Parents' Guide to Slay the Spire

The big risk that comes with mixing different tastes together is that you're just as likely to wind up with a complete mess as you are to have the next big thing. Thankfully, Slay the Spire, a unique hybrid of a rogue-like dungeon crawler and a collectible card game, is the most successful blending of flavors since chocolate and peanut butter. The game leans much more heavily into its card game elements, which is a perfect fit for the turn-based battles. While the early part of the game is little more than a constant mix of basic strikes and blocks, it's not long before new cards added to the deck open up a slew of unique opportunities for devastating combos. And while there's a certain element of chance involved, successfully progressing higher up the Spire requires a level of strategy and forethought that makes victory feel like a true accomplishment rather than just the luck of the draw.

While the adventure elements in Slay the Spire aren't quite as much of a focus as the card gaming, they do add enough twists and quirks to the gameplay to keep things interesting. Potions, items, and artifacts feel right at home here. And when you run into a chance event, you might need to thing long and hard before deciding if that strength boost is worth losing half your max HP. Choose wisely and you can make it to new heights in the Spire. Choose poorly and you're back on the ground floor starting fresh. Of course, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as the game is procedurally generated, meaning each adventure is a brand-new course than the one before, which will keep you coming back for more exploration and more treasure. It's that engaging gameplay that makes Slay the Spire a game that's packs in loads of fun and is a must have for card game fans.