It isn't hard to find card games, but the best card games? Now, that's a different matter. The shelves creak beneath the weight of choice, and that'🅠s before we'v🉐e gotten anywhere near trading card games.
That's why the GamesRadar+ team and I are here to help. We've spent years testing and playing the best card games, so have rounded up some suggestions here to suit any budget, age, or skill-level. These recommendations have been decided by personal experience as well, so you'll never find𝓰 us recommending something we wouldn't want to spend money on ourselves. In our opinion, these really are the best card games.
Easy to understand, hard to master, and wonderfully moreish - that's what makes Jaipur such an essential part of any collection. We can't recommend it enough.
There's a reason why MTG has been around for more than 30 years; it's excellent. It can be difficult to get into though, so this excellent starter set has our vote.
Pokemon has always been a good fit for the trading card game format, and it's just as good now as it was decades ago. It's still a must-have for all ages, but it's catnip for kids in particular.
If you want something a little deeper for all the family, this is great - it's accessible and streamlined, yet deeply tactical. It's also the perfect introduction to trading card games.
Skull is straightforward, but devilish. It's all about tricking your opponents and bluffing them into losing, so fans of deception games will really vibe with this one.
This story-heavy game is set in the depths of the H.P. Lovecraft universe, so unsettling terrors are order of the day. It's a great strategy offering too.
If you're having a get-together with friends, this is perfect - it's utterly hilarious. Although we'd point out that it's very much an 18+ game, it's smarter and less mean than other, similar titles.
Shopping for something you or your children can play on vacation? This is perfect. Besides a short run-time and its rules being very straightforward, Sushi Go is endlessly replayable.
Short on time? This delightfully weird card game is just what you need. Its short run-time and fast-paced gameplay make it a great fit as a warm-up or casual game.
With more than 30 years under its belt, Magic: The Gathering (or MTG) is practically a household name when it comes to trading card games. It's arguably one of the best, too; the old timer's blend of strategy and worldbuilding has earned it a dedicated fanbase since the 1990s. However, it's got something of a starter set problem. The official beginner boxes aren't easy to get your head around🍨, and they often feel rather hodgepodge as well – each deck is made up of cards drawn from across the last few sets.
That's why MTG's Lord of the Rings starter kit is the one we'd recommend getting first. To be honest, it's not even a contest; the instructions are much clearer, the theme is an easy elevator pitch (everyone has some understanding of Tolkien's story at 𒉰the very least), and the decks are more coherent because they bring ♎together the Free Peoples or Sauron's armies.
While the f🍎ormer is a welcome change (last year's official MTG starter set was oddly vague), it's the latter that makes this a contender for inclusion with the best card games. Besides utterly gorgeous artwork that provides a unique spin on iconic characters, those cards don't appear anywhere else; these versions are exclusive. That makes the decks feel more considered, and special.
If you'🎶re new to Magic, we'd recommend trying this as a result.
Best card games - for kids
(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)
3. Pokemon Battle Academy
Gotta catch 'em all
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 2
Ages: 6+
Complexity: Moderate
Lasts: 60 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Accessible
+
Steady drip-feed of rules
+
Compatible with the full TCG
Reasons to avoid
-
Potential for uneven matches
-
Decks aren't the most exciting
For many of us, Pokemon Battle Academy will be a time capsule of our childhood. As an entry-point to the classic Pokemon Trading Card Game, it thrives on nostalgia for a hobby that's been e𝕴njoyed worldwide since 1996. And to be honest, it's never been easier to get into than via this starter set – particularly if you're a younger fan.
Providing everything you need to get going with easy-to-follow rules and fan-favorite Pokemon, Battle Academy is the perfect way of easing yourself into the TCG no matter whether you're a lapsed fa꧋n or a greenhorn. More specifically, it drip-feeds rules exactly when you're ready to hear them, so kids and adults ꦬboth won't be overwhelmed.
If this is your first time battling Pokemon, here's how it works; you start by choosing an active monster who'll be attacking your opponent, while others stay in reserve. You'll then atꦗtach Energy cards to your Pokemon each turn, powering their list of moves. But beware: certain attacks need different amounts of Energy, so you've got to judge when and where to use them before your Pokemon is knocked out. Can you save up enough Energy ahead of your rival's assault? Either way, the winner is the first person to defeat a certain number of Pokemon.
