Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul

"A wonderful introduction to Yu-Gi-Oh!"

I will say that EDS is the closest rendition to the actual card game that I have seen to date. Even newer Yu-Gi-Oh! games have been a bit lacking in that respect. With such an accurate representation, and the game halding alot of the rulings for you, this game is great for those who like the card game but don't have a fortune to spend on buying the real collectible cards. It's alsoa great way to introduce non CCG players (such as myself) to the actual card game (of which I am an avid player now).

Gameplay: Once you have the control usage down it's a very simple matter to get around. As I emntioned in my introduction, the game handles all of the rulings for you and has useful prompts that pop up when you are in a position to do something with the cards in your hand or on the field. Those not familiar with actual card game will find these pop ups a blessing. This game is better suited to those with patience enough to read the cards they have and learn how to best use their cards.

Story: Well in this regard there isn't much of one. This game isnt really about a story it's about playing cards.

Graphics: Unfortunately the graphics here are very simple. A little too simple for my taste. With all the things the GBA can do it would have been nicer if the GBA game took the cue of the some of the newer Yu-Gi-Oh! games and the anime itself to really make the visuals more interactive. I would love to have seen the actual monsters appear when the card was played and to see them wipe out an opponent's monster as well as magic and trap card swith spectacular effects. Despite it's simplicity the graphics at least serve their purpose and make for a more table top game like atmosphere.

Sound: Ok the music in this game is kind of lame. Again with all that the GBA is capable of you would think the game designers would have went into a less NES sounding direction with their music. The repetitiveness of the music is also a drawback in my book. 90% of the time I mute the game and listen to my own music when I play

Replay: Ok this game really has great replay value. You can always start back from the beginning and build an entirely new deck and try out new techniques. With multi-player it leave no end to how much gaming you and your friends can do and you build your decks and compete against one another as well as trade cards between cartriges.

Is It Worth The Price: I’d say so. The average video game of any sort runs anywhere from 30-70 dollars and usually has very limited replay value. At 30 dollars or less if you really shop around you get quite a lot in that little cartridge. Many of the cards in the game can cost upwards of $30 or more and some can even go beyond $100 in cost! If you like the game but can afford to buy all the cards you want than EDS is a great alternative to that. If you think about how much you spend for just one evening out for dinner and a movie I think you’d see just how “worth it” this game really is.

Closing: This game is a great value for it's price and is alot of fun. It will make you think and develope quick thinking and strategic skills. It's also fun to ''collect'' the cards. For it's price it is well worth the investment.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 02/21/03, Updated 02/21/03