Although a few years ago everything indicated that the era of paper games was about to end, this form has been experiencing its intense renaissance for some time now. The reincarnation of card and board games takes place not only on the table among friends but also on the screens of electronic devices, gaining thousands of enthusiastic reviews on Steam and other platforms.

If Hearthstone is a game, you’ve wholeheartedly enjoyed, then you probably wish to explore other best online card games as well. There is more than one Hearthstone-like game that has achieved similar success and popularity.

This particular title is famous for being generally available, with rules simple and gameplay pleasant. But who knows, maybe something else will also catch your eye? See below for more exciting information about your favorite game, as well as a ready-made list of the best CCGs similar to Hearthstone.

GameReleaseGenresDeveloperVideo
Hearthstone Booster Pack Code MMO Blizzard Entertainment
Slay the Spire 2019-01-23 Indie Mega Crit Games
Artifact 2018-11-28 Strategy Valve
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game 2018-10-23 Collectible Card Game CD Projekt Red
Legends of Runeterra 2020-04-29 Collectible Card Game Riot Games

Hearthstone

Release date:2014-03-11
Genre:Card game
Developer:Blizzard

A card game produced by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 2014 for PC. It is an essential title for any fan of the huge MMO, World of Warcraft, as Hearthstone’s action takes place in exactly the same universe, in the world of Azeroth.

The gameplay is possible in both single and multiplayer mode. The card game offers many forms of entertainment, including adventures, campaigns, and battles with other players, fights in the inn, and many more in the form of DLCs.

Image credit: Blizzard

The interest in Hearthstone right after its release was pretty enormous. When Blizzard released the mobile version of the game a year after its premiere, it took first place among the most-downloaded games in more than 20 countries. With each new expansion pack released, Hearthstone gained more and more recognition. In later years, it even became one of the most-watched broadcasts on Twitch, where it still holds its position as one of the favorite games, head to head with the popular Dota 2. Hearthstone has instantly become an esports discipline too. During the IEM Season IX World Championship, the first card tournament was held, and soon after the first world championship happened at BlizzCon 2014.

Key Features
  • Play a card game set in the epic World of Warcraft
  • Test yourself in the single-player mode and compete against others in the multiplayer
  • Choose your hero and win every duel
  • Collect rare cards to hold the most powerful deck

Slay the Spire

Release date:2019-01-23
Genre:Indie
Developer:Mega Crit Games

An indie card game with roguelike elements, released by the independent studio Mega Crit in 2019.

The gameplay unfolds around an adventure in which the courageous hero climbs over the following levels to the very top of the great spire. He meets hordes of enemies along the way, whom he must defeat to continue his journey.

The duels take place in turn-based mode, and the leading character’s attacks are assigned to the cards the player holds in his deck. Death in Slay the Spire is permanent, so the player must restart the entire adventure when he loses his life. At the beginning of the journey, the deck of cards looks rather modest, but its content quickly increases as the game progresses. The creators of the game granted the player a lot of freedom of action because when attacking, the player can freely combine various attacks to creatively eliminate all his opponents and dangerous bosses. The abilities of the cards grow when their effects are combined with the power of found artifacts, of which there are over one hundred in the entire gameplay. The whole game is enriched by fairy-tale graphics, an epic soundtrack, and humor.

Key Features
  • Rearrange cards and develop new attacks
  • Complete your deck with new cards
  • Witness how the Spire changes when you start the game over
  • Collect artifacts and create new ways to eliminate enemies

Gwent

Release date:2017-03-31
Genre:Card Game
Developer:CD Projekt

The favorite mini-game of all fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, which received its stand-alone version in 2018. The action of this epic CCG takes place in the universe known from The Witcher series, and the cards owned by the player resemble the heroes and units also well recognized from the game.

The standalone edition of the game is much more extended than the one that players know from the third part of Geralt’s adventures, which will surely delight any loyal fan of Gwent.

