Skip to main content

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game Game Cover
81%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, monetization
81% User Score Based on 10,217 reviews

Platforms

PCTabletAndroidPhoneiPadMobile PlatformiPhoneWindows
KARDS - The WW2 Card Game Game Cover

About

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game is a single player and multiplayer tactical turn-based strategy game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by 1939 Games and was released on April 15, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

Kards, The World War II Card Game, combines traditional CCG gameplay with innovative mechanics inspired by classic strategy games and real battlefield tactics. Take command and challenge other players in grand-scale warfare on the ground, air, or seas.

Skip User Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,217 reviews
gameplay596 positive mentions
grinding154 negative mentions

  • Kards offers unique and deep gameplay mechanics with frontline/support lines and operation costs, providing engaging tactical decisions and varied nation-specific playstyles.
  • The game's authentic World War II atmosphere is enhanced by stunning propaganda-inspired artwork, fitting animations, and a nostalgic period soundtrack that significantly contribute to immersion.
  • High replayability is supported by extensive deckbuilding options, multiple factions and game modes, along with continual updates and expansions that keep the strategic depth fresh.
  • The game suffers from balancing issues, including overpowered cards, a dominant meta with repetitive decks, and reliance on RNG and pay-to-win elements that frustrate long-term players.
  • Monetization is viewed as aggressive and cash grab–oriented, with overpriced microtransactions and a grind-heavy progression that pressures free-to-play players.
  • Technical problems such as poor optimization, frequent crashes, game freezes, and high resource usage negatively impact stability and accessibility, especially on lower-end systems.
  • gameplay
    1,376 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Kards stands out with its unique frontline/support line mechanics and operation cost system, offering a strategic and tactical depth reminiscent of popular card games like Hearthstone and Magic: The Gathering but with a WWII theme. While the core mechanics are praised for being accessible yet challenging, offering varied nation-specific playstyles and historical authenticity, issues arise from balancing problems, occasional overpowered cards, and the impact of pay-to-win elements that can frustrate long-term play. Overall, the gameplay is engaging, fast-paced, and enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players, especially those who appreciate thematic immersion and innovative card interactions, though it may suffer from meta stagnation and occasional frustration due to RNG and progression grind.

    • “The core mechanics of Kards are amazing: operation cost, the front line, unit types, etc. all add an incredible level of tactical depth that allows for meaningful decisions and, as a result, intense competition.”
    • “Combined with a clever mechanic of there being three rows (your line, opponent's line, and a "frontline" in between over which you compete), this makes for some really fascinating gameplay that is extremely intuitive (especially if you've played ccgs before) but also incredibly deep.”
    • “The gameplay itself is fun and varied enough to not get predictable or boring. The mechanics are simple to learn and I love the art used in the game as well as the music and the sound effects.”
    • “The game has a lot of mechanics that let players spam cards indefinitely, never run into fatigue, and so on. The worst part is that the developers provide very limited proper counter-tools to deal with these mechanics.”
    • “From "thinking mans card game" to pure aggro garbage where whoever goes first wins, kards has long since abandoned its 'operation cost' mechanic, instead printing vast amounts of cards with 0 operation cost, making this just the same as any other card game. Since the brothers in arms expansion, there has been a concerted effort to remove most control cards and decks, resulting in a meta where you will play against the exact same deck (Japan aggro) about 80% of the time and if they go first they win.”
    • “The developer is spending so much time trying to throw new features and mechanics at this game that it has ruined the existing gameplay and caused a reliance on too much randomness and luck, and far less strategy.”
  • graphics
    731 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game features stunning artwork inspired by WWII-era propaganda posters, offering an authentic and immersive historical aesthetic that is widely praised for its detail and atmosphere. Visuals are complemented by fitting animations, sound effects, and period music that enhance the overall experience, though some note occasional graphical glitches and performance issues on lower-end hardware. While the graphics may be simpler compared to other card games, they effectively capture the theme and contribute significantly to player engagement and enjoyment.

