Summary

The Simpsons Trading Card Game was a card game by Wizards of the Coast, based on the TV show. It takes somewhat a fourth-wall-breaking approach to gameplay, as players play characters to scenes until enough of the necessary traits are met, completing the scene.

The game was available in starter decks and 11-card booster packs.

Card Types

• Star - A character you build a deck around. Like other characters, it has traits. There are only five star characters in the game: Bart, Lisa, Homer, Mr. Burns, and Krusty.
• Characters - Cards representing people and animals from the show. Each has traits.
• Action - Cards representing special events or privileges. Each is tied to one of the five star characters.
• Scene - Cards representing scenes in episodes. Each has required traits, a number of characters required to complete or trash the scene, and potentially other effects.

Sets and Decks

The game only had one set. Interestingly, the game only had two rarities (common and rare). Rare cards were available in both foil and non-foil versions, with the exception of the five Star characters, which are always foil.

Deck Composition and Contents

Starter Decks

Four decks were available for Bart, Lisa, Homer, and Mr. Burns. Each deck included the star character and 39 other cards. It also includes a card listing the contents of the deck.

Starter deck contents were fixed, and the boxes indicated which deck you would get. Each deck contains a rare (foil) star character, 4 other rare cards, and 35 other common cards.

Deck Rarity Analysis

I have not opened booster packs myself, but from what I've read online, everything except the four starter deck star characters can be pulled from booster packs (including in foil version, for the rares). Each starter deck includes 4 different (non-foil) rare cards (and no two decks include the same rare card), and this is pretty standard for decks, so it doesn't ruin rare pulls too much. (You're allowed 3 copies of any card in your deck anyway.) The fact that each deck clearly indicates the character on it also helps prevent undesired duplication. So this is fine.

Alan's Thoughts On The Game

Okay, hear me out: This is a good game.

It's a very simple game, but it also doesn't try to be anything it isn't. It features all the characters you know and love. It features places and scenes you may remember from the show. Gameplay is quick and easy. It supports up to 5 people, so you can play it with a group. There's nothing wrong with it as a game.

As a trading card game, however... sure, it's questionable. I honestly don't see why you would ever build a deck for the game (or buy booster packs, for that matter), because the gameplay doesn't really make that effort worthwhile. I would just buy starter decks, give one to each player, and have a few rounds of throwing characters at scenes, maybe as a lighter break from heavy board games.

It's not shocking to me that the game died as a TCG, but if they had released this as a fixed, single box product with 5 decks in it (throw in Krusty), I think it would've done really well for family game nights.

Resources

• simpsonstradingcardgame.com
• Card Game Collector (card list)
• Starter Deck Card Lists (AlanvDotOrg Randomjunk)