GWENT: The Witcher Card Game gamescreen
Image credit: CD Projekt

Gwent is both a single and multiplayer game. A solo player can choose to engage in a campaign, while online players compete against each other. The gameplay is that each player draws 10 cards and places them in two separate rows. One row is designed for melee forces, the other for ranged units. Most cards have special abilities that can significantly affect the development of the encounter on the battlefield. The game is won by the one who eventually ends with the stronger army.

Key Features
  • Engage in the favorite card game of The Witcher fans
  • Become an excellent strategist and plan your every move
  • Use special skills and watch how the tables are turned
  • Enjoy beautiful, smooth graphics full of details

Legends of Runeterra

Release date:2020-04-29
Genre:Card Game
Developer:Riot Games

One of the best CCGs, released in 2020 by Riot Games, the action of which was set in the universe famous from League of Legends.

Legends of Runeterra is a multiplayer focused on taking part in short duels between players. This is a title that will certainly appeal to every enthusiastic collector because there is a lot of interesting cards available during the gameplay.

legends-of-runeterra-gamescreen
Image credit: Riot Games

Each player has their own unique deck of cards. Opponents fight operating the power of their cards and blocking the opponent’s attacking moves. The goal of the game is to destroy the rival’s Nexus who has 20 health points. During the game, each player not only collects new cards but also gains access to new locations and receives in-game currency and experience points, thanks to which he will advance to higher levels.

Key Features
  • Play the ultimate card game set in the League of Legends universe
  • Compete with other players in multiplayer mode
  • Play and collect cards
  • Gain experience points and advance to the next levels

Artifact

Release year:2018-11-28
Genre:Card Game
Developer:Valve

A trading card game, released in 2018 thanks to Valve Corporation, and which is set in the well-known and popular Dota 2 universe.

The title is available in multiplayer mode only. You can try your hand at fighting strangers, or establish your own competition to play with your friends.

The game is played by placing cards from the deck on the board on three lanes. The cards and their abilities are based on the strengths of the heroes known to Dota 2 players. There are absolutely no limits to the cards played on the table and the cards held in hand as well. The daring gameplay is wonderfully supported by impressive graphics with eye-catching animations, making it a one-of-a-kind experience.

Key Features
  • Play a card game set in the Dota 2 universe
  • Try yourself in multiplayer mode
  • Unlock more Card Packs and Event Tickets
  • Defend yourself and attack your opponent

Might & Magic Duel of Champions

PC
X360
PS3
iOS
Release year:2012-09-13
Genres:Strategy
Developer:Ubisoft

An online card game that is an adaptation of a popular paper card game. It is set in the epic and legendary world of Might & Magic, and during the game, there are playable characters featuring, well known to fans of the series.

Before starting the game, each player must collect their own deck of cards, and there are over 200 cards to gather throughout the game.

Might-Magic-Duel-of-Champions-gamescreen
Image credit: Ubisoft

There are Event, Luck, Spell, and Hero cards available in the deck. The army is commanded by a hero whose skills depend on the player’s creativity, the units played or the abilities used. Each move can significantly change the fate of the competition, making the duel an extremely thrilling experience. The goal of the entire game is to slay the opponent’s hero. Might & Magic: Duel of Champions allows players to compete against users on platforms other than their own. What’s more, your achievements in the game can be published on Twitter and Facebook, thanks to which the card game has gathered its own, unique community of fans around the world.

Key Features
  • Play the engaging and action-packed card game in the Might & Magic universe
  • Collect a full deck of cards and become invincible
  • Compete against players from all over the world, even in cross-platform play
  • Fall in love with the stunning graphics and epic background music

Online card games are not only a great opportunity to have a little fun, but also to become part of a large community. Titles like Hearthstone and similar attract a huge number of fans who want to play both with friends and with complete strangers around the world. Players exchange cards, discuss strategies, arrange matches and even meet in real life to play live games. The Hearthstone subreddit has nearly 2 million members, and the CCG communities on Steam are full of content created by players themselves.

The world of video games is entering a whole new level of combining old-fashioned entertainment with the latest technology. More and more excellent indie games are being created, elements of which also appear in the best online card games. What can die-hard fans of CCGs expect in the coming years? Probably a whole lot of new productions and interesting solutions, so there is plenty to be happy about.