    • “The graphics are superb, creating a visually stunning experience that captivates from the very beginning.”
    • “It is pleasant to play, the click and drag mechanics are smooth, buttons are responsive, visuals and artstyle are detailed, yet not overwhelming, the 3d models are well put together; this game is one that appears, at first glance, like one crafted with love and care, and it holds up, if you are looking for a game of cards, pick up a deck or two, and sing the song of war.”
    • “The artwork on the cards is stunning, capturing the essence of the era, and the sound design complements the overall aesthetic perfectly.”
    • “I could not play this game on my old laptop although it had 4GB RAM and Intel HD Graphics 720, which was enough to play Legend of Runeterra, another card game with way better graphics compared to KARDS.”
    • “Game crashes with integrated Intel graphic drivers since the new update :( It was working fine before update. This game is really, really great, the only issue is it's almost the most terribly optimized game. I can run heavy games on my system, except this game turns into boiling hell for my GPU.”
    • “I have a Ryzen 3500U with a Radeon 540X series and 2x8GB of RAM at 2400MHz (it's a laptop) and the game stutters terribly even at 1366x768 resolution with graphics settings low. I know it's not a gaming laptop but I can play single player games like Bioshock 1 and 2 Remastered, Bioshock Infinite (and even RE7 at low) and multiplayer games like Valorant and Rogue Company much smoother using higher graphics settings than this 'simple' card game.”
  • music
    307 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's music is widely praised for its authentic WWII-era soundtrack and atmospheric period-appropriate sound effects, enhancing immersion and complementing the vintage art style. While fans appreciate the thematic variety with faction-specific tracks, many note the music can become repetitive due to a limited number of songs, with calls for more diverse and extended soundtracks to maintain engagement. Overall, the music is considered a strong and integral part of the game's nostalgic and immersive experience.

    • “The atmosphere of the game really feels like you are on the battlefield, not to mention the amazing soundtrack and sounds while moving cards/summoning cards.”
    • “Kards by far has the best soundtrack of any CCG and TCG I have played.”
    • “The soundtrack and sound effects are what hooked me to the game.”
    • “The soundtrack isn't that great.”
    • “Its grind or pay to win... it has the same 3 songs over and over and over and over - one tank sound, one plane sound, one infantry sound over and over.”
    • “Just needs a better soundtrack, the in-match music feels like loading screen music.”
  • story
    224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game lacks a traditional, immersive story mode, offering instead a series of training missions and campaign missions that mostly serve as tutorials or challenges rather than narrative-driven content. While each card carries historical context and background, the overall storytelling is minimal, with progression primarily driven by daily missions, achievements, and multiplayer gameplay rather than a cohesive plot. Players seeking a strong story experience may find it lacking, though the missions and setting provide enough thematic flavor to engage fans of the WWII theme.

    • “It tells a story, has beautiful card art, and is just really good.”
    • “Plus each card has an interesting backstory.”
    • “Every card have a proper graphic and huge detailed backstory.”
    • “☑ no story”
    • “There is no single player campaign that you can try out without forking over cash, but the game tricks you into believing there is: only the very first mission of one of the campaigns is available for free.”
    • “After finishing the tutorial and the single free mission in campaign there is nothing to do except play a regular game; something I do not want to when the only available cards I have is the starter deck plus 3 cards.”
  • grinding
    165 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is widely viewed as time-consuming and tedious, often requiring hundreds of hours to obtain competitive cards unless players spend money. Progression can feel slow and grind-heavy, with repetitive gameplay and a steep grind for new or meta cards, leading to frustration especially for new players. While some appreciate the free-to-play aspect with achievable content through grinding, many highlight the pay-to-win elements and the discouraging cycle of grinding versus monetary investment.

