In the early 2000’s, a card game and video game called Magi-Nation hit the scene. While it may not have hit the same heights as competing card games like Magic: The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh, it had a dedicated fanbase that made it one of the highest active TCGs for its time, and released several sets before shutting down.
Now, the card game is returning to print its unreleased set, “Traitor’s Reach,” in a new Kickstarter campaign.
A Brief Overview of Magi-Nation
The Magi-Nation series is set in a world called the Moonlands, where spellcasters called Magi summon Dream Creatures to do battle. The Moonlands is divided into several regions, each with their own unique playstyle and environment, including the Core, where the Shadow Magi plot their dark machinations.
As the Magi-Nation storyline developed, so did the cards. Players could read narrative chapters on the Magi-Nation website that introduced new characters, built new threats, and developed the world, and new cards were released to reflect the story developments.
When the game reached its early end, the forest region of Naroom was just freed from the Shadow Magi that conquered it, but said Shadow Magi had escaped to the mountains of Kybar’s Teeth to prepare a new counter. At the same time, a strange invader from beyond the Moonlands arrived, setting up a storyline that would never see its completion. The “Traitor’s Reach” set was designed to follow up on the battle for Naroom, while developing the stories in the other regions, such as the growing conflict between the aquatic region of Orothe and the fiery Cald.
Along with the card game, there was a video game for the Game Boy Color, as well as an animated series from Cookie Jar entertainment (which received mixed reviews from the fan base). Both the game and show featured a protagonist named Tony Jones, who’s pulled from our world into the Moonlands (although that is about all the two had in common).
The Kickstarter
This new Kickstarter campaign is made through a partnership with 2I LLC (the original creators of Magi-Nation) and Arcanist’s Armory. The goal is to print the unreleased “Traitor’s Reach” set in a series of pre-constructed decks, one for each region. It also includes new promo cards, featuring artwork from new and returning artists.
Each region will be unlocked at different goals, starting with the initial funding at $10,000, with a new region unlocking every $5,000. With 13 regions in all, the campaign will unlock every region when it hits $70,000. Backers themselves will want to choose whether they pledge for the full amount upfront or if they want to increase their pledges as more regions are unlocked.
All backers will also receive a six-sided die with the image of a Weebo (a mushroom-like Dream Creature) printed on it, and a special promo called “Tony, Returned.” This new promo card features Tony Jones returning to the Moonlands after 20 years.
The Kickstarter has already reached its initial goal of $10,000, and as of this writing has cleared the $50,000 mark, putting it at nine regions so far.
The campaign also includes several add-ons, including foil cards, pins, dice, promotional reprints of older cards with new artwork, posters, playmats, and more. Stretch goals include additional foil cards, art giveaways, and a Magi-Nation TTRPG. At its highest stretch goal, the team will research ways to bring the Magi-Nation video game back to virtual consoles. At the highest tiers, backers can design their own cards or dice.
The Kickstarter campaign will run until March 31st. You can check it out and back it for yourself on Kickstarter here.
