Cards and Castles

About

Cards and Castles is a strategic card game where collectible cards come to life on the battlefield. Build your deck, position your characters tactically, and compete against other players for rewards. Log in daily for free cards and rank up to earn special rewards with the Sudden Death mechanic. Note: The game is no longer receiving updates, and we recommend downloading the sequel, Cards and Castles 2.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 505 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of collectible card game mechanics and tactical strategy, making it engaging and fun to play.
Players can enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money, as it allows for a decent collection to be built through gameplay alone.
The art style is colorful and whimsical, adding to the charm of the game, and the community is generally active and supportive.

The game suffers from balance issues, with some cards being overpowered, making it frustrating for new players to compete against those with better cards.
There are significant pay-to-win elements, as players who spend money can quickly gain access to powerful cards and advantages.
Matchmaking can be unfair, often pairing new players against experienced ones with superior decks, leading to a steep learning curve.

gameplay
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The gameplay of "Cards and Castles" is characterized by its straightforward mechanics that are accessible to newcomers, while also offering depth for advanced players through strategic deck-building and faction combinations. However, many reviews highlight significant balance issues, particularly with powerful cards overshadowing weaker ones, which can frustrate both new and veteran players. Despite its fun and unique tactical elements, the game suffers from a lack of detail and clarity, leading to mixed feelings about its overall depth and competitive viability.
- “The mechanics are straightforward enough for new players to grasp quickly, but there’s plenty of room for advanced strategies and creative deck-building for those willing to dive deeper.”
- “Combining different factions to create hybrid decks adds a layer of experimentation that keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
- “The gameplay is great, has a surprising amount of depth, and really scratches that hard-to-find itch of turn-based, tactical, board-based, PC PvP, that has a thriving community with active and responsive devs.”
- “Balance isn't very good; it's probably one of the worst examples of mechanical clarity (or lack thereof) I've seen in a collectible card game.”
- “As a veteran CCG player (since 2001), the mechanics are easy to learn but ultimately far too simple. The power imbalance between the strongest cards and everything else is grievously out of place for a game with such a low level of detail.”
- “Cards and Castles lacks the nuance and depth of gameplay you will find in other tactical CCG titles.”
graphics
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a colorful and whimsical cartoonish art style that complements its lighthearted tone, appealing to players who enjoy a charming aesthetic. While some reviews highlight the simplistic nature of the visuals, others appreciate their uniqueness and the overall pleasantness they bring to the gameplay experience. However, there are criticisms regarding graphical glitches and a lack of polish, suggesting that the visuals may not meet the expectations of all players.
- “The art style is colorful and whimsical, perfectly complementing the game’s lighthearted tone.”
- “Graphics: the game uses a bright cartoony art style and it's rather pleasant to look at, fitting with the fast-paced nature of the game.”
- “I love the artwork, especially; the captivating visuals make it easy on the eyes.”
- “Cards and castles is a pay-to-win mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as a cash grab by morally void mobile developers. It's a CCG/deckbuilder game with simplistic, cartoony graphics (because iPhones can't handle better).”
- “Lack of player base, poor design, graphics glitching off and on, random drops, what more can you ask for in a multiplayer, pay-to-win card game made by someone trying to money grab.”
- “Though polished in appearance, passable graphics can't hide the basic nature of the game.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
85%
9%
The game's story aspect is primarily centered around completing daily quests and engaging in battles to earn cards and currency, which can be used to unlock additional content and progress through the game. While the single-player campaign offers a narrative experience, much of it is locked behind paywalls, leading to frustration among players who feel compelled to spend real money to access more content. Overall, the game provides a casual and engaging experience, but the reliance on monetary investment for progression detracts from the enjoyment of the story.
- “It's a wonderful casual card-based game, with excellent multiplayer support, and a lot of achievable quests that keep you coming back.”
- “The story mode is nice, but because this game is fairly new, there are still cards and decks being made; just like Hearthstone, they will eventually come, until then you're stuck picking the same strategy over and over.”
- “The single player campaign does need to be unlocked, which is unfortunate; if you wish to continue playing solo, you'll have to spend some of the hard-earned currency that you have to continue the missions, which seems rather silly.”
