There are times when two amazing things can come together and create something incredible. As both a fan of collectible card games and Vtubers, finding a game that features both was something I had to get my hands on. Rift Runners is a trading card game where the art includes Vtuber OCs for creators of all sizes. After having a chance to learn how to play the game from the developer at Momocon, I have a lot of fun things to say about it.

The gameplay has the right amount of complexity for a player like me. Quite similar to classic Yu-Gi-Oh, the game features mechanics where players summon warriors to do battle on the field to take out the opponent’s health. There are a variety of ways to do that, but I’ll let the game provide the explanation for all of its mechanics. What I will say is that the power scaling hits an absolute sweet spot for me. Turns are often very quick, and even if your opponent gets an early advantage, the mechanics allow for a variety of opportunities to get the upper hand.

During my game, I found I had an early lead, but the developer showed an incredible combo that quickly put me on a defensive strategy. The game was very much back and forth, and that is both a representation of how balanced and enjoyable it was. You have normal summons, quick summons, ways to use weaker cards to bring out stronger ones, support cards, and more.

Looking at the cards themselves, the art is amazing. All of the cards provide the name of the artist at the bottom and are really easy to read. The explanations of all the effects were easy to understand, and it didn’t take me long to develop my own fun strategies.

Overall, if you like how Yu-Gi-Oh was in the beginning, then the gameplay is perfect for you. With quick turns, easy-to-understand mechanics, and well-executed balancing, the game is a ton of fun. I ended up buying a couple of starter packs so I can teach my friends back home how to play it. If you want to learn more about it, make sure to head over to the Rift Runners website and get a deck for yourself.