You might remember Clash of the Gladiators, the arena game designed by Reiner Knizia. It returns in 2026 in a fully revamped edition, published by Korea Boardgames, and the makeover is definitely worth noticing.
What is Magicats? Welcome to the Great Magic Cat Tournament at Felinor School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! 2 to 4 players compete by leading clans of magical cats in a merciless arena. The goal? Collect the most trophies by capturing your opponents’ cats and their magic tokens.
The game unfolds in two distinct phases. First, the Preparation Phase: you position your cats on the board and equip them by drafting from 11 different types of magic tokens. Each cat heads into battle loaded with 4 tokens. Then comes the Battle Phase: cats move up to 4 spaces to engage their opponents. The distance between fighters constantly changes the dynamic of each encounter. Take two hits, lose a token to your opponent. Lose your last token… and your cat becomes a trophy.
Why should you check it out? Reiner Knizia is a guarantee of clean, efficient mechanics. Magicats looks very accessible from age 10, with 40-minute play sessions and a moderate complexity rating (2.20/5). Perfect for a laid-back game night that still keeps you on your toes — or rather… on your claws.
