Recently, I have become invested in Union Arena over the many other TCGs out there, and that got me thinking. Why this game over another? I came up with five reasons, and here they are!
Anime-Specific Deck Building
Yes, I would love to see a deck that allows Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach Team up with Kenshin Himura from Rurouni Kenshin. That said, Union Arena will only allow you to build a deck with cards from the same anime series.
The benefit to player is that if a set comes out based on an anime you’re not familiar with or necessarily like, you can skip it. This lightens the monetary expectation by allowing them to focus on the specific series and characters they want to build around. Convenient play on a tight budget!
Deck Differences - Gameplay that honors its Source Material
One of the most charming things in Union Arena is that it is designed by people who truly understand the anime they are working with and incorporate that knowledge into the game’s mechanics. For example, The Rurouni Kenshin set includes several cards of Kenshin Himura with the printed ruling “[During Your Turn] Your opponent's characters that lose to this character in battle move to their energy line instead of being sidelined.”
This is a reference to Kenshin’s vow not to kill in the anime series.
Not only does this add flavour to the game itself, but it creates a sense of individuality to each deck.
Deck Similarities
Every color in every set includes a pool of cards with the same effects, usually at the same cost. There are also “trigger” cards that end up being staples in every deck (More on that later).
These staple cards aren’t high rarity, making them easy to access. This simplifies the first half of deckbuilding, and what will set your deck apart from others comes after. It’s a great time saver.
Action Point System and Game Balance
Outside of different card effects, AP determines how many cards you can play in a single turn. You start with one if you go first, and two if you go second, with a maximum AP of three. The first few turns are mostly about setup, but it doesn’t take too long for the action to happen.
The game also only allows up to 8 cards in play on your side of the field. Four characters can be out on the front line at any time as your attackers, and four cards can be on your energy line at any time to generate energy and pay costs. This way, even if you can play more cards than your AP allows, you will have to replace units rather than raise an entire army.
The back and forth exchange of combat is just as satisfying as every decision matters.
Trigger effects are the anime equivalent to the dust settling after a super attack
Triggers are the ultimate plot twist. In Union Arena, they activate when you take damage during combat. Trigger effects can be as simple as drawing a card or giving a defender a boost, but there are some more powerful triggers that can turn the game on its head.
There are three different “premium” triggers that can be included in a deck, and you can have up to four of each. Special triggers are simply kill cards. Color triggers have a different effect depending on the color of your deck. The Final trigger is the ultimate Hail Mary. If the last damage you take turns out to be a final trigger, you are given one last life point. If the opponent can’t attack any more after that, you may get the turnaround victory.
Conclusion
Union Arena is a well-balanced, entertaining and accessible game for TCG newcomers and veterans. Each game is an actual game and not a slew of one-turn kills. Best of all, if any of these things pique your interest, you can try the game for free using a tutorial app available on Google Play or the App Store.
Do you want to start collecting singles? starthere with Realm Hoppers
