I’ve been excited about Pokémon TCG Live all year. I can’t wait for the reboot of the digital Pokémon trading card game. But now that it’s here, I can’t care. I gave it a shot and played a few matches this week, and yet… it couldn’t hold my attention. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent too much time with Marvel Snap, or modern TCGs aren’t evolving fast enough to keep up. I prefer faster-paced games. I enjoy Marvel Snap and the instant rewards in Slotsgem. I find them more appealing than slower, traditional card games.
I loved Pokémon TCG, Hearthstone, and Legends of Runeterra. But since Marvel Snap arrived, those games seem slow and old.
My first game of Pokemon TCG Live was disappointing, but not because of the redesign. At the start of the match, both players have a 25-minute clock that tracks their turn length. 25 minutes each means a single match could take 50 minutes to play. I know I used to be fine with that, but not anymore.
When my opponent played, I sat quietly, waiting for my turn. Sometimes, this took four or five minutes. After a while, I could play a game of Marvel Snap in the time it took for one person to take one turn in Pokémon. I opened Snap on my phone to test the theory. Sure enough, I played a whole match while my opponent finished their next turn.
One game held my attention the whole time. The other left me staring at the screen, waiting for action. The pacing issue isn’t annoying; it’s a key design flaw. This flaw makes traditional TCGs seem outdated. Maybe the problem isn’t my attention span. It could be the game itself if I can focus on another game while waiting for my turn.
It isn’t about the length of a game, though. Part of the genius of Marvel Snap is that it’s always your turn. You never have to sit and wait for another player to make their moves the way you do in other card games. Sometimes, you’ll make a quick choice and wait for your opponent to decide. Yet, you won’t stay idle for more than a few seconds. Sitting there for five minutes while your opponent plays Pokemon cards is excruciating. I know I should pay attention to their moves. But after a minute of watching them think, I get so bored that I want to give up.
Marvel Snap’s Design Fixes the Biggest TCG Frustrations
Part of the problem with other TCGs is the snowball effect. Sometimes, when you play a game of Pokemon or Hearthstone, it can be clear that you’re losing early on. Control-style decks can make losing feel drawn-out and tough. If you see your opponent using one, you might want to give up before the match starts to avoid the result.
Once again, Marvel Snap out-designed that problem. Many Snap matches come down to the final turn. Winning at the last second is one of the most satisfying experiences in the game. Even losing matches in Snap can feel good if your opponent has a particularly clever play. Other TCGs don’t have a lot of surprises once you learn the very specific meta decks that everyone tends to use.
Marvel Snap isn’t the best card game. It can exist with other traditional TCGs. Snap showed me the problems other games have always had, which were simply part of the genre. It solved problems
I didn’t even realize were problems before. Now that I’ve gotten a taste for a faster, more exciting card game, I don’t know if I can ever go back.
Conclusion
Games like Pokémon TCG, Hearthstone, and Runeterra still matter. They provide deep strategy and attract loyal fans. Marvel Snap has set new standards for players who want a more exciting and fast-paced game. It cuts wait times. It stops the frustration of slow losses. Every match stays exciting until the last turn.
While I once loved classic card games, Marvel Snap has redefined what I enjoy about the genre. The days of sitting through drawn-out turns and predictable matches feel like a thing of the past. Pokémon TCG Live might get better, and other games could change to compete. But right now, I know where I want to spend my time—and it’s not waiting for other games.
