One of the first anime series I was hooked on was Yu-Gi-Oh. I didn’t know the rules behind it and just loved watching animated characters battling it out with various cards. I skipped the whole Magic the Gathering frenzy and went straight to this. The thing is I wanted to play the card game. That’s only natural with a franchise such as this. I played the actual cards but they were so expensive and random that I figured a video game adaptation would be better. Unfortunately our options for this were limited as most weren’t localized. I played many throughout the years. Although I’ve long moved past Yu-Gi-Oh I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the best games in the series. So here we go; this is my list of the top 10 best Yu-Gi-Oh video games.
Before we begin let me say that I while I played every game released early on I’ve lost interest over the years. These are games I have fond memories of, and can return to. The card game itself has become obviously convoluted throughout the years and it’s far less interesting to me. This means you’re not going to see a lot of modern games on this list. Either way, let’s get started…
#10. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction
I was an absolutely huge fan of the anime series. Secretly, of course. I was in high school after all. This is why I have a soft spot for the Yu-Gi-Oh games that have an actual story that fits within the series. Reshef of Destruction scratched this itch. The rules aren’t accurate by any means but the RPG mechanics made up for it in my opinion. This is all non-canonical of course. There’s a whole lot of story, and things such as combined monsters is completely gone here. Purists will struggle, but there’s a decent time if you have ever loved the characters and style of the series. It’s not a great game on it’s own, but surely one of the best Yu-Gi-Oh games around.
#9. – Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards
This is, again, another RPG in the series. It’s the best Yu-Gi-Oh game that plays like this. It fits within the battle city arch of the anime series and has all of your favorite characters to interact with. You play as a character not in the show and are supplanted into the main story. Some things such as monster effects being useable only once hold it back, and the change of other familiar magic/traps are changed. The game is mostly for fans of the show and I didn’t mind some of the changes. The Sacred Cards isn’t an amazing game but it’s okay. It’s going to disappoint purists but I found that it can be decent at times.
#8. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories
Here we have one of the very first games localized in the franchise. The goal here was not to replicate the actual card game and instead for people who the basic rules were too technical. You don’t need to sacrifice monsters to summon more powerful ones for example, and many of the basic rules have been changed. It has an overarching story that gives more background into the main premise behind the show which I found sort of interesting. It’s a very hard game because your opponents are often cheap, but Forbidden Memories is rewarding to play.
#7. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories
And this is the first North American release of any game in the franchise. The Game Boy Color platform was pretty limited, but Konami managed to push out a pretty decent one. For once on this list the rules are fairly close. There are changes but these are minor. It’s Yu-Gi-Oh the card game and it has basically everything we wanted at release. The only problem I had was the fact that the interface is a little cumbersome especially when editing your deck. It’s still very playable and I’d rather play this one than most modern releases.
#6. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Eternal Duelist Soul
This is the first Yu-Gi-Oh game on this list that actually follows the real rules of the card game! That’s something. Here’s where most fans should start if they’re looking for a pure experience. Progression is done by defeating all opponents on each tier (or level) at which point you move on to the next. These are all characters from the show. There’s no story as you’re thrust right into the action as you duel and gain more cards from doing so. It’s very basic, but it’s Yu-Gi-Oh by the rules so there’s really not much to complain about.
#5. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadoor
With the Nintendo DS I was looking forward to a new generation of Yu-Gi-Oh games. This one is three dimensional, but you can’t wander freely. It plays like a point and click adventure game as you made selections on where you want to go. You use the touch screen to seek out opponents at which point you battle. Nightmare Troubadoor sticks to the rules pretty closely which is nice. The card battles are in 3D and you can use the touch screen. It’s a little ugly though to be honest.
#4. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters
Dungeon Dice Monsters is a board game spin-off of the series. It was covered briefly in the anime series so it’s canonical. That’s why I gave this one a chance, and I’m glad I did. Dungeon Dice Monsters does not play like a typical game in the series. You use dice to move, gain resources, build, etc. It’s all about reaching the dice master on the other side of the screen while battling enemy monsters along the way. It’s certainly a nice change up and the game is surprisingly fun for a spin-off. Despite how different it is this is definitely one of the best Yu-Gi-Oh video games out there.
#3. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
This is a modern mobile release of the card game. Playing games on your phone is best for short bursts, and the developers behind Duel Links knew this. They sped things up considerably and changed the rules in some pretty significant ways. Card effects have been changed, life points are halved, and the action never lets up. I love the pacing of this one because it’s perfectly geared for the mobile platform. Purists won’t like it, but I was a big fan of this release.
#2. – Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition
Worldwide Edition is almost the same as Eternal Duelists Soul. It follows the real card game very closely, and uses the same graphics for the most part. What sets this one apart isn’t the addition of several cards, but instead the interface for engaging opponents. You choose from a menu where you would like to go in battle city, and if a foe is there you engage them. It’s simple, but I really like the randomness of it. Meeting the criteria to face a new opponent keeps you on your toes.
#1. – Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004
At first I hated World Championship 2004. It was slow moving. I then discovered that you could hold down the shoulder button to speed things up and it was a game changer. You once again select your opponent from a menu. It takes some notes from Worldwide Edition by unlocking new foes when you meet specific criteria. Where World Championship excels is in its interface. The graphics are amazing for the Game Boy Advance and in my opinion it captures the Yu-Gi-Oh universe so much better than any other game out there. The heart of the cards has never been more fluid. This is, and will probably always be, the best Yu-Gi-Oh game ever released.
