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Universus

King of Fighters Challenger Deck Review: Casual Insights

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Disclaimer

UVS games sent me the two King of Fighters Challenger Series decks to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. I have both team hero and team rival decklists up. I’ll also be using my TCG player affiliate link where possible. Always support your LGS, but it really helps me out if you use it for product your LGS doesn’t carry.

Table of Contents

What is Universus TCG?

I’ve written about Universus in a past post where I go into detail about the game and how to play. The short version: Universus is a fighting game turned into TCG. Players will use thier resources to land powerful attacks, block oncoming damage, and use abilities that will turn the tide in seconds. The game users a unique resource system that is more RNG reliant than your typical TCG, and it uses established IPs like those from fighting games, anime, or my favorite of all time, Heroes of Exandria. It is my favorite TCG that no one seems to be playing, for now.

Challenger Series Decks

Universus releases two types of sealed constructed products: challenger and starter decks. Starter decks are striped down versions of the TCG that are meant for people who have never touched a TCG in their life. The game includes some unique art cards, but the decks are pretty much useless except for giving players the most basic understanding of the game. I don’t follow the competitive scene, but have played enough card games to understand that the starter decks (as of writing this) don’t have the cohesion and percentage to give players a full version of the TCG. Starter decks are not bad products, I love my Heroes of Exandria starter decks, but the challenger series decks are a lot more fun.

Challenger series on the other hand, are a bit more complex. They aren’t going to win you many games at locals or worlds for that matter, but they provide a more honest experience. If you are trying to teach someone who has never played a TCG, the starter decks are cool until you outgrow the decks. If you want to try out the game to see if its for you and have the chance of building into something more competative, pick up a challenger deck from your favorite series.

My Perspective

I am coming at this from a casual perspective. I don’t follow the meta and can’t speak on how the King of Fighter decks match up against it. I have cannibalized some of the other decks I’ve received to build some strange decks I have fun with. I like Universus and am sad there isn’t a local scene. That said, I understand why. The game isn’t fun to collect. Universus has some of the most beautiful secret rare and unique art based on your favorite characters from your favorite IP, but the rest of the cards are screen grabs. Some sets are fine and look fine in the binder, but other sets are just not interesting to collect. For customers going into the store and seeing all these fun shinny unique cards, Universus gets overshadowed.

The art shouldn’t be a problem when the gameplay is good. The game has unique mechanics, a cool resource system, and a solid loop. The problem is that if I am not familiar with a particular IP, the common cards aren’t very memorable. This will change when they drop their newly announced Rebel Frontier. The art for the teasers look sick and I can’t wait to see what goes into it! More on Rebel Frontier when the information becomes available.

Review

I have mixed feelings about the King of Fighter challenger decks. On one hand, I appropriate the new mechanics and the ammount of flavor that goes into them. Universus is very good at making uniquely flavored decks. The problem I have with the decks is the art, I am not a fan. They may not be the worst cards I’ve gotten, but they aren’t very impressive. At least they’re fun to play.

The Art

The art for the heros is fine, but when you compare it to the street fighter decks, they are a little underwhelming. At least you get three heroes. The heroes feel fine with a good amount of power, but I am not crazy about the art. Personally, Shun’ei was my favorite not because of power, but because his abilities vibed better with my playstyle. The common cards that aren’t in the anime style are ugly. It’s not as bad as the Tekken Decks, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to collect them. Luckily the mechanics are fun.

Gameplay

I like how the decks change enough of the game to keep it interesting. Now I only play casualy once in a while so it always feels fresh, but there are decks I like more than others. I don’t think I would pick these over the street fighter decks, but I would pick them up in addition. The art doesn’t matter when the game is fun, and the games I played with the King of Figher challenger decks were fun. I don’t know how they hold up to the rest of the meta, but they seemed pretty balanced to us. I play with TCG veterans who only play Universus when I ask them to help me test.

Conclusion

If you like the King of Fighters games, pick up these challenger decks. The decks are fun, and you might appreciate the art more than I did. I never got into King of Fighters and couldn’t form the same connection I had with a series like Heroes of Exandria. I think the decks are fun and will pull keep pulling them out, but I wouldn’t pick these up as a collector. If you want cards that look good with solid mechanics, get the Street Fighter decks.

