Call of Duty Trading Card Game Revealed

We were shocked over the weekend when we heard the first details on Upper Deck's latest TCG line: Call of Duty due out this fall. We're some serious WWII buffs, and we've been playing Call of Duty computer / console games since they first immersive installment

The Call of Duty TCG has been dubbed a "Real-Time Card Game", which has players throwing down cards from officially preconstructed decks to maneuver and fire three soldiers in a player's squad. Soldier types include regular infantry, commandos and snipers, with each of the 8 prepackaged squad decks containing soldiers \from various national forces of the WWII.

The game has been designed so that matches last around 30 minutes, and every so often during a game a player can throw down a card that pauses the combat and forces the players to stop their real time to play to resolve an event of some sort. However it seems like most of the time players will play cards in real time, without the stuffiness of standard turn / interrupt mechanics, which could keep games chugging along nicely.

We're a bit put off that Call of Duty seeming shuns the idea of booster packs (see below.) Sure, for some a title truly shines as one-time investment in gaming materials with the purchase and play of predesigned decks . But we absolutely love the theme of customizing decks with your own collection of cards, and this could seriously harm the longevity of this title in our eyes.

The official details can be read on the Call of Duty TCG official webpage, which includes a FAQ. We've lifted a few of the more important questions from there page and place them below for your reading pleasure:

Do I need to purchase booster packs or other random items to play the game?

Call of Duty® Real-Time Card Game premade Squad Decks include everything you need to play the game right out of the box. To get the full playing experience, you may want to get all eight Squad Decks and the Deluxe Set.

Want to play a high-quality card game, but don't want to buy booster packs? This is the game for you!

...

How does the game work?

Each player starts with a squad of three soldiers in play. Each soldier has a different role. When a soldier dies, it can periodically respawn.

Players use "move" cards to ideally position their troops around the board: snipers like to hang in the back, commandos want to get up close for some melee action or to use grenades, medics want to help out with their rifles from covered positions until they're needed, and so on.

"Fire" cards are the main method of attacking. Snipers have a long-range attack, while others have various ranges that are based on their primary weapons. "Cover" cards can help avoid fire.
Examples of different soldier types are:

• American Commando
• British Paratrooper
• French Resistance Medic
• German Sniper
• Italian Radioman

The Call of Duty TCG is slated for a Fall 2008 Release.

Lost Cities Card Game Coming to Xbox Live

Update: Team Xbox has also posted a hands-on preview of Lost Cities for Xbox Live
Ask just about any crazy-eyed gamer what their suggested 2-player game is, and they'll quickly respond "Lost Cities" and shove a copy of the game in your hands and as you to give it a go. Seriously, there's a cult following behind this way, and no because it's some obscure unapproachable piece of culture like the Rocky Horror PIcture Show. Nope, instead people enjoy lauding this game because it's good. It's really, really good.

And now Shacknews reports that Lost Cities is coming to Xbox Live.

When released, it will be part of an extensive library of Xbox Live board game and card game titles, including the slated Talisman, Wits &Wagers;, Puerto Rico, Magic the Gathering (recently suggested), and the already released Carcassonne, Settlers of Catan, and, well - Uno. Yes Uno, which you may shrug-at, but whos success inspired this new-aged Xbox Live board/card gaming craze.

We're excited about the explosion of these types of games on a digital / social platform. However, as we watch our gaming stack digitizes before our eyes, it would be also nice to see new titles come to this medium as well. There has been a lot of backwards-porting work, but some new content that isn't revisions of games past would really make our day. Culdcept Saga was a nice step, but we want more like the greedy game consumers we are.

No word yet on when Lost Cities is due to be released. We'll let you know as soon as we know. Until then feel free to drool over the screenshots.

Lascaux Card Game Reviewed By Vasel

Last week we reported that the bidding card game Lascaux [Funagain] with an ancient cave painting theme was released. Though we've heard mixed things, we haven't had a chance to sit down and beat the art of our each other's heads with clubs like civilized stone agers, so we can't tell you straight up if this game is worth your time.

However, Tom Vasel - the general Patton of game reviewers - has had some glowing things to say in his detailed review on The Dice Tower. Here's a bit where he compares Lascaux to
No Thanks! [Funagain, Amazon], a game with similar mechanics:

No Thanks! and Fun Factor: The enjoyment of Lascaux comes from a combination of the bidding and outguessing the other players when picking a color. The speed of the game will make it a highly requested game, as No Thanks is for me now. So will Lascaux replace No Thanks? No Thanks is a cheaper game, slightly easier to understand, and faster to play. Lascaux, however, offers slightly deeper game play and outguessing the opponent - something No Thanks doesn't handle. I really can't recommend one over the other, although I'm leaning towards No Thanks because of its higher portability and cost.

There you have it! Well, sort of. Actually this doesn't resolve anything . But it looks like Lascaux shines brighter than we first thought. That's a good thing because this season seems to be relatively starved good game releases.

Ticket to Ride: The Card Game Preview at BGN

The Ticket to Ride Card Game [Funagain] was officially announced by Days of Wonder yesterday. Intended for a smaller group of 2-4 players when compared to the original Ticket to Ride games, this card game variety ditches the board - which makes it perfect for gaming on the go - while still maintaining the enjoyable route building and color matching theme.

Players draw route cards and collect train cars of specific colors, and play them in a similar draw-two or play-route turn mechanic that should keep things steaming along quite nicely.

The game will also sport new gameplay mechanics which match the card game motif and offer what could be some surprising depth. Colors that players use to lay tracks may solidify them as a current color leader, and make it difficult for another player to claim routes requiring the same color. Its a land grab of colors and routes that could have players weighing the benefits of laying may smaller routes earlier in the game instead of saving up for the big ones at the end. This mechanic is balanced by a train robbing effect where a player can aggressively attack and dismantle routes that other players have left unprotected.

