Last Thursday, an exciting card game event took place at Unbox Greenhills in San Juan, Metro Manila. The event was the launch party for the Parallel TCG in partnership with Yield Guild Games. The venue was bustling with players from various card games, all eager to dive into the world of Parallel TCG. Attendees enjoyed Learn to Play sessions, received freebies, and had the chance to listen to presentations from content creators and professional players. The event also featured a display of the physical Parallel cards, as well as other merchandise. The highlight of the day was a PHP 25,000 rookie tournament, capturing the interest of seasoned veterans from other card games in the crowd.

The VRSUS team was present to provide coverage of the event and explore the intricacies of this space-themed card game. Concurrently, there has been a resurgence in physical trading card games in recent years, with the introduction of captivating new titles such as Flesh and Blood, Grand Archive, and Sorcery. On the other hand, the popularity of digital card games appears to be waning, making it refreshing to witness the emergence of new and promising titles in the genre.

Parallel TCG takes a unique approach by offering the best of both worlds. They sell physical card packs that contain codes that can be redeemed for virtual packs in the online game. The physical cards are designed to be collectible items, and each card has a QR code that can be scanned to access the card database and view its abilities. While it’s possible to assemble a playable deck using these physical cards and engage in real-life gameplay, the initial challenge lies in scanning each card to familiarize oneself with its abilities.

The event kicked off with registration, and each participant received a surprise gift upon arrival. While I only received a standard card, Jigs managed to snag a pack and even pulled a Legendary card!

In between sessions, I had the chance to chat with some of the attendees to learn about their motivations for attending. Many were driven by curiosity, particularly about the gameplay. They hailed from diverse backgrounds, transitioning from physical trading card games such as Flesh and Blood or Magic: The Gathering. In contrast, others had experience in digital card games like Hearthstone or Legends of Runeterra. Like me, they eagerly anticipated the rookie tournament and its substantial prize pool, especially after discovering that their skills from other card games could be applied to Parallel.

After most attendees have checked in and taken their seats, ExcelsorPH, the esports and talent manager at YGG, delivers a thorough briefing on the game and its rules. The presentation covers a wide range of details, and as a newcomer to the game, I’ll provide you with a summary based on my initial understanding.

Parallel is a digital card game that you play on a computer. While the physical cards are collectibles, they also come with codes that give you in-game packs. If you have experience playing card games, you’ll find the mechanics familiar, such as cards having effects when they enter or leave the field, units with power and toughness, and keeping track of life totals. If you’re new to card games, don’t worry – you’ll likely pick up Parallel’s fundamentals after a few games.

You can also check out our explainer reel on Facebook HERE.

The game features multiple factions, each with a unique set of leaders that shape the overall strategy and playstyle of the deck. Here’s a breakdown of the different strategies associated with each faction based on the starter decks I’ve seen: Augencore focuses on enhancing units to make them exceptionally strong. Kathari overwhelms opponents with hordes of small attackers. Earthen specializes in summoning large, resilient units that excel at defense. Shroud deals with threats by banishing units completely. Marcolian embraces aggression and direct damage.

In the game, the main objective is to reduce your opponent’s health from 30 to 0 by strategically using the units and spells available in your deck. To play these cards, Parallel utilizes a resource system known as “Banking,” which allows you to convert a card into a resource once per turn. Over time, these resources accumulate, enabling you to play more powerful and costly cards as the game progresses.

After ExcelsorPH’s presentation, Disi, the captain of YGG’s esports team, took the stage to provide insights into the competitive world of Parallel TCG. He shared his experiences as an esports professional and eagerly answered questions about the life of a pro gamer in the game. You can check out our detailed interview with him HERE for a more in-depth look.

The key topics revolved around rankings and tournaments. The upcoming launch party is designed to generate excitement for the $100,000 tournament set for November as part of the YGG Play Summit. In October, two qualifying events will be held, offering competitive Parallel pros the opportunity to secure a spot in the major tournament. In addition to these events, players will dedicate significant time to climbing the ranks, creating powerful decks, and engaging in extensive practice sessions – all essential activities for avid trading card game enthusiasts.

Finally, we come to the highlight of the launch party. In this rookie tournament, sixteen players competed in a quick, single-elimination tournament using starter decks from each of Parallel TCG’s five factions. Jigs and I represented VRSUS in the game, with Jigs finishing in the Top 8 and me ending up in the Top 4. The current National Champion of Flesh and Blood TCG, Justin Cu, took 2nd place, and DiamondCruiser emerged as the winner.

Overall, the launch party was incredibly enjoyable, and Parallel TCG proved to be an intriguing game. We plan to delve deeper into it in a future article, including its NFT components. But for now, if you’re a fan of sci-fi-themed card games, you can try out Parallel for free and see if you like it by downloading it from the Epic Games Store or visiting their website directly.

Check out our article below about Parallel’s $100,000 tournament this November!

How To Join The $100,000 Parallel TCG Tournament At The YGG Play Summit – VRSUS