If you’re a fan of strategy games or collectible card games, you might be interested in learning more about this exciting and challenging game. In this post, we will provide an overview of the UniVersus card game, including its history, gameplay, and strategies for success. We’ll also discuss the popularity of competitive play in the game and highlight some notable tournaments and events.
Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to the game, we hope you’ll find this post informative and helpful. So without further ado, let’s dive in and learn more about the UniVersus card game!
History of the UniVersus Card Game
Universal Fighting System
UniVersus actually started out as a different card game back in 2006, called Universal Fighting System.
Originally published by Sabertooth games, then aquired by Fantasy Flight Games, then finally aquired by Jasco Games, UFS is a competitive card game that combines elements of traditional trading card games with elements of fighting games. Players build decks featuring characters and moves from various fighting game franchises and then use those decks to battle against each other. The game was designed to appeal to fans of both trading card games and fighting games, and it quickly gained a dedicated following among players of both genres.
UFS has undergone several updates and expansions since its initial release, adding new characters and moves from popular fighting game franchises such as Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, and Tekken. Similar to Magic: The Gathering, UFS also has different formats so players can play different versions of the game such as Draft, Standard and Legacy.
The game rose in popularity to the point where most local card shops carried the product and a video game was even announced to be in the wortks. Unfortunately, the excitment slowly died off and the video game never came to fruition.
The turning point was when the game implemented set rotation. This is when older cards become illegal for competitive play in plce of the newest releases. This is common among other card games but a game like UFS actually suffers from this kind of TCG structure. Since UFS is a mega license game, set rotation didn’t just mean that old cards were no longer usable, but IPs were no longer usable. For exam,ple, some players may have been introduced to the game through the additioon of their favorite anime character, only to later find out that it can no longer be used.
I’m sure there are plenty of factors that led to the games downfall, but many agree that the set rotation has much to do with it.
UniVersus
In 2020, Jasco began a transformation for UFS, essentially republishing it as UniVersus. While there are some differences, in terms of general gameplay and rules, UniVersus and Universal Fighting System are the same game.
This really big shift happened when the My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game was released alongside the rebranding by Jasco. MHA is one of the biggest animes of the last decade and is now a very strong IP. Its introduction into UniVersus brought a lot of attention and some say even revived the game to levels of never before seen popularity.
My Hero Academia Collectible Card Game
Jasco Games is presenting the MHACCC as its own card game and while the MHA cards are fully compatible with the UniVersus system, it actually has its own format. In fact, if you are interested in competitive play, you’ll find that other UniVersus cards outside of the MHACCG are illegal.
This independence is a huge factor in the recent success of UniVersus and drives players to focus and collect one IP. In business, you should find what works and lean into it, and that’s exactly what Jasco Games is doing.
The game is so popular that there is now an annual tournament with a huge prize pool and highly sought-after promotional cards.
How to Play the UniVersus Card Game
In UniVersus, you start by using your character’s stats and abilities to guide your deck’s strategy. Instead of summoning creatures or allies to fight for you, you play attack cards in an attempt to damage your opponent directly. Your opponent has the opportunity to block these attacks using a card from their hand.
It’s not like Magic: The Gathering where you play creatures, but instead you’re building up for a bigger fight.
One unique aspect of UniVersus is the way that players draw and play cards. On each turn, you draw up to your character’s hand size (usually 5 to 7) and can play as many cards as you wish or are able to.
The cost of each card is not fixed but is determined by the unknown top card of your deck. This means that the cost of a card can range from zero to several resources, and you won’t know the exact cost until you try to play it. If you are unable or unwilling to pay the cost, your turn ends. Additionally, each card played has a +1 cost added to it, so longer strings of attacks become increasingly costly.
For a more in-depth understanding of the game, check out the official rule book, or the YouTube video.
UniVersus Card Game Tournaments and Events
A product of a card game’s popularity is tournaments and various events. If you are curious about getting started in competitive play, check out some of your local game shops, many of which host events. There are UK, Canada, and US championships as well as a world championship.
Remember that you’ll have to choose between UniVersus or the MHA UniVersus format. If you’re interested in attending an event, first check the Major Events page on the Jasco website. Also, check the News & Events page.
Jasco Games is famous for offering a very cool prize to the winner of both the national and world championship where they will actually make a custom card of you. Your own custom card featuring you as the champion is a great way to entice players to get in there and join the fray. Also, the card itself is tournament legal, so you can defend your title with, well, yourself.
Conclusion
UniVersus has gained a lot of attention among TCG players, fans of the anime, and former UFS players. It’s common for many IPs to get their own TCG, just to fall behind and die after a year but UniVersus is not the same.
UFS was well supported and very much loved for years before the UniVersus transformation. Now the game boasts a combination of old and new fans. If you’re a fan of fighting games or collectible card games, then you should definitely give Universal Fighting System (UniVersus) a try! The game combines elements of both genres to create a unique and exciting experience.
