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Union Arena

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Union Arena is a card game that is a trading card game created and published by BANDAI. The game is about playing your favorite character from Anime or Video game that share one set rule with every series. It was first release on 24 March 2023 Feature with Code Geass: Rebellion of Lelouch, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Hunter X Hunter. Union Arena now has 30 titles and will continue to release more in future.

History

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Union Arena was developed by BANDAI, a company with a long history in the trading card game industry. The game was conceived as a unique cross-franchise platform that would allow fans to play with characters from various popular anime and video game series within a single, unified game system.[1]

Development and Launch

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While the specific development timeline is not publicly known, the game was likely in development for several years before its release, given the complexity of its mechanics and the need to negotiate licensing agreements with multiple intellectual property holders.

Union Arena was officially launched on March 24, 2023.[1] The initial release featured three major franchises:

  1. Code Geass: Rebellion of Lelouch
  2. Jujutsu Kaisen
  3. Hunter X Hunter

This diverse selection of series from different genres and eras of anime helped to showcase the game's potential for cross-franchise appeal right from the start.

Rapid Expansion

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Following its successful launch, Union Arena embarked on an ambitious expansion plan. New sets were released regularly, often monthly, each introducing new franchises to the game. Some notable additions in the months following the launch included:

This rapid expansion continued throughout 2023 and into 2024, with the game reaching 30 different franchises by early 2024, just about a year after its initial release.

Game Overview[2]

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Union Arena is a trading card game in which players build decks using characters and elements from various popular series. Players engage in strategic battles, aiming to reduce their opponent's life points to zero to achieve victory.

Card explanation[3]

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There are 4 types of cards in this game: Character, Field, Event, and action point. Every card has shared some detail between cards

Required Energy: How much Energy does the player need to have at least to play this card

Required Action point: How many action cards need to be rested to play this card

Card name: Indicated name of the card.

Trait: Some cards may not have the trait

Series: Indicated series of this card. In one deck there can be only one series

Card type: Indicated type of the card

Effect: Ability of the card

Trigger: Effect that activates when this card is revealed on the damage zone

Card number: Indicate the number of this card in the card set. There can be only 4 cards with the same number in each deck

Rarity: Indicated rarity of the card

And there are some different between each type of cards

Character Cards

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These cards are used for attack or block. Once it plays on the field it will be in rest mode (Horizontal) Can be played on the Front Line or Energy Line and can be moved between these lines when in the move phase

Activation energy: Indicated how much Energy this card generates when it is in the energy line

Battle point: Indicate how many battles points this card has. If BP is reduced to 0 characters will be sent to the outside area immediately. The + and - signs indicated that this card could gain or decrease BP by itself effect

Field Cards

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These cards can be played on the Energy Line And will be in Rest Mode (Horizontal) and

cannot be moved to the Front Line

Required Energy: How much Energy does a player need to have at least to play this card Required Action point: How many actions card need to be rested to play this card

Event Cards

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These cards can be used to activate their effect in the cards once it's used it will be sent to Outside Area

Action Point Cards

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These cards are used to pay action points every time you play any card

To pay Action points switch Action Point Cards in Active mode (Vertical) to Rest Mode (Horizontal). Maximum of Action Point cards a player can have been 3.

Decks Build[4]

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There are some requirements to build a deck in this game

  • Decks must contain 50 Cards
  • Decks must contain only cards that have the same series code
  • Decks can only contain up to 4 copies of the same cards
  • Only up to 4 cards that have Color Trigger, Final Trigger, Special Trigger

Field

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Union Arena Official Play sheet

Frontline: Character Card play here up to 4 cards Frontline is used for battle (Field Cards Cannot play here)

Energy Line: Character Cards and Field cards can be played here. Energy will be generated on this line

Life Area: Cards that are placed here will be treated as Life points. At the start place 7 cards face down here

Action Point Area: Action Point cards are placed here

Deck: Your Deck places here

Outside Area: Cards that have been removed or Event cards that have been played will be placed face-up here

Remove Area: Cards that are removed from the game will be place card face up here

How to play[2]

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The game starts by determining which player will go first. This can be done by any method that both players agree on such as Rock Paper Scissor, Dice roll, etc.

Setup

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Start by shuffling your deck then draw 7 cards. After that player can choose to keep this hand or replace their hand by placing all of it to the bottom of the deck and drawing another 7 cards, this can only be done once per game. If players choose to keep their first hand. Place the top 7 cards from your deck to the life area face down. But if they choose to replace their hand shuffle the deck then Place the top 7 cards from your deck to the life area face down.

The game will progress turn by turn swap between each player. In one turn there are Start Phase, Move Phase, Main Phase, Attack Phase, End Phase.

