Released in October 2005 by Wizards of the Coast, the Xiaolin Showdown Trading Card Game is an out-of-print collectible card game based on the Xiaolin Showdown animated series.
It is a two player game where the object is to be the first to win four contests for Shen Gong Wu.
The Shen Gong Wu are hidden mystical objects, and searching for them and using them is a central focus of the series, with conflicts over their possession resolved by a Xiaolin Showdown.
During the game, each player has a deck, a hand, a Warrior Training Area, a Vault, and a discard pile which cards will move between according to rules.
The skill and power numbers of a Warrior card in the Training Area do not matter.
However, the number of cards in the Training Area determines one's skill level, which is also important.
Such cards may either be played directly to one's Vault or be made the subject of a Xiaolin Showdown.
Some of the Shen Gong Wu cards in the game are labeled with a second descriptor such as Animal, Armor, Clothing, Weapon, Jewel, or Trinket.
Villain cards are distinctive in that they have Gray color and they have four separate power numbers.
The power number that is used depends upon the color of the Shen Gong Wu that is the object of the Showdown.
Each player may tap, similar to the system used in Magic: The Gathering, Shen Gong Wu that are in his Vault up to the point where the sum of the skill numbers of the tapped cards equals the number of Warriors in his Training Area.
Any special ability that the Shen Gong Wu has can only be applied when the card is tapped.
The starter set also includes a playmat and a showdown victory encounter intended to be used to help players learn the game, as well as a rulebook and a list of available cards.