Magic: The Gathering
1997
- strategy
- turn-based strategy (tbs)
- tactical
- card & board game
- fantasy
- single player
The story
Magic: The Gathering is a computer game published by MicroProse in April 1997 based on the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. The game takes place in the plane of Shandalar, where the player must travel the land and fight random enemies to gain cards, and defeat five wizards representing the five colors. The player must prevent one color from gaining too much power, and defeat the planeswalker Arzakon, who has a deck of all five colors. Adventure game and role-playing game elements are present, including inventory, gold, towns, dungeons, random battles, and character progression in the form of new abilities and a higher life point total. An oversized version of Aswan Jaguar was included in the game box.
What it’s like
Painted fantasy card art fills the screen, with a dusty, storybook palette of greens, deep blues, and parchment browns, and a slow overland map where small figures trek between towns and dungeons. Duels play out as static, tabletop-style exchanges: a creature card lands, mana pips light up, and life totals tick down with little animation beyond a flicker of spell effects. The soundtrack stays low and unobtrusive, mostly ambient loops that suit a session left running in the background. The mood is quiet, methodical, and unhurried, closer to a long study of a collection than to a thrill ride. Progress comes in small increments: a new card, a few more gold coins, a heartier life total after a hard-won victory. Violence is entirely abstract, with no gore or graphic harm, only fantasy clashes resolved by numbers and tactics. It suits a rainy afternoon, a slow evening alone, or anyone who enjoys planning a deck and watching a patient campaign unfold. It is made for players who love collecting, building, and strategising over long, low-stakes stretches, and for those curious about how a physical card game translates into a solo adventure.
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