Category: IGN

Steam Next Fest is the all-digital event where you can play literally hundreds of demos on Steam for free, so you can find your next favorite game. But with so many demos to play and the event lasting only a week – it ends 3 March at 10am PT – it can be daunting to know where to start.

IGN’s team has been downloading and trying out the best and most interesting demos, which we’ve compiled below. It’s not a comprehensive list of everything to check out, more a starter list of demos you should definitely go to first and, if you want more, well, there’s hundreds of others to choose from.

Monster Train 2

I still play the Monster Train daily challenges on my phone to this day, and I’d just finished one when the announcement of Monster Train 2 and the demo popped up. So I was pre-grabbed on the roguelike, deck-building fantasy game series. But so far I like what I’m seeing of the sequel. It’s not a radical reinvention of the idea, but it’s layering on some new stuff like equipment and room cards where you have to upgrade on the fly moore, and building resources like Dragon’s Hoard and Valor are different enough from the original that it’s refreshing – Dan Stapleton

Dark Deity 2

If you like Fire Emblem, you’ll like Dark Deity 2. As somebody who enjoyed the first game despite its rough edges, the second game is shaping up to be a significant improvement with even more room for player creativity. The standout feature is build flexibility, as each unit has four mid-tier classes and an additional four high-level classes. My personal favorite unit is the hunter who is given the choice of an orangutan, toad, lion, or hyena to fight with them. The story has you playing as the children of the first game’s protagonist. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamic, along with Alden, a returning character acting as the chill uncle. The demo also showed off some early choices with branching paths which is promising for a more memorable and replayable adventure. – Eric Zalewski

Out of Sight

In Out of Sight you play as Sophie, a blind girl who’s trapped in a mansion and trying to escape. You see through the eyes of her teddy bear and you have to guide her through environmental puzzles to help her escape the building, while avoiding the adults who want to keep her there. Sophie carries the teddy (you) much of the time, giving you a first-person perspective as you play. But in order to climb or manipulate items in the environment, she has to set you down, shifting the perspective to third-person. It’s a clever trick that adds to the off-kilter vibes of this creepy puzzle game that reminds me of parts of Resident Evil 7, but with enough new ideas to make it worth a look. – Chris Reed

Monaco 2

You can never rely on your friends, but sometimes that’s what makes hanging out with them so fun and funny. That’s a big reason why Monaco 2 is so much fun. It’s a co-op stealth experience where you’ll have to rely on your teammates to not get caught, and react accordingly when they inevitably do. Monaco 2 isn’t the next live service phenomenon, but when you’re itching for a new game to get deep into with your friends, it’ll be there for you. It’s got fun and often hilarious stealth mechanics, tons of ways to strategize, and an aesthetic that brings everything together. It’s definitely not one you’ll be able to enjoy on your own though, but who’d want to do a heist on their own anyway? – Tyler Robertson

Note: Humble Games is the publisher of Monaco 2 and shares a parent company with IGN.

Everhood 2

Everhood, released in 2021, was an incredible indie mashup of Undertale, Yume Nikki, and Guitar Hero that asked players to meditate on life, death, and existence in a trippy, mushroom-filled world. I loved it, and it had absolutely no business getting a sequel. Yet here we are, and I’m already hooked by whatever the heck is going on in Everhood 2. The dance battles are better than ever, its wacky cast has me constantly on my toes, and I have no idea where this wild story about soul weapons and mind dragons is going but I am absolutely buckled up for the ride. – Rebekah Valentine

Haste: Broken Worlds

If you’re looking for the speed of a 3D Sonic game with stylings that seem to have come out of a Dreamcast launch title, Haste: Broken Worlds might just be it. The main gameplay mechanic revolves around landing perfectly on the back edge of slopes in order to fill a meter that lets you give yourself more hangtime. From the short amount of time I’ve spent with it, it seems to nail the “just barely hanging on” nature of the good “Fast Games.” The soundtrack is also a bop. – Aaron Barrier

Skin Deep

Skin Deep is the perfect marriage of immersive problem solving and slapstick humor that has you protecting a spaceship crew of cats from strange pirates who also want you very dead. Much of Skin Deep’s charm comes from just rolling with the absurdity of it all: Don’t think too hard about why you’re the lone unarmed human insurance agent on a ship of tiny felines, or why the pirates’ heads slowly float back to respawn points when killed. How you defeat the armed pirates while sneaking through the sandbox-like spaceships is entirely up to you, but what really makes Skin Deep stand out is how all of your tools can also be hazards. Pepper can stun foes, but also gives away your position if you sneeze. Windows into space can be broken to create new entry points, but leave glass shards to slice up your feet. The dynamic of what helps you can also hurt you sets the stage for some truly hilarious bouts of unintended consequences that I cannot get enough of. – Brendan Graeber

Teenage Mutant Ninja Tturtles: Tactical Takedown

As someone who LOVES the Turtles, but has never fully fallen in love with a turn-based tactics game, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown has the sauce. Fast, fluid actions taking place right as you hit the button make it feel less turn-based than other tactical games, and the potential of its story makes it one of my most anticipated games of the moment. Some fonts and UI elements need some work, but that’s why it’s a demo! That’s what Next Fest is for. – Tyler Robertson

Promise Mascot Agency

Described as an “open-world narrative adventure mascot management simulator, “Promise Mascot Agency feels like a Yakuza side-quest, partly because it kind of is. Playing as an exiled Yakuza member named Michi, your new job is to help a cutesy mascot agency find financial success by hiring different mascots and sending them out to events where they can be as cute as they can be, bring in more fans, and unlock more jobs. It’s a very madcap kind of game combining the numbers go up stonks feeling of a management sim, but with the sense of humor and style of cult-Japanese games like Yakuza and No More Heroes. – Matt Kim

Labyrinth of the Demon King

I’m a sucker for old-school, first-person dungeon crawlers and Labyrinth of the Demon King certainly scratches that itch. Developed by a lone developer, Labyrinth of the Demon King is a throwback to games like King’s Field, but with splashes of J-Horror like Siren thrown in for good measure. As a lowly footsoldier to your lord, you decide to enter the nightmarish realm of the demon king to try and avenge your master. But the hellish monsters and a nightmarish version of feudal Japan might not be worth your honor. Great visuals, classic vibes, and a lot of style makes this one demo to keep an eye on. – Matt Kim

And those are just some of the demos we’re playing at this Steam Next Fest. Check out the games on our list and, again, there are hundreds of game demos currently available to play on Steam Next Fest until March 3. So let us know in the comments which demos you’re playing.

