Matthew BaileyMy eldest Jack, particularly likes card games, especially one-to-one card games, so he was super excited when a preview version of Cube Creatures came through our letterbox a week or so ago. Naturally, we were keen to give it a spin straight away.
Cube Creatures is interesting in that it’s marketed as a great “first trading card game” for kids. That’s definitely true. The gameplay has elements of Pokémon as well as Mindbug, another simple card game we reviewed a few years ago.
What I think is really clever about this game is that while it has a base set (which is what we were playing here) and there are also booster packs available, the game is played with a shared draw pile, so only one person needs to own the cards. If that person wants to collect more cards, that’s great, but you can still play even if you don’t. That’s something I’ve not seen before with a game that includes boosters, and I’ll be very interested to see how this system develops if expansions keep coming down the line.
At its heart, Cube Creatures is a straightforward but surprisingly tactical one-on-one battle. Both players start with five cards in hand and a health tracker in front of them, with a shared draw pile sitting in the middle of the table. On your turn, you’ll usually be playing a Creature into your battle area. Each Creature has its own attack and defence stats, along with the occasional special ability that can really change things up.
You can lay a maximum of three creatures down on the table with 1 in the defender position that has to be attacked but you can attack with any of your tree. This is very different to similar cards games and a change I really like.
Once you’ve got a Creature in play, you can use it to attack. If your opponent has a Creature out, you’ll usually be taking swings at that, chipping away at its defence until it gets knocked out and sent to the discard pile. If they’ve got nothing protecting them, though, you can go straight for their back, potentially stronger but “breakier” minions.
On top of that, lots of cards come with clever powers and little twists. Sometimes it’s about when you drop them, sometimes it’s about what combination you set up, and other times it’s just about surprising your opponent at the right moment. Another key mechanic is the ability to join 2 creatures together, doubling their stats and abilities a key mechanic but a double-edged sword as a joint creature leads to 2 wins for the opponent.The whole thing keeps the pace brisk, and the winner is the first 2 beat 5 creatures
We really like Cube Creatures. It’s a simple card game but brimming with personality, and it has some genuinely interesting strategy involved. There are fun powers, neat tricks, and plenty of moments where a single card play can swing things around. It feels like a proper “my first 1v1 card game” without the fiddliness or downtime of something like Pokémon, which (for me at least) can often drag with too much deck searching.
The cards themselves are nicely made and the artwork is fantastic. A lot of the game was designed by DJ Burdick and his son Porter, who actually drew many of the original creatures that inspired the final art. Some of Porter’s artwork is included directly in the game, while other designs were developed further. That personal touch really shines through and gives the game a lot of charm.
If I had one tiny gripe, it’s the way hit points are tracked. At the moment, you use small cards with tokens on them that you lay next to your Creatures. It works fine, but I’d love to see chunky dice used instead, as it would be easier and more tactile. Honestly, though, that’s a really minor quibble and doesn’t get in the way of the fun.
One thing I always appreciate is when designers are open to feedback. As I played through Cube Creatures, I flagged up a couple of unusual interactions and wording issues, and even suggested a potential rules snag if they ever wanted to add a “death rattle” style mechanic. The feedback was warmly received, and I know some rule updates have already been made as a result. That kind of responsiveness makes me a lot more confident about a project’s future.
Jack and I absolutely adored playing Cube Creatures, and I’m really excited to see where it goes as expansions are released. The base game already nails the fun and energy of a head-to-head card battler without needing collecting, trading, or booster chasing. That said, I’m very curious to see what the booster packs add to the mix, especially if they introduce more complex mechanics down the line.
The game is currently available to pre-order in a few different configurations, depending on what you’re after. If you’re looking for an approachable but strategic first trading card game for kids (or just a quick head-to-head for yourself), I think this is a brilliant place to start.