Universus

King of Fighters Challenger Decks: Team Hero Deck List

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Universus TCG has released its King of Fighter’s Challenger Series Decks on January 30, 2026. There are two challenger decks: Team Hero and Team Rival. Both decks come with 60 cards and a special foil booster pack to bling up your deck. This is the Team Hero Deck list. You can pick up the Team Hero Challenger deck at your LGS, or through TCG Player using my affiliate link.

Table of Contents

The List

Champions

  • Shun’ei Amped-up Illusionist
  • Meitenkun, Sleeping Prodigy
  • Benimaru, Shooting Star

Foil Cards

  • Upward Rai-Kou Ken x 2
  • Scarlet Phantom x 2
  • Sen-Siss Hou x 2
  • Benimaru Collider x 2
  • Chou Geki Hou x 2
  • Phantom Singulation x 2

Non-Foil

  • Team Hero XV x 3
  • Flying Drill x 3
  • Ground Hammer x 4
  • Makura Nage x 3
  • Gallant Figure x 4
  • Sleepyhead x 4
  • Students of Tung-Fu Rue x 3
  • Substitute Member x 4
  • Thanks a Million! x 4
  • Thruster Vision: Back x 4
  • Thruster Vision: Front x 4
  • Thruster Vision: Under x 4
  • Wide Awake x 4

Champion (Visual)

Shun’ei Amped-up Illusionist
Meitenkun, Sleeping Prodigy
Benimaru, Shooting Star

Foil Cards (Visual)

Upward Rai-Kou Ken x 2
Benimaru Collider x 2
Scarlet Phantom x 2
Chou Geki Hou x 2
Sen-Siss Hou x2
Phantom Singulation x 2

Non-Foil (Visual)

Team Hero XV x 3
Makura Nage x 3
Students of Tung-Fu Rue x 3
Thruster Vision: Back x 4
Flying Drill x 3
Makura Nage x 3
Substitute Member x 4
Thruster Vision: Front x 4
Flying Drill x 3
Sleepyhead x 4
Thanks a Million! x 4
Thruster Vision: Under x 4
Universus

Guilty Gear Strive Blitz Box Review: A Collector’s Perspective

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Disclaimer

UVS sent me the a Guilty Gear Strive Blitz Box to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. 2026 is going to be an exciting year for Universus TCG, so make sure you check out the road map! I am super excited for some Fairy Tail cards. Also check out my reviews for other universus products like Attack on Titan and my favorite set so far, Heroes of Exandria. I’ll also be using my TCG Player affiliate link where possible. It helps me out if you use it before buying anything.

Table of Contents

The Set

The Guilty Gear Strive set came out on November 28, so I am a little behind on the draw. Holidays have been a little busy for me. While the new King of Fighers comes out soon, I think it is still worth looking back at a fantastic set. Guilty Gear Strive released with a new type of product, the Blitz Box, which is a 12 pack booster at a much more attainable price point. The game features unique art and foils that you are going to want in your collection, especially if you’re a fan of the fighting game. If you haven’t played Universus, it is a fantastic unique game that I have fun playing everything time I get product. I’ve talk in more detail about the game in other posts, so make sure you check that out.

Character Cards

The Guilty Gear Strive character cards are some of my favorite since I’ve started playing the game. If you are unfamiliar with the game, Universus usually uses screen grabs for most of their artwork except for a handful of alt cards and character cards where the art is unique. I have never played a Guilty Gear game, but I kind of want to now because the characters looks so cool. The character cards are all vibrant, with cool looking characters that are going to be fun to collect. Here are a few of my favorites:

Token cards

Non-alt character cards in this set are tokens. Instead of the normal backs, the backs have a few rule explanations. While it may take away from the TCG aesthetic, it does offer a different back for easy orginization. As a casual player, I appreciate the easy reminder of rules I would otherwise have to look up. It is a handy tool for newer players. While I understand that it stops being useful the more to have, it is handy.

