Zoo 52 by Lunzi/TCC

[mardem1976]

Glad they're offering the collection deck as a standalone - in for one - love the design!

[laitostarr777]

Bruh, if I KNOW that that PANDA 52 eventually be released alongside Zoo 52, I could have hold my horses to get them PANDA 52 when it was released months ago after China Cardistry Con. Aiz... TCC always full of surprises :/

[kevork]

They've remedied some of the mystery aspect by offering the colored omnibus deck, which is great. I'm still passing on the campaign, but I have to commend and acknowledge such a decision regardless.

[Adamthinks]

I like these so I'm currently backing for a half brick, but I might change it to just the collection deck.

[laitostarr777]

I just realized….

NO WOLVES or FOXES in the offerings of Zoo52. BLASPHEMY!!!

[EndersGame]

Here's a write-up I put together about this project, along with more pictures.

Zoo 52 Playing Cards by Lunzi & TCC (Kickstarter)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sm ... zi-and-tcc

Hand-drawn custom playing cards exploring the animals of the Zoo

Price: $10 (Zoo 52 Mystery Deck), $10 (Panda 52 Deck), $19 (Colored Collection Deck), $34 (3-Deck Set)
Current funding level: already funded
Kickstarter ends: Friday, December 5, 2025



This project follows the success of the charming Room 52x52 series of playing cards by Lunzi, who is also the creator of the "Smooth Writing" series of custom decks. The Room 52x52 project featured 54 different doors on the back of the cards, and in a similar way Zoo 52 Playing Cards brings us to the zoo by featuring 54 different animal artworks.



Each focuses on a different animal, and most focus on the upper part of the animal, emphasizing the texture of the creature's fur, wings, scales or skin. I liked the doors of Room 52, but I have to concede that the animals of Zoo 52 take things to the next level, and produce a result that is even more charming!



Here are some of the different animals you will meet in the course of your adventure



Altogether the project includes four different types of decks:
● Zoo 52 Mystery Deck (limited to 52 x 54 decks)
● Line Art Deck (limited to 52 decks)
● Colored Collection Deck (limited to 1000 decks)
● Panda 52 Deck (limited to 300 decks)

Colored Collection Deck

The Colored Collection Deck is one that most collectors will want to pick up, and 1000 of these are available.



As you know, a standard deck contains 52 cards and 2 jokers, making up 54 cards in total. The Colored deck features a different card back on each card, picturing a total of 54 different animals. This is the deck to get if you want to see the artwork for all 54 creatures in a single deck.



It's really an art collector's piece, because with every card back being different, it's effectively a marked deck, and can't be used for card games. But it sure looks great!



The typographic design on the faces for this and the other decks from this project evokes a vintage feel typical of Lunzi's work, so if you've seen his previous decks then this will have a familiar vibe to it.





Here's a look at the non-court cards. I especially like the approach that has been taken to the number cards, but to me these cards all look lovely.







Zoo 52 Mystery Deck

This is the "standard" item available for the project and is offered at the lowest price tier. As mentioned already, the Colored Collection Deck lets you see all 54 different animal cards, but you can't use it for card games because it's basically a marked deck. That's where the Mystery Deck comes in.



With 54 different images, there are 54 different card backs available. Each Mystery Deck adopts one of these, and uses it for all the cards in that deck. That ensures that you can use it as a regular deck. There are also 54 different tuck boxes, each corresponding to whatever animal design is used for the card backs of the deck inside.

But you don't know in advance what creature you're going to get for your deck, because each of these is packaged in an identical opaque black package.



So you'll only find out which of the 54 different decks you have when you open up your Mystery package. There are only 52 decks for each of the 54 different card backs, and they are individually numbered.



The card faces of these decks are the same as the faces of the Colored Collection deck.



Wait, did one of our Zoo creatures just escape? But which one?!



There's also a chance that your Mystery Deck might be a Line Art Deck, which we'll explain next.

Line Art Deck

Besides 52 decks corresponding to each of the 54 different animal designs, there's also a special "Line Art Deck", of which only 52 have been made.



This is similar to the Colored Collection Deck in that it features a different animal on all the card backs.



But it uses a minimalist design of white and black (and red for the Hearts and Diamond cards), that captures the original design of the deck without the colors. Lunzi drew all the artwork by hand with a dip pen, and the textures he's captured especially show up nicely with this monochrome look.





Panda 52 Deck

The Panda 52 deck may look familiar, because it appeared previously as a pre-release. It introduces us to a giant panda, with its signature black and white being the colour scheme adopted for the entire deck.

Both the tuck box and the card backs feature a panda friend tucked in bed.





But this panda cuteness also appears on many of the card faces, proving to be a companion for all the court card characters.



The panda artwork also returns on the Ace of Spades and the Jokers.





Allin Set

If you are really keen, and are prepared to drop $495, the "Allin Set" (only 15 available) is really geared to the very dedicated collector. It comes with all 54 non-repeating Zoo 52 decks, plus one Line Art Deck, all with matching numbers on the seals. Additionally it also includes a Colored Collection Deck, a Panda 52 deck, and a Panda 52 Gilded deck. That ensures you get the best of everything.





Other options

Other options are also available, such as a 3 deck set (Zoo 52 Mystery deck, Color Collection deck, and Panda 52 deck), and a Half Brick box (5 Mystery decks, and 1 Colored Collection deck).





There are also add-ons like the Uncut Sheet (a $20 add-on), which is another excellent way to showcase and enjoy all 54 different back designs.



Kickstarter link

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sm ... zi-and-tcc

[Honeybee]

Great write up Enders
I am tempted but resisting at this point (My storage drawers are nearly full)
It is a very strong offering. It turns out that they could have sold far more than 15 complete sets
The only weak points are the Aces and although the panda toys being held by the courts makes sense for the panda deck, IMO they seem too much of a gimmick with classic courts

[Evilgamer]

Great write up Enders
I am tempted but resisting at this point (My storage drawers are nearly full)
It is a very strong offering. It turns out that they could have sold far more than 15 complete sets
The only weak points are the Aces and although the panda toys being held by the courts makes sense for the panda deck, IMO they seem too much of a gimmick with classic courts

They didnt have much problems selling the first one, mostly it was the loose decks left after the campaign and looking at their site they're completely sold out now.

We may grouse about how they're running this but ...its working.

[laitostarr777]

We may grouse about how they're running this but ...its working.

Unfortunately…

They managed to sold out the All-In set of Room52x52… it’s enough for validate themselves to di it again, and much worser…

[Evilgamer]

I got mine in, this is a neat deck. I backed out of getting all 52 at the last minute (thats a lot of decks and money) and knew I might regret it and..I do somewhat (but thats still a lot of decks)

Instead I got a half brick and got flamingo, owl, armadillo, somewhat that looks like a darker/ligher armadillo and beaver, plus the bonus panda (which I already had and two of the "1 of each backs" decks since I was stupid and forgot that was in the half brick.

Again we complained about it, but it worked, TCC Put these up for sale on their site and when I checked today to see how much another half brick was, they're gone.