Just like the real world, it's easy to be dazzled by the bright lights and skyscrapers in Disney Lorcana Hyperia City – but the thing that excites me most about this expansion is far smaller.
The game is gearing up for its final set of the year ahead of launch this October, so we're finally getting a good look at what Disney Lorcana Hyperia City involves. It's all suitably impressive; there's a bold new setting where metro meets magic, Coco characters are finally being added to one of the best card games, and two new Iconic rarity cards will end up being the most sought-after pulls in the expansion. But under all this is a major change I'm not seeing many people talk about: ink drop tokens.
These give you single-use inks to spend on cards or abilities, and while that may seem like a small addition both figuratively and literally, it's actually seismic. For starters, they let you rush ahead; even if you're low on ink, they can provide an early boost that lets you get ahead of rivals. It's also a means of applying a well-timed coup de grace that might put your opponent off-balance. If you're smart about how they're used, ink drops can be a devastating strategic lever to pull on.
While Hyperia City is theoretically up for pre-order, it's hard to find at the likes of Amazon. At the moment, the best I can find is booster packs at Miniature Market.
Crucially, ink drops can also be a last-minute hail mary that may get you back in the running if you've fallen behind. I think that's the most valuable benefit; as a trading card game that's so accessible, it provides Lorcana with another avenue to even the odds rather than feeling left in the dust.
"Ink drops can completely change the tempo of a game," lead game designer Lukas Litzsinger says in the Disney Lorcana Hyperia City press release. "We really wanted to focus in on a single mechanic in this set, and we're excited to see how players will experiment with using them in their decks."
As a final feather in the cap, ink drops are a fun blend of real-world mechanics with in-universe invention. Rather than just being a system designed for players, lore positions them as the creation of students from Hyperia City's "Multidisciplinary Academy for Genius, Imagination, and Creativity" (M.A.G.I.C.). Basically, they're as important within the story as they are for us. If you ask me, that's a neat bit of synergy.
You'll be able to try the set for yourself on October 23, or from October 16 for pre-release.
Sadly, it's not all been positive in the world of TCGs this week; the MTG Star Trek Beginner Box has been cancelled in all regions.
- See all Disney Lorcana offers at Amazon
