10 card games like Hearthstone to deck around with

If you like card games, be they digital or in real life, then there's a good chance you'll love more games like Hearthstone – and there are plenty of those available. Hearthstone was first released in 2014 from Blizzard Entertainment as a strategic card game that built on the foundations of World of Warcraft lore. With quick-paced battles, powers that lean into its digital nature, and a free-to-play structure it's easy to see how it's dominated.

In fact, many games like Hearthstone have come and gone as it's remained strong, unable to stick around in the competitive market. Of the ones that are available, be they multiplayer or single-player, there's plenty of great games that require some tactical thinking. There's a lot of great options. And yes, we will be sticking to digital here (though we do have the best card games in the real world for you to look at too). Without further ado, here's the 10 best games like Hearthstone you can deal out for yourself now.

10. Tabletop Simulator

Developer: Berserk Games
Platform(s): PC

There's a case to be made that really Tabletop Simulator should be top of this list. After all, technically speaking, almost any game you could play on a table in real life can be played here, so the possibilities are essentially limitless. Yet, Tabletop Simulator is also the kind of game that's only able to deliver what you're able to put into it. Thankfully, hordes of Steam Workshop mods allow for easy customization, and it's even possible to add your own tweaks as well beyond what's readily available in the base game. Given its devotion to simulating, well, the tabletop, this has a physical-like edge that some will love and others won't if they want to embrace what digital automation can bring.  

9. Slay the Spire 

Developer: Mega Crit Games
Platform(s): PC, PS4, Xbox One

Bored of Hearthstone and looking for something a little different? Slay the Spire is a truly wonderful game from 2019 that fuses traditional deck building together with a challenging roguelike. The result is an experience quite unlike anything else you would have played, pushing you to create unique decks to fight back against hordes of bizarre creatures. Deep, replayable, and immensely enjoyable, Slay the Spire is a singleplayer deck builder that you won't regret pouring your time into, as we loved every minute of our 300 hour Slay the Spire binge.

8. Card City Nights 2 

Developer: Ludosity
Platform(s): PC

Card City Nights 2, is a thoroughly charming cardventure set aboard a space station full of delightful oddballs to duel. The bright colors and cute character designs evoke Steven Universe and OK K.O., and the soundtrack is smooth like butter with its soothing synths and ambient beats. CCN2 is all about positioning your cards on a simple gridded board so you can trigger the links between your own cards while denying them from your opponent. It's the only game you'll find here without a free-to-play option, but the cheap price tag is well worth it for all the pack-opening and deck-building you'll be doing across the expansive, humorous single-player campaign.

7. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PC, PS5

Is it a little cheeky to include Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, a game that can easily stretch to almost one hundred hours on its own, for one minigame? It might be, but sometimes at GamesRadar+ we can get a little bit cheeky. In all seriousness, though, Queen's Blood, a popular diversion in the world of Final Fantasy 7 will suck up plenty of those hours on its own. As you journey the land, you'll meet more and more players, eventually revealing there's a whole mysterious plot to follow of its own with a meaty conclusion. In play, you lay down monsters to capture tiles in different shapes, using special effects to throw off the opponent from doing the same. Simple rules hide plenty of depth, especially when more complicated effects are in the mix. Mastering this game takes some time.

Read more in our Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth review we noted that "improvements to side-content ensure the original's step-out moment is worth taking once more"

6. Legends of Runeterra

Developer: Riot Games
Platform(s): PC, iOS

From Riot Games, the people that brought you League of Legends, comes the free-to-play Legends of Runeterra. It's a tense, aggressive take on the collectible card game, but also an accessible one for those that might find games like Magic: The Gathering Arena a little intimidating. The one-on-one games start with both players holding a hand of four cards, and each round you can draw a new card from your deck. An attack token lets you know when it's your turn to go on the offensive or defend, and claiming victory means wiping out all of your opponent's 20 health points before they can do the same to you. What makes the game so popular, apart from the swift and surprising battles, is the generous rewards system that gifts players weekly chests and free battle passes that translate to crafting materials, cards, and Wildcards, which you can swap for a card of your choice as long as it has the same rarity value. 

5. Monster Train

Developer: Shiny Shoe
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mobile

This card based roguelike has you assembling a deck of monsters you can summon aboard your train to fend off invaders as they attempt to make it, room by room, to the core of your locomotive. Various decks unlock as you play, meaning one run isn't nearly enough to experiment with all the builds on offer, which lean into different elemental themes. They can even be combined to make the best of both worlds. Monster Train is a little different from the rest of the games on this list as you're using cards to control a set-up that's not limited to just being on a board, but the side-on battling perspective certainly makes it fresh. There's so many possibilities to chase, and, thanks to its roguelike structure, that's all built into each run – meaning it's a high you're always chasing and trying to master in play as well as just outside of it.

4. Marvel Snap

Developer: Second Dinner
Platform(s): PC, Mobile

Like all live service card games, updates can bring big changes to a game that may or may not upset long-time fans. Still, while Marvel Snap has seen some ups and downs since its 2022 release there's no denying that this is a phenom for a reason. Very much building on the mobile-first, fast-paced nature that defines Hearthstone's success, Marvel Snap leans even further into it, with extremely simple to learn rules and an ever-growing roster of superhero-themed cards that have massively broad appeal. Special effects are often wonderfully drawn from the comics, adding some really intriguing depth to possible deck builds, and also rewarding long-time Marvel fans. This is a game that's set to keep on growing.

Read more in our Marvel Snap review where we said it's "wonderfully intuitive card game that is simple to play, easy to learn, and satisfying to master"

3. Magic: The Gathering Arena 

Developer: Wizards of the Coast
Platform(s): PC, iOS

If Hearthstone feels a bit too whimsical, why not go with the godfather of trading card games? Magic: The Gathering has dominated the real-world card game scene for over 20 years, and MTG Arena acts as the perfect gateway for virtual deck builders to make the jump to physical play or vice versa. Your cards in Arena look like, well, cards on a table, but certain creatures are literally summoned onto the board in an impressively flashy fashion. It's easy to become obsessed. Magic is a somewhat slower game compared to Hearthstone, with mana sources taking up space in your deck, but the build possibilities are endless. This game has stood the test of time for good reason. Magic Online is also available for those who want the elder, grittier version, but this is the best jumping on point for Hearthstone players for sure.

2. Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel 

Developer: Konami
Platform(s): PC, iOS

Speed duels, we banish you to the Shadow Realm! (Okay, Speed Duels is actually pretty fun, we admit). Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel is the definitive digital edition of a competitive card game that's been steadily evolving over the last 20 years, allowing for fact-paced Duels against players all over the globe with fully intact rules and card sets, only limited by a slightly lagging release schedule at times. With a wide variety of events and tournaments, over 10,000 unique cards to draw from, and an endlessly deep lore to get your head around Yu-Gi-Oh: Master Duel is a fantastic game to play if you're looking for a break from Hearthstone. Just don't try to level up by losing games deliberately, as that's no fun.

1. Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket

Developer: Creatures Inc, DeNA
Platform(s): Mobile

Pokemon TCG Pocket strikes a middle-ground between being a truly faithful adaptation and a completely stripped back one, and so far it's been a massive success since its launch in 2024, and only seems to be growing more popular. Compared to the physical card game, the rules are mostly intact here, but simplified in a few core ways all based around ensuring this mobile-first offering remains easy to jump into and complete a match quickly, rather than sitting and pondering for too long. It's worth noting Pokémon Trading Card Game Live also exists for those looking for a more complete adaptation. Yet, it's the Pocket version that's truly taken the world by storm, and for good reason. This strategic Pokemon battles are moreish, and whether it's chasing new shinies to add layers of tactics to your deck or just because they look pretty, it's hard to put down.

More chinstrokers required? Check out our best strategy games list!