Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION bundles 14 classic Game Boy games into one collection! Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Review Overview

What is Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION?

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION is a compilation of 14 classic Yu-Gi-Oh! video games originally released between 1998 and 2005 for platforms such as the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. Developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Konami, this collection is scheduled for release on February 27, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and PC to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game.

The collection features titles that encompass various settings and narratives aligned with the original anime series, but the core mechanics of many of the collection’s games stand: aim to build a powerful deck, challenge iconic characters across the Duel Monsters Era, and engage in card battles. Notably, several games in the collection are being localized and released outside of Japan for the first time.

Enhancements such as save states, fast-forward and rewind functions, and button remapping have been integrated to improve the user experience. Additionally, online multiplayer support is available for select titles, with plans to extend this feature to more games post-launch. The game will also include an "enhancements" menu for players to apply special modifiers, including unlocking all cards and removing deck point limits.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION features:
　⚫︎　Contains 14 Classic Yu-Gi-Oh! Games
　⚫︎　Comes with Quality-of-Life Improvements
　⚫︎　Has Online Capabilities for Some Games
　⚫︎　Digital Library Preserves These Games’ Manuals and Box Arts

For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION’s gameplay and story.

Steam			Nintendo
Price		$49.99

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Preserves 14 Classic Yu-Gi-Oh! Titles Adds Quality-of-Life Features Localizes Previously Japan-Only Titles	Presentation and Quality Varies Per Game Only One Game Has Online Multiplayer Overpriced For an Arguably Mediocre Collection

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Overall Score - 64/100

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a step in the right direction for Konami—at least in terms of preservation. Bundling together these classic Yu-Gi-Oh! titles, complete with digitized box art and manuals, is a fantastic effort in keeping the series’ history alive. However, while I respect the intent, the actual collection itself feels mediocre. Here’s to hoping Konami sees this as a launching point for future collections, perhaps diving into other Yu-Gi-Oh! gems we’ve yet to see again.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Story - 6/10

It’s wild that out of 14 games in Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION, only a handful actually have a proper story mode. Some adapt arcs from the manga and anime, while others boil down to Mega Man-style boss-stage duels—except you have to grind through the same opponents multiple times just to advance. That repetition quickly wears thin. Only The Sacred Cards, Reshef of Destruction, 7 Trials to Glory, and Monster Capsule offer anything resembling a narrative, meaning the majority of the collection lacks meaningful progression beyond just winning duels. That said, there’s a nostalgic charm to seeing familiar faces from the early days of the franchise. Even if the stories are sparse, the classic artwork and dialogue from beloved characters help soften the blow—at least a little.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Gameplay - 7/10

As much as my nostalgia wants me to love Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION unconditionally, the quality of its games is all over the place. I was pleasantly surprised by many of its titles, Monster Capsule and The Sacred Cards especially, but many of the titles feel like slight variations of each other. That said, I do appreciate the collection’s quality-of-life additions, which help smooth over the rough edges of these aging games. Features like rewind and even the option to "cheat" by unlocking all cards make them far more approachable today. However, the multiplayer situation is a letdown. As of now, only Duel Monsters 4: Battle of the Great Duelists supports online play. KONAMI does plan on adding the said feature to the other games, but locking it behind a future update feels like an oversight at best, and an insult at worst.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Visuals - 8/10

Since Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION spans titles from the original Game Boy to the Game Boy Advance, the visual presentation is understandably inconsistent. Some games boast bright, colorful sprites that still hold up, while others—especially the earlier entries—can feel drab and lifeless. However, if there's one area where all these titles shine, it's in their character and card artwork. The cards themselves look as if they were lifted straight from the manga, while the character portraits do an impressive job of emulating Kazuki Takahashi’s illustrations. On top of that, the collection goes the extra mile by including digitized versions of each game’s original box art and manuals. If nothing else, Early Days Collection at least treats its source material with the reverence it deserves.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Audio - 7/10

