Siliconera’s 2023 Trading Card Games Holiday Gift Guide  

Trading card games can make a fantastic holiday gift for someone, since you could include a few booster packs as a stocking stuffer or a full set or deck as an actual present. A lot of interesting ones recently came out, so here are titles we’d suggest giving this year or adding to your own wishlists.

You can’t go wrong with the Pokemon Trading Card Game

If you’re trying to figure out holiday gift options for someone who loves trading card games, Pokemon Trading Card Game never goes out of style. Especially since there have been some interesting expansions lately. Scarlet & Violet: Paradox Rift features some fun Paldean Pokemon, especially since it includes Future and Ancient Paradox ones. If someone’s been playing for a long time, the nostalgic Scarlet & Violet 151 expansion that focuses on the original Kanto Pokemon could be a fantastic pick too.

Magic the Gathering is typically a good time

Getting into the game could open up your horizons. Especially as there have been a lot of crossovers that can welcome you into the TCG. For example, the Magic: The Gathering The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth series is available, with boosters and scene boxes available. With the way the scene boxes work, you could also use that as a display when not playing. There was also the Doctor Who series, with Commander Decks that feature the first eight Doctors, the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctors, the Twelfth and Thirteenth Doctors, and villains. Plus, getting into the game now could be a good way to prepare for the upcoming Final Fantasy set.

Are there other video game-related trading card games I should consider for gifts or wishlists?

Absolutely! For starters, consider Yu-Gi-Oh! The Structure Deck: Fire Kings is coming out on December 7, 2023, if you want to get something you’re sure someone doesn’t already own yet. The Valiant Smashers also only just debuted in November 2023, so that’s another good option for building up decks. 

There’s also the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game. If someone is a newcomer, Square Enix sells two-player starter sets with two decks to help you immediately jump in and begin playing. Those tend to cost around $25, and you can get versions like Cecil vs Golbez or Ardyn vs Noctis. If you know someone is already playing, you could also purchase the Final Fantasy Trading Card Game Anniversary Collection Set 2024 for them. That’s coming out on February 16, 2024, so you could pre-order the $59.99 pack for them.