Shadow Era
By Erin Bell,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Compelling online collectible card game has unusual twists.
Add rating
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this game.
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Shadow Era
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What’s It About?
SHADOW ERA's bare bones fantasy story plays second fiddle to its gameplay, which is a variation on other popular card games like Magic: The Gathering with a few intriguing twists. Foremost is the ability to "sacrifice" unwanted cards and turn them into resources that increase the number of cards you can play per turn. Opponents take turns placing or discarding cards from their decks and attacking until the health of one player's Hero card is reduced to zero. Some cards attack while others grant support bonuses, and the types of cards a player is allowed to carry depends on the class and race of the Hero card that is selected at the beginning of the game. (Additional hero cards and starter packs of cards can be purchased separately.)
Is It Any Good?
Shadow Era is a compelling and well-balanced card game that will appeal to gamers who enjoy collectible card games and the strategy they involve. The game is cross-platform, meaning players can access their deck from any supported device, and play against opponents on different devices -- the only catch being that said device must be connected to the Internet. Shadow Era could use better in-game tutorials instead of driving players to online help files to learn the game's nuances, but overall it's fairly easy to pick up and play.
It's quite possible to enjoy the game without spending real-world money, and players can still build a respectable deck by spending the in-game coins instead of the premium currency. However, earning coins is a much, much slower process that will require a very hefty time investment that not all players might be willing to make.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how collectible card games encourage players to keep paying to build the strongest deck. Is it fair that the person who spends the most money can be the most successful player? Is this a form of marketing to kids?
Families can also talk about the advantages and disadvantages of digital card games vs. physical card game that use real cards. Which do you prefer?
Game Details
- Platforms: Mac , Windows
- Pricing structure: Free
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Wulven Game Studios
- Release date: February 24, 2011
- Genre: Strategy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy
- ESRB rating: NR
- Last updated: August 29, 2016
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Play
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate