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| Black Lotus; the most famous and expensive Magic card |
Today is Magic's birthday. On 5 August 1993, Alpha was released and the collectible card genre was born. This post focuses on the gifts Magic has given to me over the years. In no particular order:
- Fun. This game is a blast. I've played thousands of games over the years, and it never gets old. The ever-increasing and -shifting cardpool makes this a continually new (yet always familiar) experience, and can result in hilarious card interactions or game situations. I love that.
- Facilitating friendship. Games are a great way to meet and pass the time with others, leading to new or deeper friendships. As I mention on the reflections page, this game has stayed with me and led to new relationships over decades and continents.
- Creativity and exploration. As of today, there are over 32,000 unique Magic cards. This leads to functionally infinite permutations (and hence decks). Exploring the possibilities in this game gets the creative juices going. There's always something new to check out, and there are always new approaches to investigate.
- Education. This is an odd one, perhaps, but Magic has encouraged my children (and others') to develop their reading, math, and analytical skills. It can increase your vocabulary and appreciation/understanding of grammar (precise wording matters greatly for tight rules). Certain sets can even expose you to other cultures (through fantasy eyes).
- Beauty. The art, card frames, and even mechanics in the game can be a thing of wonder, well worth enjoying in and of themselves.
- Challenge. With so many card options, Magic offers challenge in two arenas: building your deck and executing its strategy. Competing is a great way to grow and spur each other on to improvement.
- Surprise. I'm still a sucker for opening packs. The 'blind buy' aspect of this game is amazing (and addicting). And with so many deck options, you never know what you might encounter in a given game, leading to constant surprises (not always pleasant) there, too.
Happy birthday, Magic.
