With over 200 hours on my Steam account and over a 100 on my boyfriend’s account, I think it’s safe to say that I’m somewhat obsessed with Slay the Spire, a game developed by Mega Crit, an indie game studio from Seattle. A few days ago I was talking about it with an experienced video game expert Stephane Assadourian, and I found myself rationalizing why I think the game is great from a game design perspective and especially why I got hooked on it. Essentially, in this article, I’ll describe how it feels when you fit into someone’s target audience like a piece of a puzzle, no ifs or buts, you’re exactly who should be experiencing the product. I’ll also break down why Mega Crit hit a marketing jackpot by going for the target audience they chose.

My Hearthstone Heartbreak

I’m from Yerevan where Magic: The Gathering was never a thing, but all of Blizzard’s products definitely were. My friend group really got into Hearthstone at some point in 2015. Totally late to the party, I got into it months later. With no one to play with, I started playing competitively, grinding my way through and collecting the cards. I bought only one starter pack, but other than that I was trying to build a deck through the grind. Eventually, it became a very important part of my daily routine. I started watching Hearthstone streamers: Kibler (him being my favorite), Savjz, Disguised Toast, Trump, etc. I was reading articles on how to make a no-budget meta deck and eventually I got there. I collected a lot of gold and dust and was ready to make my magnum opus — a tier one deck, that will push me forward and eventually, my grind will be easier. I’ll get even more gold and dust and I’ll make even better decks. A new release was out, I waited two-three weeks for the meta to settle, and I crafted a deck with a 65% win rate — the taunt warrior deck, and oh my god — this was the worst time I had playing the game. It felt like a chore, every fight was the same. Wait through it, turn into Ragnaros and ping your opponent until they are toast. That was when I realized that this game is not for me. I’ll come back to Hearthstone when I have the spare money to spend on cards.

The three types of collectible card players

I’ve learned that there are three types of collectible card players according to Magic: The Gathering game designers.

Timmy, Johnny, and Spike. Timmy likes to win big, he’s the “power gamer”. He likes to win and for his victory to be glorious. His cards are impressive and his opponents are smashed hopelessly. Timmy enjoys playing big minions and spells. He plays the game because it’s fun.

Johnny likes to express his creativity through the game. He experiments with synergies and likes to come up with a variety of those. He enjoys the interaction within the cards and likes the deckbuilding aspect as much as playing. Not to say that winning is not important for Johnny — it absolutely is, but he likes to win on his own terms and do it in style. Johnny cares about quality more than quantity. When he has a synergy that worked once — he might walk away or start a new one.

Spike crush! Spike is the competitive player. He likes winning and being the #1. He plays the deck that is the most effective. The adrenaline of the fight is what motivates Spike. A defeat is the worst thing that can happen to Spike, even if it’s just one in a dozen.

Of course, you can fall between these and have characteristics of all. I am an utmost Johnny, and this comes into play a lot when we talk about Slay the Spire.

What makes Slay the Spire fun?

I got introduced to Slay the Spire when it was still in early access and I’m still playing it vigorously. What makes Slay the Spire fun is the challenge of deckbuilding and strategy that comes with its roguelike gameplay, the vast variety of cards, modifiers and the high replayability.

It definitely has a learning curve and it mainly has to do with strategy. Of course, it takes time to learn all the cards and relics and enemy types, but what really matters in the curve is strategizing and card evaluation. Majority of the new players, go for synergies, which are important, but what’s more important is the right card evaluation and taking risks. The process of learning, getting better, unlocking new cards feels like an amazing quest. Moreover, the game is roguelike, so naturally, it surprises you on every corner.

Can a PVE card game have replayability?

Hell yeah, it can! I’ve been playing Slay the Spire at least 2–3 times a week since November, and I’m still on ascension 16.

What makes this game’s replayability insane is that it’s roguelike, with a variety of characters, synergies and difficulty levels. Recently the developers introduced the fourth floor, in addition to the already existing 20 ascension levels. All of this can be beaten with three mechanically different characters. This means that you can beat the game at least 63 times.

Pleasing the Johnnies of this world

While I can’t argue that Slay the Spire is designed solely for Johnnies, I can certainly say that both Johnny and Timmy can find their home in this game. The fact that it’s PvE, not PvP, lets the player try out the shenanigans they want and swing hard. The player is never punished for experimenting outside of the meta. Every time you start a run, you always have all the tools available in the box and what’s left for you is to pick them right and apply them right.

I feel like, Mega Crit heard every concern of a habitual collectible card player and addressed it. I’m just as excited every time I “slay” the spire, as I was the first time. The game never stops feeling like a challenge, one that you may as well lose 100 times, but also one that never discourages you from getting up and fighting again.

So to conclude, after my Hearthstone heartbreak I was left high and dry in my desire to kick ass in a collectible card game. Then Mega Crit did their research, collected all the necessary data, tested the game restlessly and came for my little Johnny heart. Now the only thing I have to worry about is whose Slay the Spire “let’s plays” I’m going to watch before I sleep when Northernlion beats ascension 20.