Yu-Gi-Oh!: The 17 Best Video Games, Ranked (According To Metacritic)

Along with a popular anime and an active card game, Yu-Gi-Oh! has also spawned many video games. What are the franchise’s best games?

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 Muto and the spirit of the Millenium Puzzle who seeks to reclaim his lost memories.

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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?

Updated on July 8, 2022, by Mark Sammut: In July 2022, Kazuo Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh!, passed away. Be it the manga, anime, trading cards, or video games, this franchise has left an undeniable mark on pop culture. In honor of Takahashi’s legacy, this article has been expanded to include a couple more of the best Yu-Gi-Oh! games according to Metacritic.

17

Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn Of The Battle Royale!! (Metascore: 62)

Coming and going without leaving too much of an impression, Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn of the Battle Royale!! has a couple of things in its favor, but these positives struggle to overcome the game’s shortcomings. As suggested by its title, this release utilizes a faster-paced stripped-down version of the trading card game that is designed to be welcoming to new players, something that cannot be said about the traditional version. Rush dueling is pretty fun in theory and practice; unfortunately, almost everything else about Dawn of the Battle Royale drags the gameplay down. This is reflected in Rush Duel’s 62 Metacritic score.

While the story, presentation, and characters are quite weak, the game’s biggest sin is that it limits the player’s ability to build decks. This feature is locked until the post-game, and even using the pre-made decks is way more complicated than it needs to be.

Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters was released on December 7, 2021, and is available on the Nintendo Switch.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel: Dawn Of The Battle Royale!! Critical Reception

Dawn of the Battle Royale barely attracted any attention upon release, but for the few reviews it did obtain, the consensus was that it is an entertaining but flawed game. Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens fans are likely to get more out of this release since it features that anime’s characters.

16

Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters (Metascore: 66)

An abandoned concept from the anime, Dungeon Dice Monsters is the game invented by the supporting character Duke Devlin that was played a grand total of one time. Despite this, however, Konami actually sold a real-life version of the dice game along with this oft-forgotten GBA game.

Unlike other Yu-Gi-Oh games which strayed away from the core card game, this one is actually good fun. While the A.I. is weak, the game’s mechanics are a welcome change of pace. It’s worth noting as well that the game has a massive roster of opponents to face off against, including some from the manga who never made it into any other game. It is even possible to face off against Yugi’s mom!

Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters was released on March 21, 2001, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters Critical Reception

As a unique departure from the card game featured heavily in most of the anime, Yu-Gi-Oh: Dungeon Dice Monsters gives players a glimpse into parts of the franchise’s universe most never see. As such, the novel concept along with the satisfying gameplay and huge roster of monsters makes this game fondly remembered, despite not scoring very high on Metacritic.

15

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 (Metascore: 66)

The first entry in the long line of World Championship games to make this list, the 2005 entry broke away from the formula of simply beating duelists in a tier system to introduce a bit of an open world for players to explore. As players build up their decks, they can purchase new cards from shops, compete in Kaibacorp tournaments, and even solve some puzzles.

As an additional bonus, players can enter the Shadow World after winning the National Tournament where there is no ban list and opponents like Marik and Arkana are unforgivingly cruel. While the card layout is clunky and a bit slow, this is still a solid entry on the GBA for fans to play again.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 was released on December 30, 2004, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2005 Critical Reception

Despite a tricky learning curve due to the new format, players that were familiar with the franchise found everything they wanted in the dueling system, despite the limitations of technology limiting the variety of cards and some of the mechanics.

14

Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy (Metascore: 67)

The first game not based on the original anime to make the list, Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy puts players in the shoes of a new student at Seto Kaiba’s Duel Academy who is looking to make a name for themselves and become King Of Games.

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Not only did this release introduce gamers to the new cards from the GX anime, but it also truly immerses players in the world by providing quizzes, climbing up the dorm ranks, and even playing through some storylines of the anime. This still remains one of the more unique entries in the series and is fun to boot.

Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy was released on October 13, 2005, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Duel Academy Critical Reception

The gameplay of dueling one’s way up through the ranks of the school’s best duelists, even some of the teachers, can be very satisfying. This along with the many available cards makes this a great game to revisit anytime.

13

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 (Metascore: 68)

As the first game to utilize the World Championship tagline, one would think the 2004 game would bring some new innovations to the series never seen before. However, this entry is just more of the same as what has been before.

While it does update the card list to 1,138 cards, Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 still features the same opponents from previous titles with a similar tier system for unlocking them. It’s still fun to lay the smackdown on anime villains like Marik and Pegasus, but like many Yu-Gi-Oh games, the A.I. isn’t properly balanced and has many bugs. While it isn’t a bad game by any means, there are others that do what this does but better.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 was released on February 5, 2004, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2004 Critical Reception

While many consider this game to be more of the same in terms of purist-dueling action, it cannot be faulted for anything major, making it a solid entry in the series.

12

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds Tag Force 4 (Metascore: 70)

While the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS might have gotten the World Championship line of games, PSP owners were blessed with the Tag Force series. As the title suggests, these games focused on tag team duels and building up an unstoppable force with a partner, and the 4th game in the series did it best.

This was the 1st Tag Force game to use the Synchro Summoning mechanic introduced in 5Ds and even featured anime-exclusive cards like “Masked Knight” and some “Earthbound Immortal” support. With its brief cutscenes during duels and a massive card pool, this is the game for 5Ds fans looking for a game that truly plays like the anime.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds Tag Force 4 was released on September 17, 2009, and is available on the PlayStation Portable.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds Tag Force 4 Critical Reception

With over 4,000 cards from the franchise, gamers were able to make a ton of different decks–a unanimously loved trait. This large library may not be the most expansive in the franchise but is not an amount to be scoffed at.

