Why I play Magic

Why do I play magic? Because it’s fun. The End.

Well that was very informative. Ok, I guess I’ll delve a little bit deeper than that. And what better way to start than to summarize what this game we all know and love is all about.

Magic the Gathering is a collectible card game, or CCG for short. There are loads of CCGs out there, including Yugioh, Pokémon, Star Wars, and many others, but Magic is by far the best of the lot. Many people may disagree with me here, but the fine artistry on the cards, the expansive rules system, and unparalleled support from the local community to the creators, makes this, at least in my eyes, THE best trading card game ever made.

If I was to try and explain what magic is to an outsider, I would say this. Imagine you are an all powerful wizard sitting atop your tower of knowledge, set in an alternate world inhabited by all manner of fantastical creatures. You possess an arsenal of spells in your intellectual library and a host of beasts and followers that you can summon at will to do your bidding. Now imagine an enemy wizard sitting atop his or her tower across the field from you, rubbing his hands gleefully as he plots your downfall. There won’t be any cup of sugar borrowing shenanigans going on here. Picture something more like Saruman on the roof of his tower in Isengard chanting evil curses while he waves his staff around menacingly, his flowing white hair dancing fitfully in the wind, all the while his vile minions marching off to battle below to the tune of their masters will. You get the idea.

That’s what magic basically is. Except instead of duelling atop ebony towers, we are sitting across the kitchen table, and instead of Magic staves, a head full of spell weaving and an army of supernatural beings, we have a bunch of pretty cards. But the cards by themselves are not what make the game of magic so great. It’s the rules, variety, flavour and so many other factors that bring it all together. I’ll probe into them one by one according to my own perspective.

I have a very logical mind (my friends use other, less user-friendly words), which makes me well suited for rules sets. I can look at a set of rules and understand them better than most. From their design and level of complexity, to their implications and how they intertwine with each other, it all comes to me as naturally as reading a good book. From my experience as a gamer I have come to this realization. A solid base of rules is what makes or breaks a game. Make the rules too simple, and all you have is a childish game, or one that doesn’t tickle the brain enough for repeat playability. Make the rules too complicated, and you are left with a game too open to interpretation and gaps that have to be filled with house-rules and the players own imaginations. The trick to create a solid rules system is to use many levels. A basic set of underlying rules that can help ease new players into the game, shadowed by an intricate web of endless possibilities, as I like to call them! That way it won’t feel like an ominous task for a novice who wants to get into the game to undertake, but at the same time offers a more elaborate game play to others who want to take it more seriously. In conjunction to this, the rules have to be sound and airtight. Too many loopholes and question marks will leave players dissatisfied, which has caused the downfall of many a gaming system. Fortunately, magic the gathering has a set of concrete rules that lets you enjoy the game at a casual and professional level, allowing for sick minded people like me to wrap my head around endlessly to the point of invading my dreams!

The variety and flavour of the game go hand in hand. The creator of the game, Richard Garfield, launched the first core set of magic the gathering in 1993. Since then, scores of expansions have been released, based on an assortment of different worlds drawn from a vast multiverse, allowing the designers the infinite creative freedom they need to keep churning out new ideas, new flavour, and most importantly... new cards. Magic to me feels like a never ending pool of potential combos that can be uncovered for those brave enough to sink their teeth into. With a database of over 11,000 different cards and counting, five individual colours each with their own style and flavour, and a solid rules system to play with, the types of decks I can come up with are literally endless. This too is a key ingredient to the success of a game system, and magic does it better than most.

The support this game receives from its parent company, wizards of the coast, is testament to their success. They not only make certain that the standard of play remains high, but also work hard to bring us new expansions at a regular rate, embellishing the games dynamic nature and feeding our ever-changing level of interest. The Wizards and their affiliated stores also sanction a wide range of tournaments at a global scale, from a casual Friday night gathering of the local community, to massive Pro Tours and World Cups with thousands of players attending in the hope of walking back home with coveted trophies and cash prizes. There is something for everyone here, whether you just want to test out your new deck amongst friends, or you are an aspiring professional player hoping to make a career out of the game. In addition, a network of judges and advisors are always around to help out with rules queries, refereeing the competitions and keeping the peace. This level of professionalism was a key factor to what attracted me to the game in the first place. I can enjoy a simple game with friends and at the same time decide to make it a major part of my life and career, as many others have done, if I really wanted to.

Finally, and most definitely not least, it’s all about the players. That what it all comes down to really, doesn’t it? There’s nothing I enjoy more than sitting with my closest friends, joking about this and that while turning cards sideways and scribbling down life totals in a setting of healthy competition. Letting that eager anticipation overwhelm you as you draw your next card, like a child opening his present on Christmas morning. Brimming with pride as you finally pull off that four card combo, revelling in the respect earned from your friends and peers. Bursting with gleeful joy as you show off that mythic rare card you just opened from a prize booster pack. It’s all these little added touches that brings the community together and creates the common bond that keeps us returning for more. Do you remember how easy it was to make friends when you were little? All was needed was that you happened to be playing in the same sand box and suddenly you are BFFs with that kid from down the street. As we grow older and our defence mechanisms arise, we create barriers around us that only a chosen few are allowed in. Magic is a key that unlocks them. Magic is that sandbox in disguise.

In summary, a sound rules system, an endless variety of selection to play with, healthy support from the community and good times with friends make for a good game.

But most importantly? Because it’s fun... That’s why I play magic.