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

Last year, Yu-Gi-Oh! hit its 25th anniversary, a milestone that caused fans everywhere to reflect on the passage of time. To keep the nostalgia going, Konami announced a continued celebration of this ‘Quarter Century’ with a special video game collection. This release, aptly named Yu-Gi-Oh! The Early Days Collection, is a tribute to the series’ origin, bundling around 14 titles from the early days of the card game, covering releases on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. As a long-time fan, I was both excited and apprehensive to explore this collection. My recollection of these games was hazy at best, and I suspected they were more aligned with the anime than the strategy of the card game. Surprisingly, my assumptions held some truth, but the outcome wasn’t nearly as disappointing as I feared. While this trip down memory lane might appeal mainly as a curiosity for many, die-hard fans will find a certain charm hidden within. However, uncovering that charm requires some effort.

Let’s dive into the main event: the collection boasts 14 complete Yu-Gi-Oh! games from 1998 to 2005. It spans from the initial releases on Japan’s DMG Game Boy—now for the first time fully available in English—to the more sophisticated Game Boy Advance world championship series meant to simulate card battles accurately, along with some experimental games along the way. Initially, the scope of this collection seems vast, but there are a few caveats. The early Game Boy titles reflect incremental updates to the card game as its rules evolved during their time. For instance, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories simply added new rules and cards for deck balancing. Meanwhile, the western version, Dark Duel Stories (known as Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4 in Japan), introduced just one new zone for trap cards. While it’s fascinating to see how quickly the game adapted both to hardware limitations and the card game’s development in Japan, playing these titles back-to-back makes them feel quite similar. The evolution in design, especially in terms of user interface and experience, is intriguing. However, after just one match, I was eager to explore the collection’s more accessible offerings.

A standout surprise for me was Duel Monsters 3. Previously exclusive to Japan, this game follows the Monster World arc where Yugi’s friends are transformed into monsters within a tabletop role-playing game, with villains as Dungeon Masters. Interestingly, this title doesn’t involve trading cards. Instead, you place monsters on a grid reminiscent of a simplified turn-based strategy game like Fire Emblem, where every monster has a unique attack pattern. Buffs are applied based on terrain and proximity to allies, turning each encounter into a strategic puzzle. A roll of two D10 dice determines the success of your attacks. Even random encounters in boss battles rely on this dice roll system. It’s refreshingly different from the other games in the compilation.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler, two spin-offs that attempt a board game approach. Dungeon Dice Monsters tries to bring its lesser-known spin-off game to the digital realm. Players face off on isometric grids, unfolding cubes to build paths and attack opponents’ dice masters. It sounds intriguing, but the lack of any tutorial complicates gameplay. You’re left relying on a cumbersome manual, which can be off-putting. This is one of the collection’s larger issues: while certain quality-of-life improvements are present, some are glaringly absent. For example, although you can access each game’s manual, it resets to the first page every time you reopen the menu, adding a layer of difficulty to already complex games like Dungeon Dice Monsters. This system also applies to the specific type chart in early games and RPGs, where monsters can be instantly beaten by opposing types. The chart includes types not part of the actual card game, such as ‘dreams’ and ‘shadow.’ While you can rewind game time up to one minute, the lack of a fast-forward option is noticeable, particularly in the GBA duel simulators, where the CPU takes a while to process moves.

Then there’s the matter of online support—or rather, its absence. Only Duel Monsters 4 allows for online dueling and card trading, a curious choice given its previous limited release in Japan. Stranger still, all these games come with cheat menus for unlocking cards and bypassing duelist point limits. This isn’t generally an issue, except Duel Monsters 4 has three versions featuring Yugi’s, Kaiba’s, and Joey’s decks. While inter-version dueling is possible, there’s little incentive to do so. It would have been far more engaging to have online capabilities for games like Stairway to the Destined Duel or World Tournament 2004, as these formats remain popular with old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! players. Maybe future updates will address this, but currently, the online features fall short and don’t make a compelling offer for purchasing the collection.

Another puzzling choice is the inclusion of Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2. According to marketing, this GBA game was highly popular during Yu-Gi-Oh!’s peak in Japan, so its inclusion makes sense on paper. However, unlike the other titles, it remains entirely in Japanese. Although one could argue its mechanics were adapted for the western release in Stairway to the Destined Duel—adjusted to match the English version of the card game—it stands out awkwardly as a separate game. Most Japanese versions are bundled with their counterparts, with language options available in the main menu. Leaving this one untranslated is baffling.

These points highlight the dual nature of Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection. On one side, it’s thrilling to delve into the franchise’s quirky origins before Yu-Gi-Oh! established itself into the structured card game centered around animated series and duel simulators. While the game count seems impressive, the attention to detail in this collection wavers. At times, it gives off a half-finished anniversary vibe. The quality-of-life improvements don’t go far enough; certain games are challenging without constantly referencing the manual, and one title remains untranslated. Moreover, online play is restricted to just one game set. Missing also are extras like artworks, concepts, or design documents that could’ve added value for devoted fans. Among the games, some do stand out—like The Sacred Cards, Duel Monsters 3, The Eternal Duelist Soul, and 7 Trials to Glory—but most offer only slight progressions or deviate significantly from the card game premise. While it serves as a historical document, the collection lacks the appreciation it deserves for its own legacy.

So, who is the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection intended for? If you’re looking to relive Yu-Gi-Oh!’s heyday, there’s some fun to be had. The sizable list of games may look intriguing initially, but their ability to maintain your interest varies. I found myself picking up a few for brief, casual play. Rebuilding and reinventing strategies within the tweaked yet familiar card games struggled to hold my attention by the later GBA titles. Playing with friends might’ve added some excitement, yet only one game supports online play, making it challenging to wholeheartedly recommend, even to loyal Yu-Gi-Oh! enthusiasts. However, with lowered expectations and a readiness to embrace the collection’s quirkier titles, you might still enjoy exploring these games—just be prepared to feel relieved at having moved beyond those early days by the end.