A new year of tabletop releases is upon us, with trading card game adaptions of Cyberpunk 2077 and League Of Legends, and more mega evolutions for Pokémon TCG.

2026’s biggest gaming release won’t be GTA 6 but the new Cyberpunk trading card game, well maybe… but CD Projekt is following Riot Games in releasing a card game based on their biggest IP, thereby staking a claim in the lucrative tabletop market.

With this year marking the 30th anniversary year of Pokémon, card culture is shaping up to be the year’s defining scene for tabletop players. And it’s not just Pokémon, trading card fans can look forward to a huge slate of releases from other major properties, including Magic: The Gathering, Yu‑Gi‑Oh!, Lorcana, and more.

I also can’t wait to find out more about the Starcraft miniatures game that is finally bringing Terran, Zerg, and Protoss into physical battles that echo the iconic real-time strategy. That hasn’t been revealed yet, but the following picks are all either out now or imminent, in what is a very promising start for tabletop gaming this year.

Cyberpunk TCG

The new Cyberpunk 2077 card game distils Night City’s chrome-plated chaos into something you can sling across a kitchen table, sharp edges and moral compromises intact. CD Projekt hasn’t revealed much about how the gameplay is going to work, but it will combine elements from both the video game and the Edgerunner animated show.

As such, it’ll feature characters ‘from across the franchise’, with the likes of Panam Palmer, Jackie Welles, and Judy Alvarez already confirmed. Cards such as Kiroshi Optics, Mantis Blades, and Mandibular Upgrade suggest the trading card game is going to feature all the main elements from the video game, no doubt including backstabbing and changing allegiances.

The cards will feature all-new, original artwork and if you want to get the upper hand as an Edgerunner you can sign up now for the exclusive Lucy ‘Nova Rare’ card free, at the game’s official website. The Kickstarter campaign won’t start until later in the year but that still means it’ll be out a lot sooner than the video game sequel.

Release date and RRP: TBA

Battletome: Maggotkin Of Nurgle

The Maggotkin slither into 2026 with a fresh wave of grotesque, irresistible models that push the pestilent hordes to new extremes. The updated Battletome revamps rules, battle traits, and narrative options, giving you both tactical tools and rich-but-disgusting story content. At the forefront of the narrative is Festus the Leechlord, a former plague doctor ascended into daemonhood, mounted on the bloated slug-like horror Gathoblyt, who with tentacles protruding from its belly rains down parasitic leeches and disease across the battlefield.

Cavalry, like the corrupted Sloven Knights, Putrid Blightkings, and savage Pestigors, bring thematic menace while dominating objectives. Infantry units, from swarming Pox-Wretches to elite Rotswords, also add variety to the tabletop, while specialists such as Spoilpox Scriveners and the Regiment of Renown: The Pustules round out the plague army.

Mechanically, the wave leans into attrition and contagion, rewarding careful positioning and strategic patience. These toxic knights drip with textured pustules, worms, and rot, making the Maggotkin a great excuse to get my new metallic paints out.

Release date: 17th January
RRP: £57 for Festus the Leechlord

Pokémon Trading Card Game: Mega Evolution – Ascended Heroes

It’s Pokémon’s 30th birthday this year, so hold on to your hats as The Pokémon Company always likes to make a big fuss about such things. Ascended Heroes is already one of 2026’s most anticipated tabletop releases, as the expansion reframes mega evolution, not as a gimmick, but as a moment of transformation that can tilt an entire match.

The new cards revolve around Ascended Heroes pokémon, with mechanics that reward timing and restraint as much as raw force. Mega Evolution now feels earned rather than automatic, demanding set-up, sacrifice, and nerve. The extremely sought after Mega Dragonite ex (mega hyper rare) card, in all its golden glory, heralds an accessible but sharper-edged upgrade from earlier sets, nudging competitive play without abandoning the joy of Pokémon.

Collectors will all be hoping to pull special illustration rares (SIRs) but they will be as hard to get hold of as a ticket to the Pokémon pop-up at London’s Natural History Museum. With the 30th birthday celebrations and Pokémon European International Championship just around the corner, this is going to be one of the biggest years ever for the franchise.