How's this done? Welll Check-out the Game Preview: Ticket to Ride Card Game on Boardgame News [link]. It explains it all, and more, and includes some great shots of the art of the cards.

The Ticket to Ride: Card Game is slated to ship in May, and is available to preorder from Funagain Games.

Saga Release Date Set for MMO RTS / TCG

Saga - the PC based Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Real Time Strategy Game (RTS) with Trading Card Game elements (TCG) not only has more acronyms than an attack submarine's diagnostics guide, but should also set the bar pretty high for the budding TCG / Computer Games market.

Also don't confuse Saga with Culdscept Saga. As we reported a few weeks ago, Saga is one of the most anticipated TCG games this year, and soon we'll all be able to get our own hands on the final project. Saga is slated for release March 4th, 2008.

We do have some reservations at this point mainly stemming with the uncertainty of the quality of the game at release. Saga is produced by a somewhat unknown gaming house who's flown under the radar in most computer gaming sites thus far. MMO fans know that release week for a new game is chalk full of server crashes and client issues. Additionaly their website is extraordinarily bare bones website (almost a blog) for an online-only enterprise, and the graphics are pretty low-key and dated even for an expandable engine. But the proof is in the pudding, and maybe all these things will melt away when the mayhem starts in a couple of weeks. We'll keep you posted as the title launches and the reviews start rolling in.

Until then check out these Saga links:

• Worthplaying Saga Release Date Story and Game Information
• Saga's Main Website
• Saga's Wikipedia Page
• Saga's Main forum

World of Warcraft Minis Announced - Joyous Seizures Ensue

Houston, we have a problem. Upper Deck has just announced another World of Warcraft gaming franchise: World of Warcraft Minis.

We haven't been into many other mini games. In general we enjoy collectable games partially for its library of binders filled with cards neatly tucked away on our bookshelves. Figurines.. can be a bit messy; amassing on the floor of our closet in droves. And that's compounded by the fac that we all live in a city so space is at a premium. But if the WoW Minis game follows suit with the level of quality and fun of the WoW TCG franchise, then we just might have clean house, get rid of our DVD collection, and make room for a new obsession come Fall 2008.

With Wow Minis product announcement Upper Deck has also launched WoWMinis.com, a website which currently hosts some preliminary details of what will be included in the game. It seems that Terrain will vary and play a role, and we're sure this will affect positional combat as players scramble to guard clothies with armored tanks slugging it out in 1v1. Raids will also be part of the deal, though no details yet on how many or what sort of raids from the WoW MMORPG will appear in the set.

Here are some details from the official announcement:

" Each premium pre-painted miniature will showcase a detailed version of an iconic World of Warcraft character and be mounted on a uniquely engineered removable base, allowing each figure to serve as both a game piece and a collectible. In the spirit of the action and adventure of the MMO, the World of Warcraft Miniatures Game will offer standalone raid and dungeon scenarios, letting players battle either individually or cooperatively against other teams of players or the game itself.

UDE will also launch a robust Organized Play structure for the new World of Warcraft® Miniatures Game, including everything from hobby and in-store tournament programs to Darkmoon Faire events and National and World Championship tournaments."

The WoWMinis.com website also makes special note to check back in for more details of the detachable bases that the models will be built on, which will sport some sort of announced feature. It seems that each figure - er mini - has the same exact foot stance, so perhaps these, too, will be interchangeable across all figures. Perhaps some bases themselves will be collectable and offer some sort of buff?

We'll let you know as soon as we find out more as the World of Warcraft Minis game marches toward release this fall.

1000+ Assorted Magic the Gathering Cards

We're not sure what you get but a 1000+ Magic the Gathering Cards in a box just to look through could be fun. You'll get 1000 Magic the Gathering Cards from Current sets all the way back to original sets spanning year. The ultimate starter pack to build your collection. 

World of Warcraft - Dark Portal Trading Card Game Starter Deck

A storm rages in the Blasted Lands as evil stirs within the Dark Portal. Bloodshed in Azeroth intensifies as the Blood Elves and Draenei join the fray. Already, the great conflict spills over into the other world . . . the Burning Legion looks on and plots its next move. Grab your weapons and make ready, the darkness is upon us! -- Heroes will be made. Legends will be written. Heed the Call!!! The Dark Portal Expansion includes everything one player will need to join the struggle.

At World of Warcraft - Dark Portal Trading Card Game Starter Deck

World of Warcraft TCG: The Feast of Winter Veil Collector's Set

Upper Deck Entertainment continues its celebrated line of trading card games, opening up an entirely new dimension of the World of Warcraft TCG! The Feast of Winter Veil Collector's Set provides unique content from the beloved in-game holiday event, Winter Veil. Exclusive holiday deck box featuring art from the Winter Veil Collector's Set.

At World of Warcraft TCG: The Feast of Winter Veil Collector's Set

Magic The Gathering TCG 10th Edition Core Set Fat Pack

The ideal entry point for new players and forming the backbone of constructed tournament play, Magic: The Gathering 10th Edition sets the standard for Magic, and features some of the best and most popular cards of all-time! This 383-black-bordered card core set is introduced in re-designed 2-Player Starter Games offered in 5-count displays, 40-card theme decks offered in 25-count displays, and 15-card boosters packed in 36-count displays. Also available are Magic: The Gathering 10th Edition Fat Packs containing six boosters, a lifecounter, a player's guide, a 40-card Land Pack, one random Pro-Player Card, two card boxes, and six plastic card dividers.

At Magic The Gathering TCG 10th Edition Core Set Fat Pack