Pook's Place

The Digital Duelist, Volume 2
By Pook

            11.22.04  I love video games, plain and simple.  In fact, if there is one topic that I feel comfortable declaring myself an expert of, it’s video games.  That is why I have been so fortunate to enjoy the many, many incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh! video games, as I’m sure many have you have, as well.  However, there are certain elements from the current games that I felt did not completely live up to the full dueling experience.  Until now…

            Last week, Konami made an announcement that will forever change the way we duel – online Yu-Gi-Oh!  Well, as some of you may or may not recall, this was a topic I addressed back in May.  Once again, my genius has been recognized, a.k.a. STOLEN, by others.  Only kidding, we love you Konami. 

            After I got over my initial shock that Konami would do something this awesome, I began to ponder the possibilities that this actual online community could offer all of us.  Suddenly, the world will be our local card shop!  I can duel with people in Japan, and ask them all of those all too important Japanese questions, such as what their obsession with cat-girls is!  But more importantly, there will be yet another place for official Yu-Gi-Oh! competition.  Card gaming will no longer be limited to cards.  But…

            …What if this idea is taken to the next level?  Online games have enormous potential for expansion.  Think about the entire subculture that has emerged from such games as Everquest and Ultima Online.  Then, a few months back, ign.com had an article about the potential of Nintendo producing a Pokémon massive multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) for their new Nintendo DS system.  By the way, I got into the DS launch party this past week – amazing.  Anyway, lets say that we “adapt” this idea for Yu-Gi-Oh! and PCs.  In theory, you could create your own character and explore the world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, encountering other players, and dueling in full 3D right before your eyes (sort of like Kaiba’s digital world/video game after the Duelist Kingdom).  Oh man, I can just imagine it now – sitting in front of the computer for 36+ hours straight, dueling until my eyes want to fall out of their sockets, perfectly content to repeat the cycle without interruption (that is, until the next expansion pack is released).  In a word, perfection.  But in another, better word, heaven. 

            There is hope, fellow duelists, for this dream to become a reality.  All we have to do is keep playing.  Play the new online game until you physically wear-down the CD-ROM.  If this game makes money, they’ll make more games.  And more, and more, and more!  Sorry, went a little crazy for a second.  Anyway, that’s all I have to say about that. 

            By the way, I’ve only gotten a few submissions for the art contest so far.  Don’t wait until the last second people, the competition is about to heat up.  Here’s an example of some of the artwork (courtesy of KuroKarasu) already submitted:

            That’s all from me.  Happy dueling!