Maximizing Your Chances: Shadow Vs. Hero - Kyo

Guest Writer Kyo, lover of all things Buddyfight, covers the next major Buddyfight release and everything you need to know to be successful at your local prerelease.

I have been with Buddyfight from the very beginning. I love the fast-paced, skill­-based gameplay. However, after about 9 months of playing, the game began to get a bit stale for me. I kept fighting the same old decks with the same old decks and matches began to feel......samey. And then I participated in my first ever pre­-release (Darkness Fable) and it was amazing! The rush of fighting normally impossible decks! The luck of pulling the one card that ties your deck together! Booster drafts became the most interesting and fun part of Buddyfight for me.

The best part? I'm actually really good at them. I have not lost a single match in a pre release since I began doing them (Blaise - your luck, gimme). With Blaise's permission I would like to share some info to help others become better at pre­ releases drafts.

Digital vs. Occult

I recently was able to attend my very first Bushiroad-sponsored event (Thanks, Bushiroad). Naturally, it sucked. The Vanguard portion, at least. But thanks to this recent experience, I was inspired to finish up this article that I drafted a while back on the difference between numbers and feeling.

Ever heard of Myers-Briggs? It's a personality test that determines a general archetype of your personality, categorized into four distinct parts that ultimately creates 16 different molds of human character, each with varying degrees of intensity. These different categories reflect the choices you as a person will tend to make in your everyday lives - and that naturally includes playing trading card games. In fact, I can generally tell what kind of character a person has based on the deck they choose to run and the way they run that deck.

Be prepared for a lot of Saki references...

Over the years of playing trading card games and other skill-chance oriented games, I've come to accept that there are two broad classes of players: digital players and occult players. These terms come from competitive riichi mahjong, of which I am a fond patron of.

Bushi Navi Review - Mikeru

Guest blogger Mikeru, a player and follower of Bushiroad products and culture in Singapore, evaluates Bushi Navi International’s value in adding value to promoting Buddyfight in its early months and Bushiroad culture as a whole.

We all know too well how the market-saturated trading card game and tabletop game franchises like Duel Masters and Battle Spirits are promoted in Japan. Yes, we all can predict the formulaic anime series about this enigmatic kid or preteen destined to Be A Master by winging his way up tournaments and saving the world by playing children’s games to thwart an evil villain interwoven into the tournament arc with advertisements for the physical cards dominating the commercial slots during the airing. An alternative strategy is to make the marketing dynamic and add the “interacting with real people” element to a franchise otherwise represented only by 2D depictions. For example, an aggressively marketed variety show about the franchise that takes the chance to feature up-and-coming idols and "tarentoosu" (talents) and invite the kids on stage for demonstration duels or report live tournaments. Well, the Japanese kids buy it quite well.

Bushiroad, being the super-promoter she is, has obviously not left out the latter, with their live broadcasts in Japan to promote Cardfight!! Vanguard, bringing in their bevy of seiyuus (voice actors) and affiliated celebrities such as DAIGO and their "pros" onto the show. And the commercials. Has anyone seen Japanese commercials?

Such Asian smiles

Now, they have adopted a much toned-down version of the said strategy for the English speaking audience in the form of Bushi Navi International, a 4-episode livestream webshow with 2-way viewer interaction serving as an introduction to the Buddyfight franchise. The webshow also had a secondary focus on promoting upcoming products for existing card games Cardfight!! Vanguard and Weiss Schwarz, as well as upcoming tournaments for those games.