I
can't imagine a much better deal on any kind of game than that of a trading card game that
condenses all its wonderfully strategic glory into one cartridge, for one price, for one
system.
It's easy on the gamer's wallet, not to mention ethical.
There's no worse feeling than coming out of the game shop, knowing I just blew fifteen
bucks on a deck that I could have put towards groceries, rent, utilities, gas money, the
list goes on and on.
Yes, such a game is economical, but is it fun?
Those are the questions I asked of Yu Gi Oh Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined
Duel, the follow up of the rather poorly received Eternal Duelist Soul, created by the great
Kazuki Takahashi and developed and published by Konami.
Probably the best question a gamer can ask of the electronic version of the heads-up
trading card strategy game is how well does the game translate into your Game Boy Advance?
The answer probably lies in how well you know the card game and how polished your skills
are.
For those that don't, this game can be a mighty fine trainer for the real world.
You'll start off with a pre-constructed deck, to which you can add as you conquer each opponent
you face.
After said conquering, you will be awarded a choice of a booster pack chock full of monsters,
traps, and everything else you'll need to move on to the next battle.
An attribute that is especially important to me in trading card video games is the ability
to construct your own deck.
Any duelist worth his salt knows how to put together an arsenal that can dismantle any
opponent, and it is just as important as dueling.
You will collect cards in your trunk that you have earned from previous victories, and
it may turn out that you will be somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer amount.
The best strategy is to just try different things all the time.
The best decks are the ones that the other guys haven't figured out yet, so be sure to
experiment.
Anyway, I'll stop preaching in favor of offering my opinion on how well the battles work.
During your travels throughout Battle City, you'll run into a whole mess of opponents
with different strategies.
Each duel is presented quite well, the battlefield outlined in rectangles.
Yellow and orange cards are monsters, green spells, and purple traps.
Monsters go in front, everything else in the back.
If you don't know what a card does, you can have a look at its description before shelling
it out.
If you're a seasoned Yu Gi Oh handheld player, you'll notice that the game moves relatively
quicker than its predecessor, and the music and sound are of SNES caliber, not much else.
But that doesn't mean it's not good.
I was a bit confused by the main and battle phase layout, but everything clicked after
a few hands.
All the rules are in place, and it's just a matter of getting used to the fact that
you are indeed in a video game, where everything is of a more rigid structure than real life.
Overall, Yu Gi Oh Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel is a decent simulator
of the great strategy game, and I would recommend it mostly to beginners who don't know whether
or not the trading card game is right for them, but it is also fair game for those who
need some practice outside of the comic book store.