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 Mutou, who gains the ability to challenge others at the Games of Darkness.
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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?
10 Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel
Scoring a 72 on Metacritic, Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel was released back in the Gameboy Advance era and in a time when games were getting very popular on handheld consoles.
The game came out in 2003, to a decent reception, with a lot of fans loving its nature. 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
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
Nintendo’s Gameboy 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
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.
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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
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
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
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.
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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
Focusing on more recent titles, there’s no denying that Yu-Gi-Oh! games have advanced a lot more than anticipated, which is why Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution is 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
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 is a perfect match for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans and should be considered a must-play. 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
Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul is the best Yu-Gi-Oh! Title on the list. The game is a Gameboy Advance exclusive and was released in 2002. 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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