The Best Magic: The Gathering Crossover Series

Summary

Magic: The Gathering features various crossovers with popular franchises like The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, and Street Fighter.
Each crossover introduces unique mechanics and abilities to keep the game fresh and exciting for players.
Fans of other properties can enjoy seeing their favorite characters and worlds integrated into the timeless trading card game.

The realm of “Magic: The Gathering” has been consistently infiltrated by novel lines of cards, which can significantly alter the dynamics of the game. “Wizards of the Coast” persistently introduces new card drops, visually stunning artworks crafted by talented artists, and peculiar mechanics that keep the game feeling dynamic and innovative. This enables players to rediscover this age-old game as if it’s brand new. Moreover, in Secret Lair drops and the Universes Beyond series, which merge other intellectual properties into “Magic”, massive crossovers occur, allowing fans of various games to encounter characters, locations, and items they cherish within the decks of the enduring trading card game.

Although some of these fresh combinations might seem a bit hasty, it’s evident that the creators are ardent admirers of the original properties they incorporate. What follows is a list, arranged by the level of creativity and excellence, of all the Magic: The Gathering crossovers:

Here are the Magic: The Gathering crossovers, ranked according to their ambition and quality.

16. The Walking Dead

Release Date: October 4, 2020

A card set, titled “The Walking Dead Secret Lair drop,” was introduced as an expansion in the Universes Beyond series and was among the initial crossover releases. This collection features renowned characters from the TV show such as Rick, Daryl, and Michonne, as well as hordes of Walkers. Additionally, it includes tokens and a unique legendary artifact that empowers the character Negan to brandish his famous weapon, Lucille.

This collection is more compact than certain others, as it showcases some fresh artwork for vintage cards and includes five legendary creature cards. A handful of the legendary characters possess abilities that can adjust their decks into formidable combinations, offering additional advantages when attacking with zombies or boosting other humans. Although this launch was extremely popular upon its debut, the current assortment of cards could use a bit of modernization.

15. Stranger Things

Release Date: October 18, 2021

Showcasing eight distinctive cards representing both heroes and villains hailing from Netflix’s hugely successful Stranger Things series, this Secret Lair release introduces an entirely fresh keyword to Magic. The ‘Friends Forever’ ability functions similarly to ‘Partner,’ allowing players to have two commanders within their deck, provided they share the keyword and are associated with each other. This opens up the possibility of constructing commander decks featuring Eleven and Mike, or any other duo from the principal cast of Stranger Things.

Additional characters introduced are iconic beasts capable of single-handedly altering the course of a conflict. Take, for instance, the Mind Flayer, which allows a player to draw spells from their deck’s bottom and cast them regardless of mana color requirements. The potential uses with these cards are vast and varied.

14. Street Fighter

Release Date: February 17, 2022

In an epic video game collaboration, a special release (or “drop”) from Secret Lair saw the legendary fighters of Street Fighter stepping into the arena as combatants in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Each character’s unique abilities reflect their distinct fighting styles, making it possible for fan favorites like Ryu, Ken, Blanka, Chun-Li, and E. Honda to showcase their talents in this new setting.

A revamped playing card, acting like a Lightning Bolt, adopts the name “Hadoken”. While this collection might not include every character from the iconic fighting game series, it undoubtedly will captivate enthusiasts of the renowned fighting game franchise.

13. Fortnite

Release Date: July 21, 2022

Among the notable games from recent times, the influence of Fortnite is staggering and has extended as far as Magic players’ card decks, with it being featured in a 2022 Secret Lair release.

With this recent release, eight cards are merely refreshed versions of earlier ones, lacking novel special features. Yet, their depiction of well-known Fortnite locations and characters makes the game feel tangible on a tabletop for those acquainted with it. Additionally, new artwork for land cards brings a touch of Magic to scenes like Slurpy Swamp and Polar Peak, adding an extra layer of battle royale excitement.

