Best Crypto Card Games of 2022

cryto card games

Our picks

What are Crypto card games?

Crypto card games are play-to-earn games that center around playing cards. Each game has a different theme, rules, NFTs, and tokens. 

Some crypto playing card games can be compared to popular games like Magic The Gathering and Hearthstone. 

Top 8 Crypto card games

Sorare

Best for: Sports card trading
SoRare

What is Sorare?

Sorare is a sports-based collectible card game that runs on the Ethereum blockchain. The game takes inspiration from fantasy football games, as well as football trading cards such as Panini. 

Users need to create their mini-fantasy football team for each new round of contests. A team consists of five cards. While there are some free cards available, the majority of them need to be purchased from Sorare marketplace. A card’s value is determined by the quality of the football player that it represents, as well as the card’s rarity and the season in which it was issued. 

A user’s team earns points based on the performances of the footballers in real matches. The teams that win the events in which they are registered receive prizes. These can be either ETH or other cards. 

However, the majority of users aim to earn a profit through the market by buying cards that are undervalued and selling them at a higher price. 

How does Sorare work?

Unlike most fantasy football games (such as Fantasy Premier League or FootballCoin), Sorare has users create a team of only five players, not eleven as in the actual game of football. 

The cards receive points based on their actual performances. For example, a positive event such as a goal will add points to the tally, while a negative event, such as a red card, will lead to points being deducted. 

Competition prizes are provided in ETH or in the form of gifted cards. Users may earn a profit either through registering their teams for the various competitions or by taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the marketplace. 

Sorare tokens

Card prices are expressed in ETH, the native token of the Ethereum blockchain on which the game runs. The cards are NFTs that are minted each season as 111 units for each player. Older generation cards, however, may still be used but will receive a lower in-game rating. 

Sorare cryptocurrency and price

All transactions in Sorare use ETH and are conducted on the Ethereum blockchain. 

Sorare NFTs

Sorare makes use of NFTs that represent football players from the clubs that are represented in the game. Users must collect these and use them in their fantasy football teams. The NFTs differ based on their rarity and on the season in which they were issued. 

These factors also affect how well they can score points in competitions. The cards can be traded using ETH on the game’s market, as well as third-party sites like OpenSea.

Pros and cons of Sorare

Pros

  • Football is at the core of its concept
  • Sorare’s marketplace registers a healthy amount of volume
  • Larger and smaller leagues are represented

Cons

  • The game has received a good deal of bad press in countries like England and Switzerland
  • Teams consist of five player cards, unlike traditional fantasy-football games that use eleven players
  • Player cards don’t receive points on performance alone

Spells of Genesis

Best for: Innovative card games
Spells of Genesis

What is Spells of Genesis?

Spells of Genesis (SoG) deserves a good deal more recognition. After all, it was quite likely the first crypto card game. It utilizes trading card game principles and an adventure and fantasy storyline. The goal of the game is to create a powerful deck of cards that can defeat your enemies. Cards are represented by unique digital assets.

How does Spells of Genesis work?

Spells of Genesis was unique for the way that it embraced the play-to-earn model. There are over 1000 tokens available in the game. Each card features its own characteristics (speed, attack, spell effect, etc.), and the goal is to combine these in a deck that can defeat your opponents. The game rewards the best players with crypto prizes that, in turn, can be converted into cash. 

Spells of Genesis tokens

Spells of Genesis is a multi-chain game and supports Ethereum, Counterparty, and Klatyn. The play-to-earn model is profitable for those earning prizes in the game or engaging in card trade. SoG also features the in-game currencies of gold, crystals, and gems. 

Spells of Genesis cryptocurrency and price

SoG is free, and users can earn in-game currencies that are used to purchase cards. However, the more valuable cards can be purchased outright from the game’s NFT store. Currently, prices for cards start at $200. 

Spells of Genesis NFTs

The non-fungible tokens of SoG are the heart of the game mechanics. Recently, the developers introduced the concept of blockchainization. Through it, users can mint their cards into tradable blockchain assets. 