11

Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel (Metascore: 72)

Scoring a 72 on Metacritic, Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel was released back in the Game Boy Advance era and in a time when games were getting very popular on handheld consoles.

The game came out in 2003 and to a decent reception. 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel was released on April 15, 2003, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel Critical Reception

Many consider this game as close to living the anime as possible in a video game. This is a title both for lovers of the anime and the card game, as it balances portraying both well.

10

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia (Metascore: 72)

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 3,000 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia was released on February 18, 2010, and is available on the Nintendo DS.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s World Championship 2010 Reverse of Arcadia Critical Reception

The biggest features that fans enjoyed were the animated character movements as well as the multiplayer function, as the former allowed one’s eyes to enjoy something other than cards being placed on mats and the latter is awesome for increasing replayability.

9

Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters World Championship Tournament 2006 (Metascore: 73)

Nintendo’s Game Boy 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters World Championship Tournament 2006 was released on February 23, 2006, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Ultimate Masters World Championship Tournament 2006 Critical Reception

Despite the huge card library, there wasn’t a whole lot of new content added compared to previous World Championship titles, however, as it does everything well, those who are looking for a great Yu-Gi-Oh! game can’t go wrong with this one.

8

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 (Metascore: 73)

Released in 2009 on the Nintendo DS, this game 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, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 was released on March 26, 2009, and is available on the Nintendo DS.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Stardust Accelerator World Championship 2009 Critical Reception

The inclusion of racing duels mixed with regular ones is always a great component of 5D’s games in the franchise, and this one does the animations and mechanics better than many.

7

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers (Metascore: 73)

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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers was released on March 26, 2009, and is available on the Nintendo Wii.

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Wheelie Breakers Critical Reception

Being a mix of what feels like a kart racer and a regular Yu-Gi-Oh! game makes this title for the Wii unique and fun. Players looking for a new console to play a solid Yu-Gi-Oh! title should try this one out.

6

Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour (Metascore: 73)

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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour was released on July 21, 2005, and is available on the Nintendo DS.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Nightmare Troubadour Critical Reception

As one of the earlier franchise titles on the DS, this game was groundbreaking for the series and laid the foundation for many of its successors to build upon.

5

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 (Metascore: 73)

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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 was released on March 15, 2007, and is available on the Nintendo DS.

Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship 2007 Critical Reception

Like other entries in the World Championship series, this one feels more like an update than a new game, claim many players, however, by this point, that’s what many gamers want and expect. If one doubts this, look at how many there are and ponder upon the collective revenue that they have generated.

4

Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution (Metascore: 79)

Focusing on more recent titles, there’s no denying that Yu-Gi-Oh! games have advanced a lot over the years. This is reflected in Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution–the 3rd best title of the franchise.

The game was released in 2019 for Nintendo Switch and 2020 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, making 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution was released on April 25, 2019, and is available on the PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist Link Evolution Critical Reception

As one of the few games in the franchise to be released on major platforms, it reached a whole new player base. As such, the influx of new blood combined with a faithful representation of the card game and anime characters made this a huge hit with everyone.

3

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel (Metascore: 80)

The most recent big Yu-Gi-Oh! game, Master Duel came a bit out of nowhere as there wasn’t too much hype surrounding the release prior to its launch. The free-to-play project blew away most expectations, delivering a fun digital alternative to the trading card game. Master Duel is up-to-date in terms of mechanics, offering newcomers a viable way to learn the basics in case they ever want to play the physical version. While not every card is included, the game has an impressive library.

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Although more accessible than its real-life counterpart, Master Duel is still quite difficult and can be overwhelming for beginners with little to no exposure to Yu-Gi-Oh!. This was an issue at the game’s launch when there was not much to do except for competitive matches, but a solo mode has been added since then, so players can play through a few tutorials and test out their decks.

The PC and PS5 versions of Master Duel earned a respectable 80 on Metacritic, while the Switch iteration has a 78 average.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel was released on January 19, 2022, and is available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel Critical Reception

As a free-to-play multiplayer game, Master Duel is constantly evolving; consequently, the launch version’s critical reception is not necessarily indicative of the project’s current state. That said, it is always a good sign when one of these games leaves a positive initial impression, something Konami’s title accomplished across the board. The Nintendo Switch version earned a respectable 78 on Metacritic, while the PC and PS5 iterations both have an 80 average.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links is a collectible card game that was released in 2016. 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 even received an update covering the events of the Dark Side of Dimensions movie in 2019.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links was released on November 17, 2016, and is available on PC, iOS, and Android.

The mobile platforms were a great choice to try a Yu-Gi-Oh! game, as people spend a lot of time holding their phone these days, so it acts as a natural way to integrate more card game action into the lives of more casual gamers in addition to hardcore fans of the series.

1

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (Metascore: 81)

Released in 2002, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul is a Game Boy Advance exclusive. However, even after all these years, the game still holds the top place in the franchise.

The Eternal Duelist Soulholds 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.

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul was released on July 5, 2001, and is available on the Game Boy Advance.

Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul Critical Reception

As one of the earliest Yu-Gi-Oh! games to ever be released, it set the high bar for which others in the franchise would be measured. This game acted as both an excellent video card game and resounding proof that there was a hungry market for such titles; thereby making way for all in the franchise that followed.

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