The real-time strategy game Clash Royale is experiencing a massive popularity resurgence nearly a decade after its original release in 2016. For a general overview of the game, check out The Howler’s “Intro to mobile games” article.

At its core, the game challenges players to build an eight-card deck, defending their three towers while destroying their opponent’s deck. More specifically, cards are categorized by rarity, ranging from Common to Legendary. Cards with higher rarity levels are more powerful but harder to level up. Iconic Legendary cards include The Log, which will crush everything in its path; the Bandit, a fast single-target attacker beloved by many fans; and Lumberjack, who wields a powerful axe.

“I enjoy Clash Royale because it’s like short matches where you can play when you have small breaks in time,” junior Connor Dang said. “I decided to start playing again since many people around me started playing it again, and I think the new updates have brought a lot of popularity to the game because of how much outreach they’ve had.”

Clash Royale’s 2025 revival is largely thanks to major updates, such as allowing players to evolve Common cards, which improves their stats and adds special abilities, and introducing new game modes like Merge Tactics, a turn-based four-player mode that adds a fresh twist to the original 1v1 format. Additionally, popular streamers like Jynxzi on Twitch have helped draw attention to the game. 

“Clash Royale is fun, but it’s also annoying at times because if you lose a lot, then you just don’t want to play anymore,” junior Arya Kshipra said. “But the dopamine you get from beating someone is good. And if your friends play, then you also want to play.”