Game-wise, the NFTs are used by players to construct a deck with which they can play against their opponents. The cards have various characteristics and degrees of rarity that make them more valuable and sought after. The card rank can be leveled up when played in a certain combination. 

Pros and cons of Spells of Genesis

Pros

  • First play-to-earn game and remains an exciting innovator
  • It’s free
  • Compatible with three separate blockchain networks (Ethereum, Counterparty, Klatyn)

Cons

  • Features a relatively small number of users
  • Progress has stalled
  • The best cards are relatively expensive

Gods Unchained

Best for: Overall gameplay and popularity
Gods Unchained

What is Gods Unchained?

Gods Unchained is one of the most popular crypto card games at present, with over 65,000 card owners. The game is similar to Magic: The Gathering, with the former gaming director of that game contributing to this blockchain title. In this play-to-earn game, players use their digital assets known as Gods to battle each for supremacy. 

How does Gods Unchained work?

Like in other fantasy card games, the objective here is to create a deck that will defeat your opponents in The Arena. Users start out with a free deck of 140 cards. From then onwards, they can earn more and better cards by playing the game or purchasing the NFTs outright. 

Users are able to make a profit from the game by either trading their cards, receiving rewards from the Gods Token Airdrop, or of course, by winning as many matches as possible. Users are regularly required to win 7 out of 20 games in order to have those features active. 

GODS tokens

  • gods-unchained
  • Gods Unchained
    (GODS)
  • Price
    $0.315
  • Market Cap
    $87.98 M

GODS is the token used in the game. It is an Ethereum token and can be used to obtain NFTs and other valuable items in the game. It can also be used in the governance process. 

GODS cryptocurrency and price

Gods Unchained is free-to-play. However, the GODS tokens are highly useful. They allow a user to purchase better cards that will result in a more competitive deck. At the time of writing, GODS is valued at around $0.46. 

Gods Unchained NFTs

The NFTs are the most crucial feature of Gods Unchained. These cards need to be played in specific combinations in order to defeat opponents. There are 194 collectible cards in total. These are divided based on their rarity. They can be purchased using ETH from the game’s marketplace.

Pros and cons of Gods Unchained

Pros

  • It’s free to play 
  • Users start with 140 free cards
  • The game has an extensive database of fans

Cons

  • The best cards in the game need to be purchased or earned through gameplay
  • The cards are only available on the Ethereum blockchain
  • Faces strong competition from other fantasy card games
Check out our full Gods Unchained review

Splinterlands

Best for: Fantasy-themed lore
Splinterlands

What is Splinterlands?

Splinterlands is a popular crypto game available for desktop and mobile directly from your browser. This is another fantasy-themed trading card game. Players need to construct a deck containing seven cards and one summoner card, and up to six monsters. Once assembled, users will place their deck battle against another player. 

How does Splinterlands work?

Splinterlands requires a user to develop a robust strategy when battling one-on-one against another player. Each ranked battle allows the user to increase their in-game rating. The battles are fought between players of similar ratings. 

You will need to earn Dark Energy Crystals (DEC) in order to turn a profit from the game. DEC is earned by playing and winning games and climbing the competitive ladder. Players must also pay a registration fee (Summoner’s Spellbook) in order to qualify for rewards.

Splinterlands tokens

  • splinterlands
  • Splintershards
    (SPS)
  • Price
    $0.021
  • Market Cap
    $10.55 M

DEC is the native token used in Splinterlands. This in-game currency can be used to purchase the game’s NFTs and for other actions inside the game’s economy. The cards can also be burned in exchange for the DEC amount allotted for each card. 

Splinterlands cryptocurrency and price

Dark Energy Crystals (DEC) are currently valued at around $0.0006. It is available for purchase on decentralized exchanges like Uniswap and Pancakeswap. 

