Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004

"Back to the mediocre basics"

Based on the "hit" Japanese cartoon, Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 hypnotised me into purchasing this poor, disappointing title.

In the program we all know and "love", dueling involves 3 kinds of cards: monsters, traps and spells, and the cartoon depicts the card's actions as if they were part of real life. I expected this when I bought this game, but no, you just lay the cards and press A, left and right a couple of times every minute.

Graphics- 3/10

It's a board game basically. You lay the cards on a mat. The animations are few and far between and don't push the GBA at all. The cards are copied exactly, but remain as cards, and don't jump out and attack the enemy. Yup, they just sit there, until your opponent plays a card, and the screen rumbles for a second or so.

Sound- 4/10

There are about 5 different tracks on this, all of which are continuous and can last for hours. Sparkling noises accompany the introduction of new cards, but it's too little too late.

Gameplay- 2/10

Not fun at all. You play a monster, they use a trap card, you scream obscenities at the screen, and it's back to square one. This pattern continues until you draw a good card or lose the rest of your life points. The single player mode is basically just choosing from a list of characters who you must beat 200 million times to unlock the next few. Even the unique character strategies won't keep you going for long before you get bored and throw it at the wall in frustration.There's just no incentive to keep playing.

Lifespan- 8/10

If you can be at all bothered, this game will last you forever. There are over 1000 different cards to collect each with its own unique effect. These can be unlocked by defeating one of over 30 duelists in the form of a "booster pack." Completing this game will take up a good month of your life, especially if you have a life/a normal pain threshold.

Verdict

There is no way that anyone but the most hardcore of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans (numerous though they be) should buy this travesty of a game. If you love the game, get some real card and play with a friend. Everyone else, leave this well alone.

Reviewer's Score: 2/10, Originally Posted: 09/25/04