What’s better than a game? Naturally, it is a game about a game, and that is precisely what Yu-Gi-Oh! is all about. For people who don’t know about this series, it is a Japanese manga that first came out in 1996. The late nineties was a famous era for every media, especially video games, and that is when Yu-Gi-Oh! made its way into the market. The main story revolves around Yugi Muto and the nameless spirit of the Millenium Puzzle who seeks to save the world and reclaim his lost memories.
The series is beloved, which is why it has spawned a tv series, anime films, and dozens of spin-offs. This is also the main reason why there are over 30 games in Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise. Which are the best ones the series has to offer?
Updated on December 17th, 2020 by Patrick Mocella: The legacy of Yu-Gi-Oh video games is a heavily mixed one. With countless spin-offs, sequels, games with story, games meant for purists, and completely new takes on the traditional formula, there is a Yu-Gi-Oh game for everyone. However, there are some that stand atop the mountain. For fans of the original anime, the Game Boy Advance is the ideal console as many classics were released for that system. Other portable platforms like the Nintendo DS and PSP though also have some great renditions of the official card game. It’s time to duel!
15 Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters (Metascore: 66)
An abandoned concept from the anime, Dungeon Dice Monsters is the game invented by the supporting character Duke Devlin that was played a grand total of one time. Despite this, however, Konami actually sold a real-life version of the dice game along with this oft-forgotten GBA game.
Unlike other Yu-Gi-Oh games which strayed away from the core card game, this one is actually good fun. While the A.I. is weak, the game’s mechanics are a welcome change of pace. It’s worth noting as well that the game has a massive roster of opponents to face off against, including some from the manga who never made it into any other game. It is even possible to face off against Yugi’s mom!
14 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 (Metascore: 66)
The first entry in the long line of World Championship games to make this list, the 2005 entry broke away from the formula of simply beating duelists in a tier system to introduce a bit of an open-world for players to explore. As players build up their decks, they can purchase new cards from shops, compete in Kaibacorp tournaments, and even solve some puzzles.
As an additional bonus, players can enter the Shadow World after winning the National Tournament where there is no ban list and opponents like Marik and Arkana are unforgivingly cruel. While the card layout is clunky and a bit slow, this is still a solid entry on the GBA for fans to play again.
13 Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy (Metascore: 67)
The first game not based on the original anime to make the list, Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy puts players in the shoes of a new student at Seto Kaiba’s Duel Academy who is looking to make a name for themselves and become King Of Games.
Not only did this release introduce gamers to the new cards from the GX anime, but it also truly immerses players in the world by answering quizzes, climbing up the dorm ranks, and even playing through some storylines of the anime. This still remains one of the more unique entries in the series and is fun to boot.
12 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 (Metascore: 68)
As the first game to utilize the World Championship tagline, one would think the 2004 game would bring some new innovations to the series never seen before. However, this entry is just more of the same from what had been before.
While it does update the card list to 1138 cards, Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 still features the same opponents from previous titles with a similar tier system for unlocking them. It’s still fun to lay the smackdown on anime villains like Marik and Pegasus, but like many Yu-Gi-Oh games, the A.I. isn’t properly balanced and has many bugs. While it isn’t a bad game by any means, there are others that do what this does but better.
11 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds Tag Force 4 (Metascore: 70)
While the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS might have gotten the World Championship line of games, PSP owners were blessed with the Tag Force series. As the title suggests, these games focused on tag team duels and building up an unstoppable force with a partner, and the 4th game in the series did it best.
This was the 1st Tag Force game to use the Synchro Summoning mechanic introduced in 5Ds and even featured anime-exclusive cards like “Masked Knight” and some “Earthbound Immortal” support. With its brief cutscenes during duels and a massive card pool, this is the game for 5Ds fans looking for a game that truly plays like the anime.
10 Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel (Metascore: 72)
Scoring a 72 on Metacritic, Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel was released back in the Game Boy Advance era and in a time when games were getting very popular on handheld consoles.
The game came out in 2003 and to a decent reception. Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel falls into the strategy genre and has a deep focus on collecting cards and beating enemies, as it should. The user score of the game is 8.6, suggesting players enjoyed it a lot more than the critics.
