MTG Circle Review: Is it Worth Using?

Last updated on November 27, 2024

Loran of the Third Path | Illustration by Steven Belledin

While there are hundreds of websites all over the internet regarding Magic: The Gathering, each one has to find their niche to stand out, the specialties that separate them from the rest of the pack. We've got our own Draft Simulator tool and Arena Tutor App that help Limited players better grasp MTG sets, regardless of their tenure. With that in mind, I always wanted to have a place to watch MTG Arena videos 24/7, choose which deck and format to watch without relying on a streamer to showcase it, and guess what? I found it!

Today, I’ll discuss MTG Circle, a website that, like Draftsim, focuses on writing about the latest Magic: The Gathering news. However, its main feature is its unique focus on video replays.

Are you intrigued by how they do it? Let’s find out!

What Is MTG Circle?

The Circle of Loyalty | Illustration by Bastien L. Deharme

Similar to Draftsim, MTG Circle is a website made by daily MTG Arena players to connect with others who share their interests in playing and enjoying the game.

The site offers a wide range of content, including MTG articles covering topics like deck guides, strategies for both Constructed and Limited formats, and the latest MTG news.

However, MTG Circle's standout feature is its extensive collection of gameplay videos.

Unlike Magic: The Gathering Online, MTGA’s spreadsheet-like counterpart, Magic: The Gathering Arena doesn’t have a feature that supports replays. Luckily, CardFlow is here to suit that need.

MTG Circle’s focus on video content sets it apart from other sites, as no other resource offers such a comprehensive library of replays and games in video format.

Why Watch MTG Arena Videos and Replays?

Whether you’re just a beginner trying to learn the basics of the game and its formats or a seasoned player trying to see what's trending in the meta, watching MTG Arena videos and replays is an invaluable tool. In my case, I like learning by watching other players rather than reading or just hearing and explanation without physical information. Watching videos has been the way I’ve learned more than half of the knowledge I have in life, and like me, there are many people out there who may relate to this. Having a place where you can continuously look at gameplays of your favorite Magic format 24/7 is excellent.

By watching replays, you can learn multiple things from matches, like sideboard inclusions, mulligan choices, unwrapping complex board states, and my favorite: Learn what cards do and how others use them to win games.

MTG Circle Review

Navigating the Site

The site itself is very straightforward. Right off the bat, you’ll see MTG Circle's latest articles that may be of interest, and after that, you’ll find the newest decklist published by CardFlow users.

CardFlow is MTG Circle’s app that records your MTGA Gameplay.

On top of the page, you’ll find the navigation bar, which gives you access to other parts of the site. Once you’ve created your account, you’ll see your profile at the top right corner of the site.

If not, you’ll instead find a Login button that lets you log in through different forms.

My favorite is by using Discord. By linking your account, your profile picture from Discord is dragged along onto the profile page on MTG Circle.

Once logged in, you'll find your deck database and videos uploaded through CardFlow.

On each, you can choose which to share or which you’d like to delete.

They're all public by default, and videos are stored on the website through Cloudflare for up to one month.

Deck Database

The deck database is the second biggest feature of this site, and feeds from in-person events, MTGO Leagues, and of course, the decks people play while using their CardFlow recording app.

When using the app, it not only takes into account the deck but also summarizes matches into play sessions, meaning that you can see the deck performance before and after you make changes to it.

Each deck has a rating and a comment section that other users can interact with and leave feedback on. More importantly, below each deck you’ll find replays of the deck, regardless of the player who piloted it.

From the UI, you can use filters depending on your needs, including narrowing the scope to a specific format or a subset of days, depending on your needs, as maybe a deck is more represented now than it previously was.

Videos for Every Deck

Visual learners, rejoice! The video database is extensive: There are videos covering Standard decks as well as other formats supported on MTGA. The format popularity itself affects which decks you’ll have access to.

Take Alchemy as an example. It’s very rare that someone plays it unless you want to farm an easy way to mythic rank, so chances are that not many players using the app play the format and just a handful of videos are available. However, popular formats like Standard, Explorer, and Limited are also available. Note that you must create an account to watch videos.

As you might expect, this video database is created by players who use the app. Similar to other popular platforms like 17Lands, MTG Circle relies on this data to provide a comprehensive view of the current meta, showing how top decks perform across various formats.

While the recording tool effectively captures each of your games, it offers much more than a simple video-on-demand function. It provides access to decklists used in each game, filters to find similar decks, and has easy sharing options. These features aren’t only valuable for content creation but also beneficial for coaching, allowing players to share their gameplay with professionals who can offer targeted advice and guidance.

Recording Software

Do you want to share your gameplay or record your deck ideas? The CardFlow App is one of the best tools available for capturing and sharing MTG Arena gameplay without draining your CPU. The program itself is lightweight, and its CPU performance on Windows is almost irrelevant, only triggering when you’re playing your matches. Once installed, you can simply play and enjoy the game, and your matches will be automatically uploaded to MTG Circle, making the process seamless and convenient.

Note that for now, you won’t be able to store those videos locally unless you download them from the site, but it’d be a highly sought feature if available in the future.

Articles and Written Content

For those who like reading instead, MTG Circle offers daily articles for people that want to stay up to date with MTG related news. The site covers a wide variety of topics, including gameplay, deck techs, Limited set evaluations, and more.

If you’re looking for new brews, top tier decks, strategy breakdowns, or just want to stay on top of what’s happening to our beloved game, this is a site I’d 100% recommend following.

How to Use MTG Circle’s Recording Software: CardFlow

Download the CardFlow app from their website.

Go to MTGCircle.com and click the DOWNLOAD Tab.

Note: Ad blockers may interfere with the download, so you may need to right-click the “Download” button and select “Save As.”

After installation, create an MTG Circle Account.

While you can do this in the app, signing up on the website is recommended for a more intuitive experience.

Log into the app with your account.

Read through the Introduction page (don’t skip it!) and adjust the settings as desired.

Linking your Discord information replaces your account profile picture to match what you have on Discord.

Start playing!

You can ignore other tabs, as they're mostly optional.

You can easily view your gameplay recordings by using the website's “My Videos” and “Video Library” tabs

Wrap Up

Circle of Elders | Illustration by Jakub Kasper

After reviewing their site and what it offers, it truly feels like MTG Circle is on the right path to achieving something big.

Not only is having access to replays a major feature, but the implications are even more exciting, given how this kind of functionality is nearly nonexistent for other MTG platforms.

Whether you’re sharing replays with friends, using them to create content, or leveraging them as a coaching tool, having on-demand video access is a huge advantage. It adds an entirely new dimension to player growth and community engagement.

What do you think? Would you be interested in trying MTG Circle features? Let us know in the comments!

As always, it's a pleasure for me to research more ways to enjoy our beloved game. If you would like to stay on top of more MTG-related news, remember to follow us on social media and join our Discord server to never miss a thing.

Take care, and see you next time!

This post is sponsored by MTG Circle. We will never work with a brand we don't love and trust, and by supporting them you also support Draftsim.