Magic: The Gathering has hit a critical mass of Universes Beyond IP-crossovers. While a few of them have hit (notably Final Fantasy), not all of them have the same degree of success.

This time, Wizards of the Coast may have a hit on their hands with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The key difference is that they have an ace up their sleeve with a unique product type.

Magic: The Gathering’s TMNT Set Has A Co-Op Product

Turtle Team-Up Will Literally Change The Game

This month, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set will debut in standard Magic: The Gathering. It’s scheduled to arrive via pre-release events on February 27, 2026, ahead of the full launch on March 6. It’s the second standard set released so far this year, following the arrival of Lorwyn Eclipsed on January 23.

In addition to cards that feature characters from the TMNT comics, films, and TV series, we’re also getting some good old-fashioned Magic keywords and mechanics. Sneak lets you cast spells for a modified sneak cost, if they pay by returning an unblocked attacker you control to your hand. The sneak benefit is multifaceted and allows you to recall cards back to your hand and sometimes play cards with a kicker effect.

Alliance (which triggers whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control) and classes return, as does Revolt, under the new keyword “Disappear.” There will also be a “turtle in every pack,” so tribal should be pretty easy to build.

Speaking of building, here are all the SKUs coming with the TMNT wave:

• Play boosters
• Collector boosters
• Commander Deck (all four turtles and Splinter are included, with art riffs on the video games – and 43 new cards)
• Draft Night Box
• Pizza Bundle (9 Play Boosters, 1 Collector Booster, 2 of 6 Promo Cards, 5 Traditional Foil Full-Art basic lands, 25 regular Full-Art basic lands, 1 oversized Spindown life counter)
• Bundle
• Pre-release Pack
• Turtle Team-Up

The most intriguing part of this whole set is the “Turtle Team-Up” box. Billed as a co-operative game mode, you’ll take down villains as part of a unit with other players. Shredder, Bebop, Rocksteady, and Baxter are all teased as potential foes. Right now, very few TCGs offer standalone PVE (player-versus-environment) products. Among the major players, Lorcana is one of the few that actively encourage it.

So when we got a closer look at it from the Wizards team, I perked up. It’ll come with four premade decks, which will allow you to engage in the co-op mode right away, with all four turtles. It’s a fantastic way to set up a game night: I can ask prospective players which turtle is their favorite, then proctor the game.

Eric Engelhard, set lead for TMNT, gave us more info: “It’s something we at R&D have wanted to do for a long time, have a sort of co-op product out there…the core experience is a 2-4 player co-op game mode, where you fight a horde of Shredder’s minions, and 11 villains in the deck. The booklet includes a bunch of ways to increase…and tune the difficulty, so you can increase your difficulty as you master the basics.”

So Far, The Turtle Power Is Strong

Heroes In A Half Shell

Despite its strong appearance, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set mayface an uphill battle. Of the last seven standard sets, three (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Final Fantasy) have been Universes Beyond-based. Additionally, this year we will see sets for Marvel Super Heroes, The Hobbit, and Star Trek. It’s a lot for folks who are feeling winded by IP tie-ins.

While I don’t partake in every Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond set, I’m going to be there day one for TMNT. The call of the Turtle Team-Up box is compelling, and if it pans out, it could be a great way to introduce new players to Magic.