MetaZoo

MetaZoo

MetaZoo logo (top) Back face of a MetaZoo card (bottom)
Designer	Michael Waddell
Publisher	MetaZoo Games LLC.
Release date	August 1, 2020; 4 years ago (2020-08-01)
Type	Collectible
Players	2 to 6
Skills	Card playing Basic arithmetic Reading
Chance	Some (mulligan, order of cards drawn, varying card abilities)
Website	metazoogames.com

MetaZoo is an out-of-print tabletop collectible card game based on cryptozoology, folklore and the paranormal first published by MetaZoo Games LLC. in 2020. MetaZoo centers around creatures known as Beasties who are inspired by cryptids and other figures from mythology and folklore such as Bigfoot, Mothman, Piasa Bird, the Chupacabra and other fearsome critters. The card game is also notable for including a fourth wall mechanic where the real-life surroundings, such as the location of the player, can affect the gameplay and the outcome of the game.^[1]

On January 29, 2024, MetaZoo Games founder Michael Waddell wrote on the company's Discord it was shutting down production effective immediately.^[2]

After a successful crowdfunding campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic that raised $18,249 through Kickstarter, MetaZoo was first officially launched with the release of MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation, the first full set of the game.^[3]

In 2021 DJ and music producer Steve Aoki became full equity partner and a designated cofounder while Game Kastle and Hobby Games Distribution, Inc. founder Shaw Mead was named COO of the company.^[4] Highly sought-after cards and items that skyrocketed in the secondary market helped MetaZoo grow quickly during 2021 and,^[5] by the end of the year, many of its cards were among the top 10 most submitted items to the Collectors Universe card grader Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) within a two-month period.^[6]

Although MetaZoo is often compared to Pokémon due to its cartoon-like aesthetics, the gameplay resembles more that of games such as Magic: The Gathering.^[7] Like many trading card games, the goal of MetaZoo is to reduce the Life Points of all opponents from 1000 to 0.^[3]

Decks in MetaZoo are officially referred to as Spellbooks. They have a minimum of 40 and no designated maximum of cards as long as players are able to be shuffle them with two hands and no additional or external assistance. Individual cards in MetaZoo are officially referred to as Pages, and consist of Beasties (creature cards), Spells, Artifacts, Potions, Terra cards, and Aura cards. As with games such as the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game, MetaZoo follows an eternal format, which means there is no set rotation of cards that are permitted or prohibited in deck building as there is in other games such as Magic: The Gathering or the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Cards from preconstructed decks and other special releases are also allowed to be included in all constructed decks.^[3]

MetaZoo is notable among trading card games for its fourth wall effects. Certain cards reference objects, geographical features or circumstances in the text such as "dirt", "pants", "a volcano", or "a national park", and other items that influence the effects of cards on the gameplay. Any of these mechanics are referred to as 4th Wall Effects. Certain Terra cards can be used instead of these physical out-of-game items whenever they are not available or accessible to the player in order to gain the benefits of these effects.^[8]

MetaZoology refers to the official body of tournament rules, policies, guidelines, sanctions and best-practices that are implemented in organized play. MetaZoology was created as a means to maintain order and communication on both official and local sanctioned game matches in coordination with tournament organizers and the MetaZoo PlayNetwork. MetaZoology is managed, arbitered and enacted by MetaZoologists, individuals who work hard on the local level to arbiter matches in addition to ensure a safe, friendly and fun in-person experience. The three levels of MetaZoologist are: Apprentice MetaZoologist, corresponding to either the Head MetaZoologist at a local game store night or a Floor Judge at a major event, Master MetaZoologist, corresponding to either Head MetaZoologists with more seniority at all levels of events, and Grandmaster MetaZoologist, a MetaZoologist with seniority in all events with the ability to facilitate or revise key documentations and rulings. All MetaZoologists must be at least 18 years-old and pass a 20-question exam.^[9]

The Caster's Cup is intended to be an annual tournament that was first held on May 28, 2022, at the Dallas Collect-A-Con⁠.^[10] The second edition of the event was intended to take place on Thursday, October 12, 2023, during the New York Comic Con^[11] but was canceled due to logistical issues.

Towers are special multi-day tournaments that focus on a single specific Aura type. The winners of these type of tournaments are known as Tower Casters, a title that distinguishes the champion as the best player of said Aura type and the winner of a cash prize pool of at least $50,000 and over $75,000 in MetaZoo products, in addition to other perks such as VIP access to special events and sponsorships. The first event of this type to take place was the Water Tower tournament which took place during the 2023 Frogman Festival at the Great Wolf Lodge Conference Center in Mason, Ohio, on March 4, 2023.^[12] The Earth Tower was the second event of this type, and it took place on April 14, 2023, at the Chelsea Music Hall in New York City during the Native Release Event and the 2023 MetaZoo Foundation Gala.^[13] The third event was the Flame Tower which took place at the Fairmont Hotel Regency Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, July 29, 2023.^[14] The next event will be the Dark Tower which will take place in September during the 2023 Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.^[15]

The artwork of MetaZoo recalls the nostalgia of late nineties games, particularly the Pokémon Trading Card Game, and like the original designs of Ken Sugimori they encapsulate the characteristics and even personalities of the wide array of cryptids called Beasties that feature in the game and story. The first Beasties to be featured are based on paranormal sightings, folktales, indigenous mythologies and pop culture from North America, particularly Canada, the United States and its territories.^[3]

MetaZoo follows a storyline centered around the character of Sam Sinclair, a prodigious Caster from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, who is on a quest across North America to restore order to the world that has been thrown into chaos after the rupture of the Great Veil by the villainous Indrid Cold.^[3]

Cryptid Nation is the name of the first MetaZoo block set which consists of a base set and at least five expansion sets. The full Cryptid Nation base set was officially released on June 30, 2021. The first MetaZoo set features the most famous cryptids and characters from American urban legends, fearsome critters, indigenous legends and small-town lore, such as Bigfoot, the Chupacabra and the Mothman, in addition to figures from American folklore, such as Uncle Sam. The set also introduces the main characters from the MetaZoo storyline such as Sam Sinclair and Indrid Cold. Some of the Beasties featured in Cryptid Nation base set include: the Beast of Busco, the Bunny Man, Chessie, the Enfield Monster, the Flatwoods Monster, the Jersey Devil, the Lake Worth Monster, the Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp, the Loveland Frogman, the Menehune, Moon-Eyed People, Piasa, sewer alligators, Shadow People, the Squonk, the Snallygaster, Tizheruk, and the witches of Salem.^[16]

Officially titled Cryptid Nation: Nightfall, the set was released in October 2021. The expansion set focuses on Dark Aura type Beasties, and it introduces original characters such as Adam Ackler. Some of the Beasties featured in Cryptid Nation: Nightfall are the Beast of Bladenboro, the Bell Witch, the Black-Eyed Children, the Boogeyman, the Dark Watchers, the Dover Demon, the Grim Reaper, the Headless Horseman, Robert the Doll, and the Wendigo.^[17]

Released on March 31, 2022, Cryptid Nation: Wilderness focuses on Forest Aura Beasties and introduces original characters such as Rosie Robinson. Some of the Beasties featured in Cryptid Nation: Wilderness include the Cumberland Dragon, the Deer Woman, the Fur-bearing Trout, the Honey Island Swamp Monster, the Hugag, the Jackalope, Lizard People, the Mogollon Monster, the Nightmarchers, the Ozark Howler, the Pascagoula Aliens, the Pope Lick Monster, the Skunk Ape, the Snipe, Spooklights, Unicorns, and the Wampus Cat.^[18]

Released on July 29, 2022, Cryptid Nation: UFO was the third expansion set of the Cryptid Nation block. The expansion set focuses on Cosmic Aura type Beasties, and as such it features aliens and UFO-related figures. Some of the Beasties featured in the expansion set include the Crawfordsville Monster, Energy Beings, the Flatwoods Monster, Foo Fighters, Grays, Green Fireballs, the Levelland Rocket, the Lubbock Lights, Men in Black, Phantom Kangaroos, USOs and the Van Meter Visitor.^[19]

Cryptid Nation: Seance is the fourth Cryptid Nation block expansion set. Released in October 2022, it focused on Spirit Aura type Beasties and psychic séance-themed Spells. It also incorporates cards based on the Major Arcana of the Tarot. Some of the Beasties featured in the expansion set include Black Aggie, the Black Dog of the Hanging Hills, the Chaleur Bay Ghost Ship, the Chasse-Galerie, D.C. the Demon Cat, Edgar Cayce, the Ghosts of the Sloss Furnaces, and the Sentry Box Devil.^[20]

Cryptid Nation: Native, released in April 2023, is the name of the fifth Cryptid Nation expansion set. Rather than focusing on any specific Aura type, this set pays homage to the rich folklore and diverse mythology of numerous indigenous American tribes and ethnic groups across Canada, the United States, Greenland and Puerto Rico. This expansion set also has the distinction of spotlighting the numerous indigenous languages, most of which are classified as endangered, that originate and inspire many of the names of the Beasties and indigenous characters that appear across the MetaZoo universe. Some of the featured Beasties include Achiyalabopa, Ahkiyyini, the Akhlut, Ask-wee-da-eed, Atabey, the Awakkule, Azeban, the Canotila, the Chepi, Djieien, the Dzoavits, the Haakapainiži, the Haietlik, Hé-no, Iktomi, Issitoq, the Jogah, the Mannegishi, Nanook, Nun'Yunu'Wi, Odziozo, Ogopogo, the Raven Mocker, Sedna, Skookum, Tupilaq, the Uktena, the Wendigo, Yehashuri, and Yokahu.^[21]

Several sets were planned before the company shut down. They include War, a wartime-themed set dedicated to expand the main storyline of MetaZoo; 7 Seas, a set dedicated to marine cryptids and maritime lore; Yokai Island, a set that takes place in an alternate Japan that will feature yōkai and Japanese cryptids; Grimm's Kingdom, a set dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and European folklore; and two other storyline-centric sets titled Center Earth and Cryptid World.^[22]

In addition to the main set releases, MetaZoo has released special sets in collaboration with other intellectual properties and external companies. The trading card company Topps also released a special set of collector cards inspired by and depicting art from MetaZoo: Cryptid Nation in October 2021.^[23]

Hiroquest: Genesis (stylized as HiROQUEST: Genesis) is a promotional crossover set released together with the concept album of the same name by Steve Aoki on September 16, 2022.^[24][25] Although the set takes place in the same MetaZoo universe the story features different characters such as Hiro, the protagonist of the story who is on a journey to find the magical rings that are mentioned in the Black Pullet, an 18th-century French grimoire. The cards of this set feature Hiro and other characters belonging to five factions called melodias which correspond to the five musical interludes in which the album is divided into.^[26]

Kuromi's Cryptid Carnival

Announced during the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con, MetaZoo released their promotional crossover with Sanrio titled Kuromi's Cryptid Carnival on November 17, 2023. It features Hello Kitty and other related characters.^[27] The set was sold in a promotional bundle on tcgplayer that included two booster boxes, three promo cards and several ancillary products. It was also sold in retail stores like Walmart and Hot Topic.

Cryptid Nation: SCP is another future crossover promotional set that will feature characters and stories from the SCP Foundation universe, a collaborative-writing wiki project and shared universe.^[22]

• MetaZoo Games (Official site)
• MetaZoo Games (YouTube)