    • “Card collection progress is nice and it's not grindy like in some other card games.”
    • “Also, you can advance your decks for free with some effort, but no grinding is required.”
    • “Pretty fun, not too grindy.”
    • “Progress feels locked behind either grinding forever or paying up.”
    • “Either you spend hundreds of hours grinding for free to unlock the late-stage powerful combo cards, being destroyed by those who already have the most powerful cards the whole time.”
    • “Grinding for good cards takes so much time it's not fun at all.”
  • atmosphere
    114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game excels in creating an immersive and authentic World War II atmosphere through its detailed artwork, historically themed card designs, period-appropriate music, and sound effects. This rich historical context, combined with thematic visuals and audio, consistently draws players into the battlefield experience, setting it apart from other card games. Overall, the atmosphere is widely praised as a standout element that enhances both engagement and enjoyment.

    • “The atmosphere of the game really feels like you are on the battlefield, not to mention the amazing soundtrack and sounds while moving cards or summoning cards.”
    • “Evoking the intense atmosphere of WWII, KARDS skillfully combines strategy and card mechanics, surpassing similar genre titles with its immersive historical accuracy.”
    • “Highly recommended... great CCG with World War II atmosphere which is easy to learn and has simple basic mechanics, but the strategy goes deep. Each nation's cards are taken from real-world history (propaganda, politics, units, ships, planes, generals, etc.) and give a strong identity to that nation's deck. Playing Japanese with their kamikaze theme or Germans utilizing blitzkrieg feels almost like roleplaying it. Each card has a description with a historical photo to learn about the unit and its traits, greatly adding to the flavor of the game.”
    • “If you are WWII nerds and are here for atmosphere and history then this game is for you but if you are here for beautiful graphics then I advise other games.”
    • “This can feel a bit weird too, since you can build a deck of combined USA/Japan forces or Germany/USSR, but in the end probably what is gained in variety is more than that is lost in atmosphere.”
    • “Balance needs some heavy lifting yet, but atmosphere and the thrill of play are net positives.”
  • monetization
    94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Monetization in the game is widely criticized for being overly aggressive and cash grab–oriented, with overpriced microtransactions and imbalanced gameplay pushing players toward spending money. While some players appreciate the ability to earn cards and progress without paying, many feel the game pressures purchases and frustrates free-to-play users with tedious grind and limited access. Overall, the monetization detracts from an otherwise well-designed card game and has led to negative perceptions among returning and veteran players.

    • “Optional in-app purchases allow you to speed up progress or purchase cosmetic items.”
    • “Kards monetization is nowhere as aggressive as Marvel Snap though I occasionally make purchases to support them.”
    • “Although you can purchase card packs, there are lots of ways to earn plenty of free cards just through completing in-game challenges and achievements, so pay-to-win microtransactions are kept to minimum.”
    • “Sadly, this game seems like a cash grab.”
    • “But the monetization just gets worse and worse every time I come back to the game.”
    • “The lootbox-card pack microtransactions are massively overpriced, the rules of the game are extremely simple and while card effects are what are supposed to differentiate things, even then there's just nothing really unique or captivating to any of it.”
  • stability
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Stability is a major issue with this game, as frequent freezes and bugs during matches often force restarts or cause automatic losses, particularly frustrating in draft and ranked play. Users report unresponsive UI, server sync problems, and various gameplay glitches that disrupt the experience. While some find the game stable aside from minor visual glitches, the consensus is that bugs significantly hinder reliability and enjoyment.

    • “Smooth so far, no glitches or hang ups.”
    • “The best thing is also if you’re in a match, for example in a draft match, the game randomly freezes sometimes and you need to close the game. When you return (restarting the game only takes a few seconds) you see that you have lost the match automatically. Nice to see something like this, especially in a draft match. The problem is 100% not my PC.”
    • “However, the tournaments are very buggy and when the game is reopened, it shows a countdown of 6 seconds again, after which it says that the game is out of sync with the server, so you are not able to play, which makes you lose your wager.”
    • “Game freezes during a match cause you to lose, with no ability to reconnect back to the game.”
  • replayability
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers high replayability through extensive deckbuilding options, multiple factions and game modes, and a dynamic card crafting system that keeps gameplay fresh. While some players note a limited competitiveness of certain factions and cards, frequent updates and expansions continue to enhance the strategic depth and long-term appeal. Overall, its blend of tactics, variety, and ongoing content delivers an engaging and replayable experience.

