abstrArt Playing Arts (V2) Playing Cards on Kickstarter

Only few more days on Kickstarter, the abstrArt Playing Arts (V2) deck by TPPC is a mesmerizing fusion of abstract art and playing card design, transforming chaos into breathtaking beauty. As a sequel to the V1 Chaos Edition, this all-new deck presents a unique artistic vision for collectors and card enthusiasts alike. 

Two stunning editions bring different interpretations of chaos. The Elegant (Navy) Deck features a refined composition of geometric shapes, symmetry, and depth, while the Passion (Dark Grey) Deck showcases a striking interplay of colors and dynamic movement, capturing the energy of disorder. 

 

Inside, each card is a work of art, from the Aces, representing the power of chaos, to the Court Cards, designed as the Lords of Chaos, and the Jokers, symbolizing love within chaos. 

The number cards embrace a balance between disorder and elegance, arranged to create a mesmerizing yet structured visual experience. 

Housed in foil-stamped and embossed tuck boxes, these decks boast a luxurious presentation. The Elegant Deck is adorned with holographic gilding, while the Passion Deck features vibrant orange-gold glitter gilding, adding a brilliant, eye-catching finish. 

 

For collectors, the abstrArt collection offers exclusive, limited-edition framed artworksthat elevate playing cards to the realm of fine art. The 3D Ace of Spades Frame, crafted with multi-layer die-cut techniques and cold foil printing, is a masterpiece in depth and shimmering detail. Additionally, the abstrArt Elegant & Passion Cut Decks transform traditional playing cards into intricate, multi-dimensional paper-cut sculptures. 

Manufactured by Unicool Games and MPC, each deck is printed on German 310gsm black core linen cardstock, with a traditional cut and double aqueous finish, ensuring superior handling and durability. Pledge starts at $16 on Kickstarter.

Pi Playing Cards by Penguin Magic– A Tribute to the Infinite

The Pi Deck by Penguin Magic is a stunning fusion of mathematics and art, celebrating the endless beauty of Pi with a striking green and gold design. Designed by Max Bondarchuk, the artist behind Nexus Playing Cards, every detail is custom-crafted. 

The luxurious tuck box features gold foil accents on deep green, with a matching printed interior. The card backs shimmer with metallic gold ink, while the court cards blend gold, red, and dark green for a modern yet timeless aesthetic.

Embracing Pi’s circular elegance, the number cards and Aces feature innovative layouts, and the deck includes custom Jokers and two bonus gaff cards for magic tricks.

Printed on casino-grade European stock with UltraLux Finish and AquaFlow Coating. Pledge starts at 14 on Kickstarter.

Deck View: Prohibition- Absinthe Playing Cards

Floral. Invert. Intricate.

The Absinthe deck is the flashiest in Ellusionist's Prohibition series released 10 years ago. The eye-catching tuck case is wrapped in striking silver foil on both sides. With a matte black finish and intricate foil detailing, the design pops, though some finer details on the back design get lost in the heavy foiling. The bright green seal carries through to the spot and court cards, reinforcing the deck’s bold aesthetic.

Printed on black paper, the deck inverts traditional colors—black suits appear in white, while red suits are replaced with vibrant green. The Ace of Spades continues the floral theme, and the Jokers feature framed designs, one with a motion blur effect that sharpens when spun. The court cards are ghostly and mirrored, with stark white line overlays that vary between organic and circuitry-like patterns. While some enhance the design, others obscure the character details, making the creative intent unclear.

Card Game: Bullsh*t

Bullshit is a card game that can be played by two or more players. It is a simple and fun game that is perfect for a casual game night with friends or family.

Setup

To play Bullshit, you will need a standard deck of 52 cards. Shuffle the cards and deal out ALL of the cards to the players. The players should not look at their cards.

Gameplay

The goal of Bullshit is to be the first player to get rid of all of your cards. To begin, the player to the left of the dealer starts by placing any number of cards face down on the table and announcing a rank, such as "four aces." 

The next player must then either place a matching set of cards on the table, or call out "bullshit" if they think the previous player was lying about the rank of the cards.

