Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers (Game)

Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers

GAME » on June 17, 2009

PC (Platform)PlayStation Network (PS3) (Platform)Xbox 360 Games Store (Platform)

A streamlined, user-friendly, downloadable adaptation of the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering. Take one of eight pre-constructed decks and engage in a battle of wits against AI or online opponents.

Game Images Reviews Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers ReleasesRelated Pages

EditHistoryPage info

Overview

Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers, not to be confused with the 1998 game of the same name, is a fantasy-themed virtual collectible card game developed by Stainless Games and published digitally by Wizards of the Coast for the Xbox 360 (Platform) (as an Xbox Live Arcade title) on June 17, 2009, with a PC (Platform) release on June 15, 2010 and a PlayStation 3 (Platform) release on November 23, 2010. The game was later delisted from all storefronts in 2020-2021.

An adaptation of the real-life collectible card game Magic: The Gathering, and the first since Magic: The Gathering Online, Duels of the Planeswalkers brings the series to seventh-generation consoles with a high-definition interface, streamlined gameplay, online multiplayer for up to four players, a puzzle-based Challenge mode (where players must make the correct plays at a certain point in a pre-played match), and a Campaign mode that's playable both in single-player and in offline co-op. It is mostly based on the Tenth Edition set.

Unlike earlier adaptations, this game streamlines the game by replacing free-form deck construction with a limited selection of pre-constructed decks, each themed after different color combinations. Through Campaign mode, players can unlock additional decks and additional cards for limited deck customization. Additional decks were added with the game's three DLC expansions (which are unlocked through new opponents in Campaign mode).

The game later received yearly sequels from 2011-2015, beginning with Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 and ending with the free-to-play Magic Duels (Game).

Decklists

Wizards of the Coast has published deck lists for the pre-constructed decks available in the game, along with the unlockable cards for each, on their website (archived here). The last deck you will face in the single player campaign is not currently available.

Core Game

Teeth of the Predator – Garruk Wildspeaker (Mono Green)
Hands of Flame – Chandra Nalaar (Mono Red)
Wings of Light – Elspeth Tirel (Mono White)
Eyes of Shadow – Liliana Vess (Mono Black)
Thoughts of the Wind – Jace Beleren (Mono Blue)
Claws of Vengeance – Ajani Goldmane (Green/White/Red)
Ears of the Elves – Nissa Revane (Green/Black)
Scales of Fury – Sarkhan Vol (Green/Red/Black)

Expansion Pack 1

Cries of Rage – Sarkhan Vol (Red/Green)
Mind of Void – Jace Beleren (Blue/White)
Relics of Doom – Tezzeret the Seeker (Blue/Black)

Expansion Pack 2

Eons of Evil – Nicol Bolas (Black/Blue/Red)
Heart of Worlds – Rhys the Redeemed (Green/White)
Heat of Battle – Chandra Ablaze (Mono Red)

Expansion Pack 3

Root of the Firemind – Niv-Mizzet (Blue/Red)
Master of Shadows – Sorin Markov (Mono Black)
Weapons of the Warrior – Gideon Jura (Mono White)

Each deck is initially composed of 60 cards. Spells make up 36 of the cards, with the remaining 24 cards being given over to mana. As you win matches in the single player campaign extra cards will be unlocked. There are 17 new cards that can be unlocked for each deck. Some of these are additional cards of a type you already have, while some of them are more powerful than anything in your existing deck. In the deck management section of the game you can add those cards to your deck, or chose to leave them out (the default is to add them to your deck). You cannot remove existing cards from the starting deck, including mana, so as you add more cards the overall deck size will increase.

Gameplay

Basic Rules

Each player begins with 20 life and 7 cards drawn randomly from their deck. The player that goes first does not draw an 8th card during their first turn. Prior to the game players have the option to redraw their hand once at no penalty, called a "mulligan". After the first mulligan, players can still redraw their hand but drawing one less card each time (so on your second mulligan you only get 6 cards, then 5, and so on).
Cards are played using mana which are generated by five basic land types: Swamps (Black) , Islands (Blue), Forests (Green), Mountains (Red), and Plains (White). Additionally, some creatures and artifacts generate mana as abilities.
Use creatures and spells to get your opponent down to zero life.
Each creature has a power value and a toughness value. The power is shown on the left side of the "/" symbol on the lower right of the card. When two creatures are in combat the power of each is dealt to the others toughness. If the toughness of a creature reaches zero they are destroyed.

Card Types

Creatures: Cards that remain on the battlefield that can attack and defend, as well as play any given abilities
Sorcery and Instants: Cards that can do any number of things such as deal damage to another player or their creatures or allow you to gain life. Sorcery cards can only be played during your main phase so they cannot be played during attack or block stages or during your opponents turn. Instants can be played at any time as long as the player has sufficient mana and so can be played on your opponents turn or during the attack or block stages. This makes instants able to interrupt your opponents spells, or surprise your enemy and effect combat after they've already committed to their decisions.
Enchantments: Cards that remain on the battlefield that are activated when a certain action is taken.
Artifacts: Cards that act somewhat like Enchantments, but can be 'equipped' to creature cards giving them certain abilities
Lands: Cards that remain on the battlefield, and they can be used to produce mana for summoning spells.

Parts of a Turn

Beginning

Untap
Upkeep
Draw

Main (Pre-Combat)

Play any available cards during this phase

Combat

Beginning of Combat
Declare Attackers
Declare Blockers
Combat Damage
End of Combat

Second Main (Post-Combat)

Play any available cards during this phase also

End Turn

Avatar Awards

The XBLA version has 2 avatar awards.

Planeswalker T-shirt - Unlock all the cards for three decks.
Magic the Gathering Dragon (prop) - Unlock all the cards for six decks.

Similar Games

No games found