12. Warhammer 40,000

Release Date: October 7, 2022

In the same batch as Blood Bowl and Age of Sigmar cards, Warhammer 40,000 will be introduced to Magic: The Gathering, offering four full Commander decks to expand the universe and cater to various playstyles. This includes the Imperium, Chaos, Necrons, and Tyranids.

Marneus Calgar storms onto the battlefield, calling forth Astartes warriors to fight alongside him. Be’lakor swoops down to rally any demons currently in play, aiming to crush the enemy forces. With its widespread popularity and repeated reprints, it’s clear that players have embraced the Warhammer 40k universe within Magic, although these cards may not be suitable for certain game formats.

11. Transformers

Release Date: November 18, 2022

A new edition titled “Universes Beyond” was introduced, reviving the quirky 90s animated series Transformers and merging it with tabletop gaming. This set features both Autobots and Decepticons interacting within a Magic setting. The cards in this collection can switch between their vehicle or robot forms, with the action of ‘Transform’ being renamed as ‘Convert’ for this specific release.

Each card alters the game board by transforming from an enigmatic, potent vehicle into a mechanized champion, capable of obliterating opponents with heavy-duty assaults and unyielding resilience.

10. Dungeons & Dragons

Release Date: July 23, 2021

Initially introduced as a Secret Lair drop and subsequently expanding into a significant crossover event for Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, the classic tabletop RPG can be found within an assortment of peculiar and high-quality Magic cards.

For seasoned enthusiasts of the extensive tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG), some well-known Planeswalkers and creatures such as Mordenkainen, Zariel from Avernus, and floating Beholder adversaries will be recognizable, engaging in combat that’s structured around deck building. Fresh dungeon cards challenge players to move each turn to gain advantages or summon allies, introducing fresh mechanics for a deeper level of strategic gameplay.

9. The Lord Of The Rings

Release Date: June 23, 2023

In another exciting installment from “Universes Beyond,” the game “Tales of Middle-Earth” has attracted a multitude of new gamers with its innovative mechanics. One such mechanism enables a creature to assume the role of ‘Ring Bearer,’ subtly manipulating them, and ultimately causing harm to both the player and their adversary by draining their health over time.

Certain cards, such as Aragorn, Company Leader, can enhance the abilities of the Ringbearer, providing them with extra strength or mitigating the negative aspects associated with the sinister relic. The array of cards available in booster packs and two restored decks offers an abundance of content for enthusiasts of The Lord of the Rings, making Middle-earth a fascinating realm to delve into.

8. Spooky Drop 2023

Release Date: October 2, 2023

In the October special of 2023, titled “Spooky Drop“, a variety of interconnected events were packed together. This event featured exclusive content for “The Princess Bride” where players could assume the roles of The Dread Pirate Roberts and Inigo Montoya. At the same time, Magic introduced cards redesigned to reflect the grimy and terrifying world of “Evil Dead“.

Ash Williams, renowned for his role as a Deadite slayer, becomes the main focus in this collection, sharing the spotlight with traditional Magic cards featuring monster designs reminiscent of the quirky Creepshow movies. This release is packed with beloved references from cult classics, making it one of the top crossover releases yet.

7. Doctor Who

Release Date: October 13, 2023

Among the highly awaited collaborations was one featuring the iconic British television series, Doctor Who. This unique Universes Beyond launch also included additional card releases to enrich the collection. Specific Commander decks were introduced for several versions of the Doctor and his associates: the Fourth Doctor with Sarah Jane, the Tenth Doctor alongside Rose Tyler, and the Thirteenth Doctor together with Yasmin Khan.

A different game showcases famous antagonists from the series, primarily Davros, the creator of the Daleks, as its main character. Featuring time-travel mechanics that enable players to schedule spells to be cast in upcoming rounds and each version of the Doctor employing distinct skills, this collection is a necessary addition for enthusiasts of the classic science fiction show.

