The Story Behind the Cards: Vs. System

Versus System was a superhero-based collectible card game (CCG) published by Upper Deck Entertainment. Also known as Vs. System or VS System, it was first published in 2004 with sets focused on Marvel and DC characters. Upper Deck also struck deals with Dark Horse Comics to add additional sets based on their superhero and villain characters, resulting in a CCG that had a fun yet complex deck-building and play system.

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Development and Initial Release

According to an interview with Andy Talaga, a well-known TCG and CCG collector on YouTube, Marvel approached Upper Deck Entertainment in 2003 requesting a card game focused on their superhero characters. Jeff Donais — known for developing the rules for Magic: The Gathering prior to 2003 — was brought in to help develop the new CCG, while several high-profile MTG players were consulted for advice on what TCG players were looking for in a new game.

The result was a highly competitive and complex CCG based on Marvel and DC superheroes and villains. Similar to MTG’s “Play the Game, See the World” campaign, Upper Deck designed Vs. System with a global tournament circuit in mind, offering players a chance to travel in exchange for playing the game and earning prizes.

Vs. System’s first set, Marvel Origins, released in April 2004. The set featured characters from the X-Men, Brotherhood, Doom, Fantastic Four and Sentinels, which could all be combined into “teams” to use in decks. Additionally, an X-Men vs. the Brotherhood Starter Deck was released alongside Marvel Origins to give players an easy introduction to the game. Each card features characters inspired by their comic book appearances, with artwork by some of the comic industry’s most well-known artists, including Alex Ross, Alex Garner, Jim Lee, Rachel Dodson and Bill Sienkiewicz.

Gameplay

Vs. System can be played one-on-one or with several players. Each player starts the game with 50 “endurance points,” simulating life points. If a player has zero (or less than zero) endurance points at the end of a Recovery Phase, they lose and are knocked out of the game.

There are four types of cards, each with color-coded frames. These are Character cards (red and black), Equipment cards (gray), Location cards (green) and Plot Twist cards (blue). A Vs. System deck must contain at least 60 cards and can only have up to 4 cards with the same name in the deck.

Character cards are the core combatants of a deck. Using resource points, characters use abilities to attack the opposing side’s characters and cause damage to the player, draining their endurance points. Plot Twists represent surprise events that can turn the tide of battle in an instant. Location cards offer some kind of static effect on the game (like Stadium cards in the Pokémon TCG). Finally, Equipment cards attach to Character cards and provide certain benefits and buffs.

Vs. System is a complex game meant for seasoned TCG and CCG players. For information on the rules and gameplay mechanics, check out the Vs. System CCG Wiki by clicking here.

Legacy

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The Vs. System CCG was published and supported from April 2004 to January 2009. The game was well received by players and critics, resulting in a sharp increase in popularity and a hot tournament circuit. The CCG spawned a multimedia franchise, including a video game based on the card game released for the PSP, Nintendo DS and PC. Additionally, Vs. System won the Gamers’ Choice Award in 2004 and the Game of the Year award in 2005 from InQuest Gamer.

Unfortunately, Vs. System was discontinued in January 2009 due to economical hardship. Fans and hardcore players alike mourned the loss of the game and continued to play in local tournaments. In 2015, Upper Deck revived Vs. System in a brand-new format — called Vs. System 2PCG — swapping from a partially-randomized card distribution model to a non-random, fixed-distribution model most often seen in TCGs. While many players play the new format, hardcore fans of the original Vs. System still play the original CCG today.

CGC has graded dozens of Vs. System cards, including several promos and cards from DC and Marvel, according to the CGC Cards Population Report. Do you have Vs. System cards in your collection? Consider getting them graded with CGC today! Learn how to submit by going here.