From classic games to purely strategic options and titles that combine cards with narrative and role.
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Card games never die. Since I was a kid and played brisca, mus, or guiñote on my old MSX computer, card games have evolved a lot, and today you can find everything from tactical and strategic titles to narrative adventures with deck-building, or RPGs that combine cards and combat on new consoles.
To show you that cards are always in style and can be adapted to any medium, we’ve got some of the best titles available for your Xbox, so you can play solo or with friends, and online, of course.
The Perfect Card Collection Plus: Love for Classics
After reading the first paragraph of this article, you’ll have noticed that I’m a bit old, so I’ve decided to include this collection of “classic” games first.
The Xbox version of this game was released in 2023 and includes five solitaire games (including the legendary Spider Solitaire) and six competitive games, featuring some of the best online casino games, such as Blackjack or Texas Hold’em Poker, as well as Daifugo or Hearts.
For these competitive games, you can also choose the online multiplayer option via Xbox Live. By completing challenges and winning games, you can unlock 28 achievements and trophies. I guarantee it won’t be as easy as you think.
Balatro: The Indie Revolution
In February 2025, the acclaimed video game Balatro was added to the Xbox Game Pass catalog. Winner of three awards at The Game Awards in 2024, including “Best Independent Game,” and nominated for Game of the Year, Localthunk’s proposal combines roguelike mechanics and deck-building with classic poker.
Specialized media have said that it’s hard to describe in writing, but easy to understand if you play it a couple of times. So, I’ll leave it here, but not before recommending that, as a game enthusiast, you get the Friend of Jimbo Pack 4 expansion, where you can play with customized cards inspired by other game franchises, such as Assassin’s Creed, Fallout, or Civilization VII.
Slay the Spire: The Modern Classic
If Balatro exists, it’s probably because Slay the Spire came first. Released in 2019 for Xbox One, this MegaCrit game is a benchmark for titles that combine roguelike elements with card games and deck-building. Although available on Game Pass, at the time of writing, it could only be played on PC.
The game starts with the choice of four predetermined characters, each with specific cards. The objective is to navigate the seven floors of the tower and defeat the enemies that appear, including a final boss on each floor.
Slay the Spire was well-received at the time, winning several awards in 2019 and 2020, and is still highly regarded, with a sequel planned for release in March 2026.
Eternal: It’s Free!
To show you that you don’t always have to pay, Eternal is a card game and strategy title created by Dire Wolf that was released in 2018. Inspired by classics like Hearthstone or Hex, it combines AAA-style graphics with the creative possibilities of a card game.
The most surprising thing about this game is that it’s completely free. And that’s not all, because every now and then, updates are released that add new cards or game modes, something unusual for a free title. Available for solo play or multiplayer. Are you going to miss out?
Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel: The Definitive Adaptation?
This Konami video game is an adaptation of the physical Yu-Gi-Oh! card game, which was based on the manga of the same name. Master Duel was released in 2022 and is the sequel to Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links, from 2017.
It’s a game designed for more experienced players in the TGC (Trading Card Game) format, a step forward from its predecessor, which was aimed at less experienced players.
Master Duel is also free-to-play, with a collection of over 10,000 cards available to create decks and engage in duels, both against the machine and against other online players.
Floppy Knights: Tactics and Aesthetics
This original card game from Rose City Games was released in 2022 and surprised everyone with its unique aesthetics and strategic gameplay, which requires planning and adaptation.
In Floppy Knights, you must navigate huge maps (displayed before the game starts) using a character controlled by a deck of cards. Despite its seemingly basic proposal and character design, which resembles that of an animated series, the game is anything but simple and appears to be designed for patient and analytical players.
These aren’t the only high-level card games available on our favorite console: titles like Inscryption, Wildfrost, Shogun Showdown, Library of Ruina, and Astrea could have easily made this list, but our space is limited. Maybe next time?
Founder and editor of SoloXboxOne and Generación Xbox. He is also one of the owners of the GX Group, Samsung Universe and the Reflotes forum. Adrian has reviewed over 200 games on the web and has an average score of 85 according to Opencritic. Among his expertise as a writer and analyst, he has interviewed Microsoft personalities and participated in private gaming events.
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