Release Date: 30th January
RRP: £54.99 for elite trainer box

Magic: The Gathering’s Universes Beyond – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The team-up between Magic: The Gathering and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is shaping up to be one of 2026’s most nostalgic and fun tabletop releases, pulling the heroes in a half-shell straight out of the sewer and into Magic’s multicoloured chaos. This isn’t a novelty crossover, it’s a full-scale Magic: The Gathering release, designed to sit comfortably alongside core sets and Commander staples.

Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael arrive as legendary creatures, each reflecting their personalities through colour identity and playstyle, while villains like Shredder and Krang bring high-threat build-arounds.

Expect mechanics that riff on teamwork, ambush tactics, and mutation, with playful twists that still respect Magic’s fundamentals. Universes Beyond has already expanded Magic’s audience and this looks set to do it again. Can we have Masters of the Universe next?

Release Date: 6th March
RRP: £64.99

Marvel: Crisis Protocol Adam Warlock, Moondragon, Quasar Character Pack

With Avengers: Doomsday set to hit cinemas this year, you can play out your own superhero battles in Marvel: Crisis Protocol, with the new Adam Warlock (as seen in the last Guardians of the Galaxy movie), Moondragon, and Quasar (Phyla-Vell from Marvel Cosmic Invasion) figures.

This character pack is less about raw damage and more about control, tempo, and the unseen forces shaping the board. Adam Warlock plays as a balancing presence, rewarding careful sequencing and punishing with his new bonded soul gem. His abilities lean into survivability and counterplay, making him feel like a living pause button in the middle of battle.

Moondragon, by contrast, is sharp and invasive. Her psychic toolkit disrupts enemy plans, bending activations and forcing opponents into awkward decisions they didn’t plan to make. Quasar rounds out the trio with kinetic energy manipulation, excelling at zone control and sudden repositioning that can flip objectives late in a round.

Together, they form a set that asks players to think laterally. Positioning matters, timing matters more, and mistakes are quietly amplified. These new miniatures reflect that tone: elegant, cosmic and restrained. This is Crisis Protocol at its most cerebral, proving the game’s future isn’t just louder battles but smarter ones.

Release Date: 13th February
RRP £59.99

Dobble Spider-Man

The frantic, eye-straining, name-shouting joy of Dobble swings into the Marvel multiverse, as the competitive card slammer launches a new Spider-Man themed variant. This family friendly edition keeps the rules simple, while coating every card in bold, web-splashed iconography, pulled from across Spider-Man’s many lives. It’s immediate, accessible, and extremely fast-paced.

Instead of abstract symbols, players race to spot matching images of masks, gadgets, and villains, from classic Peter Parker to Miles Morales and beyond. The character chaos isn’t just cosmetic; it adds narrative throwdown, turning each split-second win into a tiny comic book beat. Games may be over in minutes, but the energy is as loud as my love for Spider-Ham.

Release Date: 9th January
RRP: £16.99

Disney Lorcana Set 11: Winterspell

Winterspell wraps the Disney trading card game’s luminous fantasy in frost, shadow, and slow-building tension. Preceding the opening of World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris, it leans into seasonal magic where patience, control, and perfectly timed reveals matter more than brute force. Plus, who doesn’t love Stitch on a snowboard!

The new set introduces new ice mechanics that reward stalling, delayed payoffs, and subtle manipulation, while deepening the complex narrative of the Illumineers. Characters linger on the inkwell, freeze rivals in place, or quietly gain strength over time, shifting matches into slower, more deliberate rhythms, in fitting locations such as Graveyard of Christmas Future – Lonely Resting Place.

This deepens the strategy without sacrificing accessibility, letting newcomers find their footing while experienced players explore sharper interactions, all while letting you play Scrooge McDuck straight out of a Christmas Carol.

The accompanying Illumineer’s Trove set is packed with boosters, storage, and premium accessories, as crystalline cards recast familiar Disney characters as mythic, winter-bound figures. Winterspell delivers a perfect winter atmosphere and sets up Lorcana for another big year.

Release Date: 20th February
RRP: £49.99

Alien: The Roleplaying Game – Evolved Edition

Arriving late last year, following the Alien Earth TV show, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some new alien miniatures for my tabletop. The Evolved Edition takes what was already one of the most immersive sci-fi horror systems around and refines it into a lean, intense starter experience perfect for both terrified newbies and hardened role-playing veterans (COUGH unlike the TV series).

Inside the box you get streamlined Evolved Edition rules, an expanded Hope’s Last Day scenario, five ready-made characters, and maps that evoke claustrophobic corridors and alien wilderness – as well as custom dice, initiative and gear cards, tokens, and even a little alien miniature to stalk your crew around the table.

It’s designed to drop you straight into the tension, dread, and drama without needing an encyclopaedia of rulebooks or adult children to take care of. Equal parts cinematic dread and tactical play, it’s the kind of game that actually does justice to the series.

Out Now from around £35

Riftbound: League Of Legends – Spiritforged Champion Deck

One of the best new trading card games of 2025 gets its first expansion (which is already out in China), with a promise of high stakes adventure and deep strategic tension. Spiritforged pushes players to master timing, positioning, and resource management, with a new Gear card subtype that you can attach to your units.

Mechanically, the set introduces a new Dauntless Vanguard card that can be played onto an occupied enemy battlefield, forcing players to adapt rather than rely on static strategies. Spiritforged enemies have layered abilities that punish overextension and reward teamwork, while new hero archetypes allow for experimentation with hybrid classes and combination tactics.

Heeding calls for more original art, this second set of Spiritforged dazzles with great looking cards of luminous, fractured landscapes and characters like Irelia, Blade Dancer. For fans of League Of Legends, as well as anyone who likes card games with tactical depth and immersive storytelling, this expansion transforms Riftbound into something sharper, darker, and beautifully unforgiving.

Release Date: February 2026
RRP: £18-£20 for decks

Yu-Gi-Oh! Rarity Collection 5

Konami’s new rarity collection arrives with the kind of quiet confidence that suggests it already knows it will sell out immediately. And these cards deserve to, they are stunning! Designed as much for collectors as competitive duellists, the new designs lean into spectacle, wrapping familiar power cards in wall-to-wall foil and presenting every booster as a small event. The headline addition is the debut of extended art cards, with 10 iconic picks given edge-to-edge illustrations that spill beyond traditional frames and invite a second look.

Cards like Wake Up Your Elemental HERO, Shooting Quasar Dragon, Kurikara Divincarnate, and Dominus Purge feel less like reprints and more like gallery pieces, reframing nostalgia through modern design. There’s a sense here, of Yu-Gi-Oh! acknowledging its own history while reframing it for a new era.

For long-time fans and newcomers alike, Rarity Collection 5 doesn’t reinvent the game. Instead, it polishes and upgrades the look of it, reminding you that opening a booster can still feel like magic… and I’m under its spell.

Release Date: 9th April
RRP £6.99 per booster

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Developer: Traveller’s Tales    Publisher: Sony Imagesoft    Release: 11/01/94    Genre: Platformer Mickey Mania was billed as the ultimate Mickey adventure to celebrate his 65th anniversary. There were many titles starring the famous mouse during the 16-bit era but...

The post Mickey Mania (SNES) appeared first on Classic-Games.net.

Contents

The Intro

The Game

The Replay

The Verdict

The Intro

Title: Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

Release year: 2013

Developed by: Sega Studios Australia

Genre: Platformer

Platform replayed on: PC

Short, but not so sweet.

Mickey’s romp through Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse isn’t a long one. But don’t let Mickey’s cheery demeanor or the picturesque levels deceive you—there’s a deceptively difficult platformer hidden within the evil witch Mizrabel’s Castle of Illusion.

The 2013 release of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is a remake of the 1990 game on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis.

I have memories of playing this as a kid, but not many. I remember the Toyland levels, and I remember Mickey goofily swaying his hips when he’s left to idle…

I’ve featured platformers here on Present Perfect Gaming before, and I’ve been clear that it’s not my favourite genre of video game. But after my previous retro replay with the emotional heavyweight that is Bioshock, I needed something a little lighter to take on.

