How to Make a Monster Card Game
The best-known monster card games are collectible games such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokemon. Players build their own set by collecting the cards in packs like baseball cards and trading with other players. Collectors choose from a database of thousands of cards. Noncollectible card games feature a limited number of cards contained in a single set. In either case, a monster game entails cards based on different monsters, which battle each other over the course of play until a winner is declared. If you have a knack for game design, you can create your own monster card game with a little preparation.
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Things You'll Need
- trading cards
- plastic card sheaths
- graphic design software
- computer
- color printer
- glue
- scissors
Instructions
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1
Decide what kind of monsters you want to use in your game and the basic parameters in which they will interact. The monsters should all be the same kind, for example, vampires or giant Japanese monsters like Godzilla. Write a quick description of each monster you intend to use. They will become cards in the game.
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2
Determine the basic rule structure of the game: the turn sequences, the way cards can be brought into play and the victory conditions the players need to meet. Provide a basic context for them: some games may feature a monster mash where your monster cards battle those of the other players. Others may depend on subtler conditions, such as vampires who must drink a certain amount of blood or werewolves who must infect a certain number of people.
Whatever the basics, the game play must reflect those parameters and provide strategy for players to reach their victory condition.
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3
Write a formal list of all the cards in the game. Each card should have a specific rule attached to it, determining the affect it has on game play. Many of the cards will appear as monsters, each with a unique affect and appearance. Others may represent specific changes in game play. For example, create a card that removes another monster from play or one that allows you to bring a monster out from your hand. Each card should have a brief description of its role in the game. Leave space on the card to insert an image of the monster.
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4
Design quick versions of each card. You can use a graphic design program on your computer. Print them out on a printer and cut them into card-sized shapes. Each should be 3 1/2 inches high and 2 1/2 inches long. Place each one in a plastic card sheath (available in any hobby shop) along with a card from an existing game such as Pokemon. Sports cards work also. The cards don’t need to be fancy at this point, just functional.
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5
Playtest your game with the cards you have designed. Play it over and over again with your friends. As you do, make notes about what doesn’t work, such as cards that are too powerful, cards that are too weak and any rules that reduce the overall enjoyment of the game.
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6
Review your card design to include pleasing color frames and a color image of each of the monsters. You should also design a back for your cards: the backs of all the cards should be the same so that no one knows what each player has in his hand.
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7
Write down a formal set of rules, adding the changes you made during playtesting. The rules should include an example of a typical turn and a step-by-step guide to game play.
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8
Print copies of your final cards using card stock paper to give them depth. If you can, contact a print on-demand service to see if they can make professional-looking copies of your monster cards for you.
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Tips & Warnings
Some monsters, such as Godzilla or Freddy Krueger, are protected by copyright. You can make games that involve them if you don’t intend to distribute the game for profit. But if you try to sell your game, you will be breaking copyright law.
Make sure the existing trading cards you use in Step 4 aren’t worth anything. Playtesting can add wear and tear to such cards, and you don’t want to use a valuable card for this process.
References
- The Art of Game Design; by Jesse Schell; 2008
- Discover Games: Going It Alone
