Overview
Characters: Conditions Met
For the character receiving the HP Recovery Effect, increase their Support point by
The Game Starts Now is the first battle pass tension card in Tribe Nine. It offers a modest heal to one teammate upon break and grants a support point buff for 15 seconds. Its biggest drawback is its awkward activation requirement: a chain skill from the card’s user triggers the effect—but it’s the next character in the chain who actually receives the heal and support buff. Meanwhile, support scaling is primarily relevant to characters like Tsuruko or Iroha.
Although this card sits at phase 1 (less competition for tension card slots than phase 0), it can feel clunky if you want to keep your chain lead on a support character, as you won’t necessarily benefit from the heal or buff if you’re controlling them directly. That said, if you have Iroha or Tsuruko in your lineup but aren’t planning to pilot them, this card can still provide some utility.
Why Consider This Card?
- Modest Heal + Support Buff: Helpful for keeping Tsuruko or Iroha topped up if you don’t want them leading the chain.
- Phase 1 Slot: Avoids competing with some of the more valuable phase 0 tension cards in your deck.
- Sufficient If You’re Off-Control: It becomes more appealing if you’re not personally piloting Iroha/Tsuruko, since you can activate the card with your breaker and let the next chain user (Iroha/Tsuruko) gain its benefits.
Final Verdict
Q: Should you buy The Game Starts Now?
A: Probably not for the card alone—consider the battle pass value as a whole.
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Pros:
- Offers mild healing and a short-term support buff.
- Potentially fits well if you regularly include Iroha or Tsuruko in your team but don’t plan to control them.
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Cons:
- Awkward activation mechanic: You must chain from a different character for them to receive the benefits.
- The support buff is narrow in application, only truly benefitting support-oriented units.
- Other, freely available tension cards may provide better overall damage buffs.
The healing and support buff can be useful in specific team setups, but its overall impact is relatively minimal, especially considering that you only have so many tension card slots and other strong, free options exist. Ultimately, the worth of this battle pass card hinges more on whether you want the pass itself rather than strictly on its in-game performance.