The audio in Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION is undeniably dated, but there’s a certain charm to its chiptune soundtrack that can't be ignored. Nostalgia does a lot of the heavy lifting here—those beeps and boops in the battle themes might not hold up to modern standards, but they still evoke a sense of the era these games hail from. That said, while the music is inoffensive and even catchy at times, it’s best to temper expectations. These tracks weren’t exactly composed to be timeless bangers, and some can grow repetitive after extended play sessions. Still, for those who grew up with these games, hearing those simple yet effective melodies again might bring a smile to your face. Just be sure to keep those rose-tinted headsets firmly in place.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Value for Money - 4/10

I love Yu-Gi-Oh! and will eagerly consume anything related to the franchise, but Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION simply isn’t worth the $49.99 price tag. Yes, I genuinely had fun revisiting many of these titles, but the reality is that this collection is a mixed bag—some games hold up well, while others feel more like historical curiosities than must-play titles. Sure, there’s value in the nostalgia factor, the quality-of-life features, and the preservation of these once-hard-to-find titles, but the price is simply too steep for what’s being offered. With so many other major releases dropping around the same time, it’s hard to justify picking this up at full price when there are far better games competing for your wallet. If you’re a die-hard Yu-Gi-Oh! fan, it might still be worth grabbing—but honestly? I’d wait for a sale.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Review Review: Pot of Mid

For those unacquainted with Konami’s ongoing nostalgia-driven strategy, they’ve been wringing every last drop from the early Yu-Gi-Oh! era for decades. Ever since the original anime wrapped in 2004, they’ve kept the memory of Duel Monsters alive through Yugi’s cameos in Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, wave after wave of Exodia and Egyptian God Card retrains and support in the trading card game (TCG), and most recently, a meta-shaking Blue-Eyes White Dragon structure deck. Besides, if it ain’t broke, just slap some new effects on it and watch the fans go wild. Their latest attempt at milking this figurative cow dry is Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION.

Yugi Boomers can breathe easy, as these games hail from a time before Fiendsmith, before Pendulum Summoning, before Synchros rewrote the rules of modern-day Yu-Gi-Oh! In fact, many of these titles don’t follow anything resembling modern Yu-Gi-Oh! at all.

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION bundles together 14 Game Boy games, some of which are making their debut outside Japan for the first time. For many duelists, this will likely be their first time stepping into these forgotten classics. And for those of us who played these games as kids... well, let's just hope those rose-tinted glasses are held up by more than just tape and glue.

For this review, I’ve split these games into three categories: those that stray from the core rules of the trading card game, those that stick to these mechanics, and spin-offs that emerged from the card game’s popularity.

Card Games That Stray from the Trading Card Game Rules

　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (GB, 1998)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories (GBC, 1999)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories (GBC, 2000)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists (GBC, 2000)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards (GBA, 2002)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction (GBA, 2003)

When Yu-Gi-Oh! made its shift to a full-on card game in the anime’s first arc, Duelist Kingdom, the rules of engagement were… shall we say, "flexible," to say the least. The logic behind these early games was more about spectacle than structure—Giant Soldier of Stone could "attack the moon," and Yugi’s monsters could fuse with spell cards in ways that seemed more like cheating. Of course, they were still figuring out the rules back then, so you can’t really blame them for getting creative with how they present the manga and anime’s ruleset. But even after the official rules were solidified, games like The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction still decided to throw the rulebook out the window for their very own ways of dueling.

Duel Monsters and Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories

⚫︎ Gameplay From Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (1998)

This collection marks the first time Duel Monsters and Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories will be officially available outside Japan, and oh, do they not age well. As these early titles were developed before the trading card game had an established ruleset, they loosely follow the mechanics seen in the manga.

Unfortunately, that looseness translates to a gameplay experience that is, in a word, exhausting. Both games boil down to a seemingly endless cycle of battling opponents over and over again, only to unlock the privilege of… battling even more opponents over and over again. The repetition is so mind-numbing that I nearly cleared the second stage of both games before finally throwing in the towel. There’s no real strategy to keep things engaging, as victory is less about deck-building and more about brute-forcing your way through duels with the strongest cards you can cram into your deck.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories (1999)

Since these games don’t follow the official TCG mechanics, you can completely steamroll opponents by stuffing your deck with multiple copies of the most powerful cards. If the game allows it, you can load up nine copies of Blue-Eyes White Dragon and summon them freely, no tribute required.

