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Japanese toy and card game developer Bandai is expanding its ever-growing lineup of trading card games with an all-new title aimed at fans of competitive and strategic tabletop gameplay. Fourteen years after its original launch, which included over 60 booster sets released in Japan, Bandai is targeting the next generation of competitive gamers with new game Battle Spirits Saga. Players around the world will be able to battle it out with friends (or foes) as they discover who is the greatest summoner in the six realms.
The release of Battle Spirits Saga also comes with the announcement of Bandai’s first-ever Launch Tournaments for the new series. At a one-time event in March 2023, thousands will gather in four regions around the world — Las Vegas, Nevada; London, England; Santiago, Chile; and Melbourne, Australia — to compete for a total of $350,000 in cash prizes, exclusive cards, and more. Then, in April, the official tournament will kick off and continue throughout the year for gamers to compete for additional cash prizes (totaling $1 million).
The first Battle Spirits Saga products will be available at all March Launch Events before their full release in April to let players get a head start on making their competitive decks. Battle Spirits Saga will be launched with the “Dawn of History” Booster Pack, and four different Starter Decks: “Dragon Onslaught,” “Call of the Curse,” “Aegis of the Machine,” and “Forbidden Magic.”
For players looking for a new trading card game to enjoy with their friends or dive into competitive tournaments, Battle Spirits Saga has everything you’re looking for: fantastical lore, gorgeous card artwork, and a unique gameplay system depending on physical cores that act as both the player’s life and the game’s currency. The game’s tale begins in the year 252 when a catastrophic natural event takes place. Red jewels fell from the sky, known as the Starhavoc Rain, and onto an empire of six realms — The Realm of Frost (the white deck), The Realm of Radiance (yellow), The Realm of Gloom (purple), The Realm of Flame (red), The Realm of Water (blue), and The Realm of Forest (green). The animals that inhabit each realm, called Spirits, are all born with a core gem that produces their power. However, each realms’ Spirits — dragons in The Realm of Flame, demons in The Realm of Gloom, robots in The Realm of Frost, mascots (very cute animals) in The Realm of Radiance, birds and beasts in The Realm of Forest, and giants in The Realm of Water — have varying reactions to the falling red jewels.
These jewels, later known as “soul cores,” were studied and discovered to cause unprecedented abilities when in contact with a spirit’s body. These abilities were first used as a weapon of war by the Realm of Gloom to declare war on the empire and attack the Realm of Fire. The leaders of the Realm of Gloom (Queen Deduke) and the Realm of Fire (Imperial Thunder Dragon Siegwurm) battled ferociously and used soul cores to evolve their skills through the war. Over the course of 250 years, peace amongst all of the realms collapsed, which led to decades-long battles within the empire.
During gameplay, you and your opponent are equipped with a deck of 50 cards made from three types of cards (Spirit, Magic, and Nexus) to illustrate the battles between the realms and their heroes during this treacherous wartime. You’ll place and move cores and soul cores on top of the cards to strategically evolve your Spirits while using Nexus and Magic cards to boost your own card’s abilities, or disrupt your opponent’s game plan. Each turn consists of a series of actions, from summoning and evolving your Spirits to attacking your opponent.
Players can look forward to new Spirits in the decks in comparison to past releases. From The Realm of Gloom, Dark King Snake Pendocles will be a power card to summon; at Level 1, it allows the summoner to remove all but one core from one of its opponents Spirits (making it relatively vulnerable for a second attack). Another powerful card, Divine Moonsky Beast Fanatech Elk, comes from The Realm of Frost, is one you’ll want in your battlefield. When evolved to Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3, this Spirit cannot be destroyed by any destruction effects from its opponent and cannot have its cores removed by its opponent. When it reaches Level 2 or Level 3, it has the added benefit of removing one of its opponent’s cores and putting it in the trash (only if the summoner hasn’t lost a life during their turn).
There are also more advanced techniques, like using face-down Burst Effects or manipulating Flash Window timing, for additional surprises and strategic moves against your opponent. The game ends when a player loses all their Life, or runs out of cards in their deck.
Abridged and comprehensive rule manuals are available for download from the official website, and online communities across platforms like Discord are already excitedly sharing strategies for both the starter decks and booster set. Gamers looking to compete right away can sign up for a Launch Event through links on the official website, which has all the information you need to start playing.
Early Adopter Stores in some of the most active gaming communities will have promo packs, half decks, and all the necessary materials for tournament participants to get started with Battle Spirits Saga in advance of the official launch date.
Check out the official website to learn how to play, sign up for a Launch Event, and find local Early Adopter Stores near you where you can pick up free demo decks.
