Review: Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Brings Back Classic Titles

The Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection brings back some of the oldest video game adaptations from the beloved card game’s past with some impressive value. There are 14 different, distinct games available from the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance. While there are some filler games not worth playing much these days, there are a handful of incredible titles that still hold up well even now.

The true value comes from the sheer amount of content available here. It is a like a trip down memory lane or an interactive museum. You can see how the Yu-Gi-Oh! video game adaptations started and where they ended up as they began to build towards some similarities to more recent titles, at least in the gameplay and UI.

I had a blast going through every single game and playing them for a few minutes before hopping into the next one. Overall, I would say that this is not a collection where you will likely pour dozens of hours into each game. This is especially true with the earlier titles that are extremely simplistic and barebones.

That said, the first game that really stood out to me was the original Duel Monsters title. With the exception of one game, every title in the collection is now available in English, including this one. There is something so charming about this particular game with the various filters and graphical options that aren’t as available in the others. The card gameplay is as straightforward as it gets, but there was something beautiful about the accessibility of it.

From there, it was a while in the collection before I found a game that really stuck with me. After all, most of the games boil down to the same formula of battle the same NPCs over and over to get new cards to then unlock more areas and fight more NPCs. There are far too many games like this and once you’ve played one, you’ve played them all.

The real standout games are the ones that take the Yu-Gi-Oh! card formula and translate it into a unique genre. For instance, there is the fascinating Monster Capsule title. This one is essentially a grid-based tactical RPG with a bit of exploration. You use your monsters to move around the grid and defeat others with just enough Fire Emblem-like strategy. The progression is fun and while the graphics leave something to be desired, it is a nice change of pace from the usual card battles.

In a similar fashion is Dungeon Dice Monsters, which was pure nostalgia for me. I played this game a ton back in the day on the GBA and while it doesn’t hold up super well, the great designs of the dice monsters make it worth a look for a bit. The same goes for the board game-inspired Destiny Board Traveler. This one is a bit overwhelming in its complexity, but there is some great arcade fun to be had rolling dice, moving around the field, and using unique mechanics to get an edge over the competition.

With all of that said, though, there are three games that make the Yu-Gi-Oh!Early Days Collection worth it. Those titles are The Sacred Cards, Reshef of Destruction, and 7 Trials to Glory. I would say these three alone make this collection worth it. All three are essentially 2D JRPGs with the Yu-Gi-Oh! card battle mechanics.

There are some odd gimmicks here and there in the first two RPGs, but they work. For instance, there is an elemental system akin to Pokemon. If you use a certain elemental monster against one it is super effective against, it will win every time. This is quite different from the official rules, but it adds this extra level of strategy. It feels like it is possible to win almost every duel if played right.

I adore the ability to be able to explore the Yu-Gi-Oh! world in these games, talk to popular characters like Joey and Kaiba, battle against foes, and progress through a lengthy storyline. These games do get a bit grindy, but they are far more enjoyable than the other titles. It is a joy to have a starter deck that is weak and gradually get more cards for defeating each NPC. By the end of the game, you truly feel powerful with the Egyptian God cards and 4-star monsters that have 2000 attack or more.

In fact, I appreciated these three RPGs so much, even though this was my first time playing them, that I completed all three from start to finish. They hold up extremely well, and part of this comes from the enhancements. Every single game in the Yu-Gi-Oh!Early Days Collection has various enhancements that are basically cheats. You can put a copy of every card in your deck, unlock special bosses, get unlimited currency, and more.

These enhancements make the grind in some of these games less intrusive. It lets you focus on customizing however you like and enjoying the pure gameplay. In addition to that, there are save states, a rewind feature, and fast forward one. These all help to reduce the frustrations with these games. Some of the battles in some titles can be quite slow, so having a fast forward option helps.

In addition, the save states and rewind features, while completely optional, can make having to start over a duel because of a single card mistake obsolete. And then there is the instruction manual part. Every single game has an instruction manual that recreates what it originally looked like in gorgeous fashion. You can pour over each manual, and they are pretty helpful, too. In the aforementioned RPG The Sacred Cards, for instance, I constantly referenced it for the elemental chart. It is so smooth and easy to access.

Overall, the Yu-Gi-Oh!Early Days Collection is a brilliant example of how to present older titles to a newer audience or platform. Sure, most of the 14 titles on display here are only fun for a couple minutes and that’s it. However, the five or so games that are well worth your time feel even better than they did back in the day. The RPGs, board games, and other neat riffs on the Yu-Gi-Oh! formula feel great to play even now because of the rampant enhancements, improvements, and quality-of-life features.

This is a collection that is lovingly crafted for fans of all levels and is well worth a look for a peek at the simpler, arguably more thrilling days of Yu-Gi-Oh! That said, it is missing some of the best games in the series like The Duelists of the Roses and the Nintendo DS World Championship titles, so here’s hoping this collection is only the start.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection releases for Nintendo Switch and PC on February 27, 2025.