It’s 9:00 a.m., Saturday, the first Monster Magic Saturday of 2026. Rather than doing another “best of 2025” roundup since rankings are subjective and everyone else has done one, I’ve picked a few recent releases you may have missed.
Phantom Wallet by Shadow Lynn and TCC Magic (£48.99)
The Phantom Wallet is essentially a no-palm card-to-wallet. A signed card is selected, lost, and later removed from your wallet. The 30-minute tutorial also teaches four additional routines, including a strong “advanced” version where a prediction inside the wallet transforms into the spectator’s signed card is easily the standout routine.
The wallet can also function as a peek device or for predictions.
The leather card holder is slim and modern, more a card case than a traditional wallet. You receive multiple fake “bank” cards for display, used to openly show both sides of the wallet. While this magician-fools nicely, it arguably solves a problem laypeople don’t have. The bigger issue is practicality: the wallet is stiff, and removing the correct card can feel awkward and fumbly at the crucial reveal.
The method is self-contained and clever, but the difficulty extracting the card is hard to overlook. If you already own a strong card-to-wallet, stick with it. If you’re new to the plot, this wouldn’t be my first choice—sometimes learning a simple palm creates a cleaner, stronger effect.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/phantom-wallet-by-tcc-magic
Instant Paper to Money – Kids Version by Miguel Pizarro (£43.99)
The original visual transformation of paper into cash is now themed around children’s drawings instead of magazine cuttings. The method remains quick, visual, and easy.
If you already own the original, upgrading isn’t essential, but the colorful drawings add charm and a clearer premise, especially for family or walkaround performances.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/instant-paper-to-money-kid-version-british-pound-by-miguel-pizarro-and-crazy-jokers
This or That by David Jonathan and Nicholas Mavresis (£34.99)
Produced by TCC Magic, This or That is a matching prediction effect. The participant chooses preferences from paired cards—night or day, cat or dog, winter or summer—and you reveal that your hidden set matches theirs.
There’s an optional kicker ending where one choice appears wrong before being resolved. The square cards don’t feel like playing cards, and the ingenious, largely self-working method hides in plain sight, including a cleverly gimmicked box.
The only compromise is that the second set can’t be on display from the start, and you don’t finish completely examinable. Still, it’s engaging, compact, and deceptively clever.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/this-or-that-by-david-jonathan-nikolas-mavresis-and-tcc
In the “What Do I Know?” segment, the focus is scripting. Words shape perception. Small differences—“take a card” versus “touch a card”—matter. Confident recaps can cement false memories. Strong scripting deepens emotional impact; a well-timed pause can transform a mild joke into a powerful moment.
Scripts shouldn’t be rigidly memorised but understood, allowing flexibility and improvisation. Without presentation, tricks risk feeling like puzzles. Personal stories and emotional hooks elevate simple mechanics into meaningful magic.
Jailbreak by Tenyo Magic (£17.50)
Jailbreak is a penetration effect where solid metal rods visibly block a frame, yet objects—cards, cans, glasses—pass through. Assembly is frustrating, with Japanese-only printed instructions and a hidden link for English guidance.
Once built, though, it’s highly visual and largely self-working. It’s plasticky and quirky in true Tenyo style, can’t be examined, and may make some noise initially, but it’s charming, clever, and great fun.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/jailbreak-by-tenyo-magic
Chop Tube by Dave Loosley (£128.99)
This is a modern take on the chop cup, replacing the cup with a leather tube. Balls multiply impossibly without obvious pocket work, culminating in a large final load. The props are beautifully made, the method is slick and deceptive, and subtle convincers—like rolling a ball through the tube—sell the emptiness.
The included routine leans on a “magician in trouble” presentation, but the prop invites broader creativity, even possibilities with multiple tubes. It’s not cheap, but the craftsmanship and thinking are evident.
https://monstermagic.co.uk/products/the-chop-tube-by-dave-loosley-tcc-magic
That’s the first show of 2026. If you enjoyed it, subscribe, leave a comment, and send questions for the next “What Do I Know?” Until next week—get out there and enjoy the best hobby in the world: magic.