To its credit, Duel Monsters II tries to add some structure with a deck cost and card limits to prevent players from mindlessly stacking their decks with the same overpowered cards. But to actually raise your deck limit, you need to grind a lot. And with gameplay this monotonous, that grind is more of a punishment than a challenge.

Dark Duel Stories and Duel Monsters 4: Battle of the Great Duelist

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories (JP: 2000; NA: 2002)

Dark Duel Stories and Duel Monsters 4: Battle of the Great Duelist follow much of the same gameplay loop as their predecessors—you battle the same opponents repeatedly just to inch forward in the campaign. However, these entries mark the slow trickle of more structured Yu-Gi-Oh! rules making their way into the games.

Card limits here now resemble modern Yu-Gi-Oh! standards. Whereas previous titles let you stack up to nine copies of a single card, here you’re restricted to three. The game also finally acknowledges Tribute Summons, meaning you can no longer just slap down a Blue-Eyes White Dragon with no cost. Now, you actually need to tribute weaker monsters first. These changes bring the series a step closer to the official rules, but, really, they don’t do much to shake up the core gameplay loop of battling endlessly until you’ve grinded your way to victory.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelist (2000)

A more drastic shift comes from the Alignment system, carried over from Duel Monsters II, which makes these games feel like an odd fusion of Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. Instead of focusing purely on ATK and DEF stats, this system assigns a property to monsters to create a rock-paper-scissors effect, where a monster with a type advantage can instantly destroy its opponent—regardless of its actual stats.

This mechanic can be frustrating, especially when an enemy wipes out a monster you struggled to summon in the first place. But I have to admit, it forced me to think more critically about deck-building and turn sequencing. The challenge isn’t exactly steep—if you have strong cards, you can still power through—but at least it moves the gameplay away from the oonga boonga strategy of "summon big monsters, swing, repeat."

What I appreciate most about Battle of the Great Duelist, though, is the inclusion of all three game versions—one for Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey. While the gameplay is essentially the same in all three, these versions differ in their selection of playable cards. Konami could have half-heartedly added just one version and called it a day, but including all three is a nice touch.

The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards (JP: 2002; NA: 2003)

If you’ve played Forbidden Memories on the PlayStation, The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction will feel oddly familiar—almost like 2D versions of that notoriously difficult game. And when I say difficult, I mean borderline unfair. These games love to ambush you with ridiculously strong monsters early on, often leaving your weak starter deck completely outmatched. This is especially brutal in Reshef of Destruction, where difficulty spikes can come even in the early game.

For the first time in this collection, I actually found myself relying on the built-in quality of life features—let’s be honest, they’re just cheats—to unlock cards and even the playing field. Card drops in these games are random, meaning that even if you somehow manage to defeat a tough opponent, there’s no guarantee you’ll get the card you need. If luck isn’t on your side, you best be prepared for a soul-crushing grind as you duel the same opponent repeatedly, praying for the right card to drop.

That said, before I resorted to cheating, I did find a certain satisfaction in winning fair and square. The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction actually challenged me to think more strategically and refine my decks, which made victories feel genuinely rewarding.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction (JP: 2003; NA: 2004)

Mechanically, these games build on their predecessors with minor tweaks. The Alignment system is now called Attributes, loosely resembling those in the modern trading card game. Continuous Monster effects are now also in play. But the biggest change, however, comes in having actual stories.

The Sacred Cards follows the Battle City tournament from the anime, while Reshef of Destruction throws you into a world-ending crisis where you must collect the Millennium Items and revive the Egyptian God Cards. The narratives aren’t groundbreaking, but they at least give the duels a purpose—something sorely missing from the tedious repetition of earlier titles.

