Online collectible card games, classic board and card games?

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Being a little on the older side (mid 40's) and a former active gamer, I tend to like the collectible card games such as Magic the Gathering and Yu-Gi-Oh (I got into these when adult life got in the way of RPG's being an appropriate hobby) as well as the classic board and card games such as Chess, Checkers, Pente, Hearts, Backgammon, and Go.

As I tend to have some social anxiety with tendencies to isolate when I am not at work, I have greatly enjoyed the ability to play these on the computer. I actually use Linux (Ubuntu) on my machine at home so they either have to be compatible with Linux, web-based, or Java-based (as these can be run on my OS with no problem).

For MTG (solitary vs AI when I am not playing real-world on the table against my son), my favorites include Magarena and Forge. Both are programmed in Java. Magarena is more polished in appearance and has a more solid AI with about 900 cards. Forge has about 9000 cards available. For both you have to download card images separately, but that is not a problem as this is done within the program itself (just do it the first time you run them). I have also enjoyed an online CCG called Elements which is very similar to MTG and runs easily on Firefox in Ubuntu.

I do admit also liking the Yu-Gi-Oh TCG and even the Pokemon TCG which I play on the computer using a Gameboy Emulator and ROM's on Ubuntu. I think I would feel um funny going to the game store to play against the normal crowd for these games, but they can be fun, short diversions. I like the combination of strategy and luck you can get with CCG's.

The one benefit of Ubuntu Linux is that there are good choices on classic games which can be run natively - obviously chess, checkers, backgammon, and hearts - but also some less familiar games like Go (although I do need to increase my base knowledge of this game), Mancala, Reversi, Pente, and a great game called Pasang Emas which is a really cool classic abstract strategy game from the island country of Brumei.

I also have a couple of Settlers of Catan clones which run on Ubuntu so I am starting to learn that genre of boardgame as well.


Anyone else out there with similar tastes? Any suggestions on similar games to try?

Most of these are physical games but I love board games! I wish I knew anyone who would teach me MTG.

My faves:

Robo Rally - (not sure if it is for Linux though) - simple but fun. I believe there is an online version.

Cosmic Encounter - fun conquest type game involving "powers". we use double powers to make it more awesome. also online:
Cosmic Encounter Online

Carcassonne - haven't seen this online but it's a tile laying game that's pretty satisfying and easy.

Guillotine - again, it's a physical card game, rather simple but pretty fun and funny.

Illuminati - this is another card game, definitely as indepth as I hear MTG is, but it's fun, especially if you like conspiracy theories.

Munchkin - very simplified RPG style card game, but hilarious to play. people who don't play this style of game won't have trouble with it.

Puerto Rico - more Settlers of Cataan like. more indepth not than SoC but of the previously mentioned simplified games.

Mystery of the Abbey - like Clue but much better IMO.

Those are my favourites. Sheesh, when I bought them, they weren't available on Amazon.

Ah, there is another real gamer out there. Since I no longer have the discretionary income to buy lots of board games or the space (I'm married with kids), I rely quite heavily on the free online versions.

In regards to their online versions - Robo Rally (the original board game was invented by the same person who invented MtG) uses Java and the browser and appears to run just fine on. And Cosmic Encounter (the original board game was cited as an inspiration for MtG) is browser based and uses Flash so it is no problem.

If you speak German, there is a site where you can play Carcassonne online. I haven't played either the real-world or the online edition but I have heard it is a great game. I would also like to try Agricola. Guillotine is available (along with Robo Rally) at GameTable Online.

While I could not find Illuminati the card game or Munchkin online (these are classic games put out by Steve Jackson Games who also produced GURPS, Toon RPG, and Car Wars), Flying Buffalo Games (who is also responsible for Tunnels and Trolls) runs a play by mail version of Illuminati.
http://www.flyingbuffalo.com/illumin.htm

But no online luck for Munchkin or Mystery of the Abbey online yet.

But here is Puerto Rico online: http://www.phial.com/puerto-rico/

Speaking of learning to play Magic the Gathering, here are some online tutorials...

