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Game Review: DC Comics Deck Building Starfire Promo

Posted on June 11, 2015 by

The idea of the promo card has been with the DC Comics Deck Building Game since its onset. As opposed to Legendary (Marvel’s Deck Building Game) where the characters are played based on entire decks, the main characters in the DC Comics Deck Building are solitary character cards who help determine how the game is played and thus a single character can be introduced to DC with only one card as opposed to the 14 that would be required for Marvel. As the card is a promo though it is not as easy to acquire. Although it can be order over the internet, it will go almost as much on a site like eBay as it will for the entire game on Amazon, and therefore it calls into question as to whether this is a good investment or not.

It should be said that the card is one that somewhat skips over the in-game mechanics and for the first time in the series is the main character card that is more dependent on related cards in the deck. As opposed to character such as Wonder Woman who benefit from a deck which is primarily villains, Starfire does not have as much of an advantage with a particular card type, with the character text giving the following ability “Once during Each of Your Turns, if there are no Super Powers in the line-up then draw a card.” While this can be a powerful ability, it also forces the character to purchase a lot of super powers in order to keep them off the board. In an indirect way this is also good for the character, as it is beneficial when the Starfire cards from the Heroes Unite expansion are played together, one of which is a superpower. Used together in the same turn they can be a powerful combination, and while the main character is not necessary to make use of them, thematically it makes sense as well as the in-game text increasingly the likelihood that these cards are bought.

In the first playthrough with this card she was pitted against another one of the Heroes Unite characters (Red Tornado) and it was a relatively easy victory, even accounting for the draw of the cards. This means that she is a relatively powerful character as the ability to draw an extra card comes in pretty handy on most turns and as the combination of super powers gives her an additional edge. As for the price, it is hard to say. It is unfortunate that Cryptozoic does not make more of these cards available, as Legendary cards are mostly all out there for close to their original prices. This card was free but has become a lot more, and so the difference in opportunity to acquire it might make it less desirable even it it is fun for in-game play. In all honesty it is probably not worth the price paid to acquire it though, as Cryptozoic has released so many other main character cards and other with female superheroes. It is a shame because the character is popular enough, except she is buried here because of her inaccessibility.

Score: 7.8, but 6 for availability.

First Look at Cryptozoic’s Justice Society of America Crossover Pack 1

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Brett

Cryptozoic has been on a role lately with their releases for their DC Deck-Building Game. In the last few months they released a new “volume” with Forever Evil, a two player version featuring Batman and the Joker, as well as a brand new Crisis Pack that compliments their second release Heroes Unite. Their next release adds a new expansion option for the game. The first Crossover Pack focuses on DC Comic’s Justice Society of America, featuring heroes, villains, equipment, and locations all a part of the history of the classic DC team.

The release features 7 oversized JSA Super Heroes, 8 Super-Villains, 10 main deck cards, and 1 rule card that explains how to use the cards as well as some errata to better clear up the cards. It’s a way to breathe new life into games, with the addition of a few cards. You’re encouraged to mix up the cards which helps change the games in mere seconds and adds new strategies and ways to play.

The new Super Hero cards don’t really have a theme to them. A few deal with “Punch” cards, but generally mixes things up, unlike the last Crisis Pack which went heavy on different game play using colors.

The equipment, heroes, super power, and location cards again don’t really have much of a unifying theme for gameplay. They vary greatly in the aspects they bring to the game. Again, a couple have to do with “Punch” cards, but it’s not enough to say this is a theme of gameplay.

The villains too vary in what they bring to the game, and the super-villains range in cost 8 to 15 to defeat.

All the cards together don’t seem to have one gameplay theme like we’ve seen in the past, instead each card enhances a certain aspect of the game, like the starting cards, or “Punch.”

Overall, the addition is welcome, not just adding some classic characters, but helping changing up the game even more. It’s a simple way to add more flavor and change the gameplay without releasing a much more involved Crisis release or new version. I can’t wait to see what Cryptozoic does next with this new addition to their release schedule. The Justice Society of America Crossover Pack will be released later this March.

Check out below for a full list of cards. You’ll need to highlight the Super-Villains to see who is included (didn’t want to spoil that for everyone).

Superheroes

Stargirl
Power Girl
Doctor Fate
Alan Scott
Jay Garrick
Wildcat
Mister Terrific

Equipment

T-Spheres
The Hourglass

Heroes

Liberty Belle
Dr. Mid-Nite
Citizen Steel

Location

Monument Point

Super Power

Girl Power
Mystic Bolts

Villain

Scythe
Per Degation

Super-Villain

Solomon Grundy
Mordru the Merciless
Icicle
Kobra
Ultra-Humanite
Gentleman Ghost
Eclipso
Gog

Cryptozoic provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Game Review: DC Comics Deck Building Game Crisis Expansion Pack 2

Posted on February 10, 2015 by Brett

I’m a fan of Cryptozoic‘s DC Deck-Building Game. While I’ll admit I didn’t get it when I first played it during its debut at Gen Con many years ago. It’s grown as one of my favorite board/card games to play in my free time. For those who have never played it the game is a card game where you spend points to build your deck. Each card bought increases the cards you can play, and then you can buy even better cards. You also use points to defeat villains, which then gives you even better cards to play and the game ends when the deck runs out, or all the villains are defeated. The winner is determined by who has the highest score.