This morning, we got our first lengthy look at Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Game Freak’s futuristic new Pokémon game set in the familiar Pokémon X/Y locale of Lumiose City. But even though we saw a number of features such as running on rooftops, changes to battling, and Mega Evolution, we still have loads of questions about exactly when Pokémon Legends Z-A takes place relative to the other Pokémon games, and which returning characters we might see in Lumiose City.

That’s where the community comes in.

For context, while most Pokémon games tend to be standalone affairs, the first Pokémon Legends game dealt with time travel. It also heavily featured familiar locations from Pokémon Diamond and Pearl set hundreds of years in the past, numerous characters who were clearly ancestors of characters in other Pokémon games…or, in one case, just a Pokémon Black and White character plopped down in the past by Pokémon God themself. With that in mind, fans are eager to know when Pokémon Legends: Z-A is set, if there are any time traveling shenanigans, and if we’ll see any familiar faces in Lumiose City whenever this game takes place.

In the last few hours since the trailer debuted, fans have been combing it for connections to other Pokémon games…and they’ve found a surprising amount. The most obvious connection is the presence of AZ, which is called out directly in the trailer. AZ is a character who was granted immortality 3000 years before the events of Pokémon X and Y, so it makes sense that regardless of when Z-A takes place, he’d be around. In Z-A, he seems to run a hotel in Lumiose City, and he looks a lot happier now that he’s been reunited with his beloved Floette.

But there are far more subtle ties. One of my favorites that fans have discovered is the potential presence of the Looker Bureau in Z-A. Looker is a fan-favorite detective character who first appeared in Pokémon Black and White, but has since made appearances in several other games. Several eagle-eyed fans have noticed that one office shown in the trailer looks nearly identical to the Looker Bureau in past games, which they believe confirms the presence of either Looker or his protege Emma in Z-A’s Lumiose City.

Another really bonkers theory floating around is the connection between the two main protagonists and some other familiar faces. Now that we’ve got full character art for the protagonists of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, fans have pointed out that the two characters look suspiciously similar to Ethan and Lyra, the two player characters from Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. This has led to speculation that Legends: Z-A may feature a time traveling scenario where Ethan and Lyra are pulled out of their version of Johto and sent to a futuristic Lumiose.

But another interesting, protagonist-related theory suggests a different origin story. Fans are also pointing out that the pair look somewhat similar to Kalos Pokémon scientist Professor Sycamore and the mother of the protagonist in Pokémon X and Y, named Grace. This one, especially the bit involving Grace, is a bit more of a stretch, but still a super interesting theory in light of past plays on ancestry in the Legends series:

What’s most curious about all those theories is that some version of them could all be true at the same time. As multiple fans have pointed out, we have absolutely no idea where Pokémon Legends Z-A takes place in the timeline. Pokémon games over the years have had a very loosely sequential timeline that also occasionally involves alternate realities (don’t worry about it, it’s fine) and, again as in the case of Legends: Arceus, time travel back to the past. If AZ is running a hotel, fans are pointing out that this game must take place after the events of Pokémon X and Y.

But it’s possible that could mean hundreds of years after, given AZ’s immortality. The greatest evidence of this is Lumiose City itself, which is ginormous and futuristic in Legends Z-A in a way that would have taken decades to build. If that’s true and this takes place that far into the future, that would mean the two protagonists, as well as whoever is running the Looker Bureau, are descedents several generations down the line of the characters they resemble.

There is one more character that fans are obsessing over, and that’s this creepy woman from the key art:

This woman looks like a Hex Maniac, which was a trainer type that appeared in Pokémon X and Y. While a number of returning trainer types have been spotted in today’s news, this girl is particularly interesting due to an ongoing Pokémon mystery: the Ghost Girl.

In Pokémon X and Y, there’s a scene you can view by entering a building in Lumiose City and heading up to the second floor. When you arrive, the lights will flash, the music will stop, and a Hex Maniac will appear behind you, glide toward the front of the screen, and say, “No, you’re not the one,” before disappearing. It’s a weird, creepy scene that to this day has absolutely no explanation. This girl is never seen again, does not unlock anything, and just appears to be a strange easter egg. So because that Hex Maniac has remained a mystery for years, the sight of one creepily wandering around Lumiose in Legends Z-A has a lot of fans hopeful this thread might finally lead somewhere. After all, if she’s a ghost, she could have continued to haunt that building for hundreds of years…

In the coming days, there will almost certainly be more new discoveries, easter eggs, and connections found throughout all the footage, art, and news we received today about Pokémon Legends: Z-A. We have a bit of a wait for the game’s release, as it’s currently planned for “late 2025.” But in the meantime at least we have lots of new information to obsess over. You can catch up on everything announced at today’s Pokémon Presents, including Legends Z-A news, mobile gaming news, Pokemon Champions, and more, right here.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

After an announcement last month that Forza Horizon 5 would be coming to PS5 this fall, we now have confirmation of an exact release date: April 25 for those who purchase the Premium Edition for $99.99, and April 29 for everyone else.

This comes from an announcement today on the official website, which also included news of an update arriving to the game on all platforms on April 25. The update, Horizon Realms, will include four new cars, a new racetrack layout at the Horizon Stadium, and a mixture of returning environments selected from past community favorites.

We learned last month that Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 will include all the same content as the Xbox and PC versions, including Car Packs, the Hot Wheels expansion, and the Rally Adventure expansion, will all be included too.

Forza Horizon 5 is just one of several previously Xbox-exclusive games that’s headed to PlayStation, with Sea of Thieves and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle preceding it. While Xbox is the first of the three major platform holders to really push for cross-platform first-party releases like this, there’s been increasing discussion in the industry as to whether or not exclusives really make sense for most major releases given how expensive games have become to make, and how exclusives can limit sales.

We gave Forza Horizon a coveted IGN 10/10 on its Xbox/PC launch, so needless to say we recommend PlayStation owners dig in. At the time, our reviewer said it’s “the result of a racing studio at the peak of its craft and the best open-world racing game I’ve ever played.”

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

The Exploration Age in Civilization 7 is all about expanding your reach across the map while contending with rivals and allies at home and abroad. Building on the foundation you laid in the Antiquity age, this is your chance to get ahead and start looking at opportunities to set yourself up for eventual victory in the Modern age.

Of course, your choice of Exploration age civ is going to be extremely impactful. There are eleven Exploration age civs in the game, all with different traits and strengths. You may not have access to all of them every game, as they each have specific unlock requirements, but no matter how many options you’re dealing with, our Civ 7 Exploration civs tier list can help you make that crucial decision.

Civ 7 Exploration Civs Tier List

S-tier – Mongolia, Shawnee, Norman

A-tier – Chola, Ming

B-tier – Abbassid, Hawai’i, Inca, Songhai

C-tier – Majapahit, Spain

S-Tier Exploration Civs

These are the best of the best Civilization 7 has to offer. Whether it’s their particularly strong military units, or their very powerful resource access, you can largely dominate maps with these choices.