Splinterlands NFTs

The goal of Splinterlands, as in other fantasy-themed card games, is to assemble a deck that can be used in one-on-one battles. The NFTs feature various characteristics that make them stronger or weaker based on the combination in which they are played. The cards in the deck are represented by NFTs. The Splinterland game functions on The Hive blockchain. 

Pros and cons of Splinterlands 

Pros

  • It’s free to play
  • Users earn prizes by securing victories
  • Cards are relatively inexpensive

Cons

  • Registration fee of $10
  • Tough competition from other fantasy-themed games
Check out our full Splinterlands review

Skyweaver

Best for: Serious card trading
Skyweaver

What is Skyweaver?

Skyweaver is a crypto trading card game. Its theme and gameplay are developed alongside the highly popular model pioneered by Hearthstone. A lot of work looks to have been put into the game’s design, especially the game’s NFTs. Players use the NFTs to build their own decks and engage in turn-based battles against their opponents. 

Skyweaver was developed by Horizon, and it is available for both desktop and mobile devices.

How does Skyweaver work?

Skyweaver’s game mechanism will feel familiar to those who have played Hearthstone or Gwent. Users get to create their fantasy-themed deck of 25 cards. The characteristics of each card mean that the combinations used for each deck affect a player’s winning potential. There are around 500 cards available. Users can purchase those from the marketplace or can obtain them when leveling up. 

Users can earn a profit from Skyweaver by engaging in trading on the game’s market. Simply put, the objective is to obtain or buy cards and sell them for as high of a price as possible. 

Skyweaver tokens

Skyweaver functions on Polygon’s L2 blockchain. The in-game currency is USDC. This is used for trading and for rewards. Skyweaver does not have a native token per-se. 

Skyweaver cryptocurrency and price

USDC is a stablecoin pegged at the value of $1.

Skyweaver NFTs

The beautifully designed NFTs sit at the heart of Skyweaver and its gameplay. The almost 500 available cards are divided based on five characteristics: 

  • Strength
  • Wisdom
  • Heart,
  • Agility
  • Intellect

During the turn-based battles, the ability to combine these elements to create a strong deck of 25 cards comes in very handy. 

Pros and cons of Skyweaver

Pros

  • Accessible for novice users of fantasy games
  • Great focus placed on the game graphics

Cons

  • No direct crypto rewards other than trading cards
  • Base cards are obtained by playing the game but can’t be traded
  • Focused more on its economy and marketplace than on the gameplay
Check out our full Skyweaver review

Berserk

Best for: Hype
Berserk

What is Berserk?

Berserk is a blockchain card game that has gained a lot of attention recently. While it features a similar theme to others on our list, Berserk is distinguished by the large ecosystem, the Vulcanverse, in which it functions. The game was developed by the company Vulcan Forged, which specializes in NFT-based games. 

How does Berserk work?

Like others on our list, Berserk uses games like Hearthstone as its model. The game’s storyline and graphics are inspired by Greek and Roman mythology. Berserk is a PvP game in which users collect and use NFTs in order to duel against each other. Each player’s deck must include a Vulcanite hero and a number of other creature and spell cards. One player wins when they have defeated the other’s hero. 

Berserk tokens

PYR is the native token of the Vulcan Forged gaming universe. It can be earned in Berserk and the other games created by the studio. Also, the LAVA token can be earned in the game and is used across the VulcanForged ecosystem. 

Berserk cryptocurrency and price

Vulcan Forged PYR is currently valued at around $4.31.

Berserk’s NFTs

Berserk is technically free to play. A novice user is offered a deck of cards upon starting the game. The creature and spell cards have various attributes that can be played to defeat the opponent’s hero. 

The game features both NFT and non-NFT cards. Upon purchase, the NFT cards remain in the owner’s possession forever. 

Pros and cons of Berserk

Pros

  • Receives a lot of support from the P2E community
  • Game mechanics are simple to understand yet complex enough to maintain a player’s interest
  • Part of a vast gaming ecosystem 

Cons

  • There are few in-game instructions
  • The game is not the focus of Vulcan Forged 
  • Some reports of minor technical issues upon running the game

CryptoSpells 

Best for: Attention to detail
CryptoSpells

What is CryptoSpells?

