Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokémon, and Magic: The Gathering (MTG) are three of the most popular trading card games in the world, with an estimated combined player base of 52.5 million. Be it through companion television series or eye-catching card packs in local toy stores, chances are Egyptians are familiar with at least one of these three names. Over the years, the individual franchises have grown beyond simple gameplay and come to integrate storylines and lore into their cards — and the way ancient Egyptian mythology left its mark on some of them is fascinating. From individual cards to the storylines of entire sets, here is how these leading trading card games have integrated mythological Egyptian figures and aesthetics into their products. Yu-Gi-Oh Monsters Yu-Gi-Oh was originally just a manga (Japanese comic) written by Kazuki Takahashi in 1996. It was not until a few years later that the company Konami produced and launched the trading card game that was featured in the comic. The story itself already features a connection to ancient Egypt, namely, the spirit of a Pharaoh. It is therefore unsurprising that the same influence is exhibited in several of the…
