Magic the Gathering (XBLA)

[bassguitar115]

I've always been interested in these types of card games and since I used to play Magic (way back) this game seems like a must buy for me.

However, I've heard some negative things about it. Some people have said you can't build custom decks (which sounds really lame) and other such things.

If anyone has played this I'd love to hear your opinions. . .

[lavahot]

It's true, you can't build custom decks, but that keeps people from surprising you with trick decks. There are some bugs, it sometimes stalls when a spell is placed on the stack, but I've only seen that happen a few times. The only way to get rid of it unfortunately, is to quit the duel. Don't know if this affects online play. There's no same machine two-player, but there is two-player teams. For $10, especially since the point of M:TG is to keep buying shit, it's great. It goes back to the basics of what each color was designed to do. No big artifact decks, no cheap ass over-powered cards, just a fixed-card environment that makes the game very enjoyable.

[tokenuser]

I used to do tournaments for new releases. They were always a lot of fun because the decks you had to work with were kinda random. It meant that you had to come up with some creative card combos to win.

I like the concept of an M:tG on XBLA, but it can't compare to playing live with a deck of cards (esp if it borrows from the old PC version).

[ojimaru]

If we can't build custom decks, I don't see the point of having it ported to a console at all. 75% of the fun of MTG is deck building! Wouldn't WotC have been better off porting MTGOnline to XBLA?

[lavahot]

If we can't build custom decks, I don't see the point of having it ported to a console at all. 75% of the fun of MTG is deck building! Wouldn't WotC have been better off porting MTGOnline to XBLA?

Maybe, but then I'd be paying $20 or more a month to buy cards instead of a one-time fee of $10.

[wideawakewesley]

If we can't build custom decks, I don't see the point of having it ported to a console at all. 75% of the fun of MTG is deck building! Wouldn't WotC have been better off porting MTGOnline to XBLA?

When you have as little time as I do, being an old school player with too many responsibilities now, deck building is just a big time sync. Just being able to play again is fantastic. I love the version they've got on XBLA.

[stubadub]

I agree. Not incorporating deck building makes it more interesting to me at this point in my life. I loved Magic but I quickly realized I didn't have the time or money to keep up with everyone else. This way I can play casually and still be competitive.

[valencialegend]

I have purchased this game and have played Magic through elementary and middle school. Game is great regardless of the lack of 'true' deck building. You sometimes unlock cards that you can add to your deck but still lacks the ability to make a deck from scratch. I would still recommend it to anyone who has played Magic in the past though.

[infinity_man]

It's true, you can't build custom decks, but that keeps people from surprising you with trick decks. There are some bugs, it sometimes stalls when a spell is placed on the stack, but I've only seen that happen a few times. The only way to get rid of it unfortunately, is to quit the duel. Don't know if this affects online play. There's no same machine two-player, but there is two-player teams. For $10, especially since the point of M:TG is to keep buying shit, it's great. It goes back to the basics of what each color was designed to do. No big artifact decks, no cheap ass over-powered cards, just a fixed-card environment that makes the game very enjoyable.

I found that instead of restarting the match when it freezes on a spell, it's easier to push up on the D-pad, which changes the view. Then go back to the original view and it unsticks.

I have a lot of fun with this game in a casual way.

[masherscf]

I was into magic when it was first released. I dropped it about a year later when I got my ass handed to me by a 13-year old with a predatory deck. A year after that I sold most of my alpha cards in order to buy an engagement ring.

[lavahot]

I was into magic when it was first released. I dropped it about a year later when I got my ass handed to me by a 13-year old with a predatory deck. A year after that I sold most of my alpha cards in order to buy an engagement ring.

I'd say that was a good choice. Nothing contributing to a relationship can come from Magic.

[masherscf]

I'd say that was a good choice. Nothing contributing to a relationship can come from Magic.

You're right, the one time I played her, she hurled the deck at me after losing.

[lavahot]

You're right, the one time I played her, she hurled the deck at me after losing.

Do you remember what color she was?

[bobafettjm]

I like the game on XBLA, but I am a total newbie to Magic. Back when it came out and was very popular I used to play Decipher's Star Wars CCG instead of Magic.

[lavahot]

Finished the first run on the campaign, now everybody's kicking my ass on the second run through.

[trunolimit]

so basically XBLA has become that corner of the cafeteria where all the nerds hung out and fell prey to insecure kids, aka the cool kids.


do you think it's still like that in high school? Anyone here still in highschool that can answer this?

[trunolimit]

It's true, you can't build custom decks, but that keeps people from surprising you with trick decks. There are some bugs, it sometimes stalls when a spell is placed on the stack, but I've only seen that happen a few times. The only way to get rid of it unfortunately, is to quit the duel. Don't know if this affects online play. There's no same machine two-player, but there is two-player teams. For $10, especially since the point of M:TG is to keep buying shit, it's great. It goes back to the basics of what each color was designed to do. No big artifact decks, no cheap ass over-powered cards, just a fixed-card environment that makes the game very enjoyable.

my friend use to be into magic, I never got into it, he told me he stopped playing because all of a sudden they started to release ridiculously powerful cards and newbies where owning him.

[masherscf]

Do you remember what color she was?

I expect the same color she is now, why does that matter?

[lavahot]

I expect the same color she is now, why does that matter?

... *facepalms* I meant what color deck did she play?

[wils-jacob]

I have really enjoyed playing this game co-op with friends over the past month. When it comes to not being able to build your deck, I don't really see the issue, this is never going to be a replacement for playing Magic face to face and I don't want to spend a lot of time dealing with a, more likely than not, improperly implemented deck-building system. I'll just be happy if they continue to release a steady stream of content for a while.

Also, the AI is actually pretty good, all things considered. Though, it is primarily concerned with dealing damage and unless it hits a preprogged chain it will ignore some of the more intricate abilities of its cards.