S-Tier: Mongolia

• Bokh – When you capture an opposing Settlement gain the strongest Cavalry Unit you can train, but -50% Production towards training Settlers. Gain 1 Point towards training Settlers. Gain 1 Point towards the Non Sufficit Orbis Legacy Path for controlled. Settlements in the Distant Lands and conquered Settlements in the Homelands. +30% Production towards constructing Erdene Zuu.
• Keshig – Mongolian Unique Ranged Unit. Has +1 Movement and heals 15 HP after defeating an enemy Unit. Counts as a Cavalry Unit and ignores Zone of Control.
• Noyan – Mongolian Unique Army Commander. +50% Flanking to Cavalry Units in the Command Radius.
• Örtöö– +5 Gold. Restores movement to any Mongol Unit at its location. Mongolian Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse Bonuses on a tile. Cannot be placed on Rough, River, or a tile with a Feature.

Mongolia is the perfect continuation of the Persia civilization’s ideals from the Antiquity Age – namely, bash your head against other civilizations aggressively to take their land. There’s nothing here that’s flashy, but as a show of brute strength, you will become the bully of a map when taking control of Mongolia.

One interesting thing about Mongolia is that it directly feeds into the Military Legacy Path by providing boosts for the Non Sufficit Orbis path. The more you take as well, the stronger your army grows with Cavalry, so you can snowball maps pretty hard, especially with the Keshig and Noyan adding extra firepower. If you are planning to go for a Military victory, Mongolia is a direct path to get there.

S-Tier: Shawnee

• Nepekifaki – Settlements built adjacent to Navigable Rivers gain +2 Food on River Terrain, but Cities not built adjacent to a Navigable River receive -10% Food. +30% Production towards constructing Serpent Mound.
• Kispoko Nena’to – Shawnee Unique Infantry Unit. +1 Combat Strength for every unique Empire Resource.
• Hoceepkileni – Shawnee Unique Missionary. +1 Movement and Rivers do not end movement.

The Shawnee unique trait of Nepekifaki is easy to keep active, as most Settlements will likely end up being built around rivers. By doing so, you will get a nice boost of Food, helping your population grow, and allowing you to grab even more land. You have to avoid having cities not on Navigable Rivers, but even in cases where you have a Town not on one, you can just leave it as a Town.

Elsewhere, the Kispoko Nena’to could become one of the strongest Infantry in the game under the right circumstances. If you get your hands on multiple Unique Resources, they will become very, very strong. This makes Shawnee a military force to be reckoned with, but also one that will be expanding its borders through population growth too.

S-Tier: Norman

• Normannitas – Land Units receive +1 Movement when Embarked and Land Units adjacent to Coast receive +5 Combat Strength. +30% Production towards constructing the White Tower.
• Chevaler – Norman Unique Cavalry Unit. +3 Combat Strength against slower Units. Ignores Zone of Control
• Sokeman – Norman Unique Settler. Civilian Unit capable of founding new Towns. Receive Medieval Walls in the City Center when a new Town is created.
• Donjon – Norman Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Bailey and Motte in the same District. Receive a free Chevaler Unit when completed.
• Bailey – +4 Culture. +1 Culture Adjacency for Medieval Walls and Wonders. Norman Unique Culture Building and Fortification. Ageless. All Fortified Districts must be conquered to capture a Settlement.
• Motte – +4 Happiness. +4 Happiness if placed on Rough Terrain. Happiness adjacency for Wonders. Norman Unique Happiness Building and Fortification. Ageless. All Fortified Districts must be conquered to capture a Settlement.

The Normans are a great option for almost anyone in the Exploration Age as they provide buffs that feed into most of the age’s Legacy objectives. Land Units receiving +1 movement when embarked is going to be super useful when trying to get a foothold in Distant Lands. Not only will you be able to get Settlers over faster, but you can move your Military Units quicker so you won’t be defenseless after you arrive. This makes them very nimble during this Age, which is surprisingly valuable.

They are also supported by a very good Cavalry Unit in the Chevaler, which will be strong against armies that rely heavily on Infantry units. By just creating the Unique District, the Donjon, you’ll get free one of those units, making the Normans a military force to be feared. On top of this, the Sokeman Army Commander gives new Towns automatic City walls, which feed into both the power of the Bailey and Motte.

A-Tier Exploration Civs

A-Tier: Chola

• Samayam – +1 Trade Route from the Improve Trade Relations Action. +30 % Production towards constructing the Brihadeeswarar Temple.
• Kalam – Chola Unique Naval Unit. +1 additional attack per turn if movement allows.
• Ottru – Chola Unique Naval Commander. Has +1 Movement and greater sight. Opposing Military Units in the Command Radius receive -3 Combat Strength.
• Five Hundred Lords – Chola Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Anjuvannam and Manigramam in the same District. +5 Land Trade Route range and +15 Naval Trade Route range.
• Manigramam – +4 Happiness. +1 Gold Adjacency for Coastal Terrain, Navigable Rivers, and Wonders. +50% Production towards Naval Units. Chola Unique Gold and Military Building. Ageless. Must be placed adjacent to Coast.
• Anjuvannam – +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Coastal Terrain, Navigable Rivers, and Wonders. +50% Production towards Naval Units. Chola Unique Gold and Military Building. Ageless. Must be placed adjacent to Coast.

The Exploration Age is where a strong Navy can dominate, and the Chola have access to some serious firepower in this regard. Kalam can attack twice in many instances, while the Ottru debuffs enemy units too. When used in tandem, there’s not many who will be able to withstand a sea-based assault like this.

The Chola also get access to a lot of Trade buffs, increasing the number of Trade Routes they can establish, and also their radius. You should be able to build quite a treasury and maintain decent relations with other civilizations with this. That said, the Chola will struggle to keep up with Science, so pacts will be important to stay relevant. On top of that, they are also not a civilization to pick if you ended up building a very landlocked empire in the Antiquity Age, as access to coasts is fairly essential.

A-Tier: Ming

• Great Canon of Yongle – +50% Science in the Capital. -15 Science per turn for each Social Policy, but not Tradition, slotted. +30% Production towards constructing the Forbidden City.
• Xunleich – Ming Unique Infantry Unit. +4 Combat Strength in Featureless tiles. Has a Ranged attack.
• Mandarin – Ming Unique Merchant. Civilian who can establish a Trade Route to import Resources from a foreign Settlement. +100 Gold when using the Create a Road Action.
• Ming Great Wall – +5 Culture. +1 Gold Adjacency for Fortification Buildings and Improvements. Ming Unique Improvement. Ageless. Counts as Fortification, +6 Combat Strength when defending. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Can only be built in a line. Cannot branch or fork.

