Even though it plays a lot like Pokemon and Magic: The Gathering, Xeko trumps other trading-card games by having a social conscience beneath its surface. That's not to say kids will be turned off by Xeko's attempts at turning its players into activists. One look at the packaging -- a (sustainably farmed!) wood shipping crate with a "secret mission" inside -- and they'll be too jazzed about breaking into Xeko to question its makers' m.o.

And that's where Xeko is really clever: It uses a style of gaming with which kids are already familiar to school them on serious environmental issues. The objective, in ultra-simplified terms, is to build the strongest "Xeko-system" in one of several real-world ecological hotspots. You face off against opponents in the standard draw-and-battle style of Pokemon (demo here) and win by amassing the most "Eco-points" in your environment. The beautifully illustrated cards also teach you about the rare and endangered species you're saving.

Priced at $30, with 4% of proceeds going to Conservation International, Xeko starter sets include 40 booster cards, a rulebook, larger learn-to-play cards, and an oversized play mat/map. Kids can also send back the cards' wrappers for recycling and in exchange earn "green points" redeemable for landfill-sparing junk like screensavers and wallpapers. And, not only is Xeko's packaging made from recycled/recyclable materials, but if you order online from the company, you're likely to receive your game packed in a box that's been reused from a previous order.