Discover the ultimate Trading Card Game gifts with our 2023 Guide! Perfect for Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and more, this guide will help you simplify choosing presents for the card game enthusiasts in your life. Our curated selection is designed to help you bring memorable gaming experiences this Christmas, even if you don’t know the first thing about those funny little cardboard rectangles. Gift good times, hassle-free!
Magic: The Gathering
Our Pick for New MTG Players: The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Bundles, and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth Commander Decks
What sets these gift bundles apart are the exclusive Jurassic World cards included within. It’s a crossover like no other, merging the thrill of Magic: The Gathering with the awe-inspiring dinosaurs of Jurassic World. On top of that, the Lost Caverns of Ixalan is an incredible set, full of gorgeous art and interesting double-faced cards. The Bundles include gorgeous spin-downs as well as foil and non-foil basic lands, making a perfect gift for any new player looking to assemble their collection. And, if you want to spend a little more to really show how much you appreciate your giftee, the Bundle: Gift Edition is a deluxe upgrade that includes a Collector Booster, which contains cards at their coolest treatments, such as these Showcase and Borderless Oltec frames.
Crafted with care and inspired by the epic tales of J.R.R. Tolkien, these decks provide a perfect entry point for new Magic: The Gathering players or a thrilling addition for seasoned Planeswalkers. Commander decks are designed to be playable right out of the box, meaning that your gift recipient can dive into a game of Magic: The Gathering without needing to spend additional time building a deck (I’d recommend getting some sleeves to go with this – check out the Accessories section at the end of this article). These decks are an instant source of fun and entertainment, but make sure to check if they’re playing the “Commander” gamemode! It has 100 cards per deck and has 4 players.
With four decks to choose from, all The Lord of the Rings fans will be satisfied. My personal suggestion is the Hosts of Mordor Commander deck, where you take command of Sauron’s legion of orcs and goblins, summon the mighty Witch-King of Angmar, and confront the armies of men with cunning and malevolent strategies. Experience the formidable power of Mordor at your fingertips, amassing armies and even the Balrog itself.
Our Pick for Experienced Players – Trading Card Game Singles or Accessories
For any experienced Magic: The Gathering player, it’s likely they already know what they want to get. In this case, the best thing to do is to grab a Good Games TCG Gift Card for them. I know it might sound insincere, but Magic: The Gathering players often want very, very specific cards for their decks, which isn’t guaranteed to be in any given sealed product we might otherwise recommend. You can grab gift cards in denominations of $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 – all options that’ll go a long way to helping get your giftee the cards they want.
On top of that, I’d also recommend the Accessories section below – no matter what specific cards someone wants, they’ll always appreciate a way to store it securely and safely.
Pokémon
Our Pick for New Players: Pokéball Tins
Each tin is a carefully crafted container of joy, featuring a stunning metallic design and holding a collection of Pokemon cards that’s sure to excite any trainer. Awaiting you within these Pokeballs are 3 Pokemon Trading Card Game Booster Packs and 2 Sticker sheets, making this a perfect gift for a casual fan who loves everything Pokemon and wants to decorate their room with fun memorabilia. If you can get one of each type, then even better!
Our Pick for Experienced Players – Pokemon Paradox Rift Elite Trainer Box
Paradox Rift introduced a lineup of Future and Ancient Pokemon, originally featured in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Notable additions include the formidable Iron Valiant ex and Roaring Moon ex cards, which the two Elite Trainer Boxes are themed after. Inside are 11 Paradox Rift booster packs, a full-art promo card showcasing either Iron Bundle (found in Iron Valiant ETB) or Scream Tail (included in Roaring Moon ETB), 65 themed sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide for the Paradox Rift expansion, six damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, two condition markers, a code for Pokemon Trading Card Game Live, and a neatly adorned box to keep everything safe and sound. My favourite part about the ETBs are the 65 themed sleeves with matching artwork that adds a stylish touch to any Pokemon deck.
One Piece
Our Pick for All Players: The One Piece Card Game Devil Fruits Collection Vol 1
The Devil Fruits Case isn’t just a storage solution; it’s a great statement piece for One Piece enthusiasts. I love how vibrant it looks – it makes me want to take a bite out of it! Even outside of the game, this case is such a fun and striking way to display your deck. The exclusive sleeves and Don!! Cards are also a great way for lovers of One Piece to customise their decks, making every part of this product a great and memorable gift. The Devil Fruits Collection Vol. 1 also has one pack of OP-03 and two packs of OP-04, two awesome sets that contain plenty of hot cards!
Flesh and Blood
Our Pick for All Players: Round The Table
The “Round the Table” set includes four ready-to-play Blitz Decks designed specifically for the fun-flowing Ultimate Pit Fight (UPF) multiplayer gameplay. Whether your giftee is a seasoned player or a newcomer to the world of Flesh and Blood, these decks promise hours of entertainment around the gaming table. Crafted with variety and specificity in mind, Round The Table contains four unique decks, all focusing on different plans which result in unique interactions every game. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season together, and a great way to introduce new people to the game – so if you want to give your friends hobbies a go, ask them to teach you!
Yu-Gi-Oh
Our Pick for All Players: The 25th Anniversary Rarity Collection
The upcoming 25th Anniversary Rarity Collection is a festive gift for both long-time players and newcomers! Inside, seasoned players can upgrade their favourite card’s rarity and new players to snag reprints of super popular competitive cards. Discover the best Yu-Gi-Oh has to offer with competitive spells like Pot of Prosperity, Forbidden Droplet, Triple Tactics Talent, and the majestic Baronne de Fleur—a fantastic lineup of some of the best spells in the game, plus a top Synchro monster. This collection is sure to be a treasure trove of cards in the future, making it a great gift even for newer players. Whether you’re decking the halls with cardboard bling or building your next deck, this collection of shiny cards with unique rarities is the ultimate Christmas bonus!
Still not sure? Try these!
For those with well-established collections seeking specific cards, I would consider purchasing card sleeves and deck boxes as a hassle-free gift. Elevate your gift-giving experience with this range of practical and thoughtful options from Dragon Shield and Ultimate Guard.
Sleeves
You can’t go wrong with Dragon Shield or Ultimate Guard when selecting sleeves. Both Dragon Shield and Ultimate Guard have a great range of attractive colours and offer both smooth and matte (textured) card backs, but only Dragon Shield has the deluxe Dual Matte range, which features black on the inside of the sleeves for that sleek premium appearance. When it comes to texture, I personally suggest any matte option for a premium shuffle feel, and I exclusively play with Dual Matte sleeves as I love how they look with Magic cards. Pay attention to the size of the card games your giftee plays – Japanese sizing suits games like Yu-Gi-Oh, Cardfight! Vanguard, and Digimon, while Standard sizing suits MTG, FaB, One Piece, and Pokemon.
Deckboxes
Ultimate Guard is the leading company producing high quality deck boxes that protect your precious cards. There are a range of options in a myriad of colours, but the most important thing to look out for is how many cards can be stored in the deck box.
Tip: For max thoughtfulness points, try and pick out sleeve and deck box colours that match their playstyle or favourite cards!
As certain game modes require different deck sizes, meaning that 100 card decks may not fit within a 75 card deck box. Make sure to check with your giftee or ask their friends what format they play to get more info, but here’s a quick reference guide:
- For Magic: The Gathering Commander Players: 100 card deck boxes. I would personally recommend the Sidewinder series, they come in several colours and look great.
- For Magic: The Gathering Traditional Constructed Players: 75 card deck boxes. I personally recommend the Boulder series, they’re sturdy – I’ve dropped mine more than I can count and my cards are still pristine.
Another product I can’t recommend enough is the Ultimate Guard Flip n Tray.
In my opinion, it’s the ideal deck box and dice storage companion for any player, old and new! I love these deck boxes so much, because they severely minimise the risk of dice tumbling out into your bag and causing a hassle while you’re travelling and it’s nice to carry only one box when you’re on the go.
That brings us to the end of this guide. From exclusive Magic: The Gathering bundles to thrilling Pokemon Paradox Rift ETBs, we’ve curated the perfect present list for everything a Trading Card Game player could want. From the One Piece Devil Fruits Case, Flesh and Blood’s “Round the Table”, and the Yu-Gi-Oh 25th Anniversary Rarity Collection – there’s something for everyone. And for a foolproof choice, consider top-notch accessories like Dragon Shield or Ultimate Guard sleeves and deck boxes. Don’t miss out—bring joy to your card game loving friends and family now!
Happy Holidays,
– Ryan