I had completed the remake of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse once before, several years ago, and I remembered the challenge, particularly the final showdown with Mizrabel.

Will I be able to vanquish Mizrabel again?

Let’s join Mickey as he enters the Castle of Illusion…

The Game

But how did Mickey end up in this mess, exploring the mysterious levels of Mizrabel’s magical castle?

In a word: jealousy. Mizrabel, being jealous of Minnie’s beauty, captures her and whisks her away to the Castle of Illusion. Yes, it’s that classic “damsel in distress” story, motivating Mickey to brave the dangers lurking within the Castle of Illusion to rescue his one true love.

Mizrabel has Minnie hidden away in a tower, inaccessible to Mickey in the beginning.

The only way to reach Minnie is to build a rainbow bridge (naturally).

But how does one build a rainbow bridge, you might ask? Well, you need to find the seven rainbow gems of course.

Dare I say a good platformer never lets a good story get in the way of good gameplay, and Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is no exception.

It’s all about finding those rainbow gems within the levels of the Castle.

Mickey will need to jump, run, duck, and throw projectiles to survive the enemies and obstacles throughout the various levels.

Levels are themed, with Mickey exploring areas such as The Enchanted Forest, Toyland, and The Library.

After a couple of levels in each area, a boss battle ensues, with victory bringing with it (you guessed it) a rainbow gem.

Mickey attacks enemies either by jumping on top of them (in most cases), or by throwing projectiles at them.

Platforming sections often involve needing to bounce Mickey off of enemies to reach platforms or higher areas.

There are also underwater sections, requiring navigating Mickey with the rising and sinking tides.

Speed sections also feature, with Mickey racing downhill through levels (reminding me of Sonic the Hedgehog—even though Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse originally released about six months prior).

Sometimes, Mickey is even being pursued downhill…

While just getting to the end of certain later levels can be challenging enough, for completionists there are collectibles throughout each level.

I had just one goal though: get to the end of Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.

I recalled from my first playthrough, the difficulty ascending the tower and the final battle with Mizrabel.

With that said, it’s time to start exploring Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.

The Replay

First off, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse looks great. Mickey has a variety of poses and movements as you control him through the 2.5D levels.

The motion in the backgrounds is what gives the levels their 3D feel.

There’s a short tutorial as Mickey advances towards the castle, but it’s not long before the drawbridge drops and the quest begins.

The first levels are in the Enchanted Forest, and it’s here you learn how important it is in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse to bounce off of enemies, and to grab onto swinging ropes.

You also need to duck, and navigate moving and disappearing platforms.

Early on, it’s easy to see that to be successful in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, mastery of the environment is crucial—it’s not just about making jumps across static platforms or defeating enemies.

The first level concludes with a daring downhill escape from a giant apple.

The second level ends with a more leisurely approach, with a forest maze providing a light-puzzle element to navigate.

The final boss for the Enchanted Forest provides a scare for Mickey, but little challenge in avoiding the attacks, especially once you recognise the patterns.

Toyland provides a step up in the difficulty, both in terms of enemy avoidance and platforming.

There are sublevels in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, which are not necessary to complete, but which offer you the chance to pick up those elusive collectibles.

In Toyland, a disappearing-platform section over playing cards provides a visually impressive interlude. I managed to complete this one after memorising the pattern and optimal route.

Once reaching the top of a toy tower, having left the locked exit down at the bottom, there was a quick descent. This time, there was no pressure from behind, and upon completing the descent the exit beckoned.

In the second Toyland level, the puzzle elements come to the fore. There is the reversible section, flipping the level upside down:

A section featuring destructible blocks:

And a clever platform section featuring a mirror:

I enjoyed these sections, and didn’t mind spending some extra time figuring out how to best navigate them where there was a collectible involved.

The jack-in-the-box final boss in Toyland seemed at first more threatening than the final boss from the first level.

But in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, figuring out when and how you can strike final bosses is the key to conquering them. In Toyland, discovering this weakness made defeating the jack-in-the-box easy.