Games that Stick to the TCG Mechanics

　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (GBA, 2001)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2 (GBA, 2001)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel (GBA, 2003)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 (GBA, 2004)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005 (GBA, 2004)

When Yu-Gi-Oh! officially established its rules in the year 2000, most subsequent video games (aside from spin-offs, The Sacred Cards, and Reshef of Destruction, for some reason) finally fell in line. These games began to mirror the structure of modern Yu-Gi-Oh!—players now follow a turn sequence with six phases, with the goal of reducing the opponent’s Life Points to zero.

Unlike the earlier free-for-all style of Duel Monsters and its sequels, these games properly implement key mechanics to allow combos, counterplays, and the kind of depth that defines Yu-Gi-Oh! today. I mean, there are actual chain links resolving in these games! This standardized gameplay is what most Yu-Gi-Oh! players are familiar with and is likely the format that will appeal to the majority of fans.

The Eternal Duelist Soul, Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2, and Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (JP: 2001; NA: 2002)

Now this is the Yu-Gi-Oh! I remember! The Eternal Duelist Soul, Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2, and Stairway to the Destined Duel finally bring the classic TCG experience to the collection. Fusion monsters summoned via the spell card Polymerization, Ritual monsters requiring proper tributes, staple Spell and Trap cards—they’re all here! And yes, that includes Imperial Order, the oppressive Trap card so powerful it remains banned in the real-life game to this day for completely shutting down an entire third of all cards.

Despite being a part of classic Yu-Gi-Oh!, these games do not devolve into mindless beatdowns. Unlike many other card games that rely on a separate resource system like mana, Yu-Gi-Oh! operates with the cards themselves as its core resource. Knowing when to commit your strongest plays and when to hold back is important. The thrill of these games come from blowout cards like the aforementioned Imperial Order—powerful effects that can instantly swing the tide of a duel. It’s this mix of patience and decision-making that makes these titles the most enjoyable in the collection, particularly for old-school fans who appreciate classic Yu-Gi-Oh!’s slower pace.

Unfortunately, these games fall into the same repetitive progression system as their predecessors—you must defeat X duelists X number of times to progress. There’s no real story outside of the tournament setting, but at least they introduce an in-game calendar. On specific days, random events occur, such as receiving card packs or getting challenged to a duel. It’s not a true story mode, but it adds some variety, at the very least.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2 and Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel

One particularly odd choice, however, is the inclusion of Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2. Unlike other previously-Japan-exclusive titles in this collection, this one remains in Japanese. Its content, though, was reworked into Stairway to the Destined Duel, making its presence here all the more baffling. If the goal was game preservation, then it could be argued that its inclusion in the collection is essential, but Expert 2 sits on a spot that could have been taken by something like Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Duel Academy or Ultimate Masters: World Championship 2006 instead. These Game Boy Advance titles could have set the stage for a GX-focused second collection. As a result, although the collection advertises 14 classic titles, it's more like 13, really, as Expert 2 and Stairway to the Destined Duel are pretty much the same game.

World Championship Tournament 2004 and 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 (2004)

World Championship Tournament 2004 (WC 2004) and 7 Trials to Glory continue in the footsteps of Stairway to the Destined Duel, bringing incremental improvements that reflect the ever-evolving Yu-Gi-Oh! card game. The most notable change is the expanded card pool—now featuring over a thousand cards—along with the introduction of a Forbidden and Limited List that bans or restricts overpowered cards like Imperial Order. These updates bring these games closer to the Yu-Gi-Oh! experience fans know today.

That being said, the AI—especially in WC 2004—is questionable at best. Opponents frequently make baffling plays, such as Tribute Summoning high-level monsters without considering whether the cost is even worth it. More than once, I watched the AI sacrifice a stronger monster just to bring out something objectively worse, completely undermining their own strategy. It’s frustrating, but also oddly amusing to witness.

