Two fighters.
One arena.
Pixelated crowd cheering.
Health bars full.
Joystick and buttons at the ready.
Let the battle begin.

This is Neon Reign, a 1-2 player card battler designed by Manny Trembley and Aaron Hein and is published by Neon Knight Games.

Gameplay Overview:

The object of the game is simple: defeat your opponent by applying damage and dwindling their life to zero. Each player begins with a deck of cards, a pre-selected character, and hopefully about ten to fifteen minutes to power through a battle.

Each player alternates turns attacking and defending. To attack, a player can choose up to three cards from their hand that represent a combination of joystick and button options, like what you’d find on an arcade game. Joysticks feature the four cardinal directions, and there are four button options (A, B, X, Y). Attackers must play at least one card, while defenders may play up to two cards.

Characters feature a passive ability and a special that triggers when enough stars are earned.

Attacks deal damage and increase your character’s star meter based on how you combo your cards. A right joystick with two Y buttons may provide the attacker with not only base attack, but also combos that boost this value. Attacks can combo into healing, shields, and star power based on which options they choose. The more cards that are effective, the more benefits are provided.

On the other side, a defender can try to prevent the attack’s effect. A Throw card in hand can prevent a joystick attack, while a Block card can negate a button. And considering a defender can play two cards, they may be able to prevent combos as well. There is even a specific Combo Breaker card that doesn’t stop the initial values of either card type but fully prevents combos from triggering.

The game features quite a few character options, each with its own star meter power as well as a passive ability. There is also a separate solo deck and solo character cards to battle against. The solo system is an easy card flip that determines how the bot reacts to your attack, or how they plan to attack you. Three difficulty modes are available to choose from when stepping into the arcade alone.

Player aids provide easy access to combo options based on combinations of buttons and joysticks.

Game Experience:

There are plenty of two-player card dueling games on the market. Neon Reign tries to separate itself by adopting a retro flair and an easy-to-learn system. It boasts a super quick playtime, which allows room for retrying battles or swapping to new characters. It also features a very elegant solo mode that is just as easy to learn and maneuver.

The character illustration from designer Manny Trembley is superb. And while the world of these characters is limited to the boundaries of each card, they are inspired, nonetheless. The player cards featuring the joystick and buttons are very easy to parse, though their art direction is not as tantalizing, providing a bit of inconsistency related to the excellent character work.

The solo mode provides a deck of cards that are easy to read and fast to play.

Players start with seven cards in hand. The only way to gain more cards is to spend a turn resting, which is one of the important timing elements at play. Do you rest and fill up your hand, or do you push for lethal damage? Thankfully, spending the turn filling up your hand may also provide new defense cards, but this is a game where luck of the draw may determine the outcome.

The other important timing element is based on the star meter. This is your character’s moment to shine, and you immediately activate this power to inflict large damage. Star meters can also trash opponents’ cards, heal your character, and even return some stars back to your meter. Finding ways to boost your meter is key to gaining an advantage. And this mini game provides a nice race separate from the card combos.

Players can counter their opponent with Throw and Block cards.

While playing each of the characters, or battling solo opponents, I did find some rules ambiguities or questions related to timing or how powers functioned. These were very minor, but enough to stop the action, review rules, or even make an educated guess. There is a helpful FAQ in the rulebook though it didn’t cover all questions I had during play.

Two other quibbles I had with Neon Reign relate to production. While the card quality is nice, the cards are truly slippery in hand and not as functional as they could be. (Editor’s Note: Brandon reviewed the Deluxe edition, which comes with PVC cards. The standard edition uses traditional card material.) Due to their material, you can spill water on them and never have to worry, though. Just in case a fight erupts at the table, separate from the game. Also, I’m never a fan of tokens in games where a simple cube and track would suffice. One less element to manage would make each turn that much faster.

Excellent illustration and plenty of characters to explore.

Final Thoughts:

I think Neon Reign is going to appeal to gamers seeking a fast retro fix. This system is ripe for expansion, whether it be via new characters, new card elements, or even ideas related to larger tournament stylings of its influences. The neon-soaked theming is wonderful, and the card play decision space has enough crunch to keep one entertained. It feels great to land a combo when your opponent doesn’t have a way to counter, or to gain the perfect star amount to power your meter and go wild. It’s all about how you manage the cards you’ve drawn while anticipating your opponent’s next move. There’s just enough here to harken back to the arcade fighters of ancient days.

Final Score: 4 stars – Slick and elegant retro battler with combos galore.

Hits:
• Character design
• Star power timing
• Fast sessions

Misses:
• Tokens vs track
• Minor rule ambiguities
• Slippery cards