Why Should I play it? - The game is both familiar for veteran card game players, and unique at the same time. It is designed around mechanics that have been main stains of the card game genera since the early 90’s but there is so much new here. It also features a vast resource of Final Fantasy characters. No matter what your favorite Final Fantasy game is, there are good cards for it. There is a growing competitive scene, fun casual formats where you only play cards from one Final Fantasy game, and well made starter decks if you just want to dip your toe into the whole scene.

New sets come out every three months, and new art is starting to be made just for the game. This is a real treat to Final Fantasy fans, as some of the art ranks among the best in the series history. Don’t believe me? Google the Opus 7 Bartz art. Also the game is very respectful to the series’ artistic godhead Amano, and only allows cards with his art on them to be rares or super rares. Little touches like this make the game feel very “Final Fantasy”. Any Final Fantasy fan boy or girl must give it a shot.

The card’s themselves are also made of the best card stock I have personally ever seen in a card game. The foils are amazing, and each pack contains one. Making buying boosters in this game more rewarding on the whole then in most other card games. Square has put out awesome playmats, and art sleeves too making the whole experience very enjoyable for long time fans.

Why Shouldn't I play it? - The game started out with major distribution problems. The first sold out super fast, and it was frustratingly hard to acquire. This made growing the game hard in some areas. So building a good community in your area may take a little effort, but it’s definitely doable.

The competitive scene is going threw some growing pains. The rules are not as well defined or implement as in some other card games of older legacy. However this too is improving, and events are held in major cities including national and world championships. The game is most often played as a “best of 1”, and this may irk some players.

There are no cards referring to events or locations in the game. It’s mostly build around heroes and villains fighting, with a few summons thrown in. If you are look for an extra strong dose of Final Fantasy flavor, you may find it wanting at times. However, this is not to say none can be found. For example the Cyan card (FFVI) has a special ability that takes a full torn to use. Mimicking his sworthtech ability in the game.

Best Way to Play - Your local card shop! Find a local gaming shop near you and check it out. You may already have a facebook fan group in your area, if not start one! The game is growing and it has a very supportive community.

Key Card- Shantotto