- “You even have locked the whole story mode except the first episode... like, what the hell is that?”
- “It's soon apparent that to progress quickly, you need to be spending real cash to buy silver coins, which unlock extra quests and cards.”
grinding
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the ability to build a collection without spending money, many find the process excessively time-consuming and tedious, often requiring significant investment to remain competitive. Although recent updates have made card acquisition easier, the grind can still feel overwhelming, especially for those aiming to unlock better cards or decks. Overall, the game offers a balance of grinding and rewarding daily quests, but opinions vary widely on whether the grind enhances or detracts from the experience.
- “Just don't expect to win all your games if you don't spend a lot of time grinding or using money.”
- “This game is a lot of fun, but it becomes too grindy too quick for my taste.”
- “For you to open a booster pack would take nearly an hour of grinding, for example.”
monetization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
38%
46%
The monetization model of Cards and Castles has been widely criticized as a pay-to-win (P2W) scheme, with many reviewers labeling it a cash grab that prioritizes profit over player experience. While some players appreciate the ability to earn in-game currency without excessive ads, the prevalence of microtransactions and the game's unforgiving nature at higher levels create a frustrating experience for those who choose not to spend money. Overall, the monetization strategy detracts from the enjoyment of the game, leading to a mixed reception.
- “Very good game with almost no need for in-app purchases.”
- “- Lots of microtransactions, although you can earn gold to buy card packs.”
- “Cards and Castles is a pay-to-win mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as a cash grab by morally void mobile developers. It's a collectible card game/deck builder with simplistic, cartoony graphics (because iPhones can't handle better).”
- “Overall, it is a fun tactical game to play casually, but it becomes unforgiving for those who don't use in-app purchases at higher levels.”
- “This game should have stayed in testing a good while longer to flesh it out more and make it a fun game instead of a shameful cash grab that has visibly more time invested in how to get you to pay than in how to get you to have fun.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
36%
18%
Overall, the music in the game is well-received, with many players praising its enjoyable and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some users find it somewhat generic and suggest that it may become repetitive over time, leading them to prefer their own music after a while. Despite this, the combination of music and art style is often highlighted as a strong point of the game.
- “Love, love, love the art and music.”
- “The music may actually be my favorite part though--the tunes just never get old!”
- “The music and art style of the game blend in perfectly; I love the atmosphere while playing.”
- “Turn off in favor of your own music after 1 hour.”
- “The music is fairly generic squeezebox medieval type tackle.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches, including freezing issues and incomplete quest rewards. Many players feel that it was released prematurely, lacking essential polish and stability.
- “The Steam version is filled with bugs and glitches.”
- “The game is somewhat buggy - I've rerolled a daily quest to get nothing in return before.”
- “Just another buggy game that was released before it was complete.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusing achievements and the hilariously broken mechanics that often lead to funny situations, especially when playing with friends. Players find the matchmaking system ironically entertaining, as it can create absurd scenarios due to card limitations.
- “Funny achievements.”
- “So broken it's hilarious.”
- “So funny with friends! :D”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's performance is heavily influenced by the draw, while the user interface remains well-optimized for mobile devices.
- “A lot of the performance is dictated by the draw.”
- “The UI is still optimized for mobile.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the nostalgia and attachment players feel towards customizing their decks, as well as the excitement of acquiring legendary cards and a diverse range of common and rare cards, which enhances their overall gaming experience.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its seamless integration of music and art style, creating an immersive experience that enhances gameplay enjoyment.
- “The music and art style of the game blend perfectly; I love the atmosphere while playing.”
- “The immersive environment and haunting soundtrack create a captivating atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
- “Every detail in the game contributes to a rich atmosphere that draws you into its world.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The review indicates that the game's current state limits its replayability, with the reviewer expressing hope for improvements that would enhance the overall play experience.
- “I will change this negative review once it becomes a little more playable!”
- “The game lacks the depth needed to make me want to replay it.”
- “After finishing the game once, I felt no urge to go back and experience it again.”