SpellGlasses: An Augmented Reality Interface to Support Novice Players in Trading Card Games

Trading card games have grown significantly in popularity, with “Magic: The Gathering” ( Magic ) standing out as one of the most widely played examples. However, the increasing complexity of cards and mechanics presents a steep learning curve for new players, making it difficult to understand game mechanics and come up with game strategies. This paper addresses this challenge by introducing “ SpellGlasses ,” an augmented reality (AR) interface for smart glasses to support Magic players during gameplay by providing real-time explanations of game mechanics and supplementary information. The development process was guided by player feedback and iterative user studies. Participants perceived SpellGlasses as helpful for rule comprehension and onboarding support while largely preserving the physical gameplay experience. These results suggest that AR smart glasses have the potential to support learning and accessibility in complex physical games. We present design implications that are transferable to similar applications for smart glasses aimed at facilitating the onboarding in physical games.