10 Card Games Like Hearthstone You Should Try in 2026
By Arlo on Jan 8th, 2026, 04:25
Love the game Hearthstone, but want a refreshing or different style of card-game combat? Don’t you worry, cause you’re in luck! Over the past few years, the genre of card-game collecting has exploded, giving players more opportunities than ever to experiment with new card sets, explore synergy, and express their creativity.
Many of these games introduce new deck builders, a one-of-a-kind combat system that sets them apart from Blizzard’s legendary CCG. From roguelike card crawlers to arena battle, this list shows 10 games like Hearthstone that have a great mix of quick-thinking, synergy building, and outsmarting your opponent, while still giving you something refreshing to enjoy and learn.
If there’s a game that goes head-to-head with Hearthstone, it’s Legends of Runeterra.
Made by Riot Games, it combines tactical combat with incredibly good visuals and characters from League of Legends. The game’s reactive gameplay, in which both players can respond during the same turn, adds a refreshing layer of depth.
Runeterra is also one of the most generous free-to-play card games, making it easily playable for newer players to build decks without spending real money.
Last but not least, its diverse regions, champions, mechanics, and constant updates to balance out the game reward players who enjoy experimenting with new decks.
Marvel Snap became a hit because of its fast matches, clever lane-based systems, and massive selection of Marvel’s heroes and villains
Unlike other CCGs, Marvel Snap gives emphasis on short and high-impact decisions. The focus on RNG, bluffing, and many twists makes the game more thrilling and exciting to play.
If you love card games that are more dynamic than turn-based combat, you should try to play this one. Its deck-building mechanics, free-to-play model, and consistent updates make it perfect for players craving games that reward creativity without overwhelming newbies.
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is one of the most popular card games globally, and it remains a good alternative for those who love Hearthstone’s strategy, synergy, and gameplay. While it started a couple of decades ago, Pokémon TCG introduced streamlined mechanics, improved visuals, and a user-friendly experience for new players.
At its core, Pokémon TCG needs planning, resource management with its energy, and making decks around the unique abilities of your Pokémons. This creates new experiences for new players to enjoy.
First introduced in The Witcher games, Gwent evolved into a full competitive card game. Instead of health points, the winner is determined across multiple rounds by achieving the highest total score.
Because bluffing and resource management is more important than focusing on raw power, Gwent feels more like a mental fight than a simple card battle. Fans of slow-burn strategy will most definitely love this game.
As the grandfather figure of modern card games, Magic: The Gathering gives out unmatched depth. MTG Arena brings that experience to PC and mobile with better visuals, constant expansions, and a beginner-friendly experience.
The mana system, color identities, and layer-based rules create a level of complexity far greater than Hearthstone, but mastering it is extremely rewarding. If you want a long-term experience with massive deck-building options, Arena is for you.
If you’re into anime-like art with deep strategy, then Shadowverse is calling you. This game is good because of its unique mechanic called “evolve.” It lets players power up their characters mid-fight.
Compared to Hearthstone, this game offers more combos, card drawing, and more explosive and fun gameplay. Beyond PvP, its single player campaign is also goated, making it suitable for players who crave a card game with good campaign and lore in addition to its competitive play.
Many players describe Eternal as a mix between Hearthstone’s accessibility and MTG’s complexity. Its combat and keyword system feel really familiar, but it adds new tactical strategies, such as instant-speed spells during our opponent’s turn. Eternal’s draft mode is especially beloved, offering replayability for players who love deck-building games.
This CCG is not like the others. Not being a traditional Trading Card Game, but Slay the Spire deserves a spot in this list for its good mix of deck-building and rogue-like gameplay. Each attempt gives out hard challenges for you to make a good and powerful set of cards while battling enemies, collecting relics, and making tough choices along the way. The result of this mix is a highly strategic game, with endless replayability that quenches the thirst you feel with Hearthstone’s dungeon runs.
Fans of the classic hit anime Yu-Gi-Oh! will appreciate this game. Master Duel, which brings fast combos, massive card storage, and dramatic power plays, has been converted into the modern era.
Slightly different than Hearthstone, Yu-Gi-Oh! Shows long combo chains and high-skill sequencing of attacks that reward players with accurate planning. It’s a more complex experience, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll for sure enjoy it.
Master Duel also offers both single-player modes for learning the game and a competitive mode for games where you can test your decks against real players. Its varied formats, ranked leaderboard, and evolving metas ensure deeper levels of strategy for both casual and competitive players.
With full cross-platform play, you can battle other people across PC, consoles, and mobile. As an F2P title, it gives generous rewards that make building decks accessible, even for newbies.
Mixing real-time co-op with tower defense and deck construction, Clash Royale offers something completely different while still delivering the thrill of card-driven strategy. Instead of taking turns, both players deploy troops simultaneously, making quick decisions just as crucial as deck planning. Its simple controls, mobile-first design, and constant updates keep the game fresh and accessible.
