Digital Monster Card Game

The Digital Monster Card Game (デジタルモンスター カードゲーム Dejitaru Monsutā Kādo Gēmu) is a trading card game produced by Bandai, based on the Digimon franchise. It was the first Digimon card game, and ran from 1999 to 2005.

In the 2010s and 2020s, Premium Bandai marketed several commemorative collectors' sets, often under the label Digital Monster Card Game Returns (デジタルモンスターカードゲームリターンズ Dejitaru Monsutā Kādo Gēmu Ritānzu).

Overview

Digital Monster Card Game cards' back design.

Formats

Over the years, Bandai promoted multiple variant ruleset formats for the Digital Monster Card Game.

• Street Battle 「ストリートバトル」
  A simplified format for quick play, which only uses Digimon Cards. Battles are decided entirely by which Digimon uses the stronger attack with no other effects coming into play, the game ends when one player's deck is emptied, and whoever has won the most battles at that time wins the game.
• Extend Battle 「エクステンドバトル」
  A slightly more advanced variation of Street Battle, which adds Option Cards and the points scoring system. The game ends when either one player reaches 0 remaining points or one player's deck is emptied, and whoever has the most remaining points at that time wins the game.
• Hyper Colosseum Battle 「ハイパーコロシアムバトル」
  The standard format, using all features of the game, as described below.
• Ultimate Battle Level 「アルティメットバトルレベル」
  An advanced format in which each player plays three Digimon at once, instead of the usual one. Introduced in 2000 with the Ultimate Battle Deck 1. Also used as one of the regulation formats in some official Bandai tournaments from 2001 onward.

Terminology

Sheet

An example playing sheet.

The Sheet 「シート」 is the playing mat on which the card game takes place. The playing field is divided into your sheet 「自分シート」 and the opponent's sheet 「相手シート」.
The sheet consists of the following fields:

• Point Gauge 「ポイントゲージ」
  A gauge on the left side of the sheet, denoting how many points you have remaining. A card from your deck is placed face-down at the 100 mark during game setup, denoting 100 points remaining (which is also the maximum amount of points you may have at any point of time during the game), and is moved downwards as you lose points. Cards stacked onto your point gauge during the game can also be considered to be moved 'out of play'.
• Net Ocean 「ネットの海」
  The 'Net Ocean' is the name used to refer to your deck in this game. Your deck will consist of 30 cards, at least one of which must be a Level III Digimon card, and you may only include up to 3 cards with the same name in your deck (regardless if they have different card numbers), unless the card itself states otherwise.
  Your Net Ocean also denotes your Digimon's lifespan 「寿命」, which ends when your Net Ocean runs out.
• Dark Area 「ダークエリア」
  The 'Dark Area' is the name used to refer to your discard pile in this game. When your cards are discarded or 'sent to the Dark Area' during play, place them face-down onto your Dark Area.
• Digimon Box 「デジモンボックス」
  The Digimon you use for battle (in other words, your current Digimon) will be placed here.
• Evolution Requirements Box 「進化条件カード置き場」, also known as the Power Box 「パワーボックス」
  Cards required to fulfill the evolution requirements of the Digimon you are planning to evolve to will be placed here.
• Evolution Box 「進化ボックス」
  Place the Digimon you wish to evolve your current Digimon into here.
• Support Box 「援護ボックス」
  Support Digimon will be placed here. In order to use support abilities, your support Digimon must possess a support skill, denoted by a '■' icon.
• Option Slot 「オプションスロット」
  Option cards to be used will be placed here. They are typically placed face-down during Preparation Phase, and activated during the timing stated on the card.

Digimon Cards

Example Digimon card:
St-994 Omegamon.

Digimon Cards 「デジモンカード」 are cards depicting Digimon, that are used in-game either to battle or to support.

• Card Name 「カード名」
  The name of the Digimon as written on the card (e.g. Omegamon). Certain Option card effects/abilities are capable of temporarily changing the card's name.
• Card Number 「カードＮｏ．」
  The number of the card, written below the card name (e.g. St-994). 'St-' and 'Sx-' are prefixes used for cards originating from starter sets, while 'Bo-' and 'Bx-' are prefixes used for cards originating from Booster packs. Various other promotional cards may include card numbers with different prefixes/suffixes; however, official tournaments typically only allow cards starting with St, Sx, Bo, or Bx to be used.
• Battle Type 「バトルタイプ」
  An icon on the card's top right depicting either A, B, or C (e.g. Battle type B). Your Digimon's battle type will determine the type of attack the opponent has to use.
• Evolution Requirements Field 「進化条件欄」
  The requirements that have to be fulfilled before you are able to evolve into this Digimon are stated here. Aside from Evolution Requirements 「進化条件」, some Digimon evolve through the use of Fusion Requirements 「融合条件」, or Appearance Requirements 「出現条件」.
• Level 「レベル」
  Your Digimon's Evolution Stage (e.g. Ultimate level). The standard levels are Level III (Child) 「レベルＩＩＩ」 → Level IV (Adult) 「レベルＩＶ」 → Perfect Level 「完全体」 → Ultimate Level 「究極体」.
  There also exists Hybrid level 「ハイブリッド体」, and No Level/- 「レベル無し」／「―」; as these levels are separate and do not have a higher or lower level, they may not be taken as 'a Digimon of the next level', nor can they 'evolve into a Digimon of the next level'. Digimon with no level may have a level equivalent stated in their level, e.g. - (Ultimate) 「―（究）」; this will affect the lost points the opponent takes when they lose, but is not considered as having an actual level.

