''Shadowverse'' is a
digital collectible card game
A digital collectible card game (DCCG) or online collectible card game (OCCG) is a computer or video game that emulates collectible card games (CCG) and is typically played online or occasionally as a standalone video game. Many DCCGs are types ...
developed and published by
Cygames
is a Japanese video game development studio established in 2011 by CyberAgent. Mobile and E-commerce company DeNA acquired a 24% stake in the studio in 2012, and Nintendo acquired another 5% stake in 2018, leaving CyberAgent with 69% of the shar ...
. It was released
free-to-play
Free-to-play (F2P or FtP) video games are games that give players access to a significant portion of their content without paying or do not require paying to continue playing. Free-to-play is distinct from traditional commercial software, which ...
for
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...
and
Android devices in June 2016.
[ ]macOS
macOS (; previously OS X and originally Mac OS X) is a Unix operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac computers. Within the market of desktop and lapt ...
and Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
versions were released in October 2016.[
''Shadowverse'' employs an ]anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
art style with some illustrations reused from the developer's previous title, ''Rage of Bahamut
is a digital collectible card battle game developed by Cygames and published by DeNA. It was a social card game released on Mobage's mobile game network, in Japan in 2011 and worldwide in 2012.
The game exceeded three million players outsid ...
'',[ an earlier digital collectible card game released in 2012. The game has been compared favorably with '' Hearthstone'' (2014), a difference being that Cygames sought to minimize the impact of randomness on match outcomes. Another difference is ''Shadowverse''s "Evolve" ]game mechanic
In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-sha ...
which allows players to grant played cards bonus stats and effects at the cost of an evolution point.[
An ]anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
television series adaptation by Zexcs
is a Japanese animation studio located in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. It was established on January 23, 1998 by former J.C.Staff producer Tomoko Kawasaki and is known for doing the animation production of series such as ''Sister Princess'' and ''Diab ...
aired from April 2020 to March 2021. A second anime series titled ''Shadowverse Flame'' has been announced. An RPG card game based on the anime, ''Shadowverse: Champion's Battle'' was released on the Nintendo Switch in Japan in November 2020. The game was released overseas on August 10, 2021.
Gameplay
''Shadowverse'' matches are structured between two players taking turns playing cards from their deck. Each player is represented by a Leader with 20 defense and a starting hand of three cards. The player going first has two evolution points, and the player going second has three evolution points, can evolve one turn earlier, and draws an extra card at the player's first turn. The objective of the player is to reduce the other player's defense to zero or attain a win via certain cards (e.g. ''Enstatued Seraph'' or a ''Victory Card'' by playing ''Spartacus''). Each player utilizes the ''Play Point'' resource to play cards. Both players begin at having zero play point orbs, and gain one play point orb at the beginning of the respective player's turn, up to a limit of 10. Play Point orbs are refilled at the beginning of each player's turn.
Development
New sets are added to ''Shadowverse'' at a regular interval of three months. The game launched with an initial set of ''Basic'' cards that were automatically added to new accounts or earned through the story mode, and the ''Standard'' set (now called ''Classic'') obtained from card packs. Additionally, a number of promotional cards have been released, which were obtainable through varying methods. These cards are cosmetic replacements for existing cards; they do not have a unique gameplay function. Once every three months, one card set will be out of rotation due to the arrival of a new card set.
Starting from the ''Dawnbreak, Nightedge'' expansion, Cygames has been releasing additional mini-expansions in between each normal expansion release; these mini-expansions contain a new gold card for all eight classes and a new legendary card for all classes with the exception of Neutral. Once a mini-expansion releases, the cards from that mini-expansion are available to open in the packs of the most recent set that came before them. Just like any other cards from the regular expansions, the mini-expansion cards can also be crafted with vials.
Anime
''Shadowverse'' had an anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
television series adaptation. The series is animated by Zexcs
is a Japanese animation studio located in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. It was established on January 23, 1998 by former J.C.Staff producer Tomoko Kawasaki and is known for doing the animation production of series such as ''Sister Princess'' and ''Diab ...
and directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi
is a Japanese animator and director born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa. He got his start at Ashi Productions and has worked as a key animator and animation director, as well as episode director for many projects. In recent years, he has worked as a sound ...
, with Rintaro Isaki and Deko Akao
is a Japanese singer and screenwriter. She has released 17 singles and 11 albums since her debut in 1994. Several of her songs have been used as openings and endings of anime and Audio drama in Japan, radio dramas. She has also written the scree ...
handling series composition, Hiroki Harada designing the characters, and Yoshihiro Ike
is a Japanese composer, music arranger, and bassist. He is best known for scoring and composing music for film, TV dramas, anime and video games. He has worked on more than 100 titles in the last 20 years. His most recognized composing works ...
composing the series' music. The series ran for 48 episodes and aired from April 7, 2020 to March 23, 2021 on TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as and known colloquially as , is a television station headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the subsidiary of listed certifie ...
.
A second anime series, titled ''Shadowverse Flame'' has been released. The main staff members are returning to reprise their roles.
Reception
According to Super Data in its 2017 report, ''Shadowverse'' earned over 100 million in revenue by 2017.[
]
References
External links
*
{{Cygames
2016 video games
Android (operating system) games
Cygames franchises
Digital collectible card games
Free-to-play video games
IOS games
MacOS games
Video games developed in Japan
Video games with cross-platform play
Windows games
Nintendo Switch games