Cobra Kai: Card Fighter Review

• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Developer:  Gamaga
• Publisher: Boss Team Games
• Release Date: March 21st, 2021

Typically Mobile games aren’t exactly in the wheelhouse for what we cover here, but every once in a while one will pique our curiosity enough to check it out. Cobra Kai: Card Fighter is exactly that type of game, combining the hit Netflix television series with a deck-building card fighting game, all while being free to play and not requiring a massive amount of time or micro transactions to feel like you’re making any progress.

Cobra Kai: Card Fighter recounts the events of the Netflix television show in an abbreviated form, from Johnny Lawrence resurrecting the Cobra Kai dojo and taking Miguel under his wing, to the creation of Daniel LaRusso’s Miyagi Do with Sam and Robby. In Cobra Kai: Card Fighter you’ll complete missions as both rival dojos, unlocking fan favourite characters and training them to be the best martial arts combatants in the Valley.

The card combat is very straightforward and simple, using the standard rock/paper/scissors formula. Prior to each round each combatant will select up to three cards to play, and the cards will be played in the order they are selected. Once each player has selected their cards then they’ll both sit back and watch the round play out. Each card is pitted head-to-head, and the winning card based on the rock/papers/scissors formula will be the card that lands the damage. For example, if you play a kick card and your opponent plays a punch card, your attack will land since a kick counters a punch. There are three types of attack cards in the game, kick, punch, and grapple, each with plenty of different cards to choose from with different damage counters and energy consumption.

In the visuals department Cobra Kai: Card Fighter is pretty much par for the course when it comes to what you’d expect out of a licensed Mobile title. The visuals certainly won’t blow your socks off, but the game does an excellent job of capturing the look and feel of the television show. The game also features the likenesses of all the major characters of Cobra Kai, from Ralph Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso and William Zabka’s Johnny Lawrence, all the way to smaller supporting cast like Gianni DeCenzo’s Demetri and Nichole Brown’s Aisha. All of the fan favourite characters are present, and for the most part they all look pretty convincing, with a few exceptions that look slightly off (looking at you, Robby).

Now to get down to the elephant in the room that must be discussed when talking about any Free to Play Mobile game: the micro transactions. Of course, there are plenty of currencies, packs, and even a season pass you can purchase to try and get ahead in the game faster, and you’ll occasionally be reminded of them when first booting up the game and as you play. You can also speed certain actions in the game up or repeat a training mini game you’ve failed by watching an ad. But with all that said, I didn’t really feel the need at any time to purchase any sort of pack or currency in order to have a good time with the Cobra Kai: Card Fighter, something that was genuinely a nice surprise given it’s genre and platform. For full disclosure, we were given access to some extra currency to help out with the review process, but I spent most of my time with the game leaving that extra money untouched to give myself the full user experience. I’m happy to report that you can play Cobra Kai: Card Fighter to its fullest without spending a dime, but the option is there if you really would want to.

Overall Cobra Kai: Card Fighter is a pleasant surprise for a free to play Mobile title. Boss Team Games and Gamaga have created an addicting little deck building game that meshes perfectly with one of the most popular and beloved television series currently running. If you’ve been on the fence about checking this one out because it’s for Mobile platforms, you’ll be happy to know that there’s plenty to enjoy without having to reach for the credit card.

Extra in-game currency for Cobra Kai: Card Fighter was provided by Boss Team Games for the purposes of this review