Adding to WC 2004's shortcomings is the lack of a story mode. This feels like a step backward, especially when compared to The Sacred Cards and Reshef of Destruction, both of which integrated a narrative to give context to the endless dueling. Instead, this game falls back on the now-tired format of defeating 20+ duelists of varying skill levels, some of whom wield barely functional decks. Worse still, unlike previous games, there’s not even a conversation with opponents before or after a duel! These duels then devolve into mindless battles that lack any personality.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005 (JP: 2004; NA: 2005)

Thankfully, 7 Trials to Glory corrects this by bringing back the RPG elements present in Reshef of Destruction. Players can explore an overworld, visit card shops, and challenge duelists scattered throughout the game world. It also has an in-game calendar system, where weekly tournaments and shifting ban lists keep things fresh.

If you want the best classic Yu-Gi-Oh! experience in this collection, 7 Trials to Glory is the clear winner—if only for its RPG elements alone.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Spin-Offs

　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Capsule (GBC, 2000)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters (GBA, 2001)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler (GBA, 2004)

The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise has never shied away from spin-offs. With the series’ explosive rise in popularity back in the day, Konami was eager to experiment with new ways to expand the brand beyond the trading card game. Some of these experiments stuck for a while; others faded into obscurity. After all, when the heart of the franchise is a card game, branching out isn’t always easy.

Monster Capsule GB

But one of the strongest and most fascinating Yu-Gi-Oh! experiments was Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Capsule GB, a Game Boy title released exclusively in Japan in 2000. Unlike other spin-offs that tried to put a new spin on dueling, this game ditched the cards entirely and drew inspiration from the Monster World arc of the manga. In this storyline, Yugi and his friends find themselves trapped in a tabletop RPG where the villain plays the role of a dungeon master. Instead of playing cards, you command monsters on a grid-based battlefield, making the game feel like a stripped-down version of Fire Emblem or Disgaea. Each monster has its own movement and attack patterns, and positioning plays a crucial role, as terrain bonuses and proximity to allies can boost your stats.

It’s a neat game that pulls its material from such an obscure corner of the manga—a relic of an era when Konami was still figuring out how far Yu-Gi-Oh! could stretch beyond its core identity. Arguably, this could have been what paved the way for 2001’s The Duelist of the Roses, a more widely popular turn-based Yu-Gi-Oh! game.

Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters (JP: 2001; NA: 2002)

Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler consumed much of my childhood. Unfortunately, nostalgia can only do so much to mask their flaws. These games attempted to translate Yu-Gi-Oh! into board games, with varying degrees of success.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters (JP: 2001; NA: 2002)

Dungeon Dice Monsters is a digital adaptation of the short-lived physical spin-off of the same name, where two players face off on a grid. Instead of summoning creatures from a deck, you roll a dice to deploy monsters and build a path toward your opponent’s Dice Master. Each die can unfold in specific directions, which then forms a bridge between you and your enemy.

The concept behind the game is undeniably clever. On paper, it sounds like a fantastic alternative to the card game. But while the physical board game had potential, it never took off like its more famous counterpart. A big reason? Cost. The physical version required specialized dice, monster figurines, and a playmat, which made it far pricier than simply buying a deck of cards. And even if you invested in it, you still had to find someone else who did the same—no small feat when most of the series’ fans were children.

The video game adaptation was supposed to alleviate this drawback, but unfortunately, it didn’t do much to solve the actual game’s issues. It removed the financial barrier, sure, but it doubled down on the complexity, making it even more inaccessible to new players. The game expected you to grasp its mechanics with little to no guidance. There were no tutorials, no structured onboarding—just an overwhelming and uninviting manual that you’d have to pull up constantly.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler (2004)

Destiny Board Traveler, on the other hand, takes a sharp detour and opts instead for a Mario Party-style board game with some dueling in between. You begin with monster cards in your hands that you embed into the Summon Dice, with the resulting roll dictating your movement on the board. The goal is to accumulate a set number of Victory Stars, which are awarded based on the level of the monsters you summon onto various squares. These squares often contain monsters, which you must then defeat with the monster you rolled to occupy the said square.

