Your dream shop is in the cards
By Paul Hunter
TCG Card Shop Simulator has been wildy popular on Steam now for a couple of years in Early Access (4 million players and counting!). As a mainly console player, I had to see what the hype is about as the game has finally released on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and both Nintendo Switch consoles. Developer O.P. Neon Games has timed the console release with the full 1.0 version that finally brings Tetramon card duelling into the mix. They also publish the game, so this is very much its own project that it has grown into a massive success story.
I've been hooked on Pokémon TCG Pocket since it's inception, having fallen into the daily routine of browsing booster packs and opening them up hoping for an ultra-rare card to show. With TCG Card Shop Simulator I took that passion to a whole new level, creating my own dream shop to run backed by full management sim mechanics, all from the enjoyment of the couch.
So, does TCG Card Shop Simulator deal PS5 owners a winning hand? Let’s find out!
That's essentially the entire narrative setup, you simply decide that the old life is over and commit yourself to a career you actually want.
One of the first things you do before setting up your card shop is choosing a name for it. It's a small touch, but it was fun to think of the shop name that would reflect my TCG dreams and aspirations, and it made the place seem like mine rather than simply a generic store the game handed me.
Running the basics of your shop is very intuitive. You order booster packs and card game accessories, buy licences to sell additional merchandise, check the market values, then decide what to charge customers. Every completed sale gives you money and XP, and higher shop levels unlock additional products and store furniture, as well as opportunities to expand your shop's physical size.
Your phone is an essential tool, especially as the workload grows. I regularly used it to order new inventory, look at market prices, recruit employees, mail cards off for grading, purchase store equipment, set card table rates, and purchase store upgrades. Perhaps the best part is the feeling you get when you hit certain milestones, like hiring staff to handle specific tasks, buying card pack opening machines to accelerate completing your card binder, or learning how to play Tetramon and challenging your patrons, and even creating your own card game tournament and choosing the prize pool.
Even though this game is all about managing your shop, I quickly got obsessed with opening card packs and trying to acquire all available cards, which numbers in the thousands and includes special cards like Foil, Ghost and EX. Pulled cards could go into my personal collection binder, or be sold individually, traded with a customer, or sent away for professional grading. Grading takes several in-game days (you can pay money for faster service), and getting a valuable card back with a perfect 10 rating gives you a nice little payoff since it significantly increases the market value.
The shop also has its stinky responsibilities. Some customers arrive smelling awful, and you can deal with it directly by spraying them with deodorant or place air purifiers around the store to handle the problem for you. It is ridiculous and very funny, but it fits the game perfectly.
It's really cool to see the 1.0 version of the game introduce a full Tetramon card duelling game, which becomes available are reaching shop level 7 (which is fast to reach). Purchasing the Workbench lets you build a 50-card deck from cards you own, and face customers or take part in store events, but first you'll want to spend time at the bench studying the rules. Each card features different 'type' affinities and has card effects, and there's a surprising amount of strategy required to build a competitive-worthy deck. You can host card tournaments in your shop, and you can even enter yourself to claim the winning prize if you're good enough.
Beyond buidling out the shelves, the 1.0 release includes 273 decoration options alongside 55 pieces of community fan art, so there is plenty you can do to customize your shop once have profits not set aside for basic stock and expansions. I had a blast gradually replacing the plain starter-store look with new wallpaper and posters that reflected the vibe I was going for. Perhaps the best decoration are the holographic card projectors that display large versions of you favourite cards on your store's front-facing glass windows.
Turning our attention to the Tetramon cards themselves, I thought it was cool how much personality the artwork gives each card, especially when see seven different colourful creatures pop out of a booster pack. The booster wrappers and card boxes are just as nice to look at, with designs that resemble products I could picture sitting on a real hobby-store shelf. I also got a kick out of choosing which real-world currencies to see in your cash register, including Canadian and U.S. dollars, and Japanese yen. Seeing familiar Canadian bills during checkout is a small touch, yet it made the shop seem a little closer to home.
Sound-wise, I got a kick out of how satisfying booster packs sound when they tear open, especially when I was ripping through several in a row. Cash sales also have their own little noises, like the register closing with a satisfying 'cha-ching' sound. Unpacking boxes, stocking shelves or filling the air purifier all have their own fun sounds that make the activities more enjoyable.
Music is much simpler, with essentially two recurring pieces carrying you through the day. I thought its low-key role suited the game since I was so focused on stock, cards, or whatever job had my attention, and I did like that the transition to the 'evening' music track was a nice cue to turn the shop lights on.
I was also happy with how the PS5 controls handle a game that involves so many small interactions. Moving objects, navigating the phone, working the cash register, setting prices, and browsing the binder all works comfortably on a controller.
All considered, the detailed card art, personalized shop décor, familiar retail sounds, and comfortable controller setup made the PS5 version easy to settle into for long sessions behind the counter.
Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
Developer: O.P. Neon Games
Publisher: O.P. Neon Games
Genre: Simulation
Modes: Single-player
By Paul Hunter
TCG Card Shop Simulator has been wildy popular on Steam now for a couple of years in Early Access (4 million players and counting!). As a mainly console player, I had to see what the hype is about as the game has finally released on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and both Nintendo Switch consoles. Developer O.P. Neon Games has timed the console release with the full 1.0 version that finally brings Tetramon card duelling into the mix. They also publish the game, so this is very much its own project that it has grown into a massive success story.
I've been hooked on Pokémon TCG Pocket since it's inception, having fallen into the daily routine of browsing booster packs and opening them up hoping for an ultra-rare card to show. With TCG Card Shop Simulator I took that passion to a whole new level, creating my own dream shop to run backed by full management sim mechanics, all from the enjoyment of the couch.
