Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007

"What a Yu-Gi-Oh! game should truly aim to be."

I chose originally to write a review for this game, because frankly, the only other current opinion is extremely exaggerated.

I'd like to start off with the fact that this game does have less cards than the previous World Championship, boasting about 1600 compared to 06's 2100. Some currently popular cards (Bazoo, Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, Wild Wingman, etc.) have been omitted, to the dismay of some. However, the card selection is still amazing, allowing for countless deck types.

In the start of the game, you begin with a surprisingly decent deck and 1500 DP, exactly enough to buy 10 packs of cards (150 DP per pack). In addition, the level 1 monsters are relatively easy to beat, each providing you with about enough DP to buy a pack afterward (and moreso in the beginning, for every extra bonus you get, you are awarded even more DP). Basically, right as you start the game, you have a formidable deck, one that grows very quickly. And while it is true you probably won't make your Chimeratech deck instantly, you'll still have fun getting there on your way.

In addition, if you have access to some combination of Spirit Caller and a DS, you can transfer over any card you so please, even from the beginning of the game. This makes the process flow much more smoothly. Keep in mind that you do not NEED to do this, but it does expedite the process, so don't fret if you cannot transfer any cards.

The graphics, as well, also complement the game. If you don't like them, you can easily avoid them by simply looking down at your bottom screen. And, while I do not mean to directly respond to another review, 15% of your duel is NOT wasted on graphics being presented. Your keycard (A card you set as your main card, that gives extra points when used) has a special effect, and some hard to summon/important monsters (Jinzo, some 8+ star monsters, and fusions with over 3 material monsters) get a special little introduction, HOWEVER, and this is a big however, the animation lasts approximately 2 to 3 seconds, if that. Hardly what I would describe as incapacitating.

Character customization is also a huge plus. Characters can choose from, I believe 8 hairstyles and 13 faces (The numbers could be off, and this is based on males), with an RGB slider to select hair color, leading to a character unique to you. As well, you are able to change quotes uttered by the character mid-duel, ranging from when you summon a monster, to using your keycard, to getting hit with a small amount of damage. This lets you even make a personality for your character, ranging from inept to meant to just plain odd, he or she is exactly how you envision him. Stepping away from the fact that I sound like a cheesy commercial, you can unlock a treasure trove (there I go again) of outfits and duel disks in the game, mostly done by completing the “mini-games” (Limited and Theme-based duels and Duel Puzzles) and trading with either Nightmare Troubadour or Spirit Caller.

Another novelty of ‘07 is the Wi-Fi. Either you hate it, or you love it. When going on random duels, sadly, there's about a 10-15% chance (people will tell you more or less, this is what I experience) the person you're going against is a cheater. There's no sort of AR prevention on Wi-Fi, so there are a horde of instant win and max damage codes. While this IS a problem, it's not game breaking. As well, there is also the problem with disconnectors. This is really that much of a problem until high-level play, when you have a ranking of around 1200. At that point, losing a duel easily will rob you of 200+ points, while disconnecting is a flat 100 ranking loss. People have hopes the Konami will fix this, but it's also not game breaking unless you're set in becoming one of the top of the top (in which case, you're probably disconnecting to keep your rank. There are a few good people, though).

But I digress. Though people complain about some things in the game (lack of some great cards, some “undesirable” normal monsters [Though truth be told, there aren't THAT many. And yes, I did just utilize brackets.], and Wi-Fi problems, but all in all World Championship 2007 is a great Yu-Gi-Oh! game. Like the other reviewer, I wouldn't buy a DS _ONLY_ for this game (since Tag Force is out for the PSP, too), but if you were contemplating buying one already, do so for the other great games currently out for it.

I absolutely love this game. And if you like Yu-Gi-Oh!, this is a great game to buy. You'll love it too. My name is George Zimmer (though not really), and I guarantee it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/11/07