Wizards has an official page for people to learn the game with an interactive demo and learn to play videos. This is a good place to start:
http://www.wizards.com/magic/playmagic/ ... ToPlay.htm

Here is another good site to start with:

http://sixtycards.com/616

If you have an Xbox 360, you can download the demo for Duels of the Planeswalkers.

Or if you have a local game shop that carries MtG cards, they often have MtG nights where they are happy to teach you the game.

This is great!

Man it sure is different than when I bought the games many years ago. I bought them online from a German games store. I guess it's good that they are all popular enough to be on Amazon.

And it's great that they are now online. I have a few friends who play board games but they live an hour away so we only get to drag them out once and a while.

I think people no longer realize how much fun and bonding playing board games produces.

I will check out the MtG tutorial. From when I saw ET, I always wished I could play an RPG with friends (though that was DnD). Maybe I will actually get on that.

Thanks or the links!

I love playing card games and board games I also play magic the gathering Im abit rusty though havent played in awhile.

i love playing MTG and i love miniature games
i havent really had much opertunity to play either in a long time

i used to create games of alternity, best scifi rpg ever, shame the books are getting harder and harder to find, luckily i got the base set and quite the collection of extras as well, they are available as pdf though.

When I play MtG I usually play against my 11 year old son who is also Aspie. My 13 year old daughter prefers to play the Naruto TCG at the game store. On the computer, I play MtG either with Forge or Magarena - although Magarena usually whips me pretty good, and I play Yu-Gi-Oh primarily using the GBA Roms - although my son is starting to like it so I will show him how to play using the real-worlds decks that I have.

Once upon a time, I used to play tabletop RPG's - original Dungeons and Dragons through 2nd edition AD&D, although I preferred the simplicity of Tunnels and Trolls. I also played Shadowrun, Star Frontiers, Gamma World (1st edition), GURPS, and I wanted to try Boot Hill and Doctor Who (FASA) but no one else was interested in those genres. I was never into the superhero genre. At the end I was into very minimalist RPG rules structure almost freeform.

I was also into wargames - more of the hex and chit variety (instead of miniatures - never had the money or patience for that although I had the original Chainmail rules with the original D&D) through SPI and Avalon Hill (I also like some of the other Avalon Hill games like Feudal). I also used to play quite a bit of Car Wars (Steve Jackson Games).

Carcassonne and Settlers of Cataan just came out for Android!

https://market.android.com/details?id=c ... arcassonne

https://market.android.com/details?id=c ... rch_result

Both are kinda expensive for android games (which are usually only $0.99) but great games!

Not sure if anyone is an android fan here.

I just upgraded the OS on my computer (to Xubuntu 11.04 for all you Ubuntu/Linux geeks out there). I transferred over Forge and Magarena to play M:TG TCG, and VBA (to play the Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh TCG ROM's), and have all of my classic games set up - chess, checkers, backgammon, go, Pente, Hearts, Bridge, Reversi, Pasang Emas, and Aware (mancala). I've also put some puzzles and solitaire games there. As a casual game player, I'm interested in easy to learn and play games so I'm looking at Battle for Wesnoth as well as some simple "simulation" games like Dopewars, Project Football, and Bygfoot. Other suggestions would be appreciated!

I've moved up to Xubuntu 12.10 and have set up all of the games mentioned above. There have been some great improvements and a vast expansion of available cards in the new versions of Magarena and Forge (which are both Java-based games very similar to Magic:The Gathering), and I found another fun Java-based trading card game called Dreamwalker. In terms of online trading card games, I'm playing Elements, Monster Master, and Rolplay. Any other suggestions for browser (Flash) based, Java based, or native Linux (or Wine friendly) trading card games or traditional board or card games, etc.?

As an animal-lover, I enjoy playing a card game called Weird And Wild Creatures. The cards can only be received through mail. I am one of few who kept his subscription long enough to eventually collect all of them, and my deck is about a foot tall. I also collect Tarot cards, especially animal-themed decks, and I have 4 different versions of Fluxx shuffled together because I love anachronisms. There are also games that I play on my phone that involve cards that I am very much addicted to. Created by a company called Mobage, the ones that I play are Fantasica and Rage Of Bahamut.