So, does TCG Card Shop Simulator deal PS5 owners a winning hand? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
TCG Card Shop Simulator has a simple, yet relatable story that gives you all the motivation you really need. Your character is unhappy in their day job, and decides to walk away from it and put their savings into opening a trading card store.That's essentially the entire narrative setup, you simply decide that the old life is over and commit yourself to a career you actually want.
One of the first things you do before setting up your card shop is choosing a name for it. It's a small touch, but it was fun to think of the shop name that would reflect my TCG dreams and aspirations, and it made the place seem like mine rather than simply a generic store the game handed me.
Gameplay and Mechanics
I love how hands-on running the store is from the moment I opened for business. TCG Card Shop Simulator puts you in first person and you need to manage everything yourself, so I was carrying deliveries inside, unpacking products, stocking shelves, adjusting prices, and ringing up customers. While I eventually hired staff to run aspects of the shop, like a cashier and a shelf stocker, I have fond memories of the early days where the entire business was in my hands, and each completed sale came directly from the hard work I had put in. Eventually your shop becomes massive in size and flowing with customers, so hiring staff becomes an essential part of growing your TCG empire.Running the basics of your shop is very intuitive. You order booster packs and card game accessories, buy licences to sell additional merchandise, check the market values, then decide what to charge customers. Every completed sale gives you money and XP, and higher shop levels unlock additional products and store furniture, as well as opportunities to expand your shop's physical size.
Your phone is an essential tool, especially as the workload grows. I regularly used it to order new inventory, look at market prices, recruit employees, mail cards off for grading, purchase store equipment, set card table rates, and purchase store upgrades. Perhaps the best part is the feeling you get when you hit certain milestones, like hiring staff to handle specific tasks, buying card pack opening machines to accelerate completing your card binder, or learning how to play Tetramon and challenging your patrons, and even creating your own card game tournament and choosing the prize pool.
Even though this game is all about managing your shop, I quickly got obsessed with opening card packs and trying to acquire all available cards, which numbers in the thousands and includes special cards like Foil, Ghost and EX. Pulled cards could go into my personal collection binder, or be sold individually, traded with a customer, or sent away for professional grading. Grading takes several in-game days (you can pay money for faster service), and getting a valuable card back with a perfect 10 rating gives you a nice little payoff since it significantly increases the market value.
The shop also has its stinky responsibilities. Some customers arrive smelling awful, and you can deal with it directly by spraying them with deodorant or place air purifiers around the store to handle the problem for you. It is ridiculous and very funny, but it fits the game perfectly.
It's really cool to see the 1.0 version of the game introduce a full Tetramon card duelling game, which becomes available are reaching shop level 7 (which is fast to reach). Purchasing the Workbench lets you build a 50-card deck from cards you own, and face customers or take part in store events, but first you'll want to spend time at the bench studying the rules. Each card features different 'type' affinities and has card effects, and there's a surprising amount of strategy required to build a competitive-worthy deck. You can host card tournaments in your shop, and you can even enter yourself to claim the winning prize if you're good enough.
Presentation and Audio
I really enjoyed watching my store grow into a bigger and better thriving business. The overall 3D visual style is rather straightforward, with simple character models and some noticeable repetition among customers, yet the shop itself becomes a colourful mess of colours once you start filling the shelves with different pack types and vibrant accessories to go along with them.Beyond buidling out the shelves, the 1.0 release includes 273 decoration options alongside 55 pieces of community fan art, so there is plenty you can do to customize your shop once have profits not set aside for basic stock and expansions. I had a blast gradually replacing the plain starter-store look with new wallpaper and posters that reflected the vibe I was going for. Perhaps the best decoration are the holographic card projectors that display large versions of you favourite cards on your store's front-facing glass windows.
Turning our attention to the Tetramon cards themselves, I thought it was cool how much personality the artwork gives each card, especially when see seven different colourful creatures pop out of a booster pack. The booster wrappers and card boxes are just as nice to look at, with designs that resemble products I could picture sitting on a real hobby-store shelf. I also got a kick out of choosing which real-world currencies to see in your cash register, including Canadian and U.S. dollars, and Japanese yen. Seeing familiar Canadian bills during checkout is a small touch, yet it made the shop seem a little closer to home.
Sound-wise, I got a kick out of how satisfying booster packs sound when they tear open, especially when I was ripping through several in a row. Cash sales also have their own little noises, like the register closing with a satisfying 'cha-ching' sound. Unpacking boxes, stocking shelves or filling the air purifier all have their own fun sounds that make the activities more enjoyable.
Music is much simpler, with essentially two recurring pieces carrying you through the day. I thought its low-key role suited the game since I was so focused on stock, cards, or whatever job had my attention, and I did like that the transition to the 'evening' music track was a nice cue to turn the shop lights on.
I was also happy with how the PS5 controls handle a game that involves so many small interactions. Moving objects, navigating the phone, working the cash register, setting prices, and browsing the binder all works comfortably on a controller.
All considered, the detailed card art, personalized shop décor, familiar retail sounds, and comfortable controller setup made the PS5 version easy to settle into for long sessions behind the counter.
The Verdict
TCG Card Shop Simulator turns running a small hobby store into an incredibly satisfying management game. I had a blast watching the card shop grow while my own personal card collection became an obsession to complete. The easy-to-use PS5 controls make the day-to-day work comfortable from the couch, and the relaxed pace makes the time just melt away. For TCG fans and management-sim regulars, this is a rewarding game that really understands why card shops are so much fun.Final Score: 8.5/10 - Great
TCG Card Shop Simulator details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: O.P. Neon Games
Publisher: O.P. Neon Games
Genre: Simulation
Modes: Single-player