The best trading card games to collect right now
There have never been more trading card games worth playing than there are now, which is a nice problem and also a genuinely confusing one. Here is an honest read on six of them.
One thing first: none of these should be bought as an investment. Sealed product from popular sets has often held value well, but print runs change, reprints happen, and demand moves. Buy card games because you want to own and open the cards.
Pokémon
Best for: almost everyone.
Running since 1996 and still the largest trading card game in the world. The product range is the broadest of any game — from pocket-money mini tins up to ultra-premium collections — which means there is an entry point at every budget. It also has the longest track record of sealed product holding value, and by far the largest secondary market.
The downside is that popularity means competition: the sets people want sell through fast.
Magic: The Gathering
Best for: players who want the deepest game.
The original, from 1993, and still the most mechanically sophisticated card game on the shelf. A thirty-year card pool means depth no newer game can match. Commander — the multiplayer hundred-card format — is where most people actually play, and it is the friendliest way in.
The Universes Beyond crossovers have brought a wave of new collectors in on the strength of the IP.
One Piece Card Game
Best for: fast games and striking artwork.
Launched by Bandai in 2022 and grew faster in the UK than anything else in recent memory. Games are quick, the leader-based deck structure is easy to teach, and the manga-panel artwork is some of the best in the hobby.
Disney Lorcana
Best for: beginners, families and Disney collectors.
The easiest game here to learn, with artwork that needs no introduction. Ravensburger have kept the rules light without making the game trivial, and the enchanted card treatments give collectors something real to chase.
Riftbound
Best for: getting in early.
Riot's League of Legends trading card game, and the newest game on this list. Early sealed product from a game with this much backing is the kind of thing worth paying attention to — though "new game" cuts both ways, and nobody knows yet how it settles.
Dragon Ball Super
Best for: anime collectors who want a competitive game.
Rebuilt around Fusion World in 2024, which gave new players a clean entry point into one of the most recognisable properties in anime. The reset means you are not decades behind.
So which one?
| If you want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| The broadest range and deepest market | Pokémon |
| The most interesting game to play | Magic: The Gathering |
| Quick games and great art | One Piece |
| Something to play with children | Disney Lorcana |
| To be early to something | Riftbound |
Still undecided? Start with a starter deck or a couple of packs rather than a box. It costs very little to find out whether a game is for you.
Frequently asked questions
Which trading card game is the best investment?
No trading card game should be treated as an investment. Pokémon has the longest track record of sealed product holding value, but print runs, reprints and demand all move, and past performance guarantees nothing. Buy what you enjoy owning.
What is the best trading card game for a beginner?
Disney Lorcana has the simplest rules and the most familiar artwork, which makes it the easiest starting point. One Piece is the fastest to learn among the more competitive games.
Which trading card game is growing fastest?
One Piece and Disney Lorcana have both grown very quickly since launch, and Riftbound is the newest entrant with significant backing behind it.