Fresh off the cusp of Pokémon Day, a strange new browser game called Wikigacha turns Wikipedia pages into digital cards you can collect. The game lets players open booster packs filled with random articles pulled from Wikipedia’s entire database, each one in classic Pokémon TCG Pocket style.
Wikipedia is the world’s most-read online encyclopedia. Admittedly, it’s where we all go if we want a quick overview of something. The site bears an enormous database. Following suite, Wikigacha features more than 6.74 million different cards that you can collect. Because the game pulls from every article in the database, you could end up with a collectible of literally anything. Historical figures, countries, ideas… the possibilities are endless. Instead of Pikachu or Bulbasaur, think George Washington, Poland, or even the Pythagorean theorem.
Collecting different Pokémon is part of the fun. With Wikigacha, it’s not just cute creatures you get to collect, but anything you could imagine. Each pack contains five cards pulled from random Wikipedia entries. Higher-quality articles come as rarer cards. Card stats are based on actual data pulled from each article. Attack power is based on page views, and defense depends on the article’s length.
On top of a never-know-what-you’re-gonna-get database of collectibles, the online game also lets players take their cards to battle in PvP matches. Have Elizabeth ll square up with Wyoming, Silent Hill face off against the “List of Witches of East End Characters”—you get the picture. There’s also a trophy system where you can earn achievements.
Honestly, I’m kind of living for the fact that this game lets you pull anything. And yes, I absolutely did check it out while writing this article. What’s funny (and ironic) is that Wikigatcha already has its own Wikipedia page. Imagine if you got a Wikigatcha card…while playing Wikigatcha. If you want to play this bizarre new web game, you can do so here. Happy collecting.