Just move a radial-gradient to the cursor's coordinates using `background-position` or a CSS custom property. The background itself stays dark, and a bright circle 200–300px wide follows the pointer across it.
In a card grid, add this per-card and fade it out (opacity transition) once the cursor leaves — it naturally highlights "the card you're currently looking at." Add `mix-blend-mode: overlay` and the light blends into the background color for a softer look.
Too small a radius feels like hunting around and gets tiring; too large and you can't tell the effect is there at all. Around 20–35% of the content width is a comfortable range.
When to use
Use it on dark-theme card grids or feature sections where you want to subtly highlight "what you're looking at right now."