Token Back

Chrome rares

While some might be upset that their character cards have been made tokens, there are some nice chrome rare versions available for those who want to bling out their deck. I like the more cartoonish, oversaturated look of the art. You know it is going to look fantastic on the table. While I didn’t pull any of the chromes for my collection, I can sit hit and look at them longingly:

Alt cards

The real reason I love this game is how much effort is put into the alt cards. The alt cards in this set are all fantastic. I was lucky enough to pull a few of the alt cards and I am so happy with my pulls. If you are a fan of the series, you are going to want to try to pull some of these cards, at least for your collection. It is very hard to choose just a few cards, so here is as many as I could fit in no particular order:

Review

I am writing this as a collector. I love this game, but I play it very casually. I can’t speak on the power it adds to the game nor how it is shaping the meta. I can say that this has been the most fun set to open (aside from the the Heroes of Exandira). Guilty Gear Strive has the best quality of any set I’ve pulled from, and the best looking art.

Quality

Guilty Gear Strive, at least the box I pulled, has some of the best quality I’ve seen from this game. The foils still curve, but that is an unavoidable truth in the TCG space. Regardless of that fact, none of them had that annoying print line that seems to plague previous sets. Coming from the Riftbound cards I pulled, the quality is night and day. If they can keep this level of quality for future releases, and even spread it to Riftbound, I can see this game surviving at least another year.

The Art

My biggest issue with Universus as a collector is that most of the cards are screen grabs. While the special treatment cards are always fun to open and collect, most of the time I am collecting screenshots of IPs I don’t always care about. With the exception of Heroes of Exandria, most of the sets have been disappointing to open. Riftbound, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Street Fighter (the worst in my opinion) were all boring. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fairs a little better because of nostalgia, but not enough to buy into.

The screenshots used for Guilty Gear Strive are a lot better than the previous sets. While I am still not a fan of the screenshot cards, they do look nice in a binder. I liked Guilty Gear Strive a lot more than the Street Fighter ones, and I can only hope they can carry a similar vibe with the King of Fighters IP. I am sure fans of the Guilty Gear series will appreciate the cards more than I did, but I had fun pulling them. I’ll probably only collect special treatment cards.

Conclusion

If you are thinking of getting into Universus, Guilty Gear Strive is a solid entry point. It has cool art, some solid mechanics, and the set is fun to open. I can’t speak on how it holds up against the current meta or how much return on investment you’ll get, but as a collector, I am very happy with this set and am tempted to pick up a bit more. You can pick up

Board Games and TCGs

Is Riftbound Worth the Hype? A Honest Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a few packs a couple of the Riftbound trial deck to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review. If you want to buy Riftbound, try to support your LGS. Don’t pay scalper prices. Anything above MSRP is not worth it. Usually I would post my TCG Plug, but the prices on there are too crazy. I don’t want to support the inflated market.

Table of Contents

What is Riftbound

Riftbound tries to bring the action-packed gameplay of the popular moba to the tabletop. Play as your favorite champion as you battle for supremacy in an unforgettable tabletop experience.

Winning

Players control a hero that gives them certain passives, but also dictates the colors and strategy of the deck. Each champion will have the colors that they can use in battle, and each color has a specific strategy they excel at. The goal of Riftbound is to score eight points before your opponent. You earn points by taking control of one of the two battlefields, except for the game winning point that requires control of both. You take control by moving units into a battlefield, and successfully taking or defending against an opponent’s units.

Resource System

What makes Riftbound unique is its resource system. Runes are a player’s primary resource system. These are a separate two color deck that the player pulls two cards each turn (3 on your first turn if going second). The player places these cards into a pool to cast spells, use abilities, and summon allies. Rune cards are kept in the pool unless the player recycles them. Some cards have an additional recycle cost. Players pay this cost by putting runes back into their resource deck (the card shows the cost). This creates Riftbounds interesting resource management mechanic. Do you play with less resources next turn to utilize a powerful ability?

Movement

Riftbound has a movement mechanic, but one that is simple enough to keep the TCG feel while still feeling meaningful. There are three locations a players can have units, in the base or one of the two battlefields. Battlefields are cards that have different abilities. Each player places one of their battlefield cards on the field at the start of the game, and switches the card at the start of the next game. Units enter a player’s base tapped, and can move into one of the two bases when they lose that summoning sickness.

