New Limited Time Mode: Sanctum Showdown

New Limited Time Game Mode: Sanctum Showdown!

The Multiverse is once more in conflict, and only a true master of the mystic arts can save it. Do you have what it takes to become the next Sorcerer Supreme? Test your skills in Sanctum Showdown, featuring a brand-new win condition, and an ALL-NEW GAME BOARD!

What is Sanctum Showdown?

Sanctum Showdown is a mind-bending, limited-time game mode where the first player to reach 16 points wins—no need to wait until turn 6! Unlike regular SNAP, points are earned every turn, with a special Sanctum location awarding the most points. Plus, snapping works differently. Starting on turn 3, you can snap once per turn to increase the Sanctum’s value by 1 point, adding strategy to each turn!

Each time you enter the Sanctum Showdown, it will cost you one Scroll. This is where winning pays off! The winner of each game gets rewarded with another Scroll to keep playing. You’ll start off with 12 Scrolls, and receive 2 more free Scrolls every 8 hours, but entrance can also be obtained for 40 Gold if you run out.

Whether you win or lose, the points you earn in each game are yours to keep. Those points can be spent in the Sanctum Shop as Charms which can be used on new cosmetics, up to four random Series 4/5 cards, or one of the three new cards in the Portal Pull!

We can’t wait to see you strive to ascend to Sorcerer Supreme!

 

How do you play?

A lot of Sanctum Showdown matches the SNAP you already know. You start with three cards in your hand and one Max Energy. Each turn, you draw a card and get another Max Energy. Easy, right?

On both turn 1 and turn 2, one of the locations will randomly become the Sanctum for that turn, and it’ll be worth just 1 point to whoever is winning it as the turn ends. Tread lightly–the Sanctum could be an unrevealed location. You also won’t be able to snap–not yet.

Starting on turn 3, the Sanctum will be worth 4 points per turn, while the other locations are worth 1 point each. You’ll also now be able to snap by pressing the green spell symbol where the cube used to be. But snaps in Sanctum Showdown don’t work like the ladder–the snap adds 1 point to the Sanctum location for the turn. Why only 1 point? Well, that’s another way that Sanctum Showdown is different: you can snap once on every turn, not just once per game. You also don’t need to worry about retreating–remember, you’ll get your points win or lose, so each one counts toward your Charms and Sorcerer Rank!

After each turn, if a player has 16 or more points, they win the game! If two players have 16 or more points, the player with the highest point total wins. But if the score is tied above 16, it’s a tie–and no one gets their Scroll, just their points.

“But wait, if the game’s end is determined by its winner, how would Captain Marvel work? What about Dracula?” Well, neither of these cards would work at all! That’s why we’ve banned these cards, as well as some other cards and locations like them.

“Ok, I got it, I’m going to Debrii my opponent into oblivion and claim my rightful title!” Well, we didn’t think that sounded like much fun either, so we’ve expanded the banned list to include some cards and locations we felt were making the gameplay a little too one-sided.

 

How long will Sanctum Showdown be here?

Sanctum Showdown is playable now, and will be here until 10:59 AM PST on the 11th of March. And don’t forget, playing Sanctum Showdown and earning Portal Pulls is the only way to earn our three newest cards: Laufey, Gorgon, and Uncle Ben–for FREE! If you miss out, you’ll be able to find all of them in the Token Shop as Series 4 cards on the 13th of March.

Designing Sanctum Showdown

Sanctum Showdown is another game mode exploring how we can twist and bend the traditional gameplay of SNAP in new directions. High Voltage asked if we could “turbocharge” SNAP’s gameplay, Deadpool’s Diner asked if we could snap into the stratosphere, but Sanctum Showdown is all about seeing what happens if we let players take the speed of the game into their own hands. Will you use fast strategies to seize points early, or lean on powerful endgames that threaten to win the Sanctum turn after turn?

In addition to testing the limits of our game rules, we wanted to explore the kinds of experiences and rewards we could offer. We’ve heard feedback around competition in Deadpool’s Diner and the rising stakes making gameplay tense, as well as the love for casual fun in High Voltage without the pressure of big bets. Sanctum Showdown is aiming for a happy medium by ensuring each player walks away with the points they’ve earned and making the snap more of a tool than the primary focus. Every turn counts, so we’re rewarding players based on how they played every turn!

Another key difference is the Sanctum Shop. Both Diner and High Voltage used tracks with defined endpoints for all of their rewards–Sanctum Showdown doesn’t do that. Instead, we’re experimenting with a larger set of rewards that offers players many different options to choose from as they play and earn Charms. We’re not expecting players to win everything in the Shop–though by all means go for it, that would be really impressive. It’s so big because we want to maximize its appeal to everyone! For those of you who do love a good climb, the Sorcerer Rank track also awaits.

As you can see, we’re trying a lot of new things in Sanctum Showdown and we can’t wait to hear your feedback. Enjoy!

TWITCH DROPS