Mickey gets wet in the next set of levels, either fully submerged, or avoiding the rising tides.

The underwater levels are reminiscent of similar levels across the Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. series.

The next two areas are intertwined, with the entrance to the Dessert Factory found within the Library.

I found the difficulty noticeably more difficult, both in the platforming and with the boss battle.

I enjoyed the narrative that goes along with these two areas, with Mickey’s shadow showing up to steal the rainbow gem.

It’s a comical section, with Mickey’s shadow taunting him as he chases after it.

The final boss battle in the Dessert Factory proved to be the most challenging of the final bosses in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, aside from the Mizrabel battle at the end.

With small platforms, and little room for error, I needed several attempts before I could claim victory and claim the all-important rainbow gem.

The final two rainbow gems lay within the Castle levels. To successfully navigate Mickey through these requires avoiding aggressive enemies, scaling timed platform sections, and climbing the clock tower to overcome the Oafish Clockmaker.

Where the Library and Dessert Factory levels felt more about precision platforming, the Castle levels presented a challenge more in patience, with the observation and memorising of sections providing the better payoff.

The boss battle follows this pattern, with a repetitive and lengthy encounter rewarding calmness and composure more than requiring absolute accuracy.

It was satisfying to build the rainbow bridge using the complete set of rainbow gems, but I knew the greatest challenge was still to come. The finale to Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse features two parts. The first part is scaling the tower where Minnie is being held captive.

The second part is the showdown with Mizrabel.

I recalled from my original playthrough that scaling the tower perfectly with full health meant that you could afford some mistakes in the boss battle with Mizrabel.

This was easier said than done though, as the tower ascent is the trickiest platforming section in the game. It demands near-perfect timing, accurate jumping, and memorisation that only comes with some trial and error.

This time around, I managed to reach the top with full health on my second attempt.

Entering the top of the tower, Mickey finds Minnie, with only Mizrabel standing in their way of a happily ever after ending.

The final battle sees Mizrabel using her magical energy to attack Mickey in a variety of ways. The first couple of rounds, these attacks are easily avoided by jumping or moving.

From the third round of attacks, the speed of the attacks increases, and the floor starts to crumble away, leaving hazardous pitfalls to avoid.

After each round, you need to jump attack Mizrabel to do damage. While not difficult, you do need to jump onto a platform first to reach Mizrabel, which can be tricky in the 3D space the final battle takes place in.

In the fourth round of attacks, I made my mistakes. I still had three health remaining to try and hold on, with one more strike needed to take down Mizrabel.

I made another couple of mistakes in the final round, bringing Mickey down to one health. But I managed to keep cool, and dodged the final blast of energy.

Mickey had defeated the mighty Mizrabel.

See the final battle with Mizrabel in full on YouTube:

A happy reunion awaited, as the curtain falls in Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.

The Verdict

First off, I finished Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, so I’m satisfied about that. I knew the big challenge was the final boss battle, but I proved to myself I’ve still got enough skill and stability with a game controller in hand.

The classic platformers like the early games in the Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. series provide a lot of nostalgia value to retro gamers. Some of these games are highly regarded for their quality.

And I don’t doubt that. But I also don’t enjoy playing these games anymore, as I know other retro gamers do.

These early platformers have a high nostalgia value for me too, but it’s not about the quality of the game, but simply about the joy of playing video games back then. Platformers were everywhere, and it was hard to avoid them as a young gamer in the late 80s/early 90s. I wasn’t trying to avoid them, though: a video game was a video game!

Coming back to the Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse remake, most memories of the original are long since forgotten, so it’s impossible to compare the two now. But the very reason I played this remake at all was due to having played the original.

In terms of being a stand-alone game, Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse looks stunning and plays well. It’s a short game (unless you want to grind through the collectibles), with enough of a challenge for more casual platform gamers like me.

Will I go back and revisit Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, though?

No. Ultimately, it was nostalgia that piqued my curiosity to try the remake. But I’m now content to leave my memories of the original where they belong: in the past. I’m not going to chase reliving that sense of wonder as a young gamer running Mickey around the original game.

That…would be an illusion.

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