How to Play

I am a visual learner, and the best tutorial I watched was by the Tolarian Community College. Definitely go find your favorite YouTuber in the space, but I like how clearly the professor lays out the mechanics and gameplay loop. It is very easy to follow and the visuals make it easy to understand. I don’t think I will be winning any tournaments soon, but at least I know how to play. Make sure you give the professor a like, comment, and subscribe. He’s earned it.

Review

Riftbound is a fun TCG with unique mechanics and interactions. Unfortunately, if you are looking for a new TCG to get into, you might need to wait till they fix the supply issue. This game isn’t worth the scalper prices.

Art

The unique art for the champions is fantastic. If you are a fan of the Moba, you will appreciate the love and care that has gone into each champion, especially the foil cards. Unfortunately, the rest of the set is rather unimpressive. While there are a few cute poros that got my attention, most of the cards didn’t leave much of an impression. Maybe I’ve been away from the game for too long and failed to appreciate the references, but as a collector, there wasn’t much to excite me.

It is the same issue I have with the publisher’s other game, Universus. Fun game, but only some of the cards are fun to collect.

I can’t really blame the game for its art direction. When a game takes on an established IP, there are limitations that prevent the creativity I’m looking for in a card game. The company has to do right by the established IP. This is kind of the double edged sword games like deal with. On one hand, the game pulls in the fans of IP that want a game, in this case League of Legends. On the other hand, they aren’t able to be as creative with the art. Unfortunately, this means most of the cards in Riftbound aren’t fun to collect. But does convertibility matter when the game is fun?

Gameplay

Riftbound is a lot of fun. The game is easy to learn, but it has a few mechanics that make it difficult (not impossible) to master. Riftbound has a solid mulligan system to prevent players bricking as often on the first turn. RNG can still make you brick on a mulligan, but it doesn’t feel as bad as a bad start in Magic or Pokemon. The mana system is great. It is a straight forward system that eliminates the flooding and screwing that happens in magic. Having resources exist as a seperate deck is awesome because I love drawing cards, but it means I need to have my deck sleeved in multiple colors. (Make sure you buy your sleeves where you play your games).

What I liked most about the game is the movement system. I’ve played a few TCGs with movement mechanics, like Genesis Battle of Champions and Paragon, but none of those feature a grid based system that felt more like a board game. I loved my time with both those games, but I am not very good at strategically moving units across a battle field. Not to mention, movement can bog down the game. In Riftbound, movement is simple (just three spaces) but it felt meaningful. Most importantly, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the number of choices.

Unfortunately, while the game may be fun, the quality isn’t quite there. At least on the first printing.

Quality

The more packs of Riftbound I opened, the more disappointed I became with the game as a collector. The card stock feels thin and like it can be easily damaged. All of my packs came damaged from the factory. All of my cards, including the foils, were already whitening around the edges. This is extremely disappointing as a collector, but something I would be willing to overlook because the game is fun.

I am glad I got my packs for free, and I am very glad they didn’t send me better quality cards because I would be very upset if I paid above MSRP. I am willing to support the game in the hopes that future sets and cards get better print quality, but I wouldn’t rush to pay the scalpers to play this game. It is a fun game, but I want my cardboard to be a little fancier.

Conclusion

Riftbound is a refreshing TCG that deserves a lot of the attention it has been getting. It has interesting and fun interactions, but the first set is a rough launch. In its current state, I can’t recommend it, but mostly because players can’t get their hands on reasonably priced product. If the supply issue improves and players are able to enter the competitive scene without having to sell their soul. Especially since the quality makes the first set not much fun to open. If this issue gets resolved, I’m willing to change my review because I had a lot of fun with Riftbound. I say proxy until you can find product at MSRP.

