Best Trading Card Games Online
Card games have been a popular form of entertainment for over a thousand years, so it makes sense they’d work well in the gaming space. The top trading card games today adopt a powerful place in the online gaming arena, with many players swearing by their strategic challenge.
TCGs let us build special decks, collect rare cards, and try our knowledge and understanding against others. Whether they’re new trading games looking to try something unique, or older titles building on retro charm, the competitive spirit burns strong in this genre.
With so much to choose from, you might be wondering where to begin, so we've built this list. No matter what kind of other games you like, from MMORPGs to shooters, the following will include at least one digital trading card game you can enjoy.
Our Selection of the Best TCG Games Online
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel
- Release date: 2022
- Available platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Android, iOS
Taking the much-loved anime and card game to the digital world, Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is a follow-up to the prior title Duel Links. Unlike Duel Links, developer Konami wanted to make Master Duel a much more hardcore experience where the best of the best could do battle.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel is available on a huge range of systems including mobile platforms, with all the traps, spells, and monsters that make the series famous. More recently, the game was updated with a solo mode so players could practice more before heading into the casual or ranked online community.
What is the Best Card Game Online? 📌
Like any other kind of video game, the best title on this trading card game list will depend on your taste. There is no wrong option, as long as you find a game the most enjoyable, then it counts as the best card game online!
Magic: The Gathering Arena
- Release date: 2023
- Available platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
MTG Arena is another title that takes the rules from the physical game and adds them to the digital space. This means tapping mana, using spells, and crafting a deck in one of the best F2P mobile games around.
What sets MTG Arena apart is the emphasis the developers place on community events. There are always special competitions to be played in this title with modifiers like limited decks, tournaments, and special rules.
Arena is also constantly supported with new cards, with updates offered alongside the physical game.
Hearthstone
- Release date: 2014
- Available platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Originally titled Heroes of Warcraft, Hearthstone is a TCG built primarily on lore from the Warcraft series. This is one of the more simple and user-friendly card games to get started with, though there's still a lot hiding beneath the surface.
After becoming a popular eSport, Hearthstone is a famous example of Blizzard’s focus on evolution and growth. With more than 100 million registered players, there’s an enormous community to play with, no matter where in the world you find yourself.
What is the Biggest Online TCG?
In terms of player count, the most famous game in the TCG would have to be Hearthstone. This game got a huge head-start thanks to borrowing popularity from WoW, and it's managed to maintain a lot of its early success to this day.
Legends of Runeterra
- Release date: 2020
- Available platforms: PC, iOS, Android
Legends of Runeterra was originally inspired by Magic: The Gathering. It developed to find its unique voice. This game borrows from developer Riot Games’ properties, with League of Legends characters and lore being a common inclusion from the popular MOBA title.
Players in Runeterra play to reduce their opponent's Nexus health to zero while working with a hand of four cards. Despite a stacked field of competition, Runeterra has been extremely well received. Earning many awards for its user-friendliness, design, and developer support, Runeterra still commands a huge community four years after launch.
Moonstone Island
- Release date: 2023
- Available platforms: PC, Switch
Moonstone Island takes an unusual approach to the TCG genre, opting for a fusion of card-battles and creature-capturing gameplay. Combining a life sim with a TCG must have been a challenge, but developer Studio Supersoft has made it look easy.
This is a single-player game, so it’s a perfect title for those who like to go at their own pace as they develop their decks and strategies. With a huge number of positive reviews, Moonstone Island is well-supported by its developers, and the community built around it is always happy to welcome new friends.
Marvel Snap
- Release date: 2023
- Available platforms: PC, macOS, Android, iOS
This fast-paced title built on the Marvel world of comics has players start with a deck of just 12 cards. Matches play out over six rounds, where players use energy to place down increasingly powerful cards and win lanes. An incredibly welcoming title, Marvel Snap had one of the best launches in a TCG yet.
Snap offers over 170 characters to add to your deck, with a roster that grows nearly every week. Marvel Snap is a great place for newcomers in the TGC world.
Which TCG is the Most Profitable?
This changes by the year, but recently Marvel's Snap has performed the best financially. This game had a fantastic launch, but it remains to be seen if the title can maintain long-term success against some of the more established veterans on this list.
Stacklands
- Release date: 2022
- Available platforms: PC, macOS
Stacklands combines roguelike, survival, and village building into one odd yet engaging whole. Featuring simple but attractive graphics, Stacklands is another single-player game that nonetheless maintains an active and welcoming community.
There's a lot to balance and remember in this title, but those who stick to it can expect to lose hours as they craft resources, grow their village, and fight off invaders. With overwhelmingly positive reviews, everyone seems to love Stacklands’ take on the TCG genre.
Pokémon Trading Card Game Online
- Release date: 2011
- Available platforms: PC, macOS, iOS, Android
The famous card game leaves Nintendo's systems and arrives in the wider world of gaming with Pokémon Trading Card Game Online. This game has you using energy cards to pull off attacks as you collect enough Pokémon to make even Ash Ketchum jealous.
Interestingly, the original Pokémon Trading Card Game Online saw a rerelease in 2023, as the developer updated the older system to support new hardware and features. With more to do and the ability to transfer over accounts, this move was much loved by players.
What is Japan’s Most Played TCG?
The most popular TCG in Japan is the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Despite being developed first in Japan, this is not entirely a Japanese-style game. The Pokémon TCG crosses borders, and just like the main games and anime, it's loved worldwide.
Griftlands
- Release date: 2020
- Available platforms: PC, macOS, Linux, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox
Fusing science-fiction adventure with a roguelike TCG, Griftlands sets you out on an adventure to find your fame and make your fortune. Each run in Griftlands involves randomly generated encounters, where luck, skill, and conversation choices determine how well you'll do.
In Griftlands you’ll spend action points to attack and defend as you work through three varied campaigns. You won’t win the first time, but you will keep coming back.
Wingspan
- Release date: 2020
- Available platforms: PC, macOS, Xbox, Switch, Android, iOS
Adopted from the board game of the same name, Wingspan has you compete with other players to attract birds to your wildlife reserve. This casual but engaging title has players collect food to attract 170 different bird species and complete objectives.
Though the game is no longer updated, it's still a fantastic title to play with friends, especially if you're looking for a more ironically grounded TCG.
Conclusion
As one of the video game genres that best mirrors physical gaming, it’s perhaps no surprise that TCGs ended up so popular. What is surprising is just how varied these titles have become, and how far they take the idea of trading card games. Whether you consider yourself more of a tactician or an aggressive and active player, there’s something here for everyone.
Even more exciting, TCGs have a lot of room to expand with upcoming AR and VR games. We can’t wait to see where the imaginations of developers take us next, and the melodrama it allows us to commit to as we slap down our best digital cards.
