Review of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection

Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Yu-Gi-Oh!, a milestone that made both players and longtime fans feel the passage of time. To keep the celebration going, Konami unveiled a unique offering: Yu-Gi-Oh! The Early Days Collection. This release is the only video game installment commemorating this quarter-century celebration. It features roughly 14 games from the card game’s early history, spanning titles from the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. As a card game enthusiast myself, I was drawn to this collection with a blend of intrigue and nostalgia. My past experiences with these games — albeit hazy — suggested they were more about capturing the anime’s spirit than replicating the thrill of playing the card game. Turns out, my instincts weren’t entirely off the mark, yet the surprise wasn’t unpleasant. For those revisiting these classic Yu-Gi-Oh! titles, it might pique their curiosity in a morbid way, but ardent fans will find gleams of charm tucked away within.

Let’s address the obvious first: Yes, this collection bundles together 14 full Yu-Gi-Oh! games released between 1998 and 2005. It includes everything from the inaugural Game Boy titles, initially launched in Japan and now fully localized in English for the first time, to the Game Boy Advance world championship series, known for its ambitious attempt to simulate real battles, along with a handful of experimental spins in between. It seems at first like a staggering array of choices, yet there are a few strings attached. The early Game Boy titles, for instance, represent mere incremental advancements in card gameplay and rules, which were still evolving at that time. Take Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories, which essentially introduced new rules and cards to balance out the decks. Meanwhile, the Western version known as Dark Duel Stories (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4 in Japan) only added a single zone for trap cards. These games offer an intriguing historical perspective on the swift evolution of rules constrained by hardware limits — and Japan’s card game landscape — but play them back-to-back, and they quickly blur together for most. For those fascinated by game design evolution, especially in user interface and experience, there’s a draw, but in reality, after a single match, I found myself gravitating toward the more accessible games within the collection.

A standout surprise was Duel Monsters 3. Previously a Japan-exclusive, this game is set in the Monster World arc, where Yugi’s friends are transformed into monsters and trapped in a tabletop RPG with villains acting as Dungeon Masters. It significantly diverges from traditional card play: no trading cards are involved. Instead, you position monsters on a grid akin to a simplified turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem. Monsters possess unique attack patterns and can benefit from field boosts or adjacency to allies, turning each battle into a strategic puzzle. Whether your attacks hit is determined by rolling two D10s, which also influence enemy encounter rates during boss fights. The system is engaging and distinct from others in the collection.

Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler take a different path, leaning towards board-game-style play. Dungeon Dice Monsters tries to digitize a lesser-known spin-off game, pitting two players on an isometric grid, using cubes that unfold into paths. The aim is to create a route to the opponent’s dice master for an attack. Despite its intriguing premise, the game lacks player tutorials. You’ll find yourself referring to a rather tedious manual until the rules become second nature. This collection, at times, falters due to these complications. While not inherently bad, the collection’s quality-of-life features have noteworthy gaps. When you open a game’s manual, it resets to the first page each time you access the menu, which is frustrating for tougher-to-grasp games like Dungeon Dice Monsters. Games also use a unique type chart that can instantly defeat opposing monster types—an aspect not straightforward due to unfamiliar types like ‘dreams’ and ‘shadow’. While the rewind feature lets you reverse up to a minute back, it lacks a fast-forward option. This would have been invaluable for the GBA duel simulators, where the CPU takes its time contemplating moves.

As for online functionality, it leaves a lot to be desired. Only one game — Duel Monsters 4 — allows for online dueling and card trading. It’s an interesting choice, considering this title was originally Japan-exclusive. Even more puzzling, the games include cheat menus to sidestep card unlocks and duelist point caps. This wouldn’t be an issue if Duel Monsters 4 weren’t segmented into three versions, themed around Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey’s decks, allowing for cross-version dueling without a major incentive. Offering online support for games like Stairway to the Destined Duel or World Tournament 2004 would have been a game-changer, particularly as old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! players still hold these formats in high regard. Perhaps this could be updated later, but as it stands, the online functionality feels like a limited afterthought.

The two sides of Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection become clear when considering the odd inclusion of Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2. According to marketing, this GBA title was a best-seller during Yu-Gi-Oh!’s peak in Japan, so including it makes some sense. Yet, despite the other games being translated, this one remains in Japanese. You might argue that it was adapted for Western audiences as Stairway to the Destined Duel with tweaked rules, making its standalone addition feel a bit off. While other Japanese versions are accessible via the collection’s main menu, this title stands alone. Unlike its localized counterparts, its inclusion in Japanese creates an air of bafflement.

Ultimately, Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a coin of two faces. On one side, it’s thrilling to revisit Yu-Gi-Oh!’s unrefined origin story, before it became the polished card game it is today. However, the presentation leaves room for improvement. Although the sheer volume of games impresses, the collection lacks the attention to detail one would hope for, feeling like a partially executed anniversary package. Some games demand constant reference to manuals for comprehension, one title remains untranslated, and only a select few games support online play. The absence of extras like concept art and design documents is a missed opportunity, especially for ardent fans seeking more value. Among the games, there are gems, such as The Sacred Cards, Duel Monsters 3, The Eternal Duelist Soul, and 7 Trials to Glory, but many titles either feel like minor upgrades or drift from the card game’s essence entirely, presenting more of a historical artifact than a labor of love.

So, who does Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days cater to? Nostalgic fans hoping to relive Yu-Gi-Oh!’s heyday might find some joy in this collection. It boasts an impressive list of titles on paper, yet keeping one’s attention over time is another story. Some games do offer enjoyable, pick-up-and-play experiences, but as I ventured into the later GBA titles, reconstructing decks and rethinking strategies started to lose their appeal. Multiplayer could have added depth, but with only one game supporting online play, it’s hard to recommend even to the most devoted fans. Lower your expectations, approach the collection with fresh eyes, and the quirky titles may provide some unexpected fun. Still, don’t be surprised if, by the end, you’re relieved to move on from these early adventures.