A difference with MtG is also the target market. I started playing with 8, went to my first tournament (also the first time I met players other than my best friend) at 10 and we got laughed at for having German cards. Pretty much everyone was 5-7 years older than us.

Not sure how it is nowadays, but on the other hand, from what I read, you just buy whatever deck you want directly instead of going through boosters.