Vanguard ZERO

About

"Vanguard ZERO" is a mobile card battle RPG adaptation of the popular TCG "Cardfight!! Vanguard." The game boasts sensational gameplay, amazing visuals, and masterful music, with an intriguing story and hilarious moments. However, it features heavy grinding, excessive advertisements, and bugs that can impact gameplay. Recommended for fans of the TCG or those looking for a casual card battle experience.

Genres & Tags

Casual

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,249 reviews

gameplay189 positive mentions

grinding137 negative mentions

The game is fun and engaging, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Vanguard.
The graphics and animations are impressive, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
The crafting system allows players to build their decks without needing to spend money, making it accessible for free-to-play players.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and lag, especially during ranked matches, leading to frustrating experiences.
The rules have changed significantly from the original game, which may disappoint long-time fans who prefer the traditional mechanics.
The gacha system has low pull rates for high-rarity cards, making it difficult for players to build competitive decks without spending money.

gameplay
545 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
6%
The gameplay of the mobile adaptation of Cardfight Vanguard has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant changes from the original trading card game (TCG) mechanics. While some appreciate the streamlined and faster-paced gameplay, which is more accessible for newcomers, others express disappointment over the removal of key mechanics like guarding and the introduction of RNG elements that can lead to unbalanced matches. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable and nostalgic, but it struggles with technical issues and a reliance on luck, which detracts from the strategic depth that fans of the original game expect.
- “The gameplay is smooth and the soundtrack is reminiscent of the anime, which adds to the nostalgia.”
- “Although the gameplay has been changed, the game itself is rather clean.”
- “The gameplay is a lot of fun for the most part.”
- “The gameplay is a watered down compared to the TCG but is a great way to get into the game and franchise as a whole.”
- “The biggest disappointment for me was that they removed the guard mechanic from the card game, and they put triggers on grade 3's instead.”
- “The inability to defend from the hand let alone at will causes the gameplay to skew immensely from the actual game and become largely in favor of either decks that can control the opponent's field or attack multiple times at will.”
story
261 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
78%
4%
The game's story is primarily based on the original "Cardfight!! Vanguard" anime, which many players find nostalgic and engaging. However, the execution suffers from issues such as scripted battles that can feel unfair, long loading times, and a lack of subtitles for non-Japanese speakers, making it difficult for some players to fully enjoy the narrative. While the graphics and character designs are praised, the overall pacing and accessibility of the story mode have drawn criticism, with many players expressing a desire for more content and smoother progression.
- “The game follows the story of the anime and the gameplay itself is pretty darn solid.”
- “It's a cute game with a cute story and now I want to watch the anime.”
- “The story is amazing and the gameplay is fun and addicting.”
- “The story mode is too scripted; having an inevitable play by the opponents, feeling heartbroken no matter if you win or lose, required playing ranked matches which is already over-expected, and the character matches are a lot more grindy and too long.”
- “The story has an issue where during some movie parts we don't know what is actually being said because the movie uses the Japanese anime but English players can't understand it (especially those who have never seen the original anime) because there are no subtitles.”
- “The scripted battle in story mode is really frustrating; not only do you have to fight them with scripted triggers, but they also have scripted shields not only once but twice, and this game claims to be balanced.”
grinding
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
99%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in acquiring crafting materials and ranking up. While some appreciate the free-to-play elements and the potential for rewards through grinding, others feel that the system is unbalanced, favoring pay-to-win mechanics and leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, players express a desire for improvements to the stamina system and crafting processes to make grinding more enjoyable.
- “The game is super grindy, even for a mobile game.”
- “It takes an enormous amount of grinding for very little reward.”
- “Stay far away from this game, unless you enjoy spending 1 month grinding to craft 1 card.”
graphics
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
4%
The graphics of the game receive a generally positive reception, with many players praising the stunning visuals, character designs, and animations that evoke nostalgia from the original anime. However, some users express disappointment over frame rate issues, lag, and the reuse of anime clips, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics are often highlighted as a strong point, there are calls for improvements in performance and customization options to enhance gameplay.
- “Graphics were exceptional, especially for the characters and during card fights.”
- “The graphics are stunning and it brings back a lot of nostalgia.”
- “Amazing graphics and fun gameplay!”
- “Visuals are the most lacking part of the game in my opinion.”
- “Plus the graphics and characters looked like they're about to have a stroke with how bad the movement and depiction of them look. Even an indie game with about 0 budget looks better.”
- “The game lags so bad and requires an insane amount of processing power for what minuscule graphics it has. It's a card game, come on.”
stability
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been a significant concern among users, with frequent reports of freezing during loading screens, battles, and menu navigation. While some players note improvements with recent updates, many still experience persistent bugs and connection issues that disrupt gameplay, particularly in ranked matches. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable but marred by stability problems that need urgent attention.
