This new Disney Lorcana starter set reminds me of Pokemon in the best way

Disney Lorcana has unveiled a more accessible, two-player starter set that promises to "ease new players into the game and [trading card game] space" in general.

Dubbed 'Disney Lorcana TCG Gateway' and set to launch this August, it takes a leaf from the competition's book with a design reminiscent of Pokemon Battle Academy (a two-player board game which walks you through the basics one step at a time). Namely, it features a dedicated board with character standees, rules, player guides, two premade decks, and bonus cards that the press release says players "will be rewarded [with] to add to their decks as they learn about the card types and gameplay." 

Once they've completed Gateway's challenges, players will then "have built two standard Disney Lorcana TCG decks they can take and play with friends."

While this feels very similar to Battle Academy, that's no bad thing. The latter is arguably your easiest route into one of the best card games, and even though Disney Lorcana starter decks are plenty accessible already, this sounds like it'll drip-feed the rules so newcomers aren't overwhelmed. 

Being taught how to create your own decks is also a handy feature. While you'll find guidance on how to do that yourself, having the process broken down (with what I assume will be step-by-step advice on what to do) should keep things easy and breezy.

Speaking of, Disney Lorcana hasn't kept us waiting – its 2024 lineup has been revealed at the same time, with four new expansions per year.

Disney Lorcana Gateway will hit shelves on August 9, 2024. It'll retail for $24.99 USD and $29.99 CAD. There isn't any word on how much you'll pay in the UK, but I'll update this story as soon as I find out.

For recommendations on what to play next, don't miss the best board games or these essential board games for adults .