Beginner's guides
How to Play Trading Card Games
Pick a game and learn it in one sitting. Every guide is checked against the publisher's own rules and shows real cards, so what you read is what's in the box.
Pick a game
Each guide takes you from an unopened starter deck to your first full game: the setup, a turn, combat, the words you'll hear, and the mistakes everyone makes once.
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Pokémon Trading Card GameSetup, turns, damage and the first-turn rules, shown with real Mega Evolution cards.2 playersEasy to learnRead the guide
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One Piece Card GameLeaders, DON!!, Life and counters explained, with a worked battle and the setup step people get backwards.2 playersModerate to learnRead the guide
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Magic: The GatheringLands, mana, combat and the stack, explained with real cards. Plus deck rules for Standard and Commander.Involved to learnRead the guide
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Disney LorcanaInk, quest and sing your way to 20 lore, with the song rule most guides still get wrong.2 playersEasy to learnRead the guide
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Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card GameSummoning, battles and chains explained with real cards, plus the rules everyone gets wrong.2 playersInvolved to learnRead the guide
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Star Wars: UnlimitedLeaders, bases, initiative and the ground and space arenas, explained with real cards.Moderate to learnRead the guide
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Gundam Card GameUnits, Pilots and six Shields: learn the Gundam TCG with real starter deck cards and a worked attack.2 playersModerate to learnRead the guide
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Riftbound: League of Legends Trading Card GameBattlefields, runes and the race to 8 points, explained with real cards from Origins and Vendetta.Moderate to learnRead the guide
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Dragon Ball Super Card Game Fusion WorldLearn Fusion World in one read: setup, combos, Awakening and deck rules, plus how Masters differs.2 playersModerate to learnRead the guide
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Naruto Mythos TCGFour Rounds, hidden ninja and Mission Points. The rules, updated for Set 2 Attachments.2 playersEasy to learnRead the guide
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Palworld Official Card GameSouls, Structures, Lucky Pals and the damage check, explained with real cards from Dawn of Palpagos.2 playersModerate to learnRead the guide
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Cyberpunk TCGSteal your Rival's Gig dice, sell cards for Eddies and hold 7 Gigs to win. Written for the Beta rules.2 playersModerate to learnRead the guide
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My Little Pony Trading Card GamePick a Mane 6 pony, fill three lanes and race to Stage IV of your Story.2 playersEasy to learnRead the guide
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Kayou collectible cardsRarity codes, pack odds and chase cards for Kayou Naruto, My Little Pony, tokidoki and KPop Demon Hunters.Easy to learnRead the guide
Which game should you learn first?
Honestly? The one your friends already play. A card game is only as good as the people across the table, and a deck nobody near you owns will sit in a drawer.
If you're starting from scratch, here's how we'd point you.
- For kids, or a family learning together: Pokémon. Everyone knows the characters, the turns are simple, and there are ready-to-play decks built for exactly this.
- For adults who've never played a card game: Disney Lorcana. Most cards can go face down into your inkwell to pay for others, so a bad hand still does something, and a race to 20 lore is easy to follow.
- For quick, punchy games: One Piece. A Leader, a small pool of DON!! to spend, and games that are often done in half an hour.
- For the deepest game there is: Magic: The Gathering. More than thirty years of cards and more ways to play than anything else. Commander, the multiplayer format usually played four to a table, is the friendliest way in.
- For a newer game, where everyone's still learning: Riftbound, Gundam or Star Wars: Unlimited. Getting in early means your local scene grows with you.
Yu-Gi-Oh! is brilliant, but it's the fastest and most tangled of the lot. We'd learn one of the others first unless you already love it.
Buy one starter deck each, not a booster box. Boosters are for building a deck once you know which cards you like; a starter deck lets you play tonight.
Collecting rather than playing?
Not every card range is a game. Kayou's Naruto Smriti, My Little Pony Friendship Eternal, tokidoki and KPop Demon Hunters cards are made for collecting, with rarity ladders but no rules. Our Kayou collecting guide explains what's in the packs and what the chase cards are.
