There is a new trading card game at your local card stores! I know. I know what you're thinking. "Another trading card game! How many more intellectual properties need a trading card game? Do I really NEED another card game!?" I'm here to argue, you just might. Bandai's new trading card game - Union Arena, is what brings us here today. This game is a collection of multiple anime/manga franchises that are designed to battle against each other! For example, the two first sets of Union Arena are: Bleach Thousand Year Blood War and Hunter X Hunter. These two franchises have been wildly celebrated for years and are now being brought into the card game arena! Let me explain how this all works.

To begin, you need to make a 50-card deck. You build your deck with whatever set of Union Arena you want to play with. So, your entire 50-card deck would have to be from either the Bleach Thousand Year Blood War set or the Hunter X Hunter set. Thankfully there are multiple characters and different deck combinations for each set, meaning that each set can provide several different decks and playstyles that are unique to that franchise. Unlike some other Bandai card games there is no "leader" in this game. Every attack goes into life unless an ability calls for something else. These features make this game a little different from other Bandai trading card games that are in the market right now and is a real refreshing change of pace. Another really cool thing about Union Arena is how it appeals to the card collectors in all of us.

Besides seeing some of your favorite anime/manga come to life in a card game, Bandai has done a really cool job of establishing a solid rarity system within the game for collectors or fans. We have the basic common, uncommon, rare, or super rare categories. However, they have a really cool rarity system for alternate arts of some of your favorite cards. There are one-, two-, and three-star rarity cards, with some even containing signatures! This system really gives something for collectors and fans alike to chase after. To me this is a super important element of a card game. For those of us old enough to remember, we all wanted a Base Set Charizard at one point or another. These exclusive alt arts will be something that is difficult to pull and will be sought after for a while. Hopefully this helps keep people interested in the game from a collecting standpoint as well!

Now, let me explain who I believe this game is best suited for and why I think you should pick up some product today! I think this game is great for all of us who are fans of the intellectual properties that are either out right now or that are going to be coming to Union Arena in the future. Some of the future titles we already know of include fan favorites like Jujitsu Kaisen and Code Geass! There's nothing like making a deck around your favorite characters and trying to win. It's just a whole lot of fun! Second, I think Union Arena is the perfect "2nd card game" for someone, especially people who are already familiar with other Bandai card games. It's so nice to take a break from your competitive card game to just play a game that is fun and isn't too competitive due to the natural variance that is built into the game. I've won a release event and have gone 2-2 at a locals and just as much fun at both events.

All in all, I can not recommend Union Arena enough right now. I've been having a blast playing with people whose main competitive games are Lorcana, One Piece, Pokemon, etc.! They've all said what a great 2nd card game it has been for them, and that it allows them to take a break from their main game. That's not to say you can't make Union Arena your main game. You definitely can, and Bandai is already releasing competitive events for alternate art cards in the next few months! It's for all of these reasons that I recommend you look into Union Arena and give it a try today! Thanks for reading as always!

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Garrett Farrington

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