If the next player calls out "bullshit," the player who placed the cards on the table must reveal their cards. If the cards match the announced rank, the player who called out "bullshit" must take all of the cards on the table into their hand. If the cards do not match the announced rank, the player who placed the cards on the table must take all of the cards on the table into their hand.

The game continues in this manner, with players placing cards on the table and calling out "bullshit" as needed. The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins the game.

Overall

Bullshit is a simple and enjoyable card game that is perfect for a casual game night with friends or family. It is easy to learn and quick to play, making it a great choice for players of all skill levels.

The Pied Piper Playing Cards

The Pied Piper Playing Cards bring the haunting legend of Hamelin to life in a beautifully-crafted deck illustrated by Russ Gray and produced by Chris Hage. Inspired by firsthand travels to Hamelin, Germany, this collection captures the town’s medieval charm, the Piper’s mystical flute, and the eerie darkness of the tale.

The Hameln Edition features a custom-dyed blue tuck with the Piper playing his flute, inscribed with Folge Der Musik (“Follow the Music”). The year 1284 marks the fateful event, while church window motifs reference the moment the children vanished. Each deck is secured with a numbered custom seal depicting the Piper dancing through the streets.

Inside, every card is hand-illustrated and custom with intricate details that reflect the legend’s rich history. The Standard and Cold Foil Editions share the same artwork, but in the Cold Foil version, all gold and yellow elements shimmer with foil, enhancing both the front and back of the cards—even the number pips glisten. 

The Gilded Edition elevates the experience further, featuring a shimmering gold tuck with Kurz gold foil, embossing, and soft gold gilded edges on the Cold Foil cards.

For collectors, the Hameln Collector Set houses all three editions in an elegant, fully illustrated box with gold foil detailing, a soft-touch finish, and a custom numbered seal. With a magnetic closure lid, this set is a tribute to the legend’s enduring mystery.

Pledge starts at $17 on Kickstarter. This deck is a masterful retelling of an 800-year-old tale, blending artistry, history, and craftsmanship into a truly collectible masterpiece. 

Royal Sanctuary: Elemental Chronicles Playing Cards

Royal Sanctuary: Elemental Chronicles is a legendary playing card collection inspired by the six primal elements, crafted with intricate foils, 3D details, and UV-reactive magic. Deep within a hidden realm lies the Royal Sanctuary, a sacred haven where five elemental relics—Fire, Water, Earth, Air, and Aether—are preserved in divine vessels. Beyond them, an enigma remains: Spirit, the unseen force that binds all existence.

A collaboration between Mike Encarnaçao (Shapeshifters) and Max Playing Cards, this fascinating collection of decks captures the power and beauty of these forces in a set of meticulously designed playing cards. Infernal, representing Fire, features a red matte soft-touch tuck adorned with fiery gold and red foils. The 3D elements shift from red to orange to purple, glowing fire-red under UV light. 

Abyssium, embodying Water, is crafted with a deep blue pearlescent tuck, enhanced with fluid gold and silver foils. The raised textures transition from blue to purple to black, glowing midnight coral under UV.

Terranova, dedicated to Earth, has a rich green matte tuck with metallic brown and gold foils. Its 3D elements change from green to orange to blue, glowing earthy orange under UV. 

Zephyran, the deck of Air, shimmers in light blue pearlescent stock, with silver and gold highlights. Its elements shift from blue to pink, glowing mist-green under UV exposure. 

Aetheris, symbolizing Ether, is a luminous silver pearlescent tuck with holographic foils. Its intricate textures glow ethereal purple-blue in darkness after UV exposure. 

The rarest of all, Obsidian, represents Spirit and comes in a black matte tuck with silver and dark foils. Invisible UV ink reveals hidden details, while its 3D elements transform from white to deep purple, glowing vibrantly in complete darkness.

To house these extraordinary decks, Arcanae Sanctum, a modular pentagonal vault, has been designed with inspiration from the Royal Sanctuary itself. Five compartments hold the elemental decks, with a hidden chamber for Obsidian. Intricately engraved and available in only 25 numbered editions, each vault can be personalized, making it a truly unique collector’s piece.

Printed by NPCC with premium linen finish. Pledge starts at $64 on Kickstarter.

