Last year, Yu-Gi-Oh! hit the big 25th anniversary, a milestone that made many long-time fans suddenly feel a bit older. In light of the ‘Quarter Century’ celebration, Konami rolled out a tribute to their iconic card game legacy. Cue the arrival of Yu-Gi-Oh! The Early Days Collection, a video game compilation featuring roughly 14 early titles from the series’ history, spanning the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. As someone who still plays the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game with enthusiasm, I found myself strangely drawn to this compilation. I hadn’t played all of these games before diving into this review, and my fuzzy memories were of gameplay aimed more at fans of the anime than true card game devotees. My instincts were spot on, but the reality wasn’t as grim as I had expected. For those stepping back into the classic Yu-Gi-Oh! universe out of curiosity, there’s a slice of charm in this package – albeit one that requires some effort to uncover.
Let’s jump straight to the point. Yes, this collection does pack in 14 original Yu-Gi-Oh! games released between 1998 and 2005. From the very first titles on the original Game Boy, once exclusive to Japan and now fully translated to English, to the Game Boy Advance world championship series promising an authentic battle simulator experience, and even a few quirky experiments. While that sounds like a treasure trove, there are a few sticking points. For starters, the earliest Game Boy titles were merely incremental updates reflecting the evolving rules and card additions of the time. Take, for example, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories, which mainly introduced new rules and cards to better balance decks. On the other hand, the western release, Dark Duel Stories (known in Japan as Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4), added just one new zone for trap cards. This stroll down memory lane offers a fascinating glimpse into how quickly the game evolved with the constraints of the hardware and the burgeoning card game phenomenon (especially in Japan). However, playing these titles back-to-back can feel redundant for many. Watching the game design evolve, particularly in the UI and UX aspects, is intriguing, but honestly, after a single round with one game, I found myself quickly moving on to the friendlier titles in the collection.
The standout surprise for me was Duel Monsters 3. Previously confined to Japan, this game follows the Monster World arc, where Yugi’s pals are turned into monsters and trapped in a tabletop role-playing game with villains acting as Dungeon Masters. Interestingly, this game does away with trading cards entirely. Instead, you place monsters on a grid, akin to a simplified turn-based strategy like Fire Emblem. Each monster boasts its own attack pattern and gets a bonus depending on its field position and proximity to allies, turning battles into mini-puzzles. Attack success is determined by the roll of two D10 dice, while the same dice roll dictates the encounter rate during boss battles. This system adds a fresh layer that immediately distinguishes it from the rest of the pack.
The same, unfortunately, cannot be said for Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler. These spin-offs favor a board game-like spin on Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters attempts to integrate the obscure spin-off game it’s named after. Players square off on an isometric grid, laying cubes that unfold in specified directions, aiming to forge a path to attack the opponent’s dice master. While promising in theory, the absence of any in-game tutorial leaves players clinging to a daunting and convoluted manual for guidance. This realization highlighted several hiccups in the collection’s quality of life features. Though not inherently flawed, they possess some glaring gaps. While you have access to each game’s manual, the manual annoyingly resets to its initial page every time the menu is reopened, posing a real headache for games with complex rules (looking at you, Dungeon Dice Monsters). This frustration also extends to the specialized type chart employed in early and RPG titles where monsters can be instantly defeated if confronting an opposing type. The chart itself is a bit enigmatic, particularly since it includes types not recognized in the official card game, like ‘dreams’ and ‘shadow’. While rewinding up to a minute during gameplay is an option, the absence of a fast-forward feature is a bummer. It would’ve been a real boon in the GBA duel simulators, where the CPU takes its sweet time to contemplate moves.
Now let’s tackle the issue of online support or the stark lack there of. Only one game, Duel Monsters 4, offers the chance to duel and trade cards with others. Strangely enough, this is a title once available solely in Japan. Even more puzzling is the inclusion of cheat menus across all games, which enable card unlocking and bypassing duelist point limits. Duel Monsters 4 is divided into three versions (each focusing on Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey’s decks). While cross-version dueling is feasible, there’s little incentive for it. Greater intrigue would lie in having online support for games like Stairway to the Destined Duel or even World Tournament 2004, cherished formats by die-hard Yu-Gi-Oh! enthusiasts. There’s a chance Konami might address this in an update, but for now, this online offering feels like a missed opportunity, and it doesn’t elevate the collection into a must-have for prospective buyers.
Another oddity with Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days lies in the inclusion of Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2. According to the marketing narrative, this GBA entry was among the most popular installments during Yu-Gi-Oh!’s peak in Japan. Including it makes sense from that perspective. But while every other game in this bundle is translated, here it is, in full Japanese. The argument could be made that this was later transformed into the western release of Stairway to the Destined Duel with adjusted rules for the English-speaking market. However, this particular inclusion as a standalone game feels bizarre. While other Japanese versions sit tucked within their corresponding games, available in multiple languages from the collection menu, this one stands apart in a separate category. Seeing all other Japanese exclusives translated, leaving this one is truly bewildering.
This duality sums up the essence of Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection. On one end, it’s a nostalgic ride to the peculiar roots of Yu-Gi-Oh! before it became a mainstream card game, with current iterations closely tied to anime or resembling straightforward duel simulators. Yet, despite the sheer number of games, the collection doesn’t fully showcase the love and attention it deserves. It ends up feeling like a partially cooked anniversary offering. Quality of life features aren’t as comprehensive as they could be, some games demand constant reference to manuals just to understand play, one title remains untranslated, and there’s online play for just a single game category. Extras like artworks, concept pieces, or design documents would have enriched this package for real Yu-Gi-Oh! devotees. While standout titles like The Sacred Cards, Duel Monsters 3, The Eternal Duelist Soul, and 7 Trials to Glory exist, many feel like either minor steps forward or wholesale departures from the original card game format. It’s a historical anthology, albeit one that surprisingly lacks deep care and affection for the rich history it tries to represent.
So, who is Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days really for? If you’re aiming to relive the golden era of Yu-Gi-Oh!, you might discover some joy here. While the plethora of games appears enticing on the surface, keeping one’s attention could be a challenge. I did find a handful to be nice, quick play options to satisfy nostalgic cravings. However, rebuilding decks and fine-tuning strategies for what are essentially slight card game variants started losing their allure as I ventured further into the later GBA episodes. It might’ve been a fun co-op experience, but with online play limited to just one game, it’s tough to endorse even for ardent Yu-Gi-Oh! fans. That said, diving in with tempered expectations and seeking out some of the more unconventional titles could still be a rewarding experience. Just keep in mind, you’ll likely appreciate leaving those early days behind after diving in.
