I played the Gundam Card Game for the first time ever this week, and took the win via my good friend as we learned how to play one of the hottest new TCGs. My first impressions of the Gundam Card Game were highly positive. The game is fun, easy to play, and unique in its own way.

While Gundam fans will undoubetdly go crazy at the chance to battle their favorite Mechas against others, even those less familiar with the massive franchise have something to enjoy here. Indeed, Gundam is so huge and influential that themes present in this game are ones present in many other forms of entertainment. We can all relate to the idea of being in a big suited battle suit duking it out with one another, afraid at the potential of our shields running out and getting crunched by the powerful fists of machinery.

Or maybe it’s just me.

Regardless, the best place to start with the Gundam Card Game is to simply pick up two starter decks (of the same kind) and put your cards together into a functioning deck. Check out my easy Gundam Card Game “Heroic Beginnings” Starter Deck upgrade guide below.

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Heroic Beginnings Starter Deck Upgraded Deck List

Like many (if not most) card games, in Gundam, you’re going to be building your deck based on a curve. As such, you’ll need plenty of low cost characters, helping ensure you have the board presence you need to survive several turns – just long enough to get your bigger, stronger characters onto the field so you can start dominating the game.

That is, at least, how Heroic Beginnings works. My opponent, however, was running a Zeon’s Rush starter deck upgrade – one that (like its name) focuses on “rushing” at your opponent. That strategy is what you’d call an “aggro” deck, one that prioritizes early game plays in order to sneak out a win while more midrange heavy decks like Heroic Beginnings are simply building up resources.

Low-cost characters to get you started

With all that being said, even Heroic Beginnings has plenty of lower-cost characters to help get things started. So we’ll take a look at those first.

Demi-Trainer

Addmittedly, the Demi Trainer is a pretty weak character going by stats alone. However, it’s only a one 1/1 meaning it can be played on your very first turn. That’s pretty helpful, but what makes this mecha really strong is the powerful Blocker ability, enabling it to defend your shields from direct attacks.

GM Unit

Although arguably less handy than your Demi Trainer as it doesn’t have the Blocker keyword, this guy’s still handy especially for attacking enemy units you’ve weakened via one of your damage dealing effects.

Zowort

Although the final member of your “low-cost” units, this Zowort is a significant boost in power levels from the other guys we’ve covered until now. At three AP, Zowort is capable of dishing out some punishing damage. This is even more handy because Zowort has the Blocker effect, forcing your opponent to attack into it if they want to attack, ensuring they are taking that punishing three damage.

Heroic Beginnings key cards and combos

Now that we’ve covered your basic cards that will help you establish your battlefield, we can look at some of this deck’s strongest cards and combos.

Gundam

First, arguably your handiest unit is actually the Gundam card. This mecha is absolutely insane in battle, and a perfect counter to the aggro strategy found in “Zeon’s Rush.”

Although it’s going to take several turns before you are able to play this powerhouse, immediately you’ll be happy if you do. Although it has solid base stats, what really makes this guy so good are his abilities. For starters, it has Repair 2 – a very handy effect that rewards you for battling other units. Essentially, at the end of your turn, you’ll be healing two damage from Gundam. As if that weren’t enough, Pair it with Amuro Ray and he’s gaining additional AP.

In fact, it’s the Link capability with Amuro Ray that makes this card so deadly.

Amura Ray

Although a level four, Amuro Ray is this deck’s strongest Pilot. Granting two AP to the unit he’s linked to is a huge power boost, while the added health is nice to have. However, it’s realy his “When Paired” that sets him apart – especially when combined with your Gundam. Switching one enemy Unit to resting means they become the ideal target for your Gundam who can defeat them in battle, and then heal itself at the end of the turn.

As if all of that weren’t already enough, he’s also got the handy Burst trigger that sends him to your hand when he’s hit out of your shield.

Combo Ray with Gundam MA Form for added draw

Ray doesn’t only work with your Gundam character, he also works well with your Gundam MA, letting you draw an additional card – an effect that feels few and far between among the starter decks.

Mercury is another powerful pilot

While I like what Amuro Ray pulls off the most, Mercury has some powerful combos with her Mechas as well.

Granting only one AP, Mercury is more defensive than Ray, but has a powerful effect that lets you reuse one of your resources. In a game like Gundam that’s so based on the number of resources at your disposal, this effect can be very handy.

She also links with some of your strongest Mechas. While not capable of the same deadly combos as your main Gundam Units, they can still be used to pull off powerful and strategic plays, such as negating the AP power of units so you take less damage when battling them.

Guntank is a handy tech

Finally on the Units and combos side of things, Guntank is a very handy card. When this card is used in tandem particularly with your Level 4 Gundam, you can pick off small or weakened opposing characters and take them out of the game.

Bases to defend your shields

Last but not least are your Bases. Purchasing two of the Heroic Beginnings Starter Deck will give you access to a full playset of each of these shields which you can use to gain strategic advantages like additional BP, deploy token Units to the field, and – of course – defend your shields from being depleted.

Having four of the powerful White Base (the strongest base in the game) and two of the Earth House in a starter deck upgrade feels right as doing so will ensure you find them when you need them despite there not being a ton of draw in these decks. White Base, meanwhile, can keep your battlefield filled with units to ensure you stay in control of the board.

Command

Finally, there’s your Command cards. The advantage here is pretty clear: negate the AP of an opposing Unit and enable a positive trade with one of your own. In a combat-focused deck like Heroic Beginnings, that’s going to be a huge advantage.

Meanwhile, your Hayato can be used to deal damage to opposing characters, softening them up and making them easier to pick off by your little guys, or as a Pilot for your Gun Tank in a pinch.

All-in-all, the Gundam Card Game certainly lives up to the insane hype it’s received. Fun, easy to learn, and accessible, this hot new TCG should have a bright future ahead of it.

Gundam Card Game “Heroic Beginnings” Starter Deck Upgrade Guide