Local Game Stores are becoming increasingly difficult to find as the world shifts to digital storefronts. Luckily for those living in remote areas or whose favorite store closed down,Magic: The Gatheringhas a thriving online player base across many platforms.
Many popular platforms take the (excuse the pun) magic from the tabletop to the internet. Each accommodates a variety of game modes and features which makes some more appealing than others.
Player preferences are primarily formed around three criteria:
With those in mind, here are the best ways to playMagic: The Gathering(MTG) online:
Honorable mentions
Tabletop Simulator
WhileTabletop Simulatorcan be used to play virtually any tabletop game, it doesn’t mean that it’s easy. MTG can be played inTabletop Simulatorbut requires a tremendous amount of work for every player involved.
XMage
WhenXMageworks, it’s one of the best clients for playing MTG online. Unfortunately,XMageis rife with issues both in and out of the game. Players frequently mention being unable to download the client due to website errors or experiencing other game-breaking bugs.
4.Cockatrice
Cockatricelaunched in 2010 and was the community’s first attempt at digitizing Magic. Wizard of the Coast’sMagic: The Gathering Onlinewas the primary platform for players who wanted to play Magic over the internet. But for many paperplayers, paying for an additional digital collection of cards simply wasn’t affordable.
Cockatricelaunched with the promise of a completely free-to-play Magic experience online, a promise that has held up to this day.
Pros:
Cons:
As time has passed, so too have the technology and capabilities of the internet. WhileCockatricestill receives support and occasional updates, the interface is dated and the client feels like a chat room from the early 2000s. Setting up and playing onCockatricehas gotten easier over the years, but can still be off-putting to some players.
3.Magic: The Gathering Online
In 2002, Wizards of the Coast launchedMagic: The Gathering Online,which could be considered a pioneer of online card gaming. While heavily criticized for its in-game economy and numerous bugs, MTGO has managed to stay alive despite facing many competitors over its two-decade lifespan.
UnlikeCockatrice, MTGO providesgameplay automation, meaning instead of arguing with your opponents, you can blame the computer for everything (and you will). At any point in time, MTGO can be described as a buggy but complete experience. For those who don’t mind the costs associated with a digital collection, there isn’t a more comprehensive platform for playing Magic online.
Unfortunately, MTGO is only available in English and on Windows PCs. This severely harms the accessibility factor which lowers our overall rating for MTGO.
2.Magic: The Gathering Arena
Since its launch in 2018,Magic: The Gathering Arenahas been the reigning champ when it comes to the most streamlined MTG experience on the market. Arena is a vast improvement over Wizards of the Coast’s first child, MTGO. The UI has been modernized and the game rules engine was built from the ground up and is written in a way that allows for endless development.
Even though it has a smaller card library and only five game modes (four of which are similar to but not entirely identical to paper MTG game modes), Arena earns its place as #2. For people new to Magic, Arena is the place to be. While other options mostly cater to people already familiar with MTG, Arena provides a tutorial, helpful tooltips, and beginner decks to introduce beginners to various mechanics.
1.SpellTable
SpellTableis the new kid on the block (or at least on this list). During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the future of paper MTG was unclear.SpellTable, previously known asVirtualEDH, was quickly developed as a way to keep theCommander game modealive (since Commander had limited online support at the time).
Within months of its inception,SpellTablejoined Wizards of the Coast and was able to expand support to all formats.SpellTablemaintains the authentic paper MTG experience by utilizing a mobile phone or webcam and a good ol’ tabletop surface. Over time, the developers have enhanced the app with features that create a sort of “paper Magic 2.0” feeling.
Despite being created as a temporary solution for paper MTG due to social distancing,SpellTablehas continued to be a popular choice for playing MTG online by players around the world. No other app captures the “dining room table with your buddies” aspect ofMagic: The Gathering quite likeSpellTabledoes.
