Yu-Gi-Oh! Is one of the most popular anime franchises in the world. While the series is featured in many different forms of media, including TV shows, mangas, and more, it’s the tabletop trading card game that’s the most popular.
Ever since its arrival on the scene back in the early 2000s, the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG has been a fan favorite. Why? Because it’s full of incredible creatures, spells, and traps, as well as enough strategy to provide hours of endless entertainment.
In the past, players had to meet up at local card shops and tournaments to play Yu-Gi-Oh! But now that we’re in the digital era, it only makes sense that the trading card game goes online too. That’s where Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links comes into play.
What Is Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links?
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is an online video game inspired by the Yu-Gi-Oh! Card game. It’s developed by Konami and available to play on PC, iOS, and Android platforms.
The video game incorporates the same basic rules as the official trading card game, with a few unique differences. It’s more akin to a stripped-down version designed to make gameplay simpler. To that end, life points are 4,000 instead of 8.000, deck sizes are smaller (20-30 cards), and the field is capped at 3 cards, not 5.
This makes the game much more beginner-friendly, which you’ll see for yourself in the game’s tutorial.
Another thing to note is that the game features all your favorite characters, including Yugi Moto, Seto Kaiba, Joey Wheeler, and more. You can unlock these characters by beating them in duels as they become available.
Unlike old-school Yu-Gi-Oh! video games, Duel Links also features an online PvP mode where you can pit your deck against your friends (but you have to wait until later in the story). Battle it out to see who’s truly the King of Games!
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links Review
Konami really outdid themselves with Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links. From the moment you load up the game, you begin encountering legendary characters and creatures from the anime.
In fact, you’re greeted by Yugi and Kaiba right out of the gate! Choose one of these two characters (you can unlock the other one later on), and go through a short tutorial. Here, you learn about the game’s basic mechanics and how to play. The tutorial is not long, and you can skip the latter part if you already understand the rules.
From there, the world is yours to explore!
Move around the VR map, battling other trainers with your (totally customizable) deck! Beat NPCs to earn gems, then go and buy booster packs from the shop. Add the best cards from these packs to your deck, and continue through the storyline as you level up and grow stronger and more powerful still.
There’s always something new to do and someone new to battle within Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links. Although the story is linear, you don’t have to only focus on the main campaign. Seek out NPCs and collect gems to level up, then come back to the story when you’re ready, and crush your foes with powerful new cards! How you play is up to you.
Continue exploring, dueling, and enjoying yourself in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links, and you’ll quickly discover how much excitement there is in the world of Duel Monsters! Whether you play on PC or mobile, you won’t want to put the game down.
The Verdict
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is an excellent game overall. It’s extremely beginner-friendly, packed full of epic characters and monsters, and lots of fun.
While it’s not suitable for serious players looking for all the modern cards and mechanics, that’s not the target audience. It’s more of a hop-in-and-play for a few minutes at a time kinda game, less of a serious competitive title.
Whether you’re a seasoned fan, a returning player, or a total noob, we highly recommend giving Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links a try. We think you’ll love it, as long as you believe in the heart of the cards!