I’ll tell you the truth, I have never been much into TCGs (trading card games). Was I obsessed with collecting Pokémon cards? Yes! Did I ever learn to play the game? Nope! Did I watch many of my band friends battle it out with their vast collection of Magic: The Gathering cards? Yup! Did I ever want to play? Nah.
Then Disney said, “Let’s prepare your newest obsession.” And I caved. Honestly, though, I wouldn’t have fallen down this Lorcana rabbit hole had it not been for my younger brother and my 8-year-old child. Let me explain.
My brother decided to come up to Indy from Texas to help me with my business (yay, first employee!). He has always been into board games, video games, D&D, and TCGs. My lovely husband, who used to play, got sucked into playing Magic again. They then started heading over to our local comic book shop for weekly game nights.
My oldest has an affinity for games and such a sharp mind. Naturally, she was intrigued by the games that her uncle and dad played in the afternoons and evenings. She began to understand the rules and questioned how the cards could alter the gameplay. She desperately wanted to play, but if you know anything about Magic, the rules can be intense. My daughter was 7 when she showed interest, and their recommended age is around 9 to 10.
Cue Disney Lorcana. Not only are there easily recognizable characters, but the general rules for the game are simple enough for an 8-year-old to pick up. Disney made it even easier to learn by creating a board game called Lorcana: Gateway that slowly shows you the rules to play.
While I won’t go into depth about the rules, I’ll give you some quick insight. You take on the role of an ‘illumineer’ who summons Disney characters, aka ‘glimmers,’ using ‘ink’ from the cards to quest and earn points, aka ‘lore.’ You want to gain 20 lore before your opponent, and you can stop them from earning their own points by challenging their characters, land, or actions.
After learning the basics from the Lorcana: Gateway game, we bought a few starter decks, then a couple of booster packs. Now I can proudly (and maybe a little embarrassingly) say that we have two massive boxes that store up to 500 cards each, plus several boxes that hold our curated 60-card decks. Our favorite decks include a ‘puppy deck,’ which is built around 101 Dalmatians and other dogs from various Disney movies, and a deck built around The Emperor’s New Groove.
What is even better than the game itself is the amazing and warm community that you’ll find when you venture to play with others. Many folks just want to share their knowledge with you or show off their own unique and amazing cards. While I haven’t had a chance to find more groups that have 8-year-olds playing, those groups that we have found are welcoming and kind. If you want to start looking for places to play Lorcana or build your own collection, you can’t go wrong with local comic shops around you! Think Atomic Planet Comics, Moonshot Games, Game Time, Gamer’s Loot, or you can sometimes find them at Target or Walmart!
Since its launch in 2023, there have been eight different ‘chapters’ or series. The latest was the Reign of Jafar back in May of 2025. The next chapter is set to release in September of 2025, and those of us who are obsessed cannot wait to see what the newest additions will bring to the game! One last fun fact: if you’re heading to Gen Con this summer, there are many Lorcana events planned for each day!
Have you planned Lorcana? Do you have any great cards? Please share with us!