The Ming civilization has enormous upsides. With some careful management, they can absolutely run away with technological advances in the Exploration Era, as they get a straight 50% buff to all Science in your Capital. However, you can end up hurting yourself. You get -15 Science for every Social Policy, so you will want to lean on Tradition wherever possible. If you manage this, though, the benefits are enormous.

The Ming Great Wall is a versatile building offering great fortification defense, as well as Culture and Gold. The Mandarin is also a great unit for a quick burst of Gold when building Roads, and while not the strongest military unit in the Age, the Xunleichong is a good option if you can station them on featureless terrain.

B-Tier Exploration Civs

In this tier, you’ll find good civilizations with a decent amount of benefits. They’re generally strong, and may be situationally extremely powerful, but tend to be more specialized.

B-Tier: Abbassid

• Madina – Receive 30 Gold for each Rural Population of the City when you create a Specialist. (Scales by Game Speed).+30% Production towards constructing the House of Wisdom.
• Mamluk – Abbasid Unique Cavalry Unit. When stationed in your territory, receive +1 Combat Strength for each Urban Population in that Settlement. Ignores Zone of Control. Has lower combat strength than other Cavalry units.
• ‘Alim – A Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities with an Ulema, and the specific ‘Alim receives is random. Each ‘Alim can only be received once. Cost increases per ‘Alim trained.
• Ulema – Abbasid Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Madrasa and Mosque in the same District. +1 Science to all Specialists in this City.
• Madrasa – +5 Science. +1 Science Adjacency for Quarters, Science Buildings, and Wonders. Abbasid Unique Science Building. Ageless.
• Mosque – +4 Happiness. +1 Culture Adjacency for Happiness Adjacency for Cultural Buildings and Wonders. Unlocks the ability to found a Religion. Abbasid Unique Happiness Buiding. Ageless.

The Abbassid civilization can be excellent, and when used correctly, it offers a variety of benefits. But to get these benefits, you’re going to need to manage your Settlements and properly set them up. You get 30 Gold for each Rural Population of a city whenever you create a specialist. You can also boost Science quite a lot by completing the Ulema District, providing +1 Science for all Specialists in the city. The Mamluk are also decent and can become quite powerful defensively. The Cavalry gains +1 Combat Strength for every Urban population in a Settlement while stationed there.

This civilization is an excellent option if you’re confident in producing and placing Specialists while managing districts. However, if you’re less confident in how these mechanics work, many other, plug-in-and-play civilizations require less finessing.

B-Tier: Hawai’i

• Moananuiakea – Gain 25 Culture each time a Settlement expands to Marine Terrain.+1 Happiness on Fishing Boats. +30% Production towards constructing Hale o Keawe.
• Leiomano – Hawaiian Unique Infantry Unit. +3 Combat Strength against Infantry and Cavalry Units. Receives Culture from defeating enemy Units.
• Kahuna – Hawaiian Unique Missionary. Has an action to heal adjacent Units. Receive 25 Gold when you convert a Settlement.
• Lo’i Kalo – +3 Food and +2 Production. Adjacent Farms receive +1 Culture. Hawaiian Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Grassland or Tropical.

The Hawai’i civilization is a great choice for those who find themselves by the ocean. Considering the Exploration Age is all about getting in your boats and finding Distant Lands, this can synergise nicely. The Moananuiakea trait means you gain 25 Culture each time a Settlement expands in Marine Terrain. You’ll also get +1 Happiness on Fishing Boats. Neither is an enormous buff, but if you can incorporate a lot of sea into your borders, this will undoubtedly add up.

Elsewhere, the Leiomano is a very solid Infantry unit, getting a +3 combat buff against Infantry and Cavalry Units. Considering that’s the majority of land units they will be going up against, it’s just a nice edge that doesn’t require a complex initiation. The Lo’i Kalo is also just a solid producer of Food, Production, and Culture in most cases, making it a versatile building. There’s nothing particularly flashy or hard to use about Hawai’i past just being on a coast, but the civilization has a nice slew of solid benefits that are easy to get consistent value out of.

B-Tier: Inca

• Apus – Can work Mountain Terrain. +2 Food and +1 Production on Mountain Terrain. +30% Production towards constructing Machu Pikchu.
• Warak’q – Incan Unique Ranged Unit . Has +1 Movement and ignores movement penalties from Rough Terrain. +5 Combat Strength when attacking from Rough Terrain.
• Chasqui – Incan Unique Scout with +1 Movement. Has increased sight that ignores Mountains and Rough Terrain.
• Terrace Farm – +6 Food. Incan Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be placed on Rough Terrain adjacent to a Mountain.

The Inca civilization is best utilized with a bit of forethought, but if you build correctly, you can do a lot of really good things with them. Choosing this civilization is best if you’ve built your borders with them in mind in the Antiquity Age. This is because their power comes from utilizing mountain tiles. If you built your cities around big ranges though, you will get a lot from the Incas.

This civilization lets you work Mountain terrain, and get extra food and production when doing so. On top of that, the Terrace Farm improvement is just a significant +6 to Food, meaning you will be able to expand your borders even faster. The Chasqui scout is also great for exploring Distant Lands, getting extra movement, and ignoring mountains and rough terrain, allowing you to chart new continents really fast. That all said, if you don’t have a lot of mountains within your lands, you’re going to be missing out on a lot of value, making them quite situational.

B-Tier: Songhai

• Tarikh al-Sudan – +2 Resource Capacity in Cities on Navigable Rivers and your Trade Ships cannot be Plundered on Navigable Rivers. +30% Production towards constructing the Tomb of Askia.
• Gold Bangles Infantry – Songhai Unique Infantry Unit. +5 Combat Strength on Resource tiles. +100% Gold from pillaging Trade Routes.
• Tajio – Songhai Unique Merchant. Civilian who can establish a Trade Route to import Resources from a foreign Settlement. When you create a Trade Route receive 100 Gold if this is a Trade Route with at least 1 Navigable River.
• Caravanserai – +5 Gold. +1 Resource Adjacency for Navigable Rivers and Resources. Songhai Unique Improvement. Ageless. Does not remove Warehouse bonuses on a tile. Must be built on Desert or Plains.

The Songhai are all about making money. If you’re looking to make Gold, this Civilization will do it for you – that said, it’s relatively one-dimensional. The Tarikh al-Sudan trait that gives them +2 Resource Capacity in Cities on Navigable Rivers is nice as those slots do come at a premium. Also, the Caravanserai improvement as well as the Tajiro merchant are very good Gold generators.

That being said, there is no real variety here. Other yields like Influence, Happiness, Culture, and Science might struggle. Of course, you can buy these buildings in towns with all your Gold, but expect some difficulty keeping up with everyone else. Also, the Gold Bangles Infantry, which gets +5 combat on Resource tiles, is a decent defensive option if you set up like that specifically, but considering you’re at the whims of the map, and not your Settlement placement, it can be a little awkward to utilise fully.

C-Tier Exploration Civs

While not bad civilizations, these are often more situational civilizations or civilizations that require a unique playstyle that might be best for more experienced players.

C-Tier: Majapahit

• Negara – All Cities except the Capital receive +1 Specialist Limit. After the Exploration Age the Specialists become inactive until you increase the Limit. +30% Production towards constructing Borobudur.
• Cetbang – Majapahit Unique Naval Unit. +5 Combat Strength against Naval Units. Can pillage within 2 tiles for 1 Movement.
• Pedana – Mahapahit Unique Scout with +1 Movement. Has increased sight that ignores Mountains and Rough Terrain.
• Pura – Majapahit Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Candi Bentar and Meru in the same District. Receive 1 Relic when completed.
• Meru – +5 Happiness. +1 Happiness Adjecency for Mountains and Wonders. +2 Happiness on Natural Wonders. Majapahit Unique Happiness Building. Ageless.
• Candi Bentar – +5 Culture. +1 Culture Adjacency for Coastal Terrain, Navigable Rivers, and Wonders. Majapahit Unique Culture Building. Ageless.

The Majapahit are a decent choice if you live in a relatively varied landscape. The Meru provides Happiness on Mountains, Wonders, and even more on Natural Wonders. The Candi Bentar is a great producer of Culture on Coasts, Rivers and Wonders. That said, it can be hard to really incorporate all of that, and even if you build the Pura district by combining both, receiving 1 relic isn’t often going to tip the scales for you. On top of that, the Negara does let you have an extra Specialist, but again, this likely isn’t going to be a massive deciding factor for you.

The Majapahit is not without merit. Altogether, it can be a decent producer of Culture if the circumstances are right, and if you get more Puras it can be a decent source of Relics. The Cetband Navel unit is excellent too, getting +5 combat strength against enemy Naval Units is strong in an Age when a lot of sailing is happening. That said, the Majaphat lack a little cohesiveness, and can be a touch situational, making it tougher to get full value out of them at all times.

C-Tier: Spain

• Siglo de Oro – +15% Gold towards converting a Town to a City, or +30% in Distant Lands. +30% Production towards constructing El Escorial.
• Tercio – Spanish Unique Infantry Unit. Has a higher Combat Strength. Adjacent Units receive +3 Combat Strength against Cavalry Units (bonus is only applied once.)
• Conquistador – A Great Person with one charge. Can only be trained in Cities with a Wharf, and the specific Conquistador received is random. Each Conquistador can only be received once and can only be activated in Distant Lands. Cost increases per Conquistador trained. Can always Embark in Ocean.
• Plaza – Spanish Unique Quarter. Created by constructing the Casa Consistorial and Casa de Contratacion in the same District. +2 Gold in this Settlement for every Settlement in Distant Lands.
• Casa Consistorial – +5 Culture. +1 Culture Adjacency for Quarters and Wonders. Spanish Unique Culture Building. Ageless. Must be built in the Homelands adjacent to the Coast.
• Casa de Contatacion – +5 Gold. +1 Gold Adjacency for Navigable Rivers, Resources, and Wonders. Spanish Unique Gold Building. Ageless. Must be built in the Homelands.

Spain is not a bad civilization by any means. They provide a lot of avenues for Gold, with the Plaza Quarters being a big source of it if you make a lot of Settlements in Distant Lands. However, outside of that, and considering a couple of other Civilizations have access to powerful Gold-generating facets, there’s not much that really sets Spain apart.

The cost reduction on turning Towns into Cities from the Siglo de Oro is nice to have but probably isn’t going to have a massive impact on how your Age goes. The Tercio is also a good unit against militaries that have gone a little too hard on Cavalry but are outpaced by many other strong military units of other civilizations in this Age.

Patrick is a freelance journalist with over 13 years of experience who loves going deep on games and getting into their systems. His four-figure hours into both Overwatch 2 and Destiny 2 are a testament to that.

Often cited as one of the world’s most valuable media franchises, Pokémon is a household name that’s been a Nintendo staple since the Game Boy. The beloved series is home to hundreds of amazing creatures you can catch in-game or collect as trading cards, with each new generation bringing loads more to discover. Every console released by Nintendo has had plenty of Pokémon games released for it, and the Nintendo Switch is no exception.

With Nintendo’s official Switch 2 announcement confirming the console’s backward compatibility, you can feel confident picking up any existing Pokemon games on the Switch, knowing they’ll carry over to the new system. Below, we’ve compiled every Pokémon game that has been released on Nintendo Switch and the information we have on upcoming Pokémon games releasing on the Switch 2.

How Many Pokémon Games Are There on Nintendo Switch?

In total, 12 Pokémon games have been released for the Nintendo Switch. This includes the mainline games for the 8th and 9th Pokémon generations as well as plenty of spinoffs. For the sake of this list, we’ve counted mainline entries with two versions as a single release. We also don’t include the Pokémon games offered through Nintendo Switch Online, but you can check out that list below.

What Pokemon Game Should You Get in 2025?

If you’re wondering which game is worth picking up on the Switch in 2025, my recommendation is Pokémon Legends: Arceus. It’s not going to give you that OG Pokémon game feeling, but that’s what the older generation games are for. Instead, Legends: Arceus introduces more action and RPG elements to the Pokémon series, offering the freshness of open areas to explore, more control over encounters, and plenty of polish for the handheld. If you’re looking to pick up new Switch games on sale, it’s worth checking out Presidents’ Day game deals this weekend.

The mainline Pokemon games make up one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time. From Pokemon Red and Blue to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, these games have amassed a huge audience that just keeps coming back for more.

If you haven’t played all of the Pokemon video games in the series, however, you may find yourself in a bit of a dilemma trying to figure out where to start in 2025. Most of the major titles in the series are excellent standalone games to dive into, but if you want to start from the beginning, there are two different ways to play in order: Chronologically or by release date.

Jump to:

• How to Play in Chronological Order
• How to Play by Release Order

Which Pokemon Games Should You Actually Play First?

Choosing where to start boils down to what Nintendo console you currently have, though the recent Delta emulator may change that for you. If you only have a Nintendo Switch, you can start with Let’s Go Pikachu or Let’s Go Eevee, which are kind of like remakes of the original Yellow version from 1998. You can also play Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl for another remake experience. Pokemon Legends: Arceus is also an option, but it is very different from the other mainline games.

If you’re wanting to dive right into Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it’s worth noting that you likely won’t be missing out on any overly pertinent information from the previous games. The only games in the main series you might not want to jump right into is Black 2 and White 2 as those are sequels.

How to Play the Pokemon Games in Chronological Order

The Pokemon timelne may seem pretty linear at first glance, but without enough obvious details to go off of, it can be pretty confusing to try to follow the chronology from title to title. Luckily, a now deleted tweet from Toshinobu Matsumiya has given us a starting point for some of the games. For the rest, we can only make educated guesses based on a few key details witin the games.

1. Pokemon Legends: Arceus

The first game in the chronology is very clearly Pokemon Legends: Arceus seeing as it’s set in a time when the relationship between humans and Pokemon was only just starting to form. You spend a large portion of your time running around a vast open wilderness catching and battling wild Pokemon, and the people you interact with are clearly just beginning to understand the world of Pokemon. This game features crafting and research tasks, which greatly differentiates it from the usual gym battle formula we are used to.

Though we don’t know just how long ago Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes place compared to the other games in the series, we do atleast know that it seems to feature the ancestors of Diamond and Pearl characters.

2. Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow

As the original games in the series, Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow are up next in the timeline. Bringing the first-generation Pokedex and introducing us to the classic Pokemon game formula, these best-selling games are what started it all.

Although we can’t know for sure that these Game Boy games are up next in the timeline, the deleted Tweet from Game Scenario writer Toshinobu Matsumiya confirmed that the series starts with these. The technology featured in the game is also fairly limited compared to some of the newer games — though still advanced enough to bring fossils back to life!

Bonus: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen

Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are remakes of the original Red and Blue games and thus are at the same exact point in the timeline. Much of the plot is the same as the originals with some key differences — including visiting the Sevii Islands after becoming champion of the Elite Four.

3. Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald brought all new Pokemon and throws you into the Hoenn region — which is some distance from both the Kanto and Johto regions. Considering this game features the third generation of Pokemon and some new technology, it seems most likely that it would take place after both Red and Blue and Gold and Silver. However, according to that same deleted tweet from Matsumiya, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire take place at the same point in time as FireRed and LeafGreen.

This also means that Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are at the same point in the timeline here seeing as they are remakes.

4. Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal

As the second game in the series (in terms of release date) Pokemon Gold and Silver take place three years after the events of Red and Blue. With some exciting new Gen 2 Pokemon and some of the best post-game content in the series, Gold, Silver, and Crystal were an excellent follow up to the original games. By traveling to the Kanto region after becoming the champion of Johto, you get a firsthand look at the passage of time. You even get to battle the protagonist from the first games, Red, who is quite strong.

This placement in the chronology also applies to the remakes: HeartGold and SoulSilver. Although the remakes offer some additional content, they are essentially just updated versions of the originals.

5. Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum

In terms of series release order, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl came a few years after Ruby and Sapphire. However, we now know from that deleted tweet from Matsumiya that Diamond and Pearl actually takes place at the same time as HeartGold and SoulSilver. This may seem a little bit confusing considering the advancements in technology we see in Diamond and Pearl, but we can likely just chalk it up to the actual date the games were created rather than the chronology within the Pokemon universe.

This would also mean that the remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are set in the same point of the timeline. Though the timeline gets a bit wonky with the inclusion of Fairy-type Pokemon considering those weren’t introduced until X and Y.

6. Pokemon Black and White

Featuring the fifth-generation of new Pokemon, Black and White was the second mainline game to come out on the Nintendo DS. Although we don’t know exactly when the story takes place in the Pokemon universe, we do that it takes place after Diamond and Pearl thanks to Matsumiya’s tweet. Since there aren’t any obvious links to the previous games, we can only assume that Black and White takes place more than 3 years after Red and Blue.

7. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2

As a true sequel to Black and White, Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 offer a fairly obvious transition through the chronological timeline. We see changes where gym leaders pass on their duties to the next generation, Team Plasma has advanced their plot, and there is a new Champion. Between all of these things, we know that roughly two years have passed since Black and White, progressing the timeline forward in an uncharacteristically linear fashion.

8. Pokemon X and Y

As the first game in the series to allow payers to explore and battle in 3D, Pokemon X and Y was a fresh take on the classic Pokemon formula. While this is largely due to it being the first title in the series to be a Nintendo 3DS game, it definitely helped set up future games. While we don’t know exactly when the game fits in the chronology, thanks to Matsumiya we atleast know that X and Y take place at the same time as Black 2 and White 2. However, it’s possible that it is set in a different universe due to Mega Evolution being a thing.

9. Pokemon Sun and Moon

Happening a few years after X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon takes us to the Alola region. While we don’t have any information from Matsumiya about where this game fits in the timeline, it features a few characters from X and Y that indicate that time has passed between games. An adult Red and Blue also make an appearance, though their exact age isn’t revealed, so we still don’t know exactly how much time has progressed since Red, Blue, and Yellow.

This also means that Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon take place at the same point in time as they are essentially remakes of Sun and Moon with some additional content.

10. Pokemon Sword and Shield

With the arrival of the Nintendo Switch came the first Switch-exclusive mainline Pokemon game: Sword and Shield. Featuring a brand-new region, new Pokemon, and the introduction of Gigantamax, Sword and Shield is essentially a soft reboot of the series. So that being said, we have no idea where it fits on the chronological timeline. There aren’t really any hard references to the previous games, so there is no way of accurately fitting it into the known Pokemon universe.

One of the only clues we have about the timeline comes in the form of new technology. The addition of the Rotom Phone seemingly places us further in the chronology than Red and Blue at the very least, but that’s all we can really gather. It’s possible that Pokemon Sword and Shield simply takes place in an entirely different universe than any of the other games.

11. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

As the latest entry in the series, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet brings all-new Gen 9 Pokemon and the open-world Paldea region to the Nintendo Switch. There haven’t been any obvious clues revealed about where it lands on the timeline, so we unfortunately don’t have enough information to try to accurately place it. That being said, if it follows the chronological structure of previous mainline games, it’s possible that it takes place at the same time as the events of Pokemon Sword and Shield.