Adding to this, each character boasts a unique ability that can significantly alter the game’s momentum. Yugi, for instance, can snatch a random monster from anywhere on the board, a la Change of Heart. Joey gets to reroll a die, while Kaiba channels his inner Crush Card Virus and obliterates monsters in his opponents’ hands.

⚫︎ Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler (2004)

In theory, the game is a lot of fun. There is a lot of variety that one can receive from a party game like this. However, variety doesn’t always translate to depth. If you think Yu-Gi-Oh! already relies too much on luck, Destiny Board Traveler cranks that factor up a notch. Strategy takes a backseat to sheer randomness, with the outcome of each match often feeling entirely out of your control. Instead of "playing," you’re essentially stuck watching an hour-long game of dice rolls upon dice rolls, occasionally pressing a button just to feel involved.

That said, there is some fun to be had here. Unlocking new characters and stages is neat, and hearing each character spout in-character lines adds a layer of charm. Seeing Yu-Gi-Oh!’s cast rendered in chibi form is also delightful—if only the gameplay were as consistently enjoyable as the presentation.

Is Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Worth It?

If Only the Sales of This Collection Would Spawn Another

I’m sorry, but I cannot, in good conscience, recommend dropping $49.99 on this collection. Nostalgia is a powerful draw, and there’s a clear effort in localizing previously Japan-exclusive titles, adding quality-of-life features, and even incorporating online multiplayer. But the actual content on offer feels thin. If we’re judging this collection purely by the gameplay offered by all 14 games, there simply isn’t enough substance to justify the price tag.

That said, I do appreciate what Konami has done and is doing here. It goes beyond being just a bundle of games, as this collection serves an important role in preserving classic Yu-Gi-Oh! titles and making them more accessible for modern audiences. If, years from now, someone wants to revisit 7 Trials to Glory, experience Dark Duel Stories for the first time, or even hate-play Reshef of Destruction, they now have an official way to do so. From a game preservation standpoint, that’s a win.

But let's be real—$49.99 is a steep price, especially when it launched so close to heavy hitters like Monster Hunter Wilds, Avowed, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza. And when Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel exists as a free-to-play and well-supported way to experience the actual card game (albeit in its more complex modern form), it’s hard to argue for this collection as a must-buy.

Still, I really want this collection to succeed. A strong showing here could pave the way for more ambitious Yu-Gi-Oh! re-releases. Personally, I hope that Forbidden Memories, The Duelists of the Roses, and the Tag Force series—some of which never left Japan—get the same treatment, complete with modern quality-of-life features. Now that would be exciting. Here’s hoping Konami sees the potential and delivers more for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans down the road.

Digital Storefronts
Steam			Nintendo
Price		$49.99

Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION FAQ

Is there multiplayer in Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION?

Only Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of the Great Duelists features online multiplayer at this time. However, future updates are planned to expand this feature to other games in the collection.

What games are included in Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION?

The games included in the collection are:

　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (1998) - Previously JP only
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories (1999) - Previously JP only
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Capsule GB (2000) - Previously JP only
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories (JP: 2000; NA: 2002)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelist (2000) - Previously JP only
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters (JP: 2001; NA: 2002)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (JP: 2001; NA: 2002)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2 (2001) - Available only in JP
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards (JP: 2002; NA: 2003)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction (JP: 2003; NA: 2004)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel (NA: 2003) - International remake of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 (2004)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler (2004)
　⚫︎　Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005 (JP: 2004; NA: 2005)

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Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION Product Information

Title	YU-GI-OH! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION
Release Date	February 27, 2025
Developer	Digital Eclipse
Publisher	Konami
Supported Platforms	PC (via Steam) Nintendo Switch
Genre	Strategy, Card Games, Anime
Number of Players	Single-Player (1) Online PvP (1-2)
ESRB Rating	ESRB Teen
Official Website	Official Website for Yu-Gi-Oh! EARLY DAYS COLLECTION

L A R Opalec

Lloyd grew up bonding with his big brother over video games. While RPGs like Disco Elysium and Final Fantasy IX hold a special place in his heart, he's always up to try new genres.