Universus

Universus TCG: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Deck List

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Intro

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has officially hit the Universus tcg lineup and that means we got a new starter deck. Make sure you always support your LGS when buying Universus, but you can always pick up the new starter deck and other TCG product on TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

The List

Champion

  • Retro Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Deck List

  • High Three (Foil) x 2
  • Splinter (Foil) x 2
  • Freaking Out x 4
  • Going Out x 3
  • Growing Up Fighting x 4
  • Martial Arts Moves x 3
  • Reactive Kick x 3
  • Redirecting Push x 3
  • Ancient Secrets of Ninjutsu x 3
  • Daily Meditation x 4
  • Daily Training x 3
  • Defend the Innocent x 4
  • Good Deeds x 4
  • Hungry for Pizza x 4
  • Teenage Downtime x 4
  • The Long Version x 3
  • Thumbs Up x 3
  • Youthful Optimism x 4

Visual List

Champion

Deck

Other TCGs

Universus TCG – Challenger Series Deck List: Chun-Li & Jamie Siu

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Universus TCG just released their Street Fighter 6 Challenger series decks, and I got my hands on one of each to share that card lists. This post will focus on the Chun-Li/Jamie deck. As always, make sure you always support your LGS, but getting the Chun-Li/Jamie on TCG Player through my affiliate link really helps me out.

The Deck List

Champions

  • Chun-Li, Marcial Arts Master
  • Jamie Siu, Peackeeping Breakdancer

The Deck

  • Aerial Kikosho x 2
  • Hundred Lightning Kicks x 2
  • Phantom Sway x 2
  • Arrow Kick x 2
  • Breakin’ x 2
  • Dance of the Pheonix x 2
  • Drive Parry x 4
  • Back Shaver x 3
  • Falling Crane x 3
  • Swagger Step x 3
  • Tensho Kicks x 3
  • Azure Kung Fu Instructor x 4
  • Elegance & Beauty x 4
  • Guardian Angel of Chinatown x 4
  • Hates Lectures x 4
  • Inherited Will x 4
  • Shifting Gears x 4
  • Street Hero x 4
  • Young Boss of Chinatown

The Card Art

Champions

The Deck

Other TCGs

Genesis: Battle of Champions Launches Latest Set on Kickstarter

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The Announcement

Edge of Exile has officially launched their Kickstarter for the newest set of Genesis: Battle of Champions, Metamorphosis. With a goal of $29,202, this all or nothing campaign promises to bring exciting new mechanics like dual sided cards and equipment cards. This will be the second set for the new backs and design, and I am sure there will be a lot of passion poured into it. $95 gets you an early booster box of the Metamorphosis, which discounted from its intended $120 MSRP.

What is Genesis: Battle of Champions?

I have covered this game before, so make sure you check out some of my earlier content. Essentially, Genesis is a card game for the miniature wargamer that doesn’t want to fiddle with minis or dice roles. Players control a champion and an army of minions on an epic battle for supremacy. Unlike most games, there is no mana system, deck size, or card limit. Players start with a set pool of points that they spend to cast their spells and creatures until they run out. What makes Genesis unique is the movement mechanic. Players move their cards across a 5×6 grid map, and orientation and range matter. It is sort of like chess, but with a few extra rules and a lot more flavor.

My Thoughts

I was sent a bit of product to review last year before their first failed Kickstarter. The game is very fun with interesting mechanics and interactions. I also love the art, especially the new direction the game is going towards. Unfortunately, the initial Kickstarter was aimed towards fans of the game as it only had alt arts exclusives of champions. Unless you already play the game, and play it a lot, there was no real reason to back the project. Unless of course you want to support the game and get to Metamorphasis.

This time around, I wasn’t asked to cover the game. I am doing it because I think the game is fun and it deserves some attention. I have been following the updates, and there seems to be an online game in the works that might help with a bit of on boarding. I don’t have a local scene, but there seems to be enough interest, especially in Canada, for competitive scene. They have a big tournament coming up.

Unfortunately, I think the initial sudden closure did its damage. Fans who enjoyed the gameplay have had time to move onto other titles that have risen to take its place. The fact that the new set is on Kickstarter doesn’t create much confidence in its popularity. If the game had enough of a following, they wouldn’t need a Kickstarter. 30k seems reasonable so they might just need a little bit of help. The risk is supporting a game that has died once before and it is unclear how long it has left. I am not trying to be mean, I am just being realistic. $120 for a box that won’t get you enough cards to be competitive for a game that might die is a lot of money. The challenge will be getting store and players to start populating LGS’s and creating that demand. I don’t see it in my area, and it is going to be difficult to see it considering the strong competition it faces. Again, not trying to be mean, just being honest.

