Baneful's Take - Dark Duel Stories

This game was released in March 2002 (NA).

First, let's talk about the promos.  Some people got the edition with the reprints of the game's three most popular cards: Dark Magician, Blue-EyesWhite Dragon and Exodia the Forbidden One.

The rest of us got brand new promos.  Seiyaryu was a 2500 ATK LV7 no-effect beater.  Salamandra was an Equip Spell that strengthened FIRE monsters by 700, now obsolete by other equip cards like United We Stand.

Lastly, the most viable card in the set was Acid Trap Hole that will destroy your opponent's Set monsters with under 2000 ATK (basically 99% of them).  However, it does not negate the monster's effects and Nobleman of Crossout has since come to replace it.

Okay, onto the game itself.

This was the very first YGO video game on a portable console.  Sure, later games, especially ones on next-gen platforms like GBA/NDS/PSP have blown this entry out of the water, but it's also important to appreciate what this game has done for its time.

It established the core formula for the games.  The gameplay is bare bones and basic.  It's mostly a bunch of weak normal monsters battling by sheer ATK.  There aren't many spell/traps or other elements to enhance your strategy.  The visuals were basic black and white, and made it difficult to be immersed in the game.

The advertising campaign said 10,000 cards.  I don't believe that.  If there actually is, then 9,950 of them are likely useless weak no-effect monsters.

All in all, right now, you're better off with trying out the games that came after it, but for it's time, it was a decent game.  6/10 (for its time)

- Baneful (2014) , ban

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