How to Play the Pokemon Games by Release Date

I you want to play the games in the order they were released rather than try to attempting to go through the convoluted chronological timeline, here are all of the mainline Pokemon games by release date:

1. Pokemon Red and Blue – February 27, 1996 – Game Boy
2. Pokemon Yellow – Game Boy – September 12, 1998 – Game Boy
3. Pokemon Gold and Silver – November 21, 1999 – Game Boy Color
4. Pokemon Crystal – December 14, 2000 – Game Boy Color
5. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire – November 21, 2002 – Game Boy Advance
6. Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen – January 28, 2004 – Game Boy Advance
7. Pokemon Emerald – Sepember 16, 2004 – Game Boy Advance
8. Pokemon Diamond and Pearl – September 28, 2006 – Nintendo DS
9. Pokemon Platinum – September 13, 2008 – Nintendo DS
10. Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver – September 12, 2009 – Nintendo DS
11. Pokemon Black and White – September 18, 2010 – Nintendo DS
12. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 – June 23, 2012 – Nintendo DS
13. Pokemon X and Y – October 13, 2013 – Nintendo 3DS
14. Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire – November 21, 2014 – Nintendo 3DS
15. Pokemon Sun and Moon – November 18, 2016 – Nintendo 3DS
16. Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon – November 17, 2017 – Nintendo 3DS
17. Pokemon Sword and Shield – November 15, 2019 – Nintendo Switch
18. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl – November 19, 2021 – Nintendo Switch
19. Pokemon Scarlet and Vilolet – November 18, 2022 – Nintendo Switch
20. Pokemon Legends Z-A – TBA Late 2025

Upcoming Pokemon Games

While a new Pokemon Legends game was technically announced last year, we finally got an official gameplay reveal during this year’s Pokemon Day. Titled Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the upcoming game is set in Lumiose City, within the same Kalos region as Pokemon X and Y. The city itself is in the midst of a technological evolution to support trainers and Pokemon thriving together.

As a Legends game, Z-A’s starter Pokemon are a throwback: Chikorita and Totodile from Gen 2 alongside Tepig from Gen 5. Like in Legends: Arceus, these familiar starters will be getting new final evolutions. The gameplay trailer also showed off new battle mechanics, like positioning, dodging, and aiming your Pokemon’s attacks. Unfortunately, the one thing the trailer didn’t confirm is a release date: the game is still set for a tentative “late 2025” release, most likely on Switch and Switch 2 consoles.

That wasn’t the only game reveal from the 2025 Pokemon Day announcements. Game Freak and The Pokemon Company also announced Pokemon Champions, a new battle game for both Switch and mobile devices. This is most likely the “multiplayer Pokemon game” that was alluded to in earlier leaks. More like Pokemon Showdown than other Pokemon releases, Pokemon Champions will allow trainers to battle with Pokemon they’ve caught and trained in other games through the Pokemon Home app. No release date information has been revealed.

Looking for additional Pokemon content? Check out our guide to the best Pokemon movies and Pokemon Video Games for more. You can also shop for the coolest Pokemon merchandise at the IGN Store for some of our favorite Pokemon toys.

We’ve finally gotten a good, long (ish) look at Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the second entry in the Pokemon Legends series and Game Freak’s major Pokemon release for the year (after surprisingly skipping 2024). In a brand new trailer, we got a first look at what it will be like to freely run along the rooftops of Lumiose City, which Pokemon will join us when we do it, and some of the changes to Mega Evolutions and battle mechanics.

This time around, players can choose between Todadile, Tepig, and Chikorita to be their starter monster as they explore Lumiose City with upgraded visuals and a few major gameplay tweaks. Specifically, new mechanics will allow players to hop to the city’s rooftops and see life in the Pokemon world from a new perspective. Gameplay for the Latest Legends title also reveals that we’ll be going back to the more traditional visual style the series has established over the last few years, too.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A was first announced at last year’s Pokemon Presents, and it’s been quiet on the news front ever since. At the time, all we saw was a cinematic trailer revealing it would be set entirely in Lumiose City from Pokemon X and Y, and that it would be coming to Nintendo Switch in 2025. We also saw a tease of a few Pokemon, a futuristic setting, and the Mega Evolution symbol.

Other than that, for the last year, fans have been piecing together guesses on what the game might entail based on that trailer and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which introduced new Pokemon capturing mechanics to the franchise and an open zone format that resonated well with players, even if certain elements of the game felt drab and incomplete, especially in the back half. With no Pokemon game released last year, it seems like Game Freak may have gotten an extra year to really give Legends Z-A the polish that Arceus and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet simply didn’t receive. Let’s hope it pays off.

Developing…

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

If you play Pokémon Go even semi-regularly, you already know that PokéCoins are basically essential. Whether you’re raiding, grinding XP, or hoarding Incense like a dragon hoards gold, you’re going to need a steady supply of these things. And while you could buy them directly through the game, that would be a rookie mistake because Best Buy has a way better deal right now.

Pokémon Go $50 Gift Card (7,000 PokéCoins)

Trainers know the struggle with Pokémon TCG right now. A new set drops, you wait maybe 30 minutes too long to buy it, and suddenly every scalper on eBay is selling it for double MSRP with no remorse. But this week?

Things are different. Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart have restocked some of the most in-demand Pokémon TCG sets at retail price. No fighting over the last box at Costco, no sketchy third-party Amazon sellers charging a premium, just pure, untainted Pokémon goodness straight from the source.

Best Pokémon Day Deals 2025

One of the big catches here is Pokémon TCG 151 Booster Bundle, which comes with six booster packs from the Scarlet and Violet 151 set. I’m dying to fill my binder with some of the best cards from 151, like the gorgeous Special Illustration Rare Charizard or Venusaur ex, an absolute tank and playable. It’s been one of the hardest sets to find sealed at MSRP, and I don’t expect it to stay in stock long.

Another solid investment right now is Shrouded Fable. The Elite Trainer Box and Booster bundle are in stock at the time of writing and are both set to climb in value before the year is out. It’s overlooked by the community right now, but with it being a mini set much like 151, it’s a good idea to snap Shrouded Fable packs and boxes up now whilst it’s still available.

Pokémon: TCG Scarlet and Violet – 151 Booster Bundle

Not all cards are meant to be played with. If you’re into collectibles already or just starting to collect trading cards, you may have a big enough collection that warrants some extra care or bulk storage. Some of your cards may even have significant value or will continue to grow in value, depending on what cards you collect and how you store them. As an investment, many serious collectors go to significant lengths to protect their cards such as sleeving or even double-sleeving them. However, even if your cards aren’t worth much monetarily, they are still nostalgic and special to you; whether it be Pokémon TCG, Yu-Gi-Oh, sports cards, MTG cards (shoutout the new Final Fantasy collection), X-Men cards, or others. That said, you should consider the right dedicated storage option for your type of collection and your budget.

Jump to:

Fortunately, just like with video game storage, there are all sorts of carefully crafted containers you can use to protect your trading cards these days. If you’re just getting into collecting now, starting to collect more, or you simply want to upgrade your storage option from the old ring binder you’ve been using since the 1990s, this (unranked) list is for you.