• Type 「種族」
  Your Digimon's type (e.g. Holy Knight). Digimon types may be referenced or required in certain abilities/Option card effects.
• Attribute 「属性」
  Your Digimon's attribute. There are three typical attributes: Vaccine 「ワクチン」, Data 「データ」, and Virus 「ウィルス」.
  Less common attributes include Unknown 「属性不明」 and Variable 「バリアブル」.
  Variable-attribute Digimon will gain whatever attribute their opponent has (e.g. when a Variable-attribute Digimon faces a Data-attribute Digimon, their attribute becomes Data), and will also change along with the opponent if the opponent Digimon's attribute changes due to card effects or otherwise; when facing a Variable-attribute Digimon, their attribute remains as Variable-attribute. These attributes may be changed via the abilities or effects of certain cards.
• Group 「所属」
  The group that your Digimon belongs to (e.g. Royal Knights). Groups may be referenced or required in certain abilities/Option card effects.
• Field 「フィールド」
  The Field that your Digimon belongs to (e.g. Virus Busters). Digimon may belong to more than one Field at a time. Fields may be referenced or required in certain abilities/Option card effects. Earlier cards do not state a Field, but may use abilities of cards stating 'having the same background' as a requirement if they share the same background image. The Fields included in this game are Nature Spirits (NSp) 「ネイチャースピリッツ」, Nightmare Soldiers (NSo) 「ナイトメアソルジャーズ」, Wind Guardians (WG) 「ウインドガーディアンズ」, Deep Savers (DS) 「ディープセイバーズ」, Metal Empire (ME) 「メタルエンパイア」, Unknown (UK) 「アンノウン」, Dark Area (DA) 「ダークアリア」, and Virus Busters (VB) 「ウィルスバスターズ」.
• Information/Coordination Field 「情報・連携欄」
  Appears in cards starting from Starter Ver. 9/Booster 20. Card information (e.g. The evolution requirements cannot be ignored) or support abilities (e.g. ■ When the opponent is a red frame Digimon, add 610 to the attack power of your Ultimate level.) will be stated here; information stated here will not be counted as 'special abilities'.
• Attack Type 「アタックタイプ」／「攻撃」
  Your Digimon possesses 3 attack types - A, B, and C; the attack type used will depend on the opponent's battle type. The attack power written on the card is also known as the basic attack power' 「基本攻撃力」 (e.g. Omegamon has a basic A attack power of 900). If your Digimon's A attack goes to zero due to the opponent's attack C's effect, '0' is now considered your basic A attack power.
• Lost Points 「ロストポイント」
  Denotes how many points you lose when you lose the battle; refer to your Digimon's lost points field and the opponent Digimon's level to determine the amount of points lost.
• Abilities Field 「能力欄」
  Your Digimon's abilities are written here (e.g. Has the ability "Proud"). Only abilities marked with '◎' are considered special abilities 「特殊能力」, and only abilities marked with '■' are considered support abilities 「援護能力」.
• Frame Color 「枠色」
  The color of the frame/border surrounding the card (e.g. Omegamon's card is considered blue frame). The two main frame colors are Blue Frame 「(青枠)(ブルーフレイム)」 for non X-Antibody Digimon, and Red Frame 「(赤枠)(レッドフレイム)」 for X-Antibody Digimon. Some Digimon are printed with a golden frame 「枠色が金色」 on their first print, and are not considered as either blue frame or red frame cards, though certain abilities may specifically target gold-framed cards.

Example Option card:
Sx-105 Winning Percentage: 80%!

Option Cards

Option Cards 「オプションカード」 are support cards with various effects, ranging from pushing the battle in your favor to helping out with evolution. They are set face-down from your hand into one of your Option slots during the Preparation Phase, and activated during the activation timing stated on the card. Once set, the Option cards may not be returned to your hand, and may only be discarded or moved to another slot during Preparation Phase. If the card states to set the card face-up, the card is to be set face-up during Preparation Phase, during which the cost stated on the card will be paid, and activated during the activation timing stated on the card.
When an Option card states 'You may only place one of this card in your slots', you may place more of that card into your slots, but can only turn face-up and activate one at a time. 'One of this card' refers to cards with the same card number, thus you may activate two cards with the same name but different card numbers at the same time.