On Kickstarter, Asgard: Odin & Thor playing cards

By Design Imperator, the Asgard: Odin & Thor playing cards honor the legendary gods of Norse mythology with two stunning, gilded editions. These decks celebrate the might of Odin and Thor with intricate, hand-drawn illustrations, authentic Norse symbolism, and luxurious finishes.

The Odin Edition is a tribute to the king of the Aesir, featuring an embossed gold tuck box with his powerful spear, Gungnir, at its center. The back design represents the portal to Asgard beneath Bifröst, glowing with golden edge-gilding. 

The court cards feature one-way colored illustrations of the Norse gods, including Odin, Thor, Freya, Loki, and more, all meticulously crafted in an art-rich style. Each pip is custom-designed with intricate knotwork, and the indices are inspired by ancient runic inscriptions.

Meanwhile, the Thor Edition embodies the strength of the god of thunder with a silver-embossed tuck box showcasing Mjolnir, his legendary hammer. The card backs mirror the Odin deck but are framed in cold steel edge-gilding. 

Unlike Odin’s edition, the court cards are monochromatic, two-way illustrations, designed for high playability while maintaining the essence of Asgard’s mythological figures.

For collectors, a Monument Hardbox is available, designed to store up to 12 decks with a matte linen texture and gold foil stamping. Additional offerings include an illustrated booklet on Norse deities, add-on editions of the remastered Ragnarok and Saga playing cards, and other Viking-inspired collectibles.

Both decks are printed on casino-quality M31 linen-finished cardstock by MPC . Pledge starts at $32 on Kickstarter.

Deck View: Revolution Playing Cards

Intricate. Bold. Symbolic.

The Revolution Playing Cards designed by Jason Brumbalow and produced by Murphy’s Magic are a bold, symbolic deck with historical and philosophical depth. The tuck case features a deep red design with hidden etching that reveals images and words under light. 

The front showcases the Revolution symbol, a triple bar, along with Zeus’s hand gripping a lightning bolt, symbolizing personal empowerment. Beneath it, an atom symbol appears alongside the quote, "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Inside. the card backs have a white poker border framing a red field with the triple bar symbol in the center. The court cards are fully custom, featuring Revolution-themed outfits, weapons, and lightning bolt imagery, while the pips and indices have unique placements, colors, and a custom font, with the triple bar subtly embedded in each pip. The Ace of Spades showcases the All-Seeing Eye, crossed daggers, and the year 2015 in Roman numerals. The Jokers depict surveillance cameras inside a suited frame, one featuring a card reveal. 

Printed by the Taiwan Playing Card Company, the deck features a thicker stock and traditional cut. Available from RarePlayingCards for $16.

Kardify Magazine Issue 93 Now on Patreon

We just dropped Kardify Magazine Issue 93 on Patreon! Patrons who pledged $3 or more will be able to download the latest issue from our Patreon page. This issue compiles selected articles published from mid-January to mid-February. Deck images, articles, and news to keep you informed and up-to-date with the latest playing card news, releases, and previews. If you love playing cards, you will love Kardify Magazine!

Also, don’t forget to check out our other cool reward tiers on Patreon! The tiers include monthly desktop and smartphone wallpapers, a mystery deck shipped to you every 4 months of ongoing contributions, social media shout-outs, and multiple sponsorship tiers! Check it out!

Funds received from the magazine will help us keep the site running and growing, and bring new quality content to you. Our aim is to support designers by backing crowdfunded projects and supporting magic and playing cards retailers with their new releases. If you want to support us, please head over to our Patreon page. If you have an idea for an article you would like us to pursue, do get in contact with us. We hope you enjoy the read. In this issue:   

+ 1001 Nights: Step into the mesmerizing world of Arabian folklore with Room One Cards’ inspired by the timeless tale. 

+ Scented: The latest deck by Dutch Card House Company offers a unique sensory experience, blending art and fragrance. Find out more!

+ Slate Tally-Ho: The Tally-Ho series is back and this time reimagined by Kings Wild, combining the timeless elegance with sleek, modern design. 

+ Albatross Nautical: This vintage Playing Cards series by A. Haines tells the 19th Century tale of the Sailing Ship Albatross. Check it out!

+ Atlantis: Explore the legendary underwater world of Atlantis with ARK’s latest masterpiece, combining innovative craftsmanship with the mystery and allure of the fabled lost city.