With that out of the way, there is clearly a lot of love and passion for the game. The game itself is well made with fun and interesting mechanics. The cards are good quality and the art is very cool. This game deserves more attention. If you can find people to play with, splitting up some of the costs or just checking out existing product may be the move. The starter decks are pretty cool. You can pick up existing product on Indie Pro Games.

The Kickstarter runs until August 25th. I wish them luck, and don’t forget to support if you’re interested!

Grand Archive TCG

The Start of Distorted Reflection Spoiler Season

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Intro

We are officially in Distorted Reflection spoiler season, and this set looks so good! The mechanics look sound, but as a collector, I am a huge fan of the style and world building. I will be following and collection spoilers as they release, so stay tuned for that!

The set comes out on July 25, so make sure you put in preorders if you still can. Always support your LGS, but you can always help me out and buy from TCG Player through my affiliate links. You can also support me by signing up with my newest sponsor, NordVPN (if you happen to need the service). Without further ado, here are the spoilers:

Spoilers

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG: Ciel, Mirage’s Grave Starter Deck List

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With Distorted Reflection just around the corner, lets check out the starter decks. Let’s take a look at our boy, Ciel, Mirage’s Grave, the Fire/Umbra Guardian deck! The deck releases on July 25th with an MSRP of $14.99. Make sure you always support your LGS, but you can always grab your Ciel, Mirage’s Grave Starter Deck on TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

The List

Material Deck
Spirit of Fire x 1
Ciel, Loyal Valet x 1
Ciel, Omenbringer x 1
Ciel, Mirage’s Grave x 1
Bauble of Abundance x 1
Grande Aiguille x 1
Bulwark Sword x 1
Leporine Masque x 1
Life Essence Amulet x 1
Tariff Ring x 1
Manxome Armoire x 1
Grande Sonnerie

Main Deck
Coy Bauclier x 3
Sablier Guard x 3
Stalwart Shielmate x 4
Vigil Rampart x 3
Whimsy’s Warden x 4
Conflagrant Sentinel x 4
Torch Marshal x 3
Heavy Swing x 4
Lamentation’s Toll x 2
Flamme Sorcel x 4
Tempered Steel x 3
Idle Thoughts x 4
Martial Guard x 2
Overpowering Defense x 2
Ombreux Chavalier x 4
Sinistre Stab x 3
Umbra Sight x 3
Reverse Affliction x 2
Nocturne’s Oblivion x 2
Devotion’s Price x 1

Visual Deck List

Main Deck

Main Deck

Grand Archive TCG

Grand Archive TCG: Diana, Moonpiercer Starter Deck List

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Intro

With Distorted Reflection just around the corner, lets check out the starter decks. First up is Diana, Moonpiercer, the Water/Astra Ranger deck! The deck releases on July 25th with an MSRP of $14.99. Make sure you always support your LGS, but you can always grab your Diana, Moonpiercer Starter Deck on TCG Player through my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do.

The List

Material Deck
Spirit of Water x 1
Diana, Aether Dilettante x 1
Diana, Judgment’s Arrow x 1
Diana, Moon Piercer x 1
Bauble of Abundance x 1
Foresight Lens x 1
Ranger Boots x 1
Refluxal Ribbon x 1
Seeker’s Aetherwing x 1
Tariff Ring x 1
Aquamirage Whisper x 1
Pleiades, Celestial Genesis x 1

Main Deck
Aetheric Calibration x 4
Backstep x 4
Charge the Soul x 4
Idle Thoughts x 3
Prudent Nock x 4
Reposition x 4
Stalwart Shieldmate x 4
Corsair Captain x 3
Dissuading Aether x 4
Drown in Aether x 4
Undercurrent Vantage x 3
Astra Sight x 3
Constellation’s Blessing x 4
Guided Starlight x 2
Meteoric Volley x 2
Poised Occlusion x3
Sidereal Spellshot x 3
Starbirth x 2

Visual Deck List

Material Deck

Main Deck