Trading card games (also known as TCGs) have captivated players worldwide since their launch, with Magic: The Gathering paving the way in 1993, which now has about 50 million players worldwide. TCGs blend strategic deck building with the thrill of collecting, offering an immersive experience that can be both competitive and social. Each card is a piece of art, helping players on their way to victory, and a collector’s item, making these games a unique blend of strategy, art, and community. Now we enter the realm of Disney’s Lorcana Gateway, the latest entrant in the TCG universe.
Disney’s Lorcana Gateway, from Ravensburger, is a dazzling introduction to the world of TCGs. This 2 player starter set is not just a game, it’s a teaching game, it is an excellent way for beginners to learn to play. Suitable for ages 8+, for 2 players with a playing time of approximately 30 minutes.
For those that are not aware of trading card games, a trading card game (TCG) is a type of card game where players collect and trade specially designed cards to build customised decks. These decks are then used to compete against other players. Each card typically represents a character, spell, or item, and has unique attributes and abilities that influence gameplay.
In the box:
- 2x Starting Decks (30 cards in each deck)
- 4x Reward Packs (18 cards in each deck)
- 30x Damage Counters
- 2x Character Bases
- Game Board
- Rulebook
- Guidebook
- 2x Deck Tips Pamphlets
Disney’s Lorcana Gateway is specially designed to be the best way to learn how to play trading card games. It has everything you need contained in the box, you can jump right into your first quest, no experience required. The included guide helps you learn as you play while building your game skills bit by bit. The realm of Lorcana is beckoning . . . come join the adventure!
The gameplay of Lorcana Gateway has been designed especially to help beginners get into the world of TCGs, making it very accessible, easy to learn and an ideal starting point for those new to TCGs.
Before you can learn to play Lorcana Gateway there is quite a bit of reading to do, after all this is a game that teaches you how to play TCGs. There are also some very helpful video tutorials (by scanning the QR codes) that you can watch to familiarise yourself with the gameplay. Once reading and tutorials are finished, even the most novice TCG player should be able to dive into the gameplay with ease.
Lorcana Gateway is a strategic adventure game that unfolds with every card you play. The game introduces players to a world where Disney characters come to life, and each move is a step in an epic narrative. But what makes Lorcana Gateway stand out are its key mechanics, which are designed to be both accessible to newcomers while still being engaging for TCG veterans.
Lorcana Gateway features an innovative ‘gates’ system. As players progress through the game, they unlock four distinct ‘gates’ by achieving specific goals, such as playing certain card types or engaging in challenges. Each gate opens up new cards to add to your deck and introduces fresh rules to master, ensuring that the game remains exciting and dynamic.
The game features three primary card types: Characters, Items, and Actions. Each type plays a crucial role in the gameplay, with Characters being the heart of your deck. Items provide your characters with enhancements or abilities, while Actions dictate the moves you can make during your turn. A unique subset within these types is the ‘Songs,’ special actions that can be played for ‘free’ if you exert a character with the corresponding cost.
The Lorcana Gateway starter kit comes with everything a player needs to begin their journey: a rule book, two preconstructed decks, and guides players through the game.
Overall, Lorcana Gateway is a beautifully designed trading card game that offers a rich and rewarding experience. It is a fantastic introduction to this type of immersive strategy adventure game. With the aim of the being to battle character cards (Elsa & Mickey Mouse and Stitch & Maleficent) against other players to gain the 20 lore points to win, it is good fun.
The game is fairly easy to play – once you get the hang of it. As this is a starter pack and an introduction into TCG’s there is a lot of reading to do to begin with and videos to watch but it is an excellent to way to learn the gameplay and a new challenge. The cards have been pre-set to walk through the players on how to play, using the instructions and the videos, so for the first few turns you play along with the video to learn how to play.
For our first couple of plays we were relying heavily on the instructions and videos, but soon got the hang of it and had to rely on them less and less.
As a game it is lots of fun once the concept is grasped and I love that the game is set up to train the players before they start battling on their own – it is much better than trying to read through a instruction manual and trying to decipher it.
Disney’s Lorcana Gateway is an excellent gateway into trading card games with good game play. It will take a few plays to get used the game mechanics but once you do you will start to collect more cards to enhance game play (booster packs cost £4.99) and having lots of fun along the way.
Rating: 4.5/5
RRP: £22.99
For more information, visit www.ravensburger.co.uk. Available to buy from Amazon here.