Magic the Gathering is probably the most popular collectible card game of all time. It has been around for over a decade, starting in 1993 as a traditional card game and evolving as an online game that debuted at E3 2002 to much acclaim. There have been billions of cards made and sold since that time and the online version of the game has proven to be a popular destination for Magic fans around the globe. This summer Wizards of the Coast will introduce Magic III, a serious update to the popular franchise, offering lots of new features, tweaks to gameplay and a more comfortable ways for newbies to learn the basics of gameplay.

For those that don't know, in Magic two or more people face off against each other, trying to use creature and spell cards to deplete all of the life points of their opponent. There are five main colors, or themes of decks, which you can mix around to your liking. You have cards, generally lands, to give you the ability to summon other cards to the field. Now I am not going to go into the full rules set up by Wizards, because a lot of people play by different ones, but for a primer you can check out the Wizards of the Coast website .

Magic III also had a fairly nice showing at E3. I originally found my way over to them on day one of E3, as they were handing out mouse pads, and samples of their game, which is free to download from their site. Not only were they holding open tournaments for players, but also held some elite player tournaments. While these activities were exciting, the main focus of this year's E3 presentation was to promote Magic III.

Some of the key features of Magic III include a graphical upgrade, refinements to sorting and trading ing your cards and generally easier navigation. The interface to game has been given a major overhaul, so that it is easier to navigate - for example, a new Windows style menu is available to allow players to jump between the different options, like going to battle, or putting together customized decks. After trying out the original system, I can assure you that it is now much more workable than before. When sorting through your cards you will be able to click on the card to have it pop up in front of you ( the card-zoom feature). This will allow you to read the text on the card. In the current version you would need to read the card, and the others to the right on a large menu/frame. This option is still available after a bit of customization, so it is up to the user how they want to change these things up.

There are also 3D avatars that you can now use to represent you. These people not only look quite nice, but also allow you to have an avatar affect, changing up the field for the rest of the game play. This is a shot in the arm to the game - especially those that might be getting bored with it in its current state because it dynamically affects the way games are played. You start off with only a few avatars initially, but as time passes, you will have access to even more as you win games. There are also limited edition avatars you can earn by playing tournaments.

You still need to buy all of the cards online, which may be a little intimidating, for traditional card players. They each have their own value still, and while you may not specifically pay money to other people for their cards, you can barter for them into trade mode. When you do this, people will make you offers for the cards you have, and you may then discuss the terms, or just reject the offer altogether. This encourages people to get all the cards in a given series, which is pretty neat. When you do collect an entire series, you may redeem them for real world cards.

One thing they have not implemented is an ante system, and for those who do not know what that is, it is like wagering a card at the beginning of the game and the winner takes it in the end. There are also no plans to implement this for their online game, as even the regular card game has moved away from this practice.

They are also re-releasing old card series to the game, allowing the new players to get a taste of the classic game. These cards will not be subject to the redeeming value, since many of them were printed many years ago. Because of this I believe that these decks will have boosters at cheaper prices, but only time will tell if that will be the case. The new version still is not out for a few more months, but it does look like something veteran players will like, and beginners will thoroughly enjoy. It is most likely that anyone that likes to play Magic will have a lot of fun.

All and all, if you are currently playing the game, Magic III offers a nice upgrade. If you do not currently play Magic Online, these new enhancements may be just the thing to entice you back into the game. The new online mentor program, which helps new players answer simple questions or gives them a guided tour of the game, will also help newcomers get the most out of Magic III. An open beta is scheduled to launch in Q2 of 2006. - Gordon Edward.