• Icon 「アイコン」:
  Denotes the type of Option card (e.g. Program Option card). Option cards come in three categories: Program 「プログラム」, Item 「アイテム」, and Field 「フィールド」. Certain effects and abilities only target specific types of Option cards.
• Capacity 「容量」:
  Denotes the card's capacity (e.g. +20). Capacity may be referenced or required in certain abilities/Option card effects.
• Activation Timing Field 「発動タイミング欄」:
  Denotes the phase during which this card has to be turned face-up and activated under Activation Timing (発動タイミング); this card's effects typically only remain for the phase during which this card was activated, unless the card states otherwise. Any additional information on how to set/play the card (e.g. Send this card face-down from your hand or slot to the Power box), as well as what kinds of effects it cannot receive (e.g. Cannot receive any effects caused by blue frame cards) will be stated here. For older cards without a 'Cost' field, if there are any costs stated here (e.g. Send one card to the Dark Area), it has to be paid when the card turns face-up, even when the card is invalidated.
• Category 「カテゴリー」:
  Denotes any category the card belongs to, if any (e.g. Evolution: Winning Percentage). Option card categories may be referenced or required in certain abilities/Option card effects.
• Cost 「コスト」:
  Denotes the cost you have to pay before you are able to activate this card (e.g. 3 cards from your Net Ocean). You are only required to pay the cost once, when you turn the card face-up to activate it. If you are unable to pay the cost when the card is turned face-up, it is sent to the Dark Area. If the cost states to 'discard your whole hand', having zero cards in your hand when the card turns face-up does not fulfill this cost.
• Requirements 「条件」:
  Denotes any requirements that have to be fulfilled to activate this card (e.g. None). Unlike Cost, the requirements have to be fulfilled constantly for as long as the card is active in order for it to stay in effect; should you fail to meet the requirements while the Option card is still active, the Option card will be sent to the Dark Area immediately.
• Effects Field 「効果欄」:
  Denotes the effects of the card. If the card states 'When you are...' before an effect but you do not meet the requirements for that effect, you will be unable to use that effect, but as it is not a requirement, the Option card will not be sent to the Dark Area. For older cards without a 'Cost' field, if there are any costs stated here (e.g. Send one card to the Dark Area), the cost is paid when the card takes effect, and the cost does not have to be paid if the card is invalidated.
• Limit 「リミット」:
  Denotes how long the card remains in play before it gets sent to the Dark Area, or point gauge if the card states so (e.g. Remains in the Power box until the end of the turn of evolution). If the card states 'until the end of the Digimon's lifespan', the card remains in the slot even if your Digimon evolves or is sent to the Dark Area not via reaching its lifespan. For cards that state a turn limit (e.g. after 3 turns), count the current turn as one of the turns. For cards that do not state any time frame or limit, send the card to the Dark Area at the end of the phase during which it was activated.
• Frame Color 「枠色」:
  The color of the frame/border surrounding the card (e.g. red frame). As with Digimon cards, the two main frame colors for Option cards are Blue Frame and Red Frame.

Special Abilities

Special Abilities 「特殊能力」 are abilities written in the Digimon's special abilities field, marked with a '◎' symbol.

• Special Abilities are typically activated during the Battle Phase, and their effects only apply during that phase (e.g. attack power additions do not carry over to the next Battle Phase), unless otherwise stated.
• Despite remaining in the Digimon box, you may not use the special abilities of your Level III Digimon card unless it is the top card in your Digimon box (except when the ability is specifically stated to affect Digimon that evolve from this Digimon).

Common Abilities:

• Sky 「くうちゅう」／「空中」, Underwater 「すいちゅう」／「水中」, Underground 「あなのなか」／「穴中」, Grappling 「かくとう」／「格闘」, Flame 「火炎」, Freezing 「氷結」, Proud 「騎士道」, Gale 「疾風」, Marksmanship 「射撃」, Fencing 「剣術」, Strategy 「戦略」, Ardor 「熱血」:
  These abilities do not have any gameplay effect on their own, and only come into play when an Option card or ability makes reference to these abilities.
• The opponent loses its special abilities 「◎相手は「◎特殊能力なし」になる」:
  This ability is always active. When successfully activated, the opponent loses their special abilities that are marked with a '◎' symbol (including abilities marked with a '◎' symbol added through the effects of Option cards), and regains their abilities when you lose this ability. If both players' Digimon have the same ability, both parties lose their special abilities. Support Digimon will not lose their special abilities.
• Cannot receive the effects of the opponent's Option cards 「◎相手オプションカードの効果を受けない」:
  This ability is always active, and only applies to cards used by your opponent directed at you. When your Digimon has this ability, it does not prevent you from using your own Option cards on that Digimon; however, when the opponent tries to invalidate an Option card you are using on your Digimon through the effects of an Option card, the ability takes effect and prevents the invalidation. This ability does not prevent the opponent from using Option cards to invalidate the effects of an Option card used by you with effects directed at the opponent.
• This Digimon will always attack last, regardless of original turn order 「◎このデジモンは本来の順番を無視して、必ず「後攻」になる」:
  When a Digimon with this ability is being played, this ability's effects come into effect starting from the next battle phase, until that Digimon is sent to the Dark Area. If both players' Digimon have this ability, follow the original turn order.

Support Abilities

Support Abilities 「援護能力」 are abilities used by support Digimon that you place in your support box, written in their Information/Coordination Field or Special Abilities Field, marked with a '■' symbol.

• In order to make use of a support ability, you must fulfill the requirements for the whole duration of the ability being active (e.g. when your points are 60 and below). If you are unable to fulfill the requirements, you are still able to place a Digimon card into your support box, but you cannot activate their support ability until you fulfill the requirements. A Digimon whose support ability is not activated is not counted as a 'Support Digimon'.
• Support Digimon are also counted as 'Digimon on your sheet', and can be counted towards effects that state 'When there is...on your sheet'.
• You may only place up to one support Digimon at a time, unless your Digimon card states otherwise.
• Support Digimon are sent to the Dark Area at the end of the turn, during Point Calculation Phase.
• Support abilities will only remain in effect for the phase during which they were activated; for example, support abilities that provide attack power modifications only do so for that phase, and the modification is lost when the next phase begins. However, as the support Digimon still remains in the box until the end of the turn, you may not place another support Digimon even if their support ability's effects have ended during the previous phase.
• You may not place a support Digimon that shares the same card number as a card already on the sheet. If the Digimon in your Digimon box evolves into a Digimon with the same card number as your support Digimon, your support Digimon is sent to the Dark Area.