- “The game freezes randomly during battle or when I'm browsing menus.”
- “The game freezes constantly and getting through a character fight is nearly impossible.”
- “I don't like losing points in rank just because the game freezes and kicks me out!”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
50%
26%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting significant lag, slow loading times, and frequent crashes, particularly on mobile devices. Many users suggest that the performance issues detract from the overall experience, making gameplay frustrating and unplayable at times. While some aspects of the game run smoothly, the general consensus is that substantial improvements are needed to enhance performance and reduce battery drain.
- “Good and can be better - the game itself plays fine and runs smoothly like Hearthstone or a cleaner Duel Links.”
- “Better optimization is good to keep your players playing for the long run.”
- “The rules are different from the original Vanguard, although you get used to it over time. Smooth combat gameplay; however, the menu is kind of laggy. Overall, good game; would change to 5 stars if optimized more.”
- “The game optimization, especially during PvP, is horrendous. It takes me about 20 seconds to perform the next action. By the time I'm done with the 3rd turn, I have no time left for my turns. I can't even do the 3rd attack because the time doesn't reset, and I'm stuck with 2 bars left to do everything needed. If I stride, I can't even do 2 attacks because of the animations. Seriously, fix either your performance or just fix how the time per turn works because this is unplayable.”
- “The game has horrible optimization, which causes it to lag insanely hard, even on my S10.”
- “This app is horribly optimized, drains battery life, and has massive lags.”
monetization
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
28%
50%
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism from players, who describe it as excessively focused on cash grabs and overpriced in-app purchases. Many feel that the game's mechanics and enjoyment are overshadowed by the need for microtransactions, making progression increasingly difficult without spending money. While some players appreciate the absence of ads, the overall sentiment is that the monetization practices are detrimental to the game's long-term appeal and player satisfaction.
- “For now, I'd go into far more than 500 characters but, a solid 5/5 for me as it is a little grinding but there is really no need for in-app purchases to have fun or continue.”
- “And it has no ads which makes it even better.”
- “The mechanics are all very good...but the monetization is what will drive people from continuing to play.”
- “Edit: the game is now unplayable. I've been playing since set 2, and the amount of cash grabbing this game is doing is disgusting.”
- “Before, I could build my decks and more since there were a lot of things I could get for free. It felt good spending because I knew I could get the cards with a few more rolls, but the updates are now more focused on monetization than player satisfaction.”
- “Ever since the G era, getting new decks has been impossible, and it's clear that this game has devolved into a sick cash grab.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its nostalgic quality and ability to evoke memories of the original anime, with many players finding the soundtrack both enjoyable and addictive. However, some users expressed a desire for more variety, suggesting that each character should have their own unique tracks instead of repeating the same music. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “The gameplay is smooth and the soundtrack is reminiscent of the anime, which adds to the nostalgia.”
- “The soundtrack is addictive and the storyline is still there.”
- “Epic anime background music when starting the game 10/10.”
- “However, sometimes during gameplay, I either get stuck at a loading screen, the game freezes, or the screen goes black and does not continue while the music is still playing.”
- “I would love it if every character could have their own original soundtrack instead of the same track every time.”
- “Game can't start after I click yes to some agreements... well, the music still plays but the screen stays the same... is it because my phone's rooted?”
humor
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
93%
20%
The humor in the game is described as both unintentional and situational, with players finding amusement in the game's numerous flaws, such as its economic system and technical issues. Many reviews highlight the irony of the game's mechanics and the absurdity of player complaints, leading to a mix of frustration and laughter. Overall, while the game may not be designed to be funny, players often find humor in its shortcomings and the community's reactions.
- “This game is hilariously broken economically.”
- “It's hilarious seeing people complain about having to buy or earn your cards.”
- “Reading a lot of 1 star comments and laughing so hard, for example that one dude that complained about the PG mechanic not protecting rear-guard from Knuckle Buster.”
- “It's not funny.”
- “The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
- “I expected more clever humor, but it just didn't deliver.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of nostalgia and frustration regarding the emotional aspect of the game. While some feel a deep emotional connection and excitement upon returning, others experience disappointment due to the challenges of adapting to new content and feeling stuck in outdated rankings.
- “Heartbreaking”
- “Seeing this on an ad on Facebook made me feel nostalgic, so I knew I just had to download it.”
- “I've waited years and I cried; this is amazing.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game successfully mirrors the fun and engaging vibe of the original trading card game, while also effectively capturing the essence of the anime. Players appreciate the immersive experience that reflects both the gameplay and the source material.
- “It's a bit different than the actual trading card game, but it still gives that same fun atmosphere that the trading card game provides.”
- “The makers captured exactly the atmosphere of the anime and embedded it into this game.”