CryptoSpells is a blockchain-based trading game that is taking Japan by storm. This is a significant detail. After all, Japan is well-known for endorsing some of the most popular card trading games of recent decades. The game mechanics utilize NFTs that are used to create decks used in battles.

The company behind the game is called CryptoGames Inc. It was very popular upon its release, selling over 600 ETH worth of cards in its presale phase. The game is available for both desktop and mobile use. 

How does CryptoSpells work?

CryptoSpells is a simple and straight-to-the-point turn-based card game. The NFTs have unique rarity ratings and various characteristics (legend, gold, silver, bronze, cards). The cards can be purchased or earned in the game. In fact, a novice user receives 20 cards to start off their journey. 

Users are rewarded for completing a certain number of daily matches. The decks that players use receive a number of starting points based on how often they are played. Winning battles allows users to level up and have access to higher rewards.

CryptoSpells tokens

SPL tokens are the in-game currency used in CryptoSpells. The token can be bought using ETH. In turn, SPL is used in the game to purchase NFTs and for various other actions. 

CryptoSpells cryptocurrency and price

CryptoSpells is developed on the Ethereum blockchain and utilizes its popular native token, ETH. 

CryptoSpells NFTs

NFTs in CryptoSpells are used, as in games such as Hearthstone, to create a deck used to battle opponents. The cards differ based on Civilization, Race, and Rarity. Each civilization has one Leader card. One deck must contain 20 cards, with only two cards of the same type allowed.  

Pros and cons of CryptoSpells

Pros

  • Highly popular in Japan
  • Easy to learn
  • Users have the opportunity to earn cards

Cons

  • Most online information is in Japanese
  • Functions only on the Ethereum blockchain
  • Game graphics could be improved

Kingdom Karnage

Best for: Gaming ecosystem
Kingdom Karnage

What is Kingdom Karnage?

Kingdom Karnage is meant to be one of the flagship games of the Enjin ecosystem. This is a turn-based trading card game. It is browser-based and utilizes NFTs and exciting game mechanics. Furthermore, it supports cross-platform play on Steam and Google Play. 

The Enjin project received a lot of attention for its desire to innovate the NFT-gaming sector, and Kingdom Karnage is one of the titles that it has heavily promoted.

How does Kingdom Karnaege work?

Kingdom Karnage works in the same vein as other turn-based card games but adds a few twists as well. Users need to command an army of up to 30 cards and fight against their opponents. The winner will be the one who depletes the health coefficient of their opponent successfully. Users receive rewards based on their performances in battles and on their exploration of the dungeon map. 

Users can earn in Kingdom Karnage either through the cards, rewards, or in-game gems. The best profit is obtained through selling cards in the game’s marketplace. 

Kingdom Karnaege tokens

Kingdom Karnage is integrated with the Enjoin ecosystem. The game utilizes JENJ, a private version of the ENJ token that operates on the JumpNet chain. JENJ can be acquired using ENJ.  

Kingdom Karnaege cryptocurrency and price

The value of ENJ at the time of writing is around $0.55.

Kingdom Karnage NFTs

The game’s NFTs are used to participate in battles. These cards differ based on rarity levels, and users can level up by finding the Enchanted Gems hidden in the dungeon. 

The NFTs are also the main way to earn from the game, as the cards can be sold on the Enjin Jumpnet Marketplace. 

Pros and cons of Kingdom Karnage

Pros

  • Available across platforms
  • The dungeon map adds an exciting touch
  • Several methods to advance through the ranking of the game

Cons

  • Earning from the game can be complicated
  • The game website features limited information
  • While highly supported by Enjin, it isn’t very popular
Eduard Bănulescu is a freelance writer and a veteran of the crypto space. He has gone on to collaborate with numerous internet publications that are focused on DeFI, Fintech, and Web3. Also, he runs and writes for his crypto, music and sports websites that he owns and manages.