What’s In the Box?
Disney Lorcana Gateway is a perfect introduction to the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game, offering a board game-like format crafted by Ravensburger. Through quests that unlock reward packs, players gradually build a full deck to play with. Instead of playing on a play mat like the game usually is, Gateway comes equipped with a board that has a play area for your active cards and your inkwell, as well as a lore tracker in the middle of the board.
Gameplay
Disney Lorcana, Ravensburger’s very own TCG, shares some similarities with Magic: The Gathering while remaining distinctly unique. Disney Lorcana Gateway is a great introduction to the game’s rules. Players start with a small deck and embark on short games to complete 'quests,' which essentially teach the game’s mechanics. Each completed quest unlocks a 'reward' pack containing new cards that expand your deck, introducing new rules for your next quest. This continues until all four reward packs are unlocked.
As for Lorcana’s core gameplay, the inkwell mechanic is comparable to Magic: The Gathering's land cards. You place cards into the inkwell and exert them, similar to tapping lands, to play more powerful cards. Card combat involves exerting your cards to challenge an opponent’s exerted cards, with attack and defense stats determining simultaneous damage dealt. The game progresses until one of two things happens: you either run out of cards to draw and lose, or one player reaches 20 lore points to claim victory. Depending on experience and skill, matches can be quick or drawn out.
Feedback
Gateway is a "board game-ified" version of Disney Lorcana and serves as an ideal introduction to learning the game's rules. The reward packs ease you into the mechanics, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Each reward pack also includes a QR code you can scan to reset the game, making it easy to teach someone else. As a standalone game, Gateway works just as well—offering two complete decks to play with—but you can also use the board for matches with your own decks once you're ready to move beyond the introduction.
Verdict
Disney Lorcana Gateway is the perfect starting point for anyone looking to dive into the trading card game. It teaches you the rules while providing two starter decks, making the learning process smooth and enjoyable. With its straightforward progression system, Gateway keeps things fun by introducing new mechanics as “quests,” giving players a rewarding way to grasp the game. If you’ve been thinking about trying Lorcana, this is the place to begin. From there, you’ll know if it’s the right TCG for you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some booster packs to open!
