TCG Card Shop Simulator (TCG Sim) is a dopamine filled experience that’s a must play for those looking to relive their childhood pack ripping nostalgia. Its brilliance lies in the simplicity of its loop – Buy packs, open them, sell cards, upgrade your store, repeat.
Day 1 – My first card store, in this economy? I’ve already won! I bought 32 packs, stocked some shelves, placed a game table, and manned the register.
The first couple of hours were pretty tedious, feeling more like work than the childhood nostalgia I yearned for. Still, the foundation was simple – Buy cards, sell them to make money, expand the store, and unlock rarer packs.
Day 10 – The collection grows, and I hired the world’s worst employee, who counts money slower than a monkey using an abacus.
Finally I could stand in the corner ripping packs like a loot goblin. As my collection grew, so did the dopamine hits – It was enough to rival my scrolling addiction.
Suddenly, I got my first God pack, 7 cards worth $1,000+ each. I sold 5 and graded 2, using the quick money to upgrade my store. It finally clicked, selling items wasn’t the way to make money, selling cards was. Eventually, I’d be making enough to keep feeding my addiction.
Day 22 – At this point, I had stacks upon stacks of unopened booster boxes sitting in the middle of the street, resembling a homeless mansion.
Among the mess was a red grading box, the first card comes back a PSA 8, $4k profit, ‘easy gains’ I thought. Then the second, PSA 10, $11k profit – Grading meant BIG money (I soon also learned that $11k isn’t big money), especially when it came to full art foils.
Tables weren’t worth it when focusing on experience or profit, so I sold them and stopped focusing on tournaments (or playing the TCG). From today, my focus was on packs. The faster I could open them, the faster I could make crazy profit.
I added another counter, another worker, more shelves, and bought machines that automatically open packs every few in game hours. My new goal was simple, to grade as many cards as I could for profit so I could buy more packs – Like a crack addict, I was hooked.
The staff, coupled with the scanner, meant my store ran like clockwork. All the tedious tasks were automated, the scanner let me see all the information I need about all of my items (and order them on the fly). The less time I spent on this busy work, the more time I could spend opening packs!
Day 43 – Do I Even Work Here Anymore? At this point, I don’t really own or help run the store anymore.
Six staff members, 4 working the counters, 2 stocking shelves and pack opening machines… I order packs, open them, and check on customers with a ‘!’ above their head to trade with, and buy from.
I’m basically that weird undiagnosed kid we all knew in high school, sitting in a corner, fixated on opening packs. I finally understand the appeal of gacha games and slot machines. You become numb to everything else, continually chasing the next big hit.
New cards become increasingly rare, and the dopamine slowly starts to diminish. Yet, I couldn’t stop, I needed more. I kept chasing the next big thing, hoping it was bigger than the last. It was clear, though. After roughly twenty hours, I wasn’t going to see much more new content.
Day 79 – I Found Peace.
Eventually, I stopped being a card goblin. I updated the walls, floors, and put up some decorations. The game was no longer about chasing the next big hit as the automation removed the need to even focus on that, rather, it was to idle it in the chase of rare 1 in 10,000 drops.
So why was I still playing? Steam achievements. 5,000 customers played, 10,000 packs opened, and I’m still praying for that full art foil Ascension card. All this takes time, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I had this much fun with a game.
The progression curve was smooth, and, despite a slow start, I was well and truly hooked. The audio and visual design is like every other sim I’ve played – Serviceable at best – But the gameplay was next level. There’s enough to aim for at every stage of the game.
From a management sim to a hoarder’s nightmare, and now an idle game, that was my TCG Sim journey. Whether you’re new to sim games, a seasoned player, or a card collector, this is a must-play. The loop is satisfying, the progression is smooth, and the balance between tedium and fun is some of the best I’ve experienced in the genre.
TCG Card Shop Simulator is out now on PC and XBOX.
