Splinterlands VS Magic The Gathering - Blockchain FTW!!

Although Splinterlands is one of my favorite blockchain based games, I recently picked up playing Magic The Gathering (MTG) again and couldn't help notice that Splinterlands draws heavily from MTG. MTG is one of the most well known trading card games that has defined and influenced the entire genre and Splinterlands is the hot new (compared to MTG) blockchain game that rewards players with crypto and NFT for completing daily quests, winning matches, and interacting with the community. They're both fantastic games, but also very different, so in this post, I want to highlight some of the differences between the two games and share which one I prefer.

Pick Magic The Gathering If.....

For a detailed analysis of the two games, its best to watch the video, but I'll provide a quick synopsis here. Although I play and love both games, I think that both games have different audiences in mind, so I'd like to offer a quick bullet point list of which games might be better for you based on certain characteristics. Obviously, if you want a physical game that you can sit down and play with friends or if you want to collect a huge binder full of cards, then MTG will be the way to go. For a more accurate comparison, well be comparing Splinterlands with MTG Arena (online) and not the physical card game.

MTG might be better for you if

-You want an interactive, strategic gameplay experience that involves casting creatures, reacting to your opponent's moves, and deck building.

-You want a truly free to play experience. MTG Arena isn't just free - you can actually earn more cards even with the free version

-You prefer detailed, intricate artwork on the cards

-You're looking for a game that can last around 30 minutes and you're ok with studying and learning a complex ruleset

Pick Splinterlands If....

Splinterlands obviously draws heavily from magic and although the general theme is similar, Splinterlands is very different in terms of gameplay, style, and artwork. Just as MTG has some areas that it does "better" in than Splinterlands, I feel that there some areas where Splinterlands does better. Splinterlands may be more enjoyable for you if.

-You want a game that gives you a clear path to monetization. With Splinterlands, the rewards you earn can be sold and traded, and you actually own the cards. With Magic, cards are assigned to your account, but the XP, Gold, and Gems that you earn from playing don't carry real world value like Splinterlands assets do.

-You want a quick fun game that can be played in a few minutes. Splinterlands is great for quick breaks.

• You want an easy to learn gameplay. Splinterlands matches are "set it and forget" style of gameplay that requires you to simply submit a team to counter your opponent. Once you choose the rest of your team, the match unfolds automatically.

My Choice

As I said at the start of the article, I like both games, but I like them for different reasons. If I want to sit down and relax for a while, I personally find the MTG gameplay MUCH more fulfilling than Splinterlands. Its fun, interactive, and it requires a lot of tactical decision making. From a gameplay perspective, its Magic for me. By contrast, I like Splinterlands for those quick breaks where I want to log in, submit a team, and quickly play a match. I also like Splinterlands for the incredible community as well as the ability to sell cards and level them up. In MTG all my unwanted cards simply sit there in my account doing absolutely nothing. Although I play both games, I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other....the one I play just depends how I'm feeling that day.

As always, nothing is financial advice, and thanks for reading!

References

https://magic.wizards.com/en/mtgarena

https://splinterlands.com/