    • “The possibilities to combine units and make many decks gives very high replayability, except that favors whales.”
    • “Thanks to the extensive collection of cards, the different game modes, and the competitive ranked ladder, Kards offers high replayability.”
    • “Replayability is high and the ability to build your own decks, and continue to expand the flavor with new cards is exceptional.”
    • “I think in the past 2 weeks I've played it for 10 minutes every day but beyond that I don't see much replay value.”
    • “Replayability may be a worry, playing the same deck for a few days feels a bit boring.”
    • “More RNG does not make a game more replayable.”
  • humor
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its funny cards, emotes, and lighthearted tone amidst the war game setting. However, some users feel the humor diminishes due to issues like unbalanced gameplay, cheating, and repetitive content. Overall, the game is described as fun and funny, especially for fans of card games, despite its flaws.

    • “While in game there is no voip so you don't have to worry about COD babys, there are however 100's of emotes which are pretty funny such as "your go", "are you kidding me?" etc. A lot of good ones and you can turn the emotes off as well if you don't like them.”
    • “All the factions are well balanced and have different funny mechanics that might even be grounded in a certain reality.”
    • “This game is hilariously amazing and fun to play!”
    • “Also, playing against bots is not funny at all.”
    • “Sixt: add some fun emotes or stickers instead of the old boring, unfunny short messages provided.”
  • optimization
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    User feedback on optimization for this card game is mixed: while some praise smooth performance even on low-spec machines, many report significant issues including frequent crashes, poor performance on weaker hardware, and high GPU usage. Optimization problems, such as unskippable animations and audio stuttering combined with strict turn timers, often negatively impact gameplay, especially on less powerful systems. Overall, the game needs better technical optimization to improve stability and accessibility.

    • “I honestly recommend this wonderful, impressive, pretty well done and optimized card game KARDS!”
    • “Plus its performance is good on even the most low spec business class laptops.”
    • “Been playing since launch and it runs smoothly.”
    • “Balance is done with feet, performance optimization is a load of sh*t, and the rewards are cut and cut even more severe than bvvd.”
    • “Game crashes with integrated Intel graphic drivers since the new update :( It was working fine before update. This game is really great, but it is almost the most terribly optimized game; I can run heavy games on my system, but this game turns into boiling hell for my GPU.”
    • “Without options to turn off animations or use a high-performance/low-quality/compressed audio setting, this presents colossal problems with the current turn-clock.”
  • emotional
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players have experienced a wide range of emotions with this card game, from heartfelt nostalgia and motivation to frustration and negativity due to certain gameplay limitations and competitive pressures. While many praise its emotional impact and wholesome community, others express dissatisfaction with restrictive communication and meta-driven gameplay. Overall, the game elicits strong, sometimes conflicting emotional responses.

    • ““We’ll Meet Again” softly playing in the background to this game's 1940s theme almost made me cry.”
    • “First card game that made me feel something.”
    • “All in all, this little gem is a very promising discovery and moves me emotionally.”
Skip Game Offers

Buy KARDS - The WW2 Card Game

93h Median play time
260h Average play time
20-400h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 66 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like KARDS - The WW2 Card Game
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game is a tactical turn-based strategy game with warfare and historical themes.

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game is available on PC, Phone, iPad, iPhone and others.

On average players spend around 260 hours playing KARDS - The WW2 Card Game.

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game was released on April 15, 2020.

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game was developed by 1939 Games.

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked KARDS - The WW2 Card Game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

KARDS - The WW2 Card Game is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Infinity Wars: Animated Trading Card Game, KARDS - The WW2 Card Game, GWENT: The Witcher Card Game, Shadowverse, Faeria and others.