Gamegenic has an interesting history of improving existing trading card game accessory designs. For example, their Bastion 100+ XL can be considered an upgrade from Ultimate Guard’s Boulder series in terms of design, capacity, and ease of use. Their unique foam card dividers are adjustable to fit any deck box space snugly. Their Convertible system features removable magnetic covers that address the issue of deck box covers taking up space on the table when open. It also allows users to switch designs and mix and match colors. This tradition of continuously innovating carries over to their new deck box, the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL.

It’s exciting when a company launches a new product that appears to improve upon its current lineup. The Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL brings several updates to their Squire series – Gamegenic’s offering in the premium, vertical-loading (which is just a fancy term for putting in your cards standing upright instead of horizontally) deck box category.

The Gamegenic Squire PLUS 100+ XL Convertible is designed with Magic: the Gathering players who enjoy playing the Commander format in mind, as well as fans of other card games like Flesh and Blood and Grand Archive, where the decks are built around central Hero-esque characters.

Its standout feature is a plastic case holder on the front, allowing you to prominently display your Hero or Commander card (or your favorite BINI member) using the included Sliding Card Case. Additionally, it can hold over 100 double-sleeved cards, making it a versatile, unique, and spacious deck box.

The Gamegenic Squire PLUS 100+ XL also replaced the previous fabric-like Nexofyber material used in previous models of the Squire, with a more rugged and durable material called Armorfyber.

Sounds good so far? Let’s get to why this deck box is great.

The main reason for getting this deck box is its concept – being able to display your Hero or Commander in front. It’s hard to find readily available deck boxes that do the same, and it’s nice to imagine having a collection of these deck boxes, each one uniquely representing one of your decks, neatly stacked on your shelf.

This setup also solves the problem of not knowing which deck is stored in each box, even for games without a Commander or Hero to display. You can simply include an additional card (or note) to help you remember. So, there is no need to repeatedly flip covers, buy transparent deck boxes, or label them with stickers and markers.

The microfiber lining inside the Gamegenic Squire PLUS 100+ XL is nice and smooth and allows cards to slide in and out of the deck box effortlessly without being damaged. The magnetic cover is also lined with the same material.

A small but nice detail about the cover is that it has an extra joint, which allows you to clamp it to the bottom of the deck box in interesting ways, such as a slightly tilted position. It’s just a small thing, but it does make it look stylish.

I have always been impressed by the Convertible system. It’s so convenient to have a deck box that doesn’t take up unnecessary space on the table, especially when playing in crowded tournaments or smaller gaming areas. Additionally, being able to mix and match the covers is another incentive to buy multiple colors.

The magnets are great. They are strong enough to keep everything secure, yet not so strong that they are difficult to open. The cover stays in place without being too loose and risking falling off.

Also, the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL can accommodate the extra headspace of Dragon Shield sleeves without issues.

Plus, the sliding plastic case is free and protects the card from UV rays that may affect the card print over time.

Finally, let’s talk about the capacity of the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL. According to the specifications, it can hold 100 double-sleeved cards comfortably. The photo below shows my 80-card FaB TCG Kayo deck with Katana sleeves and Katana inner sleeves fitting easily and with much space to spare.

Next, I added some tokens and extra cards to reach 100 cards, and there was still room for a few more – around five more cards or so.

Keep in mind that if you use thicker “Hard” sleeves from other brands like KMC, the space might not be sufficient for a full 100 cards. I believe that Gamegenic Prime Sleeves, combined with their thicker sleeves, will result in an exact, tight fit as their standard sleeves are slightly thinner.

All those great features combined with a nice concept seem to result in a perfect deck box. However, there are several important things to consider when buying the deck box to see if it truly fits your needs.

Let’s start with its biggest flaw – Outer Sleeves don’t fit inside the deck box. This is quite a big deal because we live at a time when there are many great outer sleeve options, such as Dragon Shield’s new Outer Sleeve series or the classic KMC Outer Sleeves. The funny thing is that a couple more centimeters and the outer sleeves would have adequately fit, and everyone would have been happy. You can try forcing the cards in at the risk of damaging the outer sleeves and cards, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Or you can insert them the other way, where they’ll fit, but this time with a lot of extra, unused space. Plus, you significantly reduce the deck box’s total capacity in this orientation.

The rubber lining that fits the sliding plastic case is cut roughly and doesn’t appear flattering, which affects its overall premium design. It is also designed to favor Gamegenic’s Sliding Plastic Case, which is not really much of a con since those cases are nice.

While the common plastic case from other brands may fit, it’s very tight and impractical for frequent use, particularly if you need to remove and replace your Hero or Commander for display repeatedly. Other plastic cases, like the popular thin Japanese ones from TCG Protect, won’t fit at all, even inside the deck box.

The copy I received has some visible glue residue on one part. This issue may have occurred during manufacturing, but it detracts from the deck box’s premium quality look. I hope this was an isolated issue with my specific copy and not a widespread one.

I have to admit, I’m not entirely sold on Armorfyber. It’s not that I question its durability; it’s just that it seems too similar to Ultimate Guard’s Xenoskin. I believe Gamegenic already had something unique and special with their Nexofyber, which I think is better in terms of look and feel. Nevertheless, I understand the appeal of adding a rugged, tough-looking option to the lineup, so if this appeals to you, then great!

So, what’s the verdict?

If you’re playing a TCG with a Hero or Commander (or wanna display one of your cards for some reason), are not using any outer sleeves at all, and like loading your cards vertically, then the Squire Plus should probably be at the forefront of your deck box options. While I do have some criticism about its overall polish, it’s still a nice, sturdy, and unique deck box that’s sure to turn heads on the gaming table.

For those that want a more horizontal-loading deck box, then the Sidekick 100+ XL might be more up your alley, or you can go all the way and get the Sidekick 100+ XL PRO for the additional dice tray.

A couple of centimeters would have helped the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL become a more attractive buy because it would have opened it to a whole new market of players who favor using outer sleeves and thin Japanese cases. In today’s TCG accessory market, universal compatibility is important because most players don’t settle into a brand’s ecosystem – they buy what looks cool and interesting while working their way around its peculiarities.

Gamegenic might have a different opinion on this, as they already have a robust ecosystem for their deck boxes and deck cases, and it seems to be working well for them. I’m no stranger to this, as I myself own and have experienced the organizational wonders that a Dungeon S 550+ and five Bastion 100+ XLs can do, and I think it’s pretty cool how they all fit together nicely.

By itself, the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL is almost perfect if you don’t mind working around its quirks, and I can’t wait to see what Gamegenic’s next iteration of the Squire series will be like.

Thank you very much to Ludus Distributors for providing us a copy of the Gamegenic Squire Plus 100+ XL, and if you’re from Team Inner Sleeves (or a filthy single-sleeve degenerate like yours truly) and are interested in the deck box, they’re readily available at any Neutral Grounds branch, or their online store.

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