The games side by side
Deck sizes and win conditions from the official rules. Game lengths are for two experienced players; your first few games will run longer.
| Game | Deck | Game length | To learn | You win by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Trading Card Game | 60 cards | 20 to 30 minutes (casual, once you know the rules) | Easy | Take all 6 of your Prize cards |
| One Piece Card Game | 50 cards + 1 Leader + 10 DON!! | 20 to 40 minutes | Moderate | Hit the other Leader when they're on 0 Life |
| Magic: The Gathering | 60+ cards (Commander: exactly 100) | About 20 minutes (Commander: around 2 hours) | Involved | Get your opponent's 20 life down to 0 |
| Disney Lorcana | 60+ cards, 1 or 2 inks | About 15 to 25 minutes | Easy | First to 20 lore |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game | 40 to 60 cards + up to 15 in the Extra Deck | 10 to 30 minutes | Involved | Knock your opponent's 8000 LP down to 0 |
| Star Wars: Unlimited | 50+ cards, 1 leader, 1 base | 20 to 30 minutes | Moderate | Destroy your opponent's base |
| Gundam Card Game | 50 cards + 10 Resources | About 20 to 30 minutes | Moderate | Hit a player who has no Base or Shields left |
| Riftbound: League of Legends Trading Card Game | 40+ Main Deck, 1 Legend, 12 runes, 3 battlefields | Roughly 20 to 30 minutes (no official figure) | Moderate | First to 8 points by conquering and holding battlefields |
| Dragon Ball Super Card Game Fusion World | 50 to 60 cards + 1 Leader | About 30 minutes | Moderate | Take your opponent's 8 life cards to zero |
| Naruto Mythos TCG | 30+ Character and Attachment cards + 3 Missions | Exactly 4 Rounds, usually under 30 minutes | Easy | Most Mission Points after Round 4 |
| Palworld Official Card Game | 50 cards + 10 Souls | Varies (no official time given) | Moderate | Take your opponent's life to 0 |
| Cyberpunk TCG | 3 Legends + 40 to 50 cards | No official time; Overtime after 7 turns each | Moderate | Start your turn with 7 of the 12 Gig dice |
| My Little Pony Trading Card Game | 50 Main + 15 Scene + 4 Story + 1 Main Character | 20 to 30 minutes | Easy | Get your Main Character to Stage IV, or your opponent has to draw from an empty deck |
Collecting, not just playing?
Free tool Card centering tool Snap or upload a photo of any card and see its front and back centering, with the grade Ace, PSA, BGS, CGC, TAG and SGC allow for it. Works on your phone. Check a cardQuestions people ask
Which trading card game is easiest to learn?
For most people, Pokémon or Disney Lorcana. Both have short turns, one clear way to win and starter decks built for first games. One Piece is also quick to pick up. Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic go deepest, which is great later but a lot on day one.
What's the best card game for kids?
Pokémon is the usual first game, because children already know the characters and the starter products are made for learning. Check the age on the box: each game prints its own recommendation.
How many cards do I need to start playing?
One ready-made starter deck per player. Deck sizes vary by game: Pokémon and Lorcana use 60 cards, One Piece uses 50 plus a Leader, and Magic's Commander format uses 100. Each guide gives the exact numbers.
Should I buy booster packs or a starter deck first?
A starter deck. It's a complete, playable deck, so you can learn the rules tonight. Booster packs are random, and you'll need a lot of them before you have a deck that works.
Do I need card sleeves to play?
Not for a game at home, but they stop your cards getting bent and scuffed while you shuffle, and most organised events expect sleeved decks. Standard-size sleeves fit Pokémon, Magic, Lorcana and most others; Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are smaller and need Japanese-size sleeves.
Where can I play card games in the UK?
Most towns have a games shop that runs weekly nights. The publishers list official events: Play! Pokémon's event locator, Wizards of the Coast's store and event locator for Magic, and Ravensburger's for Lorcana. Kitchen-table games with friends count too, and they're where most people learn.
What's the difference between a trading card game and collectible cards?
A trading card game has rules and decks you play against someone. Collectible card ranges, like Kayou's Naruto Smriti or KPop Demon Hunters cards, are made to collect: they have rarities and chase cards but no game. Our Kayou guide covers those.