If you’re looking for a game that’s addicting, fun, and easy to play, look no further than Clash Royale. The popular mobile game was released five years ago, yet it still holds the attention of many gamers, including St. Louis High School students.

The game consists of players battling each other with decks comprised of eight separate cards. Players win battles by conquering other players’ towers. As players win, they gain trophies, but they lose trophies after defeats. As players gain trophies in the game, they rise to higher arenas, with the highest current league, “Ultimate Champion,” requiring 7,000 trophies. Generally, 4,000 trophies, which takes you to “Challenger Arena,” or higher is what an average player will be looking to achieve.

Senior Alex Davis shared, “I am dedicated to Clash Royale, and I even give up my lunch period to beat scrubs like Craig [Bebow]…I am at 4,844 trophies on the dot. Every time you go to a new arena, I swear you lose like four in a row. It’s hard to maintain and rise in trophies.”

Another senior, Cade Pestrue, stated, “I have never lost against Alex [Davis] in the two games we’ve played, including beating him with his own deck that I stole. Everyone in this school is getting back in the game, and it’s been a nice thing to do while passing time in classes while we finish our work.”

What sets this game apart from other mobile games is the gameplay. There are currently 102 cards players can unlock and use in battles, and there are common, rare, epic, and legendary levels of cards. Players constantly collect cards in an effort to upgrade them, increasing their abilities in battle. Every player chooses eight cards to formulate a deck, and what makes Clash Royale so unique is that when players use the cards in battle, the units are put into physical form to fight each other and try to take down other player’s towers. 

Another aspect of the game is “elixir.” Elixir is what is used to pay for cards during battle. A player’s elixir is slowly replenished throughout a match, with the maximum level of elixir being 10, and players must learn to manage their card’s elixir costs for offensive and defensive purposes. Using a deck comprised only of cards with high elixir costs will not be effective because the elixir levels will not be replenished fast enough to properly defend. A solid deck will be balanced with both high and low-cost cards.

Senior Matt Haag shared, “Proper elixir management is important in a battle, and if your deck is well-managed and leveled, almost any deck can make it to Challenger [Arena].”

Clash Royale is making a comeback at St. Louis, and the impact it’s having on students is undeniable. Students have even formed a clan on the game called, “Papas Clasheria,” which has 42 members and is compromised of almost entirely SLHS students. If you see someone in a classroom or the hallway, and they look focused and intense, there’s a decent chance they’re in the middle of a Clash Royale battle.