Start Phase

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Gain 1 action point card, if player is going second in this game, they will gain 2 action point instead of 1 for their first Start Phase but they can’t gain another action point until first player have 3 action point cards. Draw 1 card, Players who go first can’t draw a card if it is their first Start Phase of the game. Set every card on your board to an active position.

Move Phase

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During this phase players can choose a character card from their energy line and move it to the front line. Or choose a character with Step in their card effect from the front line and move it back to the energy line.

Main Phase

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During this phase the player may play the card from your hand or use the activate in main phase effect on board.

Attack Phase

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During this phase player can perform an attack by choosing the character card at the front line and rest it. The other player can choose a unit on their front line and rest it to perform a block or let the attack hit.

If the other player chooses to block, Compare the Battle Point of the attack character and block character. If the attack character have BP Higher or equal to block character, Send the block character to outside area and take no damage from that attack.

If the other player chooses to let the attack hit, Attack player choose 1 card from the life area and reveal it, if that card have a trigger perform it effect then send it to life area.

End Phase

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During this phase set all cards on both lines that are in rest mode to active mode then pass your turn to another player.

Keyword

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Keyword Explanation
Raid You may play this card by place it above the card with the same name as the requirement and set this card to active. Then you may move this card to front line
Step During Move phase you may move this card back to energy line
X Impact When this card won the battle with an enemy character, Deal X damage to the opponent's life. (X is the number written in the card)
Impact Cancel When this unit block the attack of the enemy character with the Impact keyword, the Impact keyword will not be active during this battle.
X Damage When this card attack hits the enemy, Deal X damages instead of 1 damage. (X is the number written in the card)
Double Attack When this unit attacks for the first time this turn, set this unit active.
Double Block When this unit blocks for the first time this turn, set this unit active.
Snipe When this character attacks, you may target the opponent's character in the front line and attack it. If you do, your opponent can’t block that attack.

Trigger

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Trigger name Effect
Get Add this card to your hand
Draw Draw 1 card from your deck
Active Choose a character on your field, Give it +3000 BP and set it to active.
Raid Add this card to your hand. If you have enough energy and the requirement card on your field, you may perform raids instead.
Final If this card is the last card in your life area, Place 1 card from your top deck face down in the life area.
Special Choose 1 Character in the opponent 's frontline, Send it to the outside area.

Color Trigger

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Color Effect
Red Choose 1 Character in the opponent's frontline with 2500 BP or less, Send it to the outside area.
Blue Choose 1 Character in the opponent's frontline with 3500 BP or less, return it to their hand.
Yellow Choose 1 Character in the opponent's frontline, Set it to rest and it can’t be active for 1 time.
Green Choose 1 character with 2 energy requirements or lower with 1 action point cost in your hand. play it in active at any line.
Purple Choose 1 character with 2 energy requirements or lower with 1 action point cost in your outside area. play it in active at the frontline.

Competitive Event[5]

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Union Arena has a thriving competitive scene with several official tournament events organized by BANDAI:

  • UNION RARE STRUGGLE BATTLE: A regular tournament series where players compete to win exclusive "Union Rare" cards as prizes.
  • UNION ARENA -ONE BATTLE CUP-: A single-elimination tournament format where players battle head-to-head for cash and card prizes.
  • UNI-TICKET GET BATTLE: Events that award entry tickets to the flagship UNION ARENA -CHAMPIONSHIP- tournament.
  • SPECIAL MEETUP EVENT: Localized tournaments and gatherings organized by retailers and community groups.

There is event that need to compete as a team UNION ARENA 3on3

Each team has 3 players

Each player uses a 50-card deck from any franchise series they choose

However, one player on the team must use a deck from the franchise series selected for that event

The other 2 players can use any other franchise series they want

The pinnacle of Union Arena's competitive calendar is the UNION ARENA -CHAMPIONSHIP-, a large-scale national or regional tournament. Winners of this event receive the highest-value prizes, including limited edition cards, playmats, and cash awards.

BANDAI also hosts the BANDAI CARD GAMES Fest, a major festival that features tournaments and exhibitions for multiple BANDAI trading card games, including Union Arena.

These competitive events help drive engagement within the Union Arena community, allowing top players to showcase their skills and win coveted prizes. The game's cross-franchise appeal has also attracted a diverse player base to these tournaments.

Popularity

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After the release of the first product, Union Arena slowly gained popularity throughout Japan and other Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, etc.[6] Later, in December 2023, Bandai announced an English version for the North American region, which is scheduled to be released in October 2024.[7] The game has also been released in China in a simplified Chinese version.