It's a com꧑pelling, uncomplicated ﷽formula that supports one of the best card games of the last few decades. After a few matches, you – like us – will be rushing out to build your own Pokemon TCG decks.
Best card games - for families
(Image credit: Benjamin Abbott)
4. Disney Lorcana
A magical new game
Reasons to buy
+
A great way to learn the ropes
+
Doesn't require lots of strategizing
+
Beautiful artwork
Reasons to avoid
-
Not as deep as MTG or Pokemon
-
If you don't like Disney, it won't appeal
It's a tough sell breaking into the trading card game market, particularly with the likes of Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon out there... but Disney Lorcana managed it.
That in itself explains why this should be considered as one of the best card games. Having exploded onto the✃ scene a couple of years back in 2023, it obliterated expectations and became wildly popular with TCG players and Disney fans alike🗹. Now we're on the latest set of many, and that hype train isn't slowing down.
I understand the hype, honestly. This game sits in the Goldilocks zone of bein𝓡g incredibly accessible (instead of piling changes on top of the core rules until it's borderline incomprehensible, any wrinkles are introduced via the cards themselves), yet deep enough to keep veterans hooked.
Naturally, Lorcana starring some of the world's most beloved characters doesn't hurt its appeal. Mickey Mouse, Moana, and the rest are here with original artwork pulled from their stories… or with a fresh twist. These are dow൩nright beautiful, so the game will appeal even if you just want to collect those cards.
Although you can kick off via the single-person starter decks and battle with family or friends that way, I'd r♑ecommend grabbing the Gateway box set instead. This is designed for two and will walk you thro🍨ugh the rules step by step.
Best card games - bluffing
(Image credit: Asmodee)
5. Skull
A ghoulishly good time
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 3 - 6
Ages: 14+
Complexity: Low
Lasts: 30 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Easy to get into
+
Simple but elegant rules
+
Doesn't take ages to play
Reasons to avoid
-
Doesn't have loads of depth
-
Players can be knocked out of the game
Skull is remarkably simple… and remarkab👍ly moreish. This game of deception has quickly become one of our go-tos when friends come round, largely because it's easy to explain but still gripping. While it's not a traditional card game (its car💟ds are circular, for a start), it can rival the very best in terms of appeal.
Each player begins with what is essentially a fancy coa🥂ster and a handful of cards. Most of these depict a flower, but the final one? That's a skull, illustrated in different styles from around the world. At the beginning of every turn, you secretly place a facedown card – either a flower or skull – onto your coaster or make a 'bid.' Bidding sees you make a guess at how many cards around the table you can turn over without getting a skull. Unless someone ups that bid𓂃, you then reveal your own facedown cards before deciding which of your rivals' cards you'll pick. Did you guess that there were five flower cards around the table? Reveal five flowers and you've won that round. Get two bids correct? You win the entire game.
Yes, it sounds straightforward. Reaching that point is much harder than it seems, though. Players will usually sneak a skull into their pile (or o🎐n top of it, if they're feeling spicy) to catch you out, all while trying to seem as innocent as possible. Being able to see through their bluff, or bluffing yourself to catch another player out, is where the real fun begins.
Best card games - best horror
(Image credit: Fantasy Flight)
6. Arkham Horror: The Card Game
Stop the end of the world
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 1 - 4
Ages: 14+
Comeplexity: High
Lasts: 60 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Streamlines the board game
+
Great atmosphere
+
Long-lasting consequences
Reasons to avoid
-
Two sets needed for four-player games
-
Can be hard to understand
Bad news, everyone - cosmic terrors that defy all logic are trying to break into our world, and their very presence threatens insanity. More 🐎importantly, you're the only thing standing between them and humanity. (Just another day at the office, then.) Want the best horror card game? Here it is.
Rooted in H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, this is a streamlined adaptation of the classic Arkham Horror board game that simplifies gameplay for a snappier – yet still engrossing – experience. Challenging players to investigate and solve eldritch mysteries in a backwater US town, they're armed with nothing but cards that represent their character's talents, tools, and flaws 🀅which need to be overcome during the course of the campaign.
That's because the consequences of your actions will carry f✅roܫm one game to another – this is a 'living' experience that builds over time. The result is a light-touch roleplaying experience, and you can really immerse yourself in Arkham's setting due to that depth.
Best card games - for parties
(Image credit: Cyanide and Happiness)
7. Joking Hazard
Want a laugh?