Written Abilities

Written Abilities 「表記能力」 are abilities written in the Digimon's special abilities field that are not marked with a '◎' or '■' symbol.

• Written abilities are typically activated at the same time as special abilities during the Battle Phase, and their effects last only for that phase.
• As they are not considered special abilities, these abilities are not lost even when the opponent Digimon has the ability 'the opponent loses its special abilities'. However, they are still considered abilities, and are counted if the description states 'caused by effects or abilities'.

Gameplay

The below rules apply to the standard Hyper Colosseum Battle format. Other formats have different rules.

Game Setup

Before the game, select a Level III Digimon card from your deck, and place it face-down in your Digimon Box. Shuffle your remaining deck of 29 cards, as well as shuffle your opponent's, and place your deck face-down onto your sheet to form your 'Net Ocean' - your deck on the playing sheet. Draw the top card of the Net Ocean, and place it face-down without checking its contents onto your Point Gauge, where it will be used to keep track of how many points you have remaining throughout the game. At the start of the game, the card will be placed at the '100' mark, denoting 100 points remaining.

After the above setup has been completed, the game starts, and both players draw 6 cards from the top of their Net Ocean to form their hand. Play a game of rock-paper-scissors; the winner will be first to attack, and the loser will be second to attack. The game ends when either player's points reaches zero.

Preparation Phase

Example of "●" and "×" Evolution Requirements: St-414 Gargomon.

During the Preparation Phase 「準備フェイズ」, each party will carry out the following steps. The player who is first to attack will complete their Preparation Phase first, followed by the person who is second to attack, before moving on to the next phase.

1. You may discard as many cards as you like from your hand, placing them face-down into the Dark Area; ensure that your hand contains 6 cards or less after discarding.
2. You may send as many cards in your Option slots as you like to the Dark Area, as well as move cards between Option slots. Ensure that the cards that you discard do not contain any description preventing you from discarding them.
3. Draw cards from your Net Ocean until you have 6 cards in your hand, or whatever the upper limit of your hand is, if you have played any cards that have altered the limit. If your Net Ocean does not have sufficient cards, draw everything from your Net Ocean. If your Net Ocean is empty, you may not replenish your hand.
4. You may announce a switch of Level III Digimon, only if your Digimon box currently only contains one Level III Digimon. Place a Level III Digimon card from your hand face-down onto the Level III Digimon card currently in your Digimon box.
5. You may place the Digimon card you plan to evolve your Digimon into face-down into your Evolution Box, and place the cards required for the evolution requirements of the Digimon you are planning to evolve to face-down into your Evolution Requirements Box.
   If the Digimon you are planning to evolve to has "●" and "×" in its evolution requirements, draw cards from the Net Ocean equivalent to the number of "●" or "×" required for evolution. Without looking, place them face-down onto your Evolution Requirements box, vertically to denote "●" (Regular Growth), or horizontally to denote "×" (Irregular Growth).
   In the example card on the right (St-414), in order for Gargomon to evolve from Lopmon, an evolution requirement of "●×" must be fulfilled. In this case, draw 2 cards from your Net Ocean and place both cards, one vertically for "●" and one horizontally for "×", into your Evolution Requirements Box. The evolution can then be carried out during the Evolution Phase.
   In the case of Jogress Evolution 「ジョグレス進化」, one of the Digimon listed in the evolution requirements must be currently in the Digimon box, and the other Digimon bound to it by a '+' (⇔) in the evolution requirements on the Digimon to be evolved to must be placed in the Evolution Requirements box.
6. You may activate any abilities or Option cards now that require to be activated during the Preparation Phase.
7. Place Option cards face-down from your hand onto your Option slots. You may not discard any Option cards during this time.

When both players have completed their Preparation Phase, turn both Level III Digimon cards in the respective Digimon boxes face-up.

Evolution Phase

During the Evolution Phase 「進化フェイズ」, both parties carry out the evolutions they have announced during the Preparation Phase. The player who is first to attack will complete their Evolution Phase before the second player begins theirs, before moving on to the next phase.

1. The player who is first to attack will carry out the switch of their Level III Digimon that they have announced during their Preparation Phase. The player second to attack may decide whether or not to go through with their announced Level III Digimon switch after seeing the first player's actions.
2. The player who is first to attack will carry out any regular evolutions that they have announced and prepared for during their Preparation Phase. The player second to attack may decide whether or not to go through with their announced evolutions after seeing the first player's actions.
3. Send the cards used for evolution requirements placed in the Evolution Requirements box to the Dark Area after evolution.
4. After evolution, send all Digimon cards from before the evolution to the Dark Area, excluding the Level III Digimon card. The player should only have their current, evolved Digimon card, and their Level III Digimon card remaining in their Digimon box after evolution.
5. You may activate any abilities or Option cards that require to be activated during the Evolution Phase; they may be activated at any time throughout your phase.
6. Activate any abilities that immediately activate once their requirements are met (e.g.: When you evolve into this Digimon, send the opponent's 'Dark Tower' card to the Dark Area.)
7. After both players have carried out their evolutions, any cards left in the Evolution Box and Evolution Requirements Box that were not used will be sent to each player's Dark Area respectively.

Evolution Requirements 「進化条件」

• Typical Evolution cycles through the standard levels as follows: Level III (Child) 「レベルＩＩＩ」 → Level IV (Adult) 「レベルＩＶ」 → Perfect 「完全体」 → Ultimate 「究極体」.
• Level III > Level IV evolutions typically require "●" or "×" to be used for evolution.
• Perfect and Ultimate evolutions typically require the use of Winning Percentage cards - 'Winning Percentage: 40%!' 「しょうりつ４０％！」, 'Winning Percentage: 60%!' 「しょうりつ６０％！」, or 'Winning Percentage: 80%!' 「しょうりつ８０％！」.
• If your card's Evolution Requirements state 'Send one additional card from your hand to the Dark Area', you must send one card (or whatever number is required) from your hand that is not used at all for your regular evolution requirements to the Dark Area.
• If you are unable to fulfill the 'Send one additional card from your hand to the Dark Area', or similar requirements required in the middle of Warp Evolution, you may carry out any evolutions before this evolution.
• When you use an effect or ability that states 'ignore the evolution requirements', you may ignore everything stated in the evolution requirements field, including Digimon to be evolved from, cost of evolution, and any additional requirements stated in your Digimon's evolution requirements field, such as 'Send one additional card from your hand to the Dark Area' or 'Can only evolve from Virus attribute Digimon', unless that Digimon's abilities field contains 'The evolution requirements cannot be ignored'.
• You may not evolve into a Digimon that evolves using Fusion/Appearance Requirements when using an effect or ability that states 'ignore the evolution requirements'.

Fusion Requirements 「融合条件」

• Digimon that evolve through Armor Evolution 「アーマー進化」, or that require certain Option cards for evolution, will evolve using Fusion Requirements.
• If 'Cannot be fused from Virus attribute Digimon', or similar requirements are listed in your Digimon's fusion requirements, it applies to all Digimon to be used for the fusion.
• If 'At the end of the turn during which fusion took place...', or similar requirements are listed in your Digimon's fusion requirements, they will still apply even if you had made this card directly appear from your hand through the use of Option cards.
• You may not evolve into a Digimon that evolves using Evolution/Appearance Requirements when using an effect or ability that states 'ignore the fusion requirements'.

Appearance Requirements 「出現条件」

• Digimon that appear through Appearance Requirements will only be made to appear in your Digimon box when their requirements are fulfilled.
• If 'During battle' is stated in your Digimon's Appearance Requirements, they will be made to appear during the Battle Phase, during the timing where special abilities are activated, with the player second to attack going first. (If the player first to attack is making a Digimon appear through Appearance Requirements, they will do so after the player second to attack has activated all their special abilities.)
• If both players have fulfilled their Appearance Requirements, the player second to attack will carry out their appearance first.
• If 'At the start of the battle' is stated in your Digimon's Appearance Requirements, they cannot be made to appear after special abilities that state 'At the start of the battle' have been activated.
• If 'At the start of the battle' is stated in your Digimon's Appearance Requirements, and they have a special ability that states 'When this card makes its appearance', activate that special ability before activating other special abilities that state 'At the start of the battle' or 'during battle' (the person second to attack activates theirs first).
• You may not evolve into a Digimon that evolves using Evolution/Fusion Requirements when using an effect or ability that states 'ignore the appearance requirements'.

Battle Phase

During the Battle Phase 「バトルフェイズ」, both players' Digimon will do battle. When a winner is decided, the game moves on to the next phase.

1. Starting with the player second to attack, if any player has fulfilled the Appearance Requirements of any Digimon with 'At the start of the battle' stated in their Appearance Requirements, they may make their Digimon appear now. If that Digimon has a special ability that states 'When this card makes its appearance', they are activated immediately after the card makes its appearance (the person second to attack will activate this ability first, before the person first to attack makes their Digimon appear).
2. Starting with the player second to attack, both players will use any effects or abilities that state 'At the start of the battle'.
3. Starting with the player second to attack, both players will check each other's battle type. Every Digimon card has a battle type - A, B, or C, denoted by the letter on the card's top left corner. This letter determines the type of attack the opponent must use against you - for example, if your Digimon's battle type is A, the opponent must use their A attack. After checking battle type, each player determines their attack power, based on the attack power amount written in the A, B, or C attack fields on their cards. Take note that if you are using your C attack with the effect (A→0), and the opponent is using their A attack, their A attack power will become zero.
4. Starting with the player second to attack, both parties will now use any Option cards/abilities that require to be used during the Battle Phase. This includes abilities or Digimon being made to appear whose Appearance requirements state 'During battle'. The player first to attack will only start after the second player has finished activating all their effects/abilities and made their Digimon appear.
5. When both players have finished using their Option cards/abilities, determine both parties' final attack power. Attack power additions/subtractions will stack; however, attack power multiplications do not stack, and only the last activated multiplication will apply. The player with the higher attack power wins the battle; if both parties have the same attack power, the battle ends in a draw.

Point Calculation Phase

During the Point Calculation Phase 「ポイント計算フェイズ」, both players will calculate how many points they lose due to the battle. The turn ends at the end of this phase.

1. Starting with the player first to attack, both parties will now use any Option cards that require to be used during the Point Calculation Phase.
2. After that, the player who lost the battle will calculate the amount of points lost by looking at their Digimon's Lost Points field, and subtracting the points lost corresponding to the opponent Digimon's level, by moving the card on their Point Gauge down. If the battle ended in a draw, both players lost 10 points, and their Digimon remain as is.
3. Starting with the player first to attack, both parties will now use any Digimon abilities that require to be used after point calculation.
4. If the Digimon that lost the battle is a non-Level III, discard all other cards from the Digimon box such that only the Level III Digimon card remains.
5. Send any support Digimon in your support box to the Dark Area.
6. If the player's Net Ocean has run out of cards, regardless of whether they won or lost the battle, discard all other cards from the Digimon box such that only the Level III Digimon card remains (this is treated as the Digimon reaching its lifespan). After that, shuffle your Dark Area, and use it as your new Net Ocean. The cards in your hand and slots remain as is.