So far, Cryptozoic has release three versions of the main game based on DC Comics, a two-player version, and one expansion. Each release can be combined, expanding the different combinations, and keeping the game fresh. Their latest release, DC Deck-Building Game, Crisis Expansion 2, continues upon that adding even more cards, and changing up the game play even more.

The first thing about each Crisis Expansion is that they allow for cooperative play. Instead of playing against opponents, you team up, working together to defeat even harder villains before time runs out (the deck runs out). Playing through, you absolutely need to cooperate, and we won our game with just one card left in the deck (and it was only there due to my partner’s ability to add cards to the deck). As the deck dwindled the pressure increased, and we scrambled to keep ahead to win. This alone is enough reason to grab the expansion for fans of the game (you need a copy of the main game to use it).

Like the first Crisis Expansion, this release compliments the main set that was released in the same order, in this case Heroes Unite. The Crisis version of the game features suped up versions of the characters that come with that game, as well as monstrous “impossible” versions of previous villains.

Beyond that though, the cards keep up the card flavor of Heroes Unite. The thing that stood out to me about that particular set was the heavy focus on the Green Lantern mythos, and that continues here, especially the DC Comics Blackest Night which featured the Black Lanterns. If you’re a fan of zombie versions of heroes, then you’ll love this set. I was giddy at a card featuring Black Hand holding the skull of Batman. I really enjoyed the DC story, so I particularly enjoyed the set.

What’s also interesting is the new heroes included and their abilities. While many have abilities we’ve seen in the past, the new Lanterns included, like Kyle Rayner, focus on card color. This is a new aspect which takes the game beyond its usual “super power,” “hero,” “villain,” “location,” and “equipment” focus. It’s something new and I hope it’s explored more down the road.

Overall, DC Deck-Building Game, Crisis Expansion 2 adds new gameplay options by continuing the cooperative gameplay, but also adding in this new aspect of focusing on the color of the cards, on top of the card type. For those who already enjoy the game, this continues the fun and expands the possibilities.

You can buy a copy and add it to your gaming fun now!

Check out the list of cards you get below as well as our unboxing video!

Unboxing: DC Comics Deck Building Game Crisis Expansion Pack 2

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Brett

Cryptozoic is adding a new expansion to their fun DC Deck-Building Game. The Crisis Expansion Pack 2 includes six new Super Heroes and main deck cards. The expansion also includes “Impossible Mode” Super-villains, and the eight Super Heroes and 12 Super-Villains from Heroes United have been revamped for cooperative play. That’s the same formula Cryptozoic followed for their first expansion which introduced cooperative play, and included new version of heroes and villains previously seen.

In the first expansion you had to beat various events based on some of the iconic moments in DC Comics history as well as defeat villains like you regularly do in the game. It changes up the main game enough and expands the already impressive replay value of the game.

Since it is an expansion, it requires the DC Comics Deck-Building Game, Heroes Unite, or Forever Evil base games to play.

We open up the box to show off the 61 game cards, 14 oversized Super Hero Cards, and rules.

The expansion will be released in February.

Cryptozoic’s DC Deck-Building Game, Which is the One for You?

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Brett

Cryptozoic has released four different versions of their popular DC Deck-Building Game, the DC Deck-Building Game, DC Deck-Building Game: Heroes Unite, DC Deck-Building Game: Forever Evil, and DC Deck-Building Game Rivals: Batman vs Joker. But what’s the difference between them? Besides the characters within. We take a look at all four releases, what the differences are, and which you should get.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site.

DC Deck-Building Game Expansion Pack 2 is a Crisis

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Brett

Cryptozoic is adding a new expansion to their fun DC Deck-Building Game. The Crisis Expansion Pack 2 includes six new Super Heroes and main deck cards. The expansion also includes “Impossible Mode” Super-villains, and the eight Super Heroes and 12 Super-Villains from Heroes United have been revamped for cooperative play. That’s the same formula Cryptozoic followed for their first expansion which introduced cooperative play, and included new version of heroes and villains previously seen.

Since it is an expansion, it requires the DC Comics Deck-Building Game, Heroes Unite, or Forever Evil base games to play.

The release includes 61 game cards, 14 oversized Super Hero Cards, and rules. MRP is $20.00.

The expansion will be released in February.

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Unboxing: DC Deck-Building Game: Rivals: Batman vs Joker

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Brett

It’s the head-to-head showdown comic book fans have been waiting for with Rivals Batman vs The Joker Deck Building Game! This set contains everything two players need to settle the question once and for all… Can Batman take down The Joker or will he go mad trying?

