and were it not for all the other people wanting a shot, I could have easily spent a day playing. |
