In the world of fiction, the creator’s imagination is their only limit. As a result, the worlds and stories created vary vastly from each other. But there is one theme that seems to always appear: sport. As much as it is part of our world, sport has found itself a home in the world of fiction. It appears in all forms and across all genres. These are the most well-known and playable forms of sport in fiction.
Quidditch from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is one of the most renowned fictional sports to date. Something about it seems just as exhilarating as any real sport. Be it watching agile wizards zoom through the air on brooms, the football like nature of defending or scoring with the Quaffle, the Bludgers taking out opponents or the allure of catching the elusive Golden Snitch. Yet, traditional team sports are not all that fiction is known for.
There is also the love child between chariot racing and F1 from the Star Wars universe, better known as Podracing. Single-seater crafts are propelled by massive engines at ludicrous speeds, which often leads to the races turning fatal. Finally, there are the ever-present “death games” that have become popular in dystopian fiction. From the frantic gladiator television program in the blockbuster movie that is loosely based on Stephen King’s novel, The Running Man, to popular young adult dystopian novel series and movie franchise, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. With this, it is clear the fictional sport has become prevalent in pop culture, but what if you wanted to partake in it as well?
Then look no further than the deck of cards. Card games are just as widespread in fiction as sports are: from gambling games such as Sabacc from Star Wars or collectable card games like Pokémon. These easily translatable games from fictional universes have led to a competitive scene in the real world. Avid fans of the trading card game Yu-Gi-Oh! can compete in tournaments for cash prizes.
Others, such as Gwent from the Witcher universe, have seen the development of the-sport scene with the release of the video game spin-off of the card game. The humble deck has provided all sorts of fictional junkies with a way to immerse themselves in the worlds they love, while also getting the thrill that comes with competitive sport. Who knows, maybe your favourite fictitious world has a card game waiting for you?
