6 Most Impressive Playing Card Decks for All Games and Tricks

Though technically, you can grab any set of playing cards on hand for poker, having a deck that is designed for this game can make it even more enjoyable. Though the cards themselves are the traditional size, the pictures of the suits and royalty are smaller, making more room for the oversized numbers and letters. This design makes it easier to see the cards across the table when playing Texas Hold’em or other poker games.

The backs of the cards have intricate designs of vines and leaves. There are two decks included in the set, one with black backs and the other colored gold. This allows you to easily separate the decks if you’ve mixed them for a larger card game. The colors are also stylish, catching the eye of those at the table.

The cards in this 2-deck set are 100% plastic, so they are durable and long-lasting. They have a strong initial odor but the plastic makes it easy to wipe them down with a damp cloth or dump the whole deck into a sink of soapy water to clean them all at once. This is also handy if someone spills some beer or soda on them during your poker games.

Another benefit of purchasing these cards is the handy plastic case that’s included. This keeps your cards together and organized, so you won’t lose them in a junk drawer, plus this case keeps them clean and safe in between your games.

Why did it make our list?

• Durable plastic
• Washable
• Easy to shuffle
• Jumbo lettering

What is not ideal about it?

• Strong initial odor

Even if you’re playing in the comfort of your own home, you might still want your poker games to feel like you’re playing in a Las Vegas casino. The Bullets Playing Cards Poker Cards have a casino-quality look and feel, giving your games new life.

The Bullet cards are smooth on the underside, which allows them to slide easily over your table as you’re dealing them out to the other players. On the backside, the cards have some texturing, making them easy to pick up and sort in your hand.

The jumbo-sized lettering on these poker cards makes them easy to see across the table, even if you’re the farthest one from the dealer. There are also numbers and letters on all four corners, so you’ll always know what cards are in your hand or on the table.

These cards are made of plastic, so they are extremely durable. This means they won’t bend unless you force them to do so. They are waterproof, so they won’t soak up any moisture from a spill or a damp table. You can wipe them or wash them as needed to get rid of any dirt or stains, keeping your cards looking their best at all times.

The Bullets Playing Cards Poker Cards are pretty expensive for a 2-deck pack, though they shouldn’t require replacement for a long time. A red and blue deck are included, both with the cool bullet design on the backs.

What makes it stand out?

• Waterproof
• Poker guide included
• Jumbo lettering
• Nice feel

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?

• Expensive

These Cyberpunk Playing Cards were designed to give new life to your card games and magic tricks, making them stylish as well as functional. They are high-quality cards with interesting colors and unique patterns that will draw the eye of everyone around you, whether they’re playing with them or not.

The card box has a matte finish, with embossing and intricate foil that catches the light, showing off the colored patterns and the Cyberpunk name. The steampunk design of gears and other machine parts cover the back, with a large machined spade on the front.

The playing cards are printed on 310 gsm linen German Black core card stock, so they are thick enough to prevent bends or tears as you shuffle and deal. There are unique themed suits, with the spade on the box showing up on the Ace of Spades as well. The court cards are all hand-illustrated, so each one is unique.

There are four colors for the decks, including gold, green, red, and purple. The colors show up on the box, the card backs, and on the court cards. The diamond and heart cards, which are normally colored red, show the chosen color as well instead.

The purple cards are black on the front, with the designs in white and purple, while the rest of the colors have normal white fronts. All four decks are included in this set, so you can play with your favorite or mix it up with each game.

What makes it stand out?

• Unique designs
• Vibrant colors
• Casino-grade card stock
• Easy to handle

Which disadvantages must you keep in mind?

• More expensive than others

If you’re looking for the best playing card brand, you can’t go wrong with Bicycle. This company has been making quality playing cards since 1885, giving them the experience to create a decent deck every time. Their classic design with the bicycle traditional rider on the back is known to card players around the world. They’ve also added some newer designs to the mix, including various card sizes and colors, like silver, black, and a few pastels as well.

This package of Bicycle playing cards comes with 12 vintage-style decks. There are 6 red and 6 blue decks in the box, so you can use your favorite or mix them up for a larger game, like Canasta. Each deck includes the 52 normal playing cards, 2 jokers, and 2 ad cards. The first card in every deck is the Ace of Spades, which is another classic design that Bicycle has continued to follow.

The cards have an air-cushion finish, which makes it easy to shuffle and deal them out. They are also decent quality for magic tricks and card games, like poker, Crazy Eights, or even a game of Go Fish with the little ones.

Bicycle cards are quite durable, so they won’t tear or bend easily unless you’re rough with them. There could be some quality control issues, like inconsistent sizes of the white edges, though this likely won’t be a problem unless you’re using these for professional purposes.

What stands out?

• Decent price
• Classic design
• Durable
• Easy to clean

What cons did we manage to find?

• Some quality control issues

If you want the best-looking playing cards that are also functional for magic tricks, poker, or even building a cool card house, the Ellusionist Killer Bees Playing Card Deck is a great one to grab.

This black deck of playing cards doesn’t just look great, though, buying these cards will also help the bee population. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these cards goes to the IUCN organization to help protect and re-populate the honey bees of the world. This means that just by purchasing these cards, you’re doing your part to save the bees.

The tuck box is black with the Killer Bee name and logo on the front and a cool toxic-waste honeycomb design on the back. This box is a bit flimsy, though, so you need to be careful when pulling the cards out and putting them back in when you’re done playing your games.

The cards are also black, with a yellow honeycomb pattern covering the back. The fronts continue this pattern, with honeycombs incorporated into the suits and the court card pictures.

These cards are printed on Cardamundi B9 stock paper with a linen finish, so they are smooth and durable. The black will wear off over time and the edges may start to wear after a few shuffles but these are still great cards to have on hand. They shuffle smoothly, with no stickiness, so you can use them for whatever you like.

What stands out?

• Supports bee population
• Honeycomb design
• Linen finish
• Sturdy

What cons did we manage to find?

• Early wear on the edges
• Flimsy tuck box

The Seafarers Nautical deck is part of the Joker and the Thief series, adding some custom changes to an already favored series of playing cards. This set includes some unique designs that make it one of the best looking playing card decks around.

The tuck box features a nautical design, including skeletons, swords, and other seafaring images. It even includes a vintage tax stamp seal that is colored blood red to add to the stylish seafaring design.

The cards are made using premium imported cream dyed paper. The designs are stamped on in a sea-green color that matches the nautical look of the pictures. The backs continue this theme, with octopuses, parrots, and ropes pictured.

Some of the card fronts also have similar designs. The court cards are hand-drawn, so each royal card and suit is distinctly different. Even the Ace of Spades features a nautical design, with the Joker and the Thief name added to mark it as part of the series. There are two joker cards, one picturing the joker, while the other displays the thief, though both have pirate features to match the seafaring theme.

The cards are all somewhat thinner than the traditional decks, with an air-cushioned finish that adds a slickness to them that allows you to slide the across the table when dealing. They do bend a bit easier than other cards, though they shouldn’t be damaged if you’re careful with them. This makes them great playing cards for magic as well as regular games.

What makes it special?

• Custom designs
• Nice artistry
• Linen finish
• Well made

What cons did we find?

• Thin cards
• Expensive