Battle Spirits TCG review

In my monthly magazine, Shonen Jump they advertised 2 free demo decks of Battle Spirits Trading Card Game (TCG) per household. The picture looked cool so I got one for my brother and I. What they didn't tell you was how tediously long the game was.

What was included in the demo deck were various types of 'Spell', 'Nexus', and 'Spirit' cards, a few 'Cores', and a game mat with a few instructions on the back. The Cores are the basically you life points. Everything runs off these tiny pieces of plastic. The more cores you have on a monster, the more powerful it is; the more cores you have on a spell, the more effective it is the more you can do; same with Nexus. Just like any other TGC, there are different phases in the game: Start phase, main phase, battle phase, and end phase. The rules were all well and good (after I downloaded the instruction manual online.)

The problem with this game is that monsters become "exhausted," and therefore don't die. You and the your opponent go back and forth attacking and defending until all the monsters are "exhausted" then you go on to the next phase. Then when it's the next turn you can "refresh" all your monsters. This fores you to rely on your Spell and Nexus cards.

I found that towards the end I was getting very bored and just wanted to quit.

This game released 08.14.09. That Christmas season Band-ai announced that new starter decks and booster packs would be available to "stores worldwide." I only know of one store in my area that sells it and it's over an hour away. Almost a year has past, and I have yet to see it in any superstore in my area. I felt like they stretched the truth a little on that ad.

I like the game. I truly do, and I think if I were to get my hands on some cards it would be even more fun; BUT the game just goes on forever.

/ [*Phoenix*]

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