After the above has taken place, the turn ends, and the next turn starts again from the Preparation Phase. The game ends when either player reaches zero points and loses the game.
The player who won the battle will now become 'first to attack' during the next turn. If the battle ended in a draw, the turn order remains the same as the previous turn.

Card Sets

See also: Full Card List

Starter Decks

Set Name	No. of cards	Release Date	Link
Starter Version 1 「スターターＶｅｒ．１」	60	June 1999	[1]
Starter Version 2 「スターターＶｅｒ．２」	60	November 1999	[2]
Starter Version 3 「スターターＶｅｒ．３」	57	April 2000	[3]
Starter Version 4 「スターターＶｅｒ．４」	57	October 2000	[4]
Ultimate Battle Deck 1: Neo Virus Busters Set/Neo Dark Masters Set 「アルティメットバトルセット　ネオ・ウィルスバスターズセット／ネオ・ダークマスターズセット」	99	December 2000	[5]
Starter Version 5 「スターターＶｅｒ．５」	60	April 2001	[6]
Ultimate Battle Deck 2: Digital Hazard Set 「アルティメットバトルセット　デジタルハザードデックセット」	52	July 2001	[7]
Starter Version 6: Advent of the Three Great Angels 「スターターＶｅｒ．６　～三大天使降臨(ＨＯＬＹ　ＫＩＮＧＤＯＭ)～」	57	September 2001	[8]
Ultimate Battle Deck 3: Legend of Dramon Set/Neo Metal Empire Set 「アルティメットバトルセット　レジェンドオブドラモンセット/ネオ・メタルエンパイアセット」	120	December 2001	[9]
Starter Version 7: The Warriors of Super-Fusion 「スターターＶｅｒ．７　～超融合の闘士たち(ＨＹＢＲＩＤ　ＷＡＲＲＩＯＲＳ)～」	80	April 2002	[10]
Expansion Kit S: Digimon Box/Digimon Pack 「拡張キットＳ　デジモンボックス/デジモンパック」	66	July 2002	[11]
Starter Version 8: The True Legend of Fusion 「スターターＶｅｒ．８　～真・融合伝説(ＡＤＶＡＮＣＥＤ　ＨＹＢＲＩＤ　ＳＡＧＡ)～」	60	September 2002	[12]
Ultimate Battle Deck 4: Royal Knights Set/Warrior Ten Set 「アルティメットバトルセット　ロイヤルナイツセット/十闘士セット」	120	December 2002	[13]
Starter Version 9: DORUgoramon Terror Deck/Omegamon Purge Deck 「スターターＶｅｒ．９　～戦慄のドルゴラモンデック/粛清のオメガモンデック～」	74	March 2003	[14]
Ultimate Battle Set 5: X-Evolution Box: Chronicle Deck/Yggdrasil Deck 「アルティメットバトルセット　Ｘ－進化ボックス（クロニクルデッキ/イグドラシルデッキ）」	60	July 2003	[15]
Starter Version 10: X-Combo Deck 「スターターＶｅｒ．１０　～Ｘコンボデック～」	32	December 2003	[16]