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 3 - 10
Ages: 18+
Complexity: Low
Lasts: 30 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Hysterical
+
Opportunity for bizarre stories
+
Great cartoons
Reasons to avoid
-
Definitely an 18+ game
-
A bit juvenile
If you're a fan of Cards Against Humanity, this devilish and NSFW alternative will be right up your street. Joking Hazard follows a similar formula of filling in the blanks🅺 with the funniest response, but it shakes things up by using pictures instead of words. Cue absolute chaos.
Modelled after the tongue-in-cheek cartoons of Cyanide and Happiness, two cards – one random, the other chosen by a player from their hand꧅ – begin a story. Everyone else has to finish it with a car🍬d of their own, and the most amusing response gets a point.
Luckily enough for those of us who don't enjoy being put on the spot, finding something to crack up your opponents isn't hard. Most of the cards in Joking Hazard have a laugh-out-loud quality to t𝐆h𓃲em, and they're all absurd. Perhaps your character will opt out of a conversation by flying away using nothing but the power of their farts. Maybe they'll eat the other person whole. Either way, it's ridiculous.
While this provides an 18+ product ജwith one twisted sense of humor, it never feels vindictive. Joking Hazard is crude and silly, but it never doesn't punch down.
Best card game - travel
(Image credit: Future / Benjamin Abbott)
8. Sushi Go
Quick and cheerful
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 2 - 5
Ages: 8+
Complexity: Low
Lasts: 15 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Fast-paced
+
Very moreish
+
Easy to grasp
Reasons to avoid
-
Very young kids may struggle
-
Emphasis on chance
Sushi Go is a bizarre little game that's suitable for everyone, but children in particular; it's easy to understand and incredibly quick to play. In fact, we've found ourselves coming back time and again because each match can be wrapped up in under 15 minutes flat.ཧ That gives it a shot at being one of the best card games for kids or adults who don't want to sit about for long periods of time.
Your aim? To create the most appetizing 'meal' from a deck being passe🐭d between players. You do this by collecting food cards featuring the likes of cartoon dumplings, and each item's got a different points value attached to it. Some are worth more than others, while certain cards only pay up if you've gathered the most 🧸of them.
As an added spanner in the works, you can't see what card🌳s are left in circulation until it's your turn – you never really know what dishes you’ll be able to choose from. While that might sound like it would get confusing, you quickly become used to it and will soon be stealing cards your opponents need to finish their set. Because what tastes better than getting the upper hand?
Best quick card game
(Image credit: Exploding Kittens)
9. Exploding Kittens
Prepare to get weird
☆☆☆☆☆
Specifications
Players: 2 - 5
Ages: 12+
Complexity: Low
Lasts: 15 mins
Reasons to buy
+
Quick to play
+
Straight-up bonkers
+
Easy to understand
Reasons to avoid
-
Simplistic
-
Really weird
If you’re looking for a quick and quirky game to enjoy wit🅷h friends, Exploding Kittens is calling your name. The premise is simple: each player needs to draw a single card from the deck and hope they don’t get an exploding kitten. If that happens, you&r༺squo;re out of the game. More specifically, you've blown up. (Sorry.) As you'd expect, the winner is the person who doesn't end up being blasted to smithereens.
How do you avoid meet🐠ing an explosive end? Don't worry, you've got a hand of cards that will help you turn the tables. Some contain ways to skip your turn or 'defuse' kittens. Others let you know what card is going to be drawn next. Learning how to use these special abilities – and being cheeky with them at every opportunity – is key to your survival. For example, you might see that an exploding kitten is on its way. You'll then rearrange the deck to ensure your opponent draws it, blowing them to kingdom come while you ride off into the proverbial sunset. It's wonderfully devious.
Because you can get through a game in about 10-15 minutes, Exploding Kittens is also ideal as a palette cleanser between bigger board or card game sessions. That means it's practically made for parties, especially due to the fact that its sense of humor 𝔍is🅺 straight-up bonkers.
Best card games: FAQ
What is the number one card game?
- Miniature Market: - Target: -Walmart:
UK - Amazon: - Magic Madhouse: - Zatu: - Argos:
Should I wait until Black Friday to buy card games?
Even though we see some of the most tempting offers during the sales period in November, I wouldn't sugges🦋t waiting until then to pick up the best card games. They tend to get discounts throughout the year, and while these price cuts might not be as deep, the reductions are still very good on the whole.
I've been writing about🐟 games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and t😼oy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.
