2 hours Ago By Leah J. Williams
has officially overtaken as my favourite set so far, thanks to a harmony of ingredients working together. Thematically, its “pirates” theme is very tight. The character inclusions are strong.
And it’s all tied together by some fantastic artwork and character designs that are the strongest we’ve seen in the game yet. Who doesn’t love Stitch in a little tricorn hat, two swords and two blasters ready, with tiny plush Scrump sitting atop his head? Then, there’s ‘s Jim Hawkins, who also takes the role of a fancy pirate captain, and even Winnie the Pooh, adorned in snazzy pirate gear. The design work on this set is tremendous, and while that only speaks to aesthetics, it’s what makes so compelling.
A good TCG is not only about mechanics and gameplay functionality, it’s about how it builds a sense of place and character. You must engage players in a world, make characters feel well-rounded, and give combat a sense of meaning or excitement – with just a few lines of text and a portrait to do so. manages incredibly well, with strong visual ties between cards – many artworks make clear that characters are sharing space on a ship – as well as layered mechanics that add to themes of camaraderie and friendship.
Cards like Winnie the Pooh, Hunny Pirate and Wendy Darling, Courageous Captain are thoughtful inclusions that lend themselves well to pirate-themed decks. Winnie allows players to pay one less ink for the next pirate played in the turn. Wendy Darling gets additional lore and strength when other Pirates are in play.
Elsewhere, you can find cards that buff pirates, improve their lore, and cards that let you save pirates from the discard pile. These mechanics are actually packed into the excellent Amber / Ruby Jim Hawkins and Tigger pirate deck that launched alongside – and it makes the deck incredibly well-themed, and fun to play. In I called it the best starter deck yet: “In the combination of its themes, the excellent artwork on cards, its neat mix of characters, and its synergy, this Amber-Ruby Pirate Starter Deck really is a standout .
.. As you play characters, you get a cool crew forming, with buffs and boons granted for multiple Pirates in play.
” Personally, I’m also delighted to see such strong representation for in this set. Jim Hawkins takes centre stage in the Starter Deck realm, and there’s also a bunch of other cards inspired by the film – John Silver is present, Jim Hawkins has a new “Cabin Boy” card, and Mr. Arrow is also around.
It’s equally nice to see new cards for , with Cobra Bubbles getting his own starring role, and his sunglasses being adapted for a separate, very funny card. All that said, there are some weirder inclusions in this set. Beyond pirates, also has a focus on “inventor” characters, which feels a bit odd.
Storywise, it’s because the inventors are working to fix the Great Illuminary after a major battle against Ursula, but inventors aren’t nearly as cool as pirates, and so they feel a bit secondary in this set. I’ll also mention a slight disappointment that a “pirates” theme doesn’t utilise any characters from . It’s understandable, of course.
is a more adult franchise, compared to the others included in , and the TCG is largely focussed on animated properties. There is also likely still sensitivity about the franchise, given its lead actor Johnny Depp was recently the subject of a very serious court case. At the very least, is strong representation for Disney pirates, and many other characters have been given effective makeovers to ensure they fit the theme, with incredible style to boot.
It’s also nice to see some future hints at potential major villains in future – Jafar, Hades, and others appear in this set, working on their own little schemes in the background. With the way the plot is heading, I can imagine next year will kick off with some sort of new villain attack, with one or more new sets revolving around this threat. For now, we’ll have to wait to see what eventuates – but in the meantime, has given keen players plenty to enjoy.
Personally, I’ll be biding time until the next release by blazing through matches with my pirate pals. I can see the Jim/Tigger pirate deck being an all-time favourite of mine, thanks to its characters and mechanics – but I could still be persuaded by new, more ambitious ideas. Ravensburger will have a tough time topping this particular set, but I said that about , and the development team has certainly managed to eclipse that set since.
Whatever is next will be worth keeping an eye on..
