Combat is serious business in the fantasy world of Abalon. Choose a druid, pyromancer, or other hero and battle goblins and dragons in a seamless blend of collectible card battles and turn-based tactics. Position troops for flanks and backstabs while hurling lightning bolts—and squirrels—from behind cover. Let the fur fly!

What we love: Raising armies. Wade into battle with a fire elemental and an orc champion by your side—or conjure a group of killer bunnies, then cast a spell that doubles their number.

Quick tip: Always have a few area-of-effect attacks—like time bombs and fireballs—in your deck. Some enemy summoners (and certain bosses, like the giant spider Grand Maw) will try to overwhelm you with swarms of weaker units. Roasting half a dozen foes with a single explosion is a blast...and it can save your skin.

Meet the creator: Founded by Ross Przybylski in 2009, indie developer D20Studios spent more than seven years crafting Abalon. Przybylski’s love of animals is well-documented in-game, he says—in everything from its squirrel missiles to its adorable demon pups.