Imagine living in a world where witches, dragons, pirates, sorcerers, dinosaurs, or any type of fictional monster you think of can come to life. Then, imagine you can summon them and use them to dominate your enemies and opponents. A dragon with fury breath? Summon a living potion to life? Or strengthen your monster’s grasps? You can do all this in the world of Magic the Gathering, the world of the Multiverse.
Inventor and game designer, Richard Garfield, stumbled upon this imaginative idea. His creativity and passion lead to the creation of Magic the Gathering: The Card Game. Created in 1993, Magic became one of the most popular card games since it was debuted. If you went to a local game store and asked the head counter if he knew Magic, chances are he would say yes. The game became so popular that game stores proposed something called “Friday Night Magic”, where players play each Friday night and compete against each other like a tournament. But why is this “geeky” game so popular? And should you join the handful of players that shuffle the cards? The answer is an absolute yes.
The game of magic is played between two people. Each person is a planeswalker that casts creatures, spells, and abilities to destroy their opponent. These castings are in the form of cards. Each card has a different color: white, blue, black, red, and green.
“With Magic, I was mainly being driven by the idea that, if people could collect their own cards, there would be a huge amount of variety to the game,” said Richard Garfield on Vice News.
Magic is a game where people collect cards and make decks to fight opponents. Some people like to use aggressive cards where they are meant to destroy opponents rapidly. Others like to use strategic cards and defeat their foes in the long game. It doesn’t matter as long as people have a good time and have fun. This is the simple purpose and intention of the game.
There is a 13+ rating on booster packs, but the game is really for every type of demographic. Some people started playing the game when it debuted and their love lasted up to their 20s or 30s.
“The game is fun. I can defeat my brother all the time. It’s a great way for your siblings to be upset. You can release your inner anger,” an anonymous 11-year-old aficionado said.
Magic has the element of showing a person’s personality on the board. Players who play blue usually like to make decisions and contemplate strategic maneuvers to destroy their opponent, while players who play black or red take mischievous actions to harm their opponents like using direct attacking spells.
“It makes the game really interesting,” said another Magic player.
Many people think these types of card games are complicated, and there are too many rules to truly understand and enjoy the game naturally. There are many terms and little bits of information that can tick somebody. When they thought they could attack, it turns out they can’t. When someone wants to cast a spell, it turns out the rules don’t abide by that.
“One of the most exciting things in gameplay is when you have a regime of masters and they’ve taught everybody how to play, but then some young players look at it in a different way and see a different strategy and are able to overcome the old hierarchy,” Garfield said.
It is not a simple game, but it can be learned through experience and curiosity for more. Maybe you can be one of these young players Garfield talks about. There are also intro decks that are specifically for beginner players who are starting out.
Magic’s definition of a game is simply a game for everybody. It was created to be a fun trading card game that has visions of staying in the local game stores for years. The enjoyment of opening the booster packs and seeing the new cards never gets old. As one magic player said, “This game will never die in my life.”
To understand more of the rules of Magic and to get started, visit, https://magic.wizards.com/en.