The action is fast and furious, as players vie to add the right mix of components to their decks. When you’re ready, you can launch an attack directly at your arch nemesis! The first player to drop their opponent three times wins the game instantly, however, it will be harder to do each subsequent time. Also, if the main deck runs out, victory points are counted to determine the winner.

This set is a great introduction to the Cerberus Game Engine, which is used in the best-selling DC Comics Deck-building Game line of products. The addition of the direct attacks will appeal even to seasoned deck-building fans.

Batman and The Joker each come with three oversized character cards. When one is beaten in direct combat, the next one is revealed. The new one will have a boosted-up ability and will be harder to take down than the previous one. Naturally, the combatants can utilize Block cards to protect themselves. It’s a brand new experience, not to be missed!

We open up and show off what you get in this two-player version of the popular DC Deck-Building Game from Cryptozoic.

Cryptozoic provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Unboxing DC Deck-Building Game: Forever Evil

Posted on December 23, 2014 by Brett

It’s fun to be bad! In the DC Comics Deck-Building Game: Forever Evil, players finally get to play the game as some of the most infamous Super-Villains in the DC Universe! With a name like Forever Evil, you can expect to find new and more dangerous Attacks, rugged Defenses and a number of nefarious ways to mess with your opponents. Card destruction is rampant in the set! Like every good Villain knows, henchmen you leave behind don’t count toward the bottom line. If you’re tired of ending the game with Starter cards still in your deck, then this is the set for you! Forever Evil introduces Victory Point tokens to DC Deck-Building Game! Just be on the lookout for lowly thieves who would steal away your hard-earned loot. While this game is a full-fledged stand-alone game, it can also be mixed with all previous releases in the line.

Cryptozoic provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

We Talk DC Comics Deck Building with Matt Hyra

Posted on December 16, 2014 by

Matt Hyra is a veteran game designer, having worked on a variety of games before moving to Cryptozoic where he was given the challenge of developing a DC Comics deck building game. The recently released second major expansion is an indication of the success of the series thus far and in Matt’s ability to put together a functional and fun game. We got the chance to talk with him about his latest release – Forever Evil – where the bad guys finally get their chance to shine.

Graphic Policy: Are you a fan of comics? And if yes, how does that affect how the theme was chosen for this game?

Matt Hyra: Yes! I’m a DC guy and have been since high school. I also enjoy some small press titles as well.

The themes are chosen to explore new cross sections of the DC Universe, game mechanics, and game flow. When we started thinking about playing as the bad guys, the Forever Evil storyline was just starting up. So that was a great moment of synergy.

GP: What goes into designing a game like this and how long does it take?

MH: A stand-alone game takes about a year from start to finish. There is a lot of trial and error. We usually decide on the types of characters we want to feature first. Then we come up with game mechanics that fit those characters. Then a lot of playtesting.

GP: What are some of the challenges in interpreting a comic universe into a deck building game?

MH: One challenge is thematics. In order to keep the games infinitely replayable, we can’t just hand a Batman player a 40-card deck full of Batman-themed cards. You have to add a random and wide variety of cards to your deck to keep the game fresh.

GP: Is it hard to balance what fans expect out of certain characters versus the need of the game dynamics?

MH: Some comic characters have powers that are difficult to translate into the game. Other times we are forced to just focus on one aspect of a character.

GP: It seems to be popular recently to want to play as the “bad guy”. What do you think about this phenomenon?

MH: We like it! Mechanically, it’s no different than playing as a Super Hero. But with Forever Evil, which just released last week, we could have a lot of fun with it. And the players are liking the new play patterns.

GP: What can we expect to see in future expansions? Tie-ins to the movies maybe? And any characters that you would like to see in the future?

MH: You can expect to see Crossover Packs. These small “booster” packs allow you to sub in a new set of Super Heroes and Super-Villains, plus a few new main deck cards… and that changes up the game about 50% with minimal effort. The first Crossover comes out in early 2015 and features the Justice Society of America.

Crisis Pack 2 will also be out very soon!

As for movies, that is a separate license that we don’t have.

As for characters I would like to see… probably Mr. Mxyzptlk. Just because he would allow us to do something really crazy.

Unboxing DC Comics Deck Building Game Crisis Expansion Pack 1

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Brett

We open up and show off Cryptozoic‘s DC Comics Deck-Building Game Crisis Expansion Pack.

The DC Universe is in peril! In the DC Comics Deck-Building Game Crisis Expansion, you will face some of the most epic challenges, events and destructive forces in the history of comic-dom. But this time, you won’t be going in alone! The Crisis Expansion introduces co-operative gameplay and “Impossible Mode” for fans of the popular and critically acclaimed deck-building game. If you thought things were rough before, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

You can pick up your copy now!

Cryptozoic provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

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