While some focus on security above all else, many others are stylish and portable too, making it easy and fun to tote your cards out and about. For all of you card collectors, see our picks below of the best trading card storage options for every situation, collection size and budget. Happy collecting!

1. Quiver Time Quiver Card Case

Best All-Around Pick

Quiver cases are almost universally adored in the card gaming community, and it’s easy to see why. Whatever your storage needs, it’s quite possible a single quiver case will fit the bill. It’s big enough to hold over a thousand unsleeved cards, yet it’s also sturdy and portable, coming with wrist and shoulder carrying straps, a tough shell with a water-resistant faux-leather finish and a secure zip closure. So it’s just as useful whether you’re storing cards in the home or carrying them out to play.

Perhaps the best thing about Quiver Time, though, is the stylish design and attention to detail. They come in a variety of colors to suit your preference and have all sorts of thoughtful little extras. There’s a sheath to keep the zip tabs closed, fully adjustable straps, some card sleeves and removable acrylic dividers and corner cushions to help keep your cards organized. And perhaps most thoughtful of all, 1% of the asking price goes to charity.

More TCG Accessories From Quiver Time:

2. GameGenic Dungeon 1100

Best for Bulk Collections

If you’ve got a bigger collection of cards and want a solid and well-designed stackable box to keep them in, then look no further. Each GameGenic Dungeon can hold a thousand double-sleeved cards, or a few more if you’re happy to box them up “naked”. There’s a middle divider to keep them better organized and make it easier to search through your collection when you need to.

The lid goes on via a convenient magnetic mechanism which makes it simple to pop on and off but holds strongly and securely when not in use. It also allows for complete removal, making it simple to access all your cards. There’s room above the cards to keep a game board, rules or accessories, and it’s a stylish solution with a smooth exterior and a soft microfibre lining to cushion your cards.

3. Quiver Time Bolt Card Case

Best Case for Portability

While Quivers are fantastic all-round cases, they’re a little on the bulky side if you carry your cards around a lot. If you’re just after a case to take out to clubs and tournaments then they make a smaller option, the Bolt, for that very purpose. It holds a little more than half the capacity of its bigger sibling, but that also means it has half the weight and size.

In all other respects, it offers the same high quality build and styling of the Quiver, meaning your cards are just as well-packed and protected, only on a smaller scale. And you still get a free pack of card sleeves and 1% of the price to a children’s orphan-based charity as well.

4. VaultX Exo-Tech Zip Binder

Best Binder

Boxes are not always the best option for storing your cards, not least because it’s difficult to flip through your collection and find the cards you need. Binders make a great alternative: although they hold fewer cards, they fit nicely onto shelves or cupboards and most options contain transparent pages with pockets into which to tuck your cards.

This binder from VaultX not only contains 20 such pages that hold 9 cards each, but boasts a protective padded cover and heavy-duty zip to keep your cards safe and secure. The standard version is standard black, but it comes in a variety of colors, sizes, and closures, so you can be sure to find one that fits your needs.

5. Casematix Graded Card Storage Box

Best Protection

Depending on how valuable your cards are and where you take them, you might feel the need to have a super-secure option to keep them safe. And they don’t come much safer than this Casematix case, with extra-durable hard shell exterior and customisable foam inserts that you can tear to ensure a perfect fit for your most prized cards.

The case closes with a secure mechanism that also ensures its waterproof and airtight for maximum protection. And if that’s not enough for you, it’s designed to take cards in their own protective plastic slabs and there’s also a padlock ring so you can lock things down even tighter with added layers of your own security.

6. VaultX Exo-Tech Side Loading Deck Box

Best Deck Box

Often, it’s fine to keep your cards in whatever container or case you can rustle up at home, but what you really want is a small, sturdy, premium-build box that you can use when taking a single deck of your precious cards out and about to play. Many brands have starter packs that come with suitable deck boxes for free, but they’re often flimsy cardboard affairs, so it’s better to invest in something a bit more durable.

Enter this excellent option from VaultX. It’s available in a variety of stylish single-color finished, made of water-resistant microfibre. The lid doesn’t clip or slide on and off, as is common, but is held in place with strong magnets, making opening and closing super convenient. And the lid also flips round and magnetizes to the bottom of the box, tidying it out of the way and offering a stable platform to access your cards. You can also mix and match lids and boxes of different colors if so desired.

7. Fageverld Trading Card Storage Box

Best Budget Option

For all the fancy protective cases you can buy for trading cards, fundamentally all you actually need for them is a box of some kind. And a box can be as basic as a piece of packaging that came with some other order: four sides and a lid will keep your cards in order just as well as a golden chest. There’s no need to spend a fortune if you don’t want the style and features offered by premium brands.

But that doesn’t mean there’s not something to be gained by spending at least a little on a storage option. Rather than a discarded cardboard box, you could get a specialized option like this. It’s sized just right to protect trading cards, comes with some dividers to keep things organized and has a top-loading lid so it’s easy to peruse your cards. Multiples will also stack neatly on your shelves to keep your cards together.

How to Pick the Right Storage Option for You

Anyone who has been a collector over the years knows binders may be the easiest and most convenient way to store cards, but can harm the cards over time. So, if you have any high-value cards or potentially high-value cards, it’s recommended to store them in sleeves or penny sleeves and put them in top loaders or boxes versus binders.

Depending on your budget, size of your collection, and value of your cards, you can start with a convenient option like a D-Ring binder, and work your way up from there. Based on the categories listed in the product options above, we’re confident you’ll find something affordable to get you started. What you choose will be based on many factors. For example, you may collect or play with Pokémon TCG cards and you just want to turn a stack of cards into an organized storage solution like using a cute, simple Pokémon card binder.

Tip: look for ‘Acid-Free’ and ‘Soft-Backed’ in the descriptions while shopping around. Also, consider your preference on matte versus glossy pocket pages. According to a recent Reddit poll on the subject, the majority of votes landed on glossy sleeves based on pros and cons of visibility, shuffling, quality and texture.

What is the Rarest Trading Card in History?

According to Guinness World Records, the title of ‘world’s rarest trading card’ is tied between the 1996 World Champion and MTG’s Shichifukujin Dragon cards, in which only one specimen of each card exists.

More Storage Recommendations

If you’re a collector or gamer in organization mode currently (it seems like you might be!), you may want to browse our other storage and display guides. We’d recommended checking out top video game storage ideas, top board game storage options, best cases to display LEGOs, and the best display cases for action figures. Keep an eye out on IGN for even more collectible and trading card news and guides including new MTG pre-orders like the AC Cards or LOTR Cards from the nerdiest corners of IGN.

Matt Thrower is a contributing freelance board game and video game writer for IGN. (Board, video, all sorts of games!)