6. Secretversary 2023

Release Date: November 20, 2023

A massive influx of Universe Beyond cards, along with those from the 2023 Secretversary event, introduced dinosaurs from both Jurassic Park and Jurassic World into Magic players’ card collections. These cards are essentially reimagined versions of existing Magic creatures, but their striking borderless artwork is still quite captivating, and they make popular cards more accessible for gameplay.

One distinctive aspect of Universes Beyond is the character Lara Croft, famously known from the Tomb Raider series. In combat, Lara generates Treasure tokens, and her drops often include various legendary territories and artifacts that celebrate her iconic journeys.

5. Clue

Release Date: February 23, 2024

A fresh variation of the popular game “Clue” has been introduced in the Ravnica universe. This new gameplay style is connected to the Universes Beyond series because of its strong resemblance and tribute to a classic board game.

In this fresh game mode, the cards can also be utilized across various play styles, and they introduce revamped characters based on iconic Clue suspects for Magic, such as Headliner Scarlett, Commander Mustard, and Mastermind Plum. Furthermore, all potential weapons from the original board game are presented as usable artifacts in this release, creating an intriguing blend of worlds.

4. Fallout

Release Date: March 8, 2024

The “Universes Beyond” series from Magic: The Gathering has showcased numerous properties, yet none have been as cherished and far-reaching as Fallout. By transferring the classic role-playing game to a tabletop setting, four Commander decks were introduced, each boasting unique titles and themes for their characters and cards.

In this deck setup, the Scrappy Survivors deck boasts the beloved canine ally Dogmeat serving as its leader, whereas the Hail, Caesar deck showcases elements from Fallout: New Vegas, with the Legion’s Emperor acting as its commander. With monstrous mutants like Deathclaws appearing as expensive spells capable of significantly influencing the game outcome for either player, these decks cater to both new and seasoned fans of the Fallout series.

3. Assassin’s Creed

Release Date: July 5, 2024

The Assassin’s Creed Universes Beyond collection, offered in a starter pack along with booster packs, introduced Ubisoft’s renowned series of open-world stealth games into the Magic universe. Notable assassins such as Ezio Auditore da Firenze, Altair Ibn- La’Ahad, and Edward Kenway demonstrate the finest aspects of the games, drawn from various titles in the series.

This series of cards additionally presented the ‘freerunning’ feature, reducing the cost of certain spells when players inflict damage with an assassin. Although it was an unanticipated blend, the incorporation of numerous cherished scenes led to a successful launch.

2. Monty Python

Release Date: July 29, 2024

In a whimsical manner, Magic: The Gathering consistently infuses humor into its gameplay through absurd card art, witty quotes, and outlandish rules. They took it a step further with the “Inside an Elevator Secret Lair drop,” which featured nine cards redesigned using the names, characters, and quotes from the cast of Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

As a gaming enthusiast diving into this high fantasy parody that blends with the Magic universe, let me tell you, it leads to some absurdly entertaining scenarios. Take for instance, when I pit the Black Beast of Aaargh against Time the Enchanter in a game – pure hilarity! Although these cards are essentially replicas of existing Magic ones, their presence is guaranteed to bring a smile to many fellow Magic players’ faces.

1. Camp Totally Safe

Release Date: September 30, 2024

This time around for Halloween, we’ve got a fresh drop from Camp Totally Safe Secret Lair – it’s packed with brand-new artwork cards and three exciting additions to the Universes Beyond collection. This latest release combines spine-tingling horror with catchy Vocaloid tunes. Camp Totally Safe has given some classic Magic cards a spooky makeover, transforming them into characters from the Child’s Play series, such as Chucky, the infamous killer doll, and his bride, Tiffany.

In some other cards, we find Chucky’s adventures in the subsequent movies, while Slimer, the ghost from Ghostbusters known for ectoplasm emission, is shown with the Ecto-1 and other ghost-fighting equipment. Similarly, there’s Hatsune Miku, a highly renowned Vocaloid idol, who appears with other members of her Electric Entourage in these cards.

2025-01-09 11:04