Genso Suikoden Card Stories TCG

The Genso Suikoden Card Stories Trading Card Game (幻想水滸伝カードストーリーズ TCG) was a collectible card game produced and released by Konami. It made its first appearance in the fall of 2001, in tandem with the GBA game. It was released in two versions - the original, which included a starter pack and five volumes of booster cards, and part II, including a starter and four volumes of boosters. Konami discontinued the game in 2005.

Overview
Genso Suikoden Card Stories is a two-player trading card game in which players compete using character cards and their effects in the setting of the Suikoden series.

The players earn VP (Victory Points) by completing missions, and the first player to earn 5 VP wins the game. Each player can play mission cards and deploy their character cards to clear the mission. Facilities can also be constructed to each player's advantage.

Gameplay
The game is a trading card game in which players draw cards from their respective decks and take turns playing cards onto the field. Each player uses a deck containing 50 cards.

A player wins when one of these conditions are met:
 * The player's wins the agreed upon number of VP (Victory Points). 5 VP is the standard amount suggested by the game rules. VP is gained by using Character cards to "clear" Mission cards.
 * The player's opponent is required to draw, but the opponent has no more cards to draw from their deck. If both players are required to draw at the same time and both have no cards, the game is declared a draw.

Players prepare decks before the game and once prepared and turn order established, begin the game. Player's place Mission cards and attempt to fulfil the cards qualifications in order to acquire the VP gifted by the card, as marked on the card itself. The opposing player can also attempt to fulfil the cards qualifications, winning the VP for themselves.

Besides this, players can also attempt to construct Facilities cards. They are built in much the same way as Mission cards are played and provide 1 VP for every two constructed. If the player succeeds in building the Facilities card they played, they gain the bonus granted by that card. If the opposing player wins, however, the Facilities card is considered to have been destroyed and no bonus is granted to either player.

Play continues in this manner, with control passing between each player at every Turn Shift Phase until one meets one of the victory conditions listed above.

Card Stories
The first version of the game contained a total of 556 cards, released in five volumes of booster packs. The cards featured characters and missions from the first three Suikoden games.

Each volume of boosters contained seven types of cards - Masterminds, Leaders, Commoners, Free, Craftsman, Mission and Facilities. Along with normal cards, each set had a collection of Star Parallel (SP) cards - shiny versions of the character cards - and Radiance Star Parallel (RSP) cards, mostly for key characters. RSP cards were shiny with a cross pattern in the sheen in boosters 1 and 2, and shiny with large flecks in the later sets.

The boosters were sold in packs of 10, with 9 normal cards and one SP or RSP card. RSP cards were considerably rarer. Each booster pack sold for 300 yen.

Card Stories Chapter II
Genso Suikoden Card Stories Chapter II (幻想水滸伝カードストーリーズ ～第II章～) was the second version of the game. It was released with a starter box and in four sets of booster packs. The cards contain characters and missions from Suikoden II, Suikoden III and Suikoden IV.

As with the first version of the game, there were seven types of cards - Masterminds, Leaders, Commoners, Free, Craftsman, Mission and Facilities, along with Star Parallel and Radiance Star Parallel versions. Some volumes also had special signed cards.

Part 2 had revised rules that tightened up the game play. The numbering system was also changed - each card number was prefaced by "CS2".

Version Differences
Technically, Genso Suikoden Card Stories and Genso Suikoden Card Stories Chapter II are the same game. Although there had been rule changes and refinements, cards from one release are compatible with cards from the other. In truth, the two releases are two different series within the same game, much like other commercial trading card games.

The following changes occurred between the two series.


 * Players were limited to 4 of each card in their deck in Card Stories Chapter II. There had previously been no limitations.
 * Several card text abbreviations were removed and some new ones added.

Related Publications
The Genso Suikoden Card Stories Visual Book contains some artwork from the first two sets, and information on game play. It has a list and commentary from the artists who contributed to the first two sets. It came with a bonus RSP card of Zaj Quiroz from the Booster Pack Vol.2 expansion.

The Genso Suikoden Card Stories Card Complete Book is a complete picture guide from the first Card Stories up to Card Stories II, CS2 Booster Pack Vol.2. It does not contain information on the last two booster sets.