Exploring Star Wars Unlimited
If you’re a Star Wars fan and a card game enthusiast, time to get really excited. ‘Star Wars Unlimited’ is here, and it’s making waves in the world of collectable card games (CCG). I’ve never played a CCG (or trading card game, TCG) but I do love Star Wars cards and I’ve loved playing other tabletop offerings from Fantasy Flight Games like Legion and X-Wing. So, I thought it was about time I take a look at why Star Wars Unlimited is a must-check-out.
A fresh look at the galaxy
First things first, let’s talk visuals. Star Wars Unlimited (SWU) brings a fresh look to the table which really appeals to me. While the cards carry the information you need to play the game, this is accompanied by high-quality and eye-catching illustrations that pop with colour and detail. Each card is a miniature piece of Star Wars art, depicting a wide range of characters, vehicles, and scenes from your favourite pieces of media and content. These aren’t always a perfect likeness of the actors we recognise, but are a fantastic take on the Star Wars we love, while bringing the feel of a new perspective.
Simple gameplay that tells a story
So, how do you actually play? Well SWU mixes surprisingly accessible mechanics with strategy. The game is played between two players, each building a deck of 50 cards from a pool representing characters, ships, events, and items from the Star Wars universe. The aim is to use your ground or space unit cards (like fleet troopers and X-Wings) to do enough damage to your opponents base card (like the Death Star Control Centre) to destroy it, outwitting them using a combination of tactical decisions and well-timed card plays.
Each turn involves a mix of drawing cards, deploying characters, and engaging in battles in either the space or ground arenas. The game’s mechanics are designed to be straightforward enough for newcomers, with a simple playmat showing you where to put your cards and some tokens depicting damage, but there’s plenty of room for strategic depth. You’ll need to think carefully about your moves and how best to use your resources to gain an advantage.
Within the space of half an hour I’d learned the rules and played my first really enjoyably game with my wife who was also brand new to CCG’s but enjoyed it too. However it feels like a game that will also reward you for considering the nuances and going deep into tactics and card combos. What I enjoyed most was the narrative that develops over the course of the game, you’re telling your own Star Wars story as you go, which you can make as unlikely as you want!
Card releases and expansions
An aspect of the game that I love are the card releases. The initial ‘Spark of Rebellion’ launch includes a solid variety of cards, with characters from the Original Trilogy era ranging from iconic heroes like Luke Skywalker to the dark lord of the Sith himself, Darth Vader. But the game will continue to expand with regular releases, introducing new characters, vehicles, and scenarios from different eras of Star Wars.
Two ‘Leader’ cards from the Spark of Rebellion starter set
This has already begun with the ‘Shadows of the Galaxy’ and the recently announced ‘Twilight of the Republic’ expansions, opening up lots of new possibilities, strategies and cards to play, keeping the game fresh. Each expansion has a neat 2-player starter set which is very reasonably priced and contains everything you need to play a game with two standard decks. You can also pick up booster packs which contain 16 new cards as options to add to your deck.
Chance and collectability
Starter pack cards are exclusive to these packs, and are always the same two full decks listed on the box. Whereas the cards available in boosters are from a much wider pool, are randomly packed, and some are more common to find than others, introducing an enticing element of chance and collectability.
Cards are divided into four rarities: Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Legendary. Each booster contains 9 Common cards, 3 Uncommon cards, 1 Rare or Legendary card, and one ‘foil’ (or shiny) card that can be of any rarity. Collectors will most covet and chase foil cards of Rare or Legendary rarity. However, foil cards aren’t the only variants you may hit upon. There are also rare ‘Hyperspace’ variants with no border on the card giving the art a widescreen feel.
A ‘Hyperspace’ variant card
A ‘Foil’ variant card
Any card can be found as a Hyperspace variant, showing off more of the art, including foil cards. You must have one ‘Leader’ card in your deck - think Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker, or Moff Gideon and Mando, and these can also been found in an even rarer ‘Showcase’ variant. These feature alternate art, a unique frame, and to top it off they’re also foil cards. Fans and hardcore players will no doubt be looking for their favourite characters and vehicles in Hyperspace, Showcase and Foil formats!
In summary
Star Wars Unlimited is intuitive, but mastering the game will require practice at balancing your deck, managing your resources, and anticipating your opponent’s moves. It’s a compelling blend of excellent visuals, engaging gameplay, and collectable updates that are sure to keep both Star Wars fans and card game enthusiasts hooked. Some people will play competitively, but the game offers loads of potential for casual, narrative-driven players too. Whether you’re a newbie or looking for your next CCG I recommend giving SWU a good look. I’m looking forward to my next game, and chasing some rare cards!
MTFBWY