+ Batman 85th Anniversary: Celebrate 85 years of the legendary Caped Crusader with Theory11’s latest release, crafted to honor one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. 

+ How to play Big 2: Learn to play one of our favourite to card game to play during Lunar New Year! Popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, a fast-paced game and fun to play between four players. 

… and more! 54 pages of articles and deck images. Enjoy!

The TRIBUTE Deck Playing Cards by Daniel Madison

Celebrating 30 years of dedication to the deceptive arts, The TRIBUTE Deck Playing Cards pay homage to the key inspirations and supporters of Daniel Madison. This special edition deck is available in two editions: a standard deck and a specialized sleight deck- with each version showcasing original artwork by Madison. 

The TRIBUTE Deck series introduces innovative variations designed for different levels of performance.

The F-DECK, a finely tapered "stripper" deck, features one end slightly narrower than the other, allowing performers to easily feel and extract cards for ultimate control over the game.

The I-DECK, or "in-stripper" deck, modifies the Royal Flush Spades so they can be extracted from any position, catering to intermediate practitioners.

The N-DECK, a "negative stripper" deck, adjusts the winning Blackjack hand (Ace and Jack) for effortless retrieval, also aimed at intermediate users.

The crown jewel is the M-DECK, known as "The MADISON DECK," engineered to let any desired card be located instantly from a shuffled deck, a revolutionary concept that eliminates the need for advanced sleight-of-hand techniques and has even earned the endorsement of gambling expert Steve Forte.

Every deck comes with a downloadable video Masterclass sent out when your order ships, offering invaluable insights into mastering the art of card manipulation.

Available from Daniel Madison's online store from $28.

Now on Kickstarter, Sirens of the Sea Playing Cards

The Sirens of the Sea Playing Cards by Black Ink Branded immerses you in a world where mermaids and cunning pirates wage an unending battle over hidden treasures beneath the ocean’s depths. Each card is a  work of art, intricately crafted to tell a tale of magic, mystery, and high-stakes adventure.

Three decks are on offer during the Kickstarter campaign, Sirens, Nymphs and Dabloon.

The Sirens Deck captures the essence of the ocean’s most mesmerizing guardians. Its tuck box is crafted from matte blue card stock and features a striking gold hot foil stamp, with strategic 3D embossing that enhances its luxurious feel. A cut-out window in the box reveals the image of a siren from within the deck, offering a tantalizing glimpse into the world beneath the waves. 

The card backs are adorned with cold-foiled accents, adding a shimmering elegance to every shuffle. Each of the 56 completely custom cards, including the aces, court cards, and jokers, showcases original illustrations that breathe life into the sirens’ battle to protect their treasure.

The Nymphs Deck presents a darker, more mysterious take on the sirens’ story. Its tuck box is made from matte dark gray card stock, embellished with a striking blue hot foil stamp and subtle embossing, lending it a sense of deep-sea mystique. Like the Sirens Deck, its backs are enhanced with cold-foiled accents that catch the light beautifully. 

The cards themselves are poker-sized with an air cushion embossed finish, printed on premium casino-grade paper stock for a superior handling experience. Adding to its exclusivity, this deck features stunning blue gilded edges, giving it an ethereal shimmer that evokes the glow of moonlight on the water. Though the tuck box design sets it apart, the Nymphs Deck contains the same breathtaking artwork as the Sirens Edition, ensuring that every card continues the tale of the mermaids’ struggle against their foes.

The Dabloon Deck is the ultimate treasure among the collection, embodying the opulence and allure of pirate gold. Its tuck box is made from rich matte gold card stock, with an intricate gold hot foil stamp and carefully placed embossing that gives it a regal, treasure-chest-like appearance.

The card backs are adorned with cold-foiled accents, maintaining the luminous quality that defines this collection. Inside, the deck features the same mesmerizing illustrations as the Sirens Edition, but with an extra touch of extravagance—gold gilded edges that gleam with every movement. This deck is a true collector’s piece, evoking the riches that both sirens and pirates relentlessly seek beneath the waves.

Printed by WJPC and custom tuck boxes, and prints by Boschiero & Newton. Now on Kickstarter from $17.