Booster Series

Set Name	No. of cards	Release Date	Link
Booster 1 「ブースター１」	54	June 1999	[17]
Booster 2 「ブースター２」	54	September 1999	[18]
Booster 3 「ブースター３」	54	November 1999	[19]
Booster 4 「ブースター４」	48	February 2000	[20]
Booster 5 「ブースター５」	48	April 2000	[21]
Booster 6 「ブースター６」	49	July 2000	[22]
Booster 7: Terror of the Dragon Emperor 「ブースター７　～戦慄の皇帝竜～」	49	October 2000	[23]
Booster 8: Awakening of the Ultimate Dragon Warrior 「ブースター８　～究極竜戦士の覚醒～」	48	December 2000	[24]
Booster 9: The Glittering Beam of the White Holy Sword 「ブースター９　～白き聖剣の煌芒～」	48	March 2001	[25]
Booster 10: The Lancing of the Crimson Knight 「ブースター１０　～紅蓮騎士の槍撃～」	49	May 2001	[26]
Booster 11: The Space-time Crossing Adventurer 「ブースター１１　～超時空の冒険者(ＤＩＧＩＴＡＬ　ＭＹＳＴＥＲＹ　ＴＯＵＲ)～」	48	July 2001	[27]
Booster 12: Assault of the Deva 「ブースター１２　～十二神将強襲(ＤＥＶＡ　ＳＴＲＩＫＥＳ)～」	48	October 2001	[28]
Booster 13: The Sky-Conquering Armored Lancer 「ブースター１３　～覇空の鎧鎗騎～」	48	December 2001	[29]
Booster 14: The Radiant Crimson Knight of Heavenly Wings 「ブースター１４　～天翼の輝紅騎士(ＣＲＩＭＳＯＮ　ＨＹＬＡＮＤＥＲ)～」	49	March 2002	[30]
Booster 15: The Explosive Super Beast Warrior 「ブースター１５　～爆炎の超獣戦士(ＢＵＲＮＩＮＧ　ＢＥＡＳＴ　ＦＩＧＨＴＥＲ)～」	50	June 2002	[31]
Booster 16: The True Super-Fusion Warriors 「ブースター１６　～真・超融合戦士(ＴＨＥ　ＭＡＪＥＳＴＩＣ　ＨＹＢＲＩＤ　ＷＡＲＲＩＯＲ)～」	49	August 2002	[32]
Booster 17: The Transcendental Warrior of Radiant Fire 「ブースター１７　～輝焔の超越戦士(ＥＸＣＥＥＤ　ＳＨＩＮＩＮＧ　ＦＬＡＭＥ)～」	62	October 2002	[33]
Booster 18: The Indestructible Ultimate War God 「ブースター１８　～金剛の究極武神(ＴＨＥ ＲＩＳＥ　ＯＦ　ＮＥＷ　ＣＯＳＭＯＳ)～」	61	December 2002	[34]
Booster 19: The Dark Demon Dragon of the Apocalypse 「ブースター１９　～黙示録の暗黒魔竜(ＤＡＲＫ　ＷＩＮＧ　ＡＰＯＣＡＬＹＰＳＥ)～」	62	February 2003	[35]
Booster 20: The Genealogy of X-Evolution 「ブースター２０　～Ｘ－進化の系譜(ＧＥＮＥＡＬＯＧＹ　ＯＦ　ＸＥＶＯＬＵＴＩＯＮ)～ 」	74	April 2003	[36]
Booster 21: The Threat of the X-Eradicating Corps 「ブースター２１　～Ｘ殲滅部隊の猛威(Ｘ－ＤＥＬＥＴＥＲ)～」	74	July 2003	[37]
Booster 22: Awakening: The Forbidden Dark Evolution 「ブースター２２　～覚醒・禁断の闇進化(ＤＥＡＴＨ－Ｘ－ＥＶＯＬＵＴＩＯＮ)～」	60	October 2003	[38]
Booster 23: The Spinners of Genesis 「ブースター２３　～創世記を紡ぐ者たち(ＮＥＷ　ＰＨＡＳＥ　ＯＦ　ＤＩＧＩＴＡＬ　ＷＯＲＬＤ)～」	52	January 2004	[39]
Booster 24: Advent of the Seven Great Demon Lords 「ブースター２４　～七大魔王降臨(ＴＨＥ　ＥＶＩＬ　ＧＡＴＥ)～」	52	June 2004	[40]
Digitalize Booster Pack 「デジタライズブースターパック」	50	March 25, 2005
Digitalize Booster Pack 2 「デジタライズブースターパック２」	56	November 25, 2005

Jumbo Carddass Series

Set Name	No. of cards	Release Date	Link
Expansion Board 「拡張ボード」	24	June 2001	[41]
Expansion Board 2 「拡張ボード２」	24	September 2001	[42]
Expansion Board 3 「拡張ボード３」	24	January 2002	[43]
Expansion Board 4 「拡張ボード４」	24	April 2002	[44]
Expansion Board 5 「拡張ボード５」	24	August 2002	[45]
Expansion Board - Digimon Adventure V-Tamer 01 SP 「拡張ボード デジモンアドベンチャーＶテイマー０１ ＳＰ(スペシャル)」	27	January 8, 2003	[46]
Expansion Board 6 「拡張ボード６」	24	March 2003	[47]

Limited Edition Booster Series

• Jump Festa Limited Edition Boosters
• Lotteria Limited Edition Boosters
• Digimon Music Limited Edition Boosters

Premium Bandai Series

Set Name	No. of cards	Release Date	Link
Digimon 15th Anniversary Box 「デジモン15thアニバーサリーボックス」	192	March 25, 2013	[48]
Premium Select File Vol.1 「プレミアムセレクトファイル Vol.1」	93 (95)	September 24, 2013	[49]
Premium Select File Vol.2 - Special Anime Edition 「プレミアムセレクトファイル Vol.2 ～スペシャルアニメエディション～」	93	March 14, 2014	[50]
Digimon Adventure 15th Anniversary Set 「デジモンアドベンチャー15thアニバーサリーセット」	162	January 10, 2015	[51]
D-Ark ver.15th Edition 「ディーアーク ver.15th Edition」	65	January 2017	[52]
Digimon Adventure tri. First Memorial Set 「デジモンアドベンチャーtri.ファーストメモリアルセット」	60	March 24, 2017	[53]
Digimon 20th Anniversary Set 「デジモン20thアニバーサリーセット」	60	November 20, 2017	[54]
Digimon 20th Memorial Set 「デジモン20thメモリアルセット」	60	March 2018	[55]
Digimon Card Premium Edition: Card Game ver. 「デジモンカードプレミアムエディション - カードゲームver.」	14	July 28, 2019	[56]
Digimon Card Premium Edition - Digimon Adventure Last Evolution Kizuna: Card Game ver. 「デジモンカードプレミアムエディション　デジモンアドベンチャー LAST EVOLUTION 絆 - カードゲームver.」	14	February 21, 2020	[57]

Promotional

Main article: Hyper Colosseum Promotional Series

Appearances

Anime

Digimon Tamers

Shioda Hirokazu and Matsuda Takato, playing the Digital Monster Card Game.

The Digital Monster Card Game is popular among Japanese children. Matsuda Takato, Shioda Hirokazu, Kitagawa Kenta and some of their other friends are casual players; Makino Ruki and Akiyama Ryo are competitive players; Lee Jianliang once used them with a Digital Monster PC game; and Katou Juri is secretly a collector.