Sales and Market Performance

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In 2023, Union Arena experienced significant market growth by expanding popular franchises. The game's portfolio grew substantially with the addition of several high-profile licenses including Tekken 7, Blue Lock, Sword Art Online, Gintama, Hunter × Hunter, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. This expansion strategy contributed to increased sales throughout the year.

The secondary market for Union Arena cards has shown a considerable range in valuations. Individual card prices in the Japanese market have varied from ¥100 to ¥1,100,000[8], with rare cards and special variants commanding premium prices.

The game's growth continued into 2024 with the introduction of new sets featuring properties such as Bleach, Undead Unluck, and Shy, further expanding its market presence.

Reception

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In an article for a prominent gaming publication, reviewer Joseph Anderson highlighted the strategic depth of Union Arena's gameplay mechanics and the exciting potential for future expansions featuring new licensed properties. Anderson noted that the game's "nostalgia-fueled" appeal was a major strength, with the ability for players to focus on specific anime sets rather than having to collect across multiple franchises.[9]

Online communities such as the Union Arena subreddit have been active hubs of discussion, strategy sharing, and enthusiasm for the game. Players have appreciated Bandai's continued support, with new card sets and content releases maintaining momentum.[10]

Featured series:[11]

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Series Release date Color
Code Geass: Rebellion of Lelouch 24 March 2023 Purple, Green, Red, Blue
Jujutsu Kaisen 24 March 2023 Blue, Yellow, Purple, Red
Hunter X Hunter 24 March 2023 Green, Blue, Purple, Yellow
THE iDOLM@STER SHINY COLORS 28 April 2023 Yellow, Red, Blue
Kimetsu no Yaiba 28 April 2023 Yellow, Red, Purple, Blue
Tales of Arise 26 May 2023 Blue, Red, Green
Tensei shitara Slime datta ken 26 May 2023 Blue, Yellow, Green
Bleach : Thousand-Year Blood War 29 September 2023 Purple, Yellow, Green, Blue
Boku to Roboco 30 June 2023 Yellow, Blue, Green
Boku no Hero Academia 30 June 2023 Green, Red, Purple
Gintama 28 July 2023 Red, Yellow, Purple
Blue Lock 29 September 2023 Blue, Yellow, Red
TEKKEN 7 27 October 2023 Red, Blue, Purple
Dr.Stone 22 December 2023 Green, Yellow, Purple
Sword Art Online 26 January 2024 Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple
SYNDUALITY NOIR 23 Febuary 2024 Yellow, Red, Purple
Toriko 23 Febuary 2024 Blue, Yellow, Purple
GODDESS OF VICTORY : NIKKE 22 March 2024 Yellow, Green, Purple
HAIKYU !! 22 March 2024 Red, Yellow, Blue
BLACK CLOVER 26 April 2024 Red, Green, Purple
YU YU HAKUSHO 26 April 2024 Green, Red, Purple
Gamera - Rebirth 31 May 2024 Green, Blue
ATTACK ON TITAN 28 June 2024 Red, Blue, Green
SHY 12 July 2024 Red, Blue
UNDEAD UNLUCK 16 August 2024 Red, Purple
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Real 16 August 2024 Yellow, Green
Gakuen iDOLM@STER 13 September 2024 Red, Blue
Kaiju No.8 25 October 2024 Green, Yellow
Kamen Rider 25 October 2024 Yellow, Red, Blue
Puella Magi Madoka Magica 28 November 2024 Red, Yellow, Purple
Arknight 28 November 2024 Blue, Red, Yellow
Shangri-la frontier To be announce To be announce
Wind Breaker To be announce Green, To be announce
Code Geass: Rozé of the Recapture To be announce To be announce
One Punch Man To be announce To be announce
2.5 Jigen no Ririsa To be announce To be announce
  1. ^ "Project UNION ARENA Starts! − NEWS|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  2. ^ a b "FOR BEGINNERS|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  3. ^ "RULES|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  4. ^ "RULES|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  5. ^ "EVENTS|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
  6. ^ "Producer's Message vol.3 − NEWS|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. ^ "UNION ARENA - Bandai Set to Create a New Era for Trading Card Games with English Version of Their Hit TCG - THE ILLUMINERDI". 2024-01-01. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  8. ^ "Top 15 Best Selling TCG". zenmarket.jp. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  9. ^ "UNION ARENA TCG Review – Does the Latest Anime Card Game Have Legs?". Joseph Writer Anderson. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  10. ^ "Reddit - Dive into anything". www.reddit.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  11. ^ "PRODUCTS|UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA". UNION ARENA|UNIONARENA. Retrieved 2024-11-10.