While some fans are no doubt conflicted over Wizards of the Coast’s packed release schedule for Magic: The Gathering, it does mean you’re only ever a few weeks from a fresh set.
While many loved Lorwyn Eclipsed, if you’re hankering for some half-shells, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pre-release has been and gone already - or has it?
It’s still possible to snag a pre-release kit if you know where to look, but we’d advise against paying markups. Here’s all you need to know.
As the name suggests, a prerelease is a sort of ‘mini preview’ that lets dedicated fans get their hands on cards from a new set up to a week early.
Many stores will hold these events, and they involve opening a prerelease box (or kit, however you want to name it) and building a 40-card deck from what’s inside before playing against other prerelease players.
The appeal is obvious: You get to play with new cards, maybe make some friends, or get some nifty trades in, all before a set is out.
We’d always advise checking with your local game store to sign up for an event, rather than just buying a prerelease box.
While Wizards of the Coast has a guide to prerelease with some strategies, I have one extra piece of advice: Bring sleeves.
The included deckbox is useful, but if you end up finding something potentially valuable, you’ll want to keep it in good condition.
Didn’t manage to get into an event? Fear not - you can still buy some prerelease boxes at stores.
TCGplayer has listings for unopened ones, too, and the market price, via TCGplayer’s own data, sits at just under $30. If you can find one for that price, I’d recommend snapping it up - especially if you and a friend can get one each and run a quick game between you.
Lloyd Coombes is an experienced freelancer in tech, gaming and fitness seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar and many more. He's a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife's dismay.