Takato has a collection of approximately 70 cards, most of them being Digimon Cards, which he keeps in an old cake tin. Jianliang has approximately 40, most of them being Digimon and rare cards. Ruki has a collection of approximately 120, mainly consisting of Option Cards, and keeps a supply for battles in a belt-mounted carry case.

All cards have a metallic stripe along their left-hand (face) side, which contains data pertaining to the card's effects. The stripes are intended for use with Card Fighter Ex devices, to assist card game players with calculations by swiping cards into the device; and with the Digital Monster PC game, to give Digimon boosts by swiping cards through a card reader peripheral. However, this also makes them usable by Tamers in real Digimon fights, who swipe ("Card Slash") cards into their D-Arks to give their partner Digimon temporary power-ups, equipment, or new attack techniques.

The Card Game has a popular competitive play scene. Ruki has a certain amount of fame and notoriety as the "Digimon Queen" due to recent tournament successes, including winning the Cathode Tamer Tournament and the D-1 Grand Prix (for which real Digimon, including Renamon, sought her out to be their Tamer), and placing second in the previous year's Digimon Card Battle Tournament. However, she only gained this reputation following the disappearance of Ryo, who himself has a legendary reputation, who had defeated her and taken first place in the Card Battle Tournament.

Video Games

Digimon World: Digital Card Battle & Digital Card Arena

The designs of the cards used in the two PlayStation Digimon World Digital Card spinoffs are taken directly from the Digital Monster Card Game. The gameplay also very loosely resembles that of the Digital Monster Card Game and includes some of the same structure and concepts, but is much simpler and features many differences and new mechanics.

Digimon Tamers: Battle Evolution

Items in Digimon Tamers: Battle Evolution take the form of Digital Monster Card Game cards that appear, face down, during battle.

Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer

Both items and equipment plug-ins in Digimon Tamers: Brave Tamer take the form of Digital Monster Card Game cards. The contents of the cards, however, are entirely unrelated to the original card game.

Digital Monster Card Game Ver. WSC

Digital Monster Card Game Ver. WSC is a relatively straightforward video game adaptation of the Digital Monster Card Game.

Digimon World 3: The Door of A New Adventure

The designs of the cards used in the Card Battle mode are taken directly from the Digital Monster Card Game, although the actual gameplay of the mode is entirely different.

TCG

Battle Spirits	CB07-054 Quote (⇨ Japanese): A competitive Trading Card Game. By "Card Slashing" with the D-Ark, your Digimon are powered up. Quote (⇨ English): 対戦型トレーディングカードゲーム。 ディーアークへ「カードスラッシュ」することでデジモンを強化する。

Localization

Digi-Battle Card Game

From 1999 to 2002, Bandai America—initially in collaboration with Upper Deck—produced the Digi-Battle Card Game for (primarily) Western markets. Broadly speaking, it was a simplified adaptation of the Japanese Digital Monster Card Game which retained many of the same core rules while also reducing the complexity of some mechanics.

Starter Deck 1 and Boosters 1 and 2 of the Digi-Battle Card Game were relatively direct adaptations of the Japanese Starter Ver. 1 and Boosters 1 and 2; almost all of the original Japanese cards in these sets were retained with the same art and numbering, but experienced some alterations to their stats and effects. From Booster 3 and the Street Starter series onward, however, releases of the Digi-Battle Card Game totally diverged from those of the Digital Monster Card Game, coinciding with a total redesign of the Digi-Battle cards that reduced the resemblance of their layout to that of the Digital Monster Card Game.

Individual cards were also often enclosed in Bandai America and Bandai Asia toys for Digimon Tamers.

American localizations of video games that depict the Digital Monster Card Game always replaced visuals relating to its cards with those of the Digi-Battle Card Game. However, the American English dub of Tamers, "Digimon: Digital Monsters season 3," did not do likewise, as the Digital Monster Card Game cards that appear in it are not altered in any way.

Releases

To-do list
Release dates!

Set Name	No. of cards	Release Date	Link
Starter Set	62	???  ???	[58]
Series 1 Booster Cards	54 (62)	???  ???	[59]
Series 2 Booster Cards: Yellow/Orange	54 (62)	???  ???	[60] [61]
Street Starter Set 1	30	???  ???	[62]
Street Starter Set 2	30	???  ???	[63]
Series 3 Booster Cards	54	???  ???
Street Starter Set 3	30	???  ???
Street Starter Set 4	30	???  ???
Series 4 Booster Cards	54	???  ???	[64]
Series 5 Booster Cards	54	???  ???
Series 6 Booster Cards	54	???  ???

South Korea

Bandai Korea and Daewon C&A marketed a Korean-language version of the Digital Monster Card Game in South Korea in the early 2000s, beginning with the launch of Booster 1 on March 5, 2001.

Image Gallery

Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book	Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book	Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book	Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book	Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book	Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book
Digital Monster Card Game Complete Book

Additional Information

References	Notes

External Links

• Digital Monster Card Game official website on Digimon Web (Archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
• Digital Monster Card Game Premium Bandai Series on the Carddass official website (Archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine)
• Shining Evolution
• Digital Monster Card Game on Juggernaut's TCG Catalog

Card Games
Hyper Colosseum Alpha Super Digica Taisen Jintrix Appli Monsters Card Game Data Carddass Appli Monsters Battle Spirits Digimon Card Game