9 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia (Metascore: 72)
Ranging in the same score as the previous one, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia is a Nintendo DS title released in 2010. The game is currently rated 72 on Metacritic with an 8.5 user score. It is a turn-based strategy card game that is one of the best in the series.
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia has over 3k cards to offer, providing endless possibilities for players to enjoy this one. The game also provides special rules during some duels encouraging more depth in the gameplay and takes place in five locations.
8 Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters World Championship Tournament 2006 (Metascore: 73)
Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance has to be one of the most worth owning consoles of its time, mainly because of the number of unique titles that were released on it. Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters: World Championship Tournament 2006 is a card battle game released in 2006 for the GBA.
The defining part of the game at the time of its release was the fact that it had almost every card from Yu-Gi-Oh!. This was a massive feat for the console and the game itself. Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters: World Championship Tournament 2006 is currently rated 73 out of 100 on Metacritic.
7 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 (Metascore: 73)
Released in 2009 on the Nintendo DS, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 is another turn-based card battle game that also happens to be a prequel to the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia. With a 73 out of 100 Metascore, this game is one of the best titles the franchise has to offer.
Similar to some other games, the main character wakes up in a satellite devoid of all his memories. The story mode includes interacting with a 3d map, characters, and – naturally – dueling. The AI is also quite challenging, making this one a solid pick for veterans of the franchise.
6 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers (Metascore: 73)
Sitting at 73 out of 100 on Metacritic, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers is a Nintendo Wii exclusive title and the first of its kind on the console. The game was released in 2009 in Japan and the United States to a decent reception.
This game isn’t a typical strategy title, but a hybrid of racing and card duels. This unique take makes Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers very different from many other titles associated with the license. The game was released in correlation with the Nintendo DS title Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2009: Stardust Accelerator.
5 Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour (Metascore: 73)
Talking about Nintendo DS games, Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour is one of the best available on the platform. The game was released almost 15 years ago and had received an excellent user score on Metacritic, nearing 8.4 out of 10. The Metascore is excellent as well, standing at 73, making it the second-best title available on Nintendo DS.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour revolves around a novice duelist, whom the player controls along their journey through a couple of story arcs. There is the ability to summon monsters from over 1000 cards in-game, and Nightmare Troubadour‘s single-player content is especially great.
4 Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 (Metascore: 73)
The best Yu-Gi-Oh! title available on Nintendo DS, Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 was released in 2007 and quickly became one of the highest-rated games in the series. The game currently holds a score of 76 on Metacritic. Critics appreciated the fact that this game is an accurate representation of what Yu-Gi-Oh! is all about.
The game also garnered praise for its easy to use controls which makes this one such an enjoyable experience. This is undoubtedly a must-buy title for DS owners.
3 Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution (Metascore: 79)
Focusing on more recent titles, there’s no denying that Yu-Gi-Oh! games have advanced a lot over the years. This is reflected in Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution, the 3rd best title of the franchise.
The game was released in 2019 for Nintendo Switch and 2020 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Make it the latest title in the franchise. The game currently holds a 79 Metascore and 7.9/10 user score on Metacritic. The fact that it is available on many other platforms makes it easily accessible to a variety of new players as well.
2 Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links (Metascore: 80)
Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is a collectible card game that was released in 2017 for iOS, Android, and Microsoft Windows. This is another major Yu-Gi-Oh! Title available to a wide variety of players, since it is on both major mobile operating systems.
Sitting with an 80 on Metacritic, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links provides a healthy mix of nostalgia and great strategy gameplay. It even received an update covering the events of the Dark Side of Dimensions movie in 2019.
1 Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (Metascore: 81)
Released in 2002, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul is a Game Boy Advance exclusive. However, even after 18 years, the game still holds the top place in the franchise.
The Eternal Duelist Soul holds an 81 out of 100, with a whopping 8.5 user score on Metacritic. While this game has only 819 cards, it still manages to be a lot of fun because of its tier-based duelists and decks. There are a lot of exciting mechanisms in the game that have certainly aged well, making this title one that is worth revisiting in 2020.
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