In the past collectable cards were an easy way for a media franchise to make a profit. But when Monsta decided to create one for its Mechamato franchise, it chose to do more.

MechaBattle Card: Capture is a collectable card game unlike anything else on the market. As a collectable, it features characters, villains, the various forms of Mecha, and the many modes of Mechamato from the show.

There are 54 cards in the collection —18 from the starter pack and 39 from boosters. Sets of 9 cards can be put together to form a poster. There are six posters in all.

The cards feel well made, but the glossy finish detracts from the premium feel. In front, the faces of the cards are well-designed with large high-detail art. Some cards feature foil accents as well. Flip it around, and it is not as exciting.

Still, they make excellent collectables and can be perfectly displayed in one of those nine pocket pages or collectable card binders.

As a game, MechaBattle Card: Capture is simple. Each player needs ten character cards and six power cards to play. The starter pack has everything a two-player game needs, including a die.

Flip a character card and roll the die to see if it attacks the opponent’s character health points, activates a power card, or triggers the effect printed on the character card —the first to win five rounds wins.

What truly sets MechaBattle Card: Capture apart from any other collectable card and collectable card game is the booster packs are not random. The six cards in every RM4.50 booster pack are listed at the back. Each pack is numbered as well.

That means buying a starter pack and six booster packs gets all the cards. Despite this unorthodox method of selling collectable cards, Monsta, through its Boboiboy and Mechamato cards, has 75% of the mainstream collectable card market in Malaysia —As in collectable cards that can be found in convenience stores and stationery shops, not just hobby shops.

Why not make booster packs with random cards? “Because gambling is not for children,” said the CEO of Monsta, Nizam Abd Razak. He doesn’t want children to rely on chance and waste money to get the cards they want.

Still, Monsta plans to introduce card rarity to the series of collectable cards it produces. The method will not involve chance, for example, event-exclusive cards.

As a collectable, MechaBattle Card: Capture cards are outstanding. They are affordable, easy to get a set, and the nine-card poster design is genius. Hopefully, Monsta will also have a matching card folder to complete everything.

As a game, MechaBattle Card: Capture relies a lot on randomness. The game almost plays itself, and the only control players have in the cards they include in their power and character decks. Perhaps the game will evolve further in the future.

If you want to get your own set of MechaBattle Card: Capture, or any merchandise from Monsta, I recommend getting it straight from the Monsta Official Store.