System: DS
Dev: Konami
Pub: Konami
Release: March 20, 2007
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Review by Amanda L. Kondolojy

---

Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

I then decided to try out the feature that will make this game such a hot commodity among Yu-Gi-Oh! fans. The online play. The game markets itself as a way to test your Yu-Gi-Oh! skills with fans around the world. There is a friend roster that can keep you playing with those you know, but there's also a mode where you can play anyone in the world. Since I don't really know anyone with this game yet, I decided to play random users. You can choose whether you want to play someone from you own country, your own skill level, and you can even implement special rules and handicaps.

I was still really bad at Yu-Gi-Oh! so I picked someone with the same skill level as I had. After trading some words via the voice chat system, we started playing. I got creamed after about 90 seconds.

Another really awesome facet of this game is the graphics. The Yu-Gi-Oh! cards literally come to life (as they do in the anime) , and the animations are vivid and clear. The manga-style drawings are also really high-quality, and the customizability of your Yu-Gi-Oh!-styled avatar is a pretty cool addition.

Sound is also pretty good with standard game music and card sound effects. It's nothing too great, but I doubt there was really too much you could do with the sound in this sort of game. For what it is, I think the sound is pretty close to the best it could be.

Overall, this game is perfect for fans of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Card game series. Although my experience was somewhat confusing, I really don't think this game was designed for users like me. It was designed for the serious Yu-Gi-Oh! player to have a place to both challenge themselves to Yu-Gi-Oh! puzzles and against CPU opponents and also test their skills against other players around the world. The game is the official software of the 2007 Yu-Gi-Oh! World championship and it's easy to see why. It's easy to control and is so lifelike in it's recreation of the card game, that I wouldn't be surprised if the hardcore Yu-Gi-Oh! fans chuck their card books and play with their DS' instead.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer

Features: