How to make your own card game, step by step
Start with one core decision players make every turn, build a rough paper prototype in an evening, play it alone and then with friends, and change one thing at a time. Write the rules, run blind playtests with strangers, and only then spend money on art and printing. Print-on-demand services can make single copies; larger runs come from a card printer or manufacturer.
Making a card game is mostly cycles of play and change. The steps below are in the order that saves the most money and frustration: cheap and fast first, expensive and slow last.
1. Find the core decision
Every good card game is built around one decision players make over and over. In Martial Art, it is “which card do I risk on this land?” In a deck-builder, it’s “what do I buy?” Write yours in one sentence before anything else. Theme, card art and extra rules hang off that sentence.
Then pick the basics:
- Player count. Designing for exactly two players is easier to balance than three to six.
- Length. A 20-minute game is easier to test, finish and sell than a 90-minute one.
- Components. Cards only, or cards plus a few tokens or dice?
2. Build an ugly prototype tonight
Don’t design cards yet. Write on index cards, or put paper slips into card sleeves in front of an old deck so they shuffle well. Use a pen. You will rewrite most cards several times, so anything nicer is wasted. Our prototype supplies guide lists what to have on hand.
3. Play it alone first
Play every seat yourself. You aren’t checking whether it is fun yet; you are checking whether it works. Does the game end? Can a player get stuck with no legal move? Is one card obviously best? Fix what is broken, then play again.
4. Play with friends, and change one thing at a time
Now find out whether it is fun. Watch faces more than you listen to comments. Note where people go quiet, check their phones or ask “whose turn is it?” Change one rule or a handful of cards between sessions, so you can tell what each change did. Keep a log of versions.
5. Write the rules
Write the rulebook as if you won’t be there, because one day you won’t. Use this order:
- One-sentence overview and how you win.
- Components list.
- Setup, with a picture or diagram if you can.
- A turn, step by step.
- End of game and scoring.
- Clarifications for specific cards.
6. Blind playtest
Give the game and rulebook to strangers and say nothing. Every question they ask is a gap in your rules. Every rule they get wrong is a sign the rule is unclear, or the game wants it to work that way. Our playtesting guide covers running these sessions.
7. Art and graphic design
Only now spend money. Lay out the card templates first (title, cost, text, icons) so the art has a fixed space to fill. Readable icons and a clear text layout matter more than lavish illustration on every card. If you plan to crowdfund, read why art decides most campaigns.
8. Choose how to make it
| Route | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Print-and-play PDF | Testing, giveaways, building an audience | Players do the work; no income |
| Print on demand (The Game Crafter, MakePlayingCards, DriveThruCards) | Prototypes, review copies, very small sales | High cost per copy, but no stock to hold |
| Offset print run from a game manufacturer | Selling hundreds or thousands | Large up-front cost and a minimum order |
| Pitch to a publisher | Getting the game made without funding it | You give up control and most of the money |
The manufacturing costs guide covers what each route really costs.
9. Get it in front of players
Bring it to conventions and to game nights at your local game store. Many stores, including We Geek Together in Sandy and Provo, Utah, are glad to have designers bring prototypes. If you plan a Kickstarter, start building that audience months before launch; see mistake #1.
Questions people ask
How many cards should a card game have?
Whatever the design needs, but small games are easier to finish and cheaper to print. Small card games range from under 20 cards to over 100. Printers price by sheet, so ask yours which card counts fill a sheet without waste.
Can I copyright my card game idea?
In the United States, game mechanics and ideas can't be copyrighted. Your rules text, art and graphic design can be. This is general information, not legal advice; talk to a lawyer about your specific game.
What software do people use to make cards?
Many designers start in a spreadsheet and merge it into card templates with tools such as nanDECK, Component Studio, or the data-merge feature in InDesign or Affinity Publisher. A word processor table is fine for a first prototype.
How do I print just one copy of my card game?
Use a print-on-demand service such as The Game Crafter, MakePlayingCards or DriveThruCards, or print on card stock at home and slide the sheets into card sleeves in front of an old deck.