Whether you are a Yu-Gi-Oh fan or not, you can’t deny the powerful influence it has had over the media ever since the franchise was first created. We’ve seen everything: Movies, TV Series, Manga, Videogames, and the Trading Card game -- which has sparked a phenomenon throughout the world. Now we have yet another Yu-Gi-Oh videogame, and while it’s hard to get excited about it (simply because we’ve played so many), it’s our job to review it, and let you know what we think. Will the card-battling adventures be as fun for the average joe as they are for the Yu-Gi-Oh die-hard fanbase? We’ve got the scoop for you.

There’s a reason why Yu-Gi-Oh is famous after all these years, and no, it’s not because of the crazy hair-dos those freaks use, it’s because the card game is actually quite interesting and requires a lot of thought and a strategic mind. It’s also a gold mine for its creator, Kazuki Takahashi. But know the basic set of rules, and you’ll understand this game perfectly (some of us don’t know the rules that well, so we’re pretty new to this whole Yu-Gi-Oh thing). If you played Yu-Gi-Oh’s first Nintendo DS outing (Yu-Gi-Oh: Nightmaer Troubadour) then you pretty much know what to expect from this game. Of course, there are a lot of improvements, and that’s what we’ll talk about here.

As the game begins, you -- the student -- have to work your way through many card battles in order to progress through the “Duel Academy”, starting on the Slifer Red Dorm. First off, of course, you have to design your own character face, and give yourself a pretty name. We chose “Miguel” because it’s a very attractive one, wouldn’t you agree? Anyway, you will also team up with a group of duelers like Jaden, Syrus, Alexis, and many familiar faces from the Yu-Gi-Oh GX world. Sounds very Mario Golf-ish, eh? Well, that’s pretty much how it is. Inside the Academy, you will visit many houses -- or “gyms”, if you will -- where you will battle the best of the best. Sounds like Pokémon? Well, that’s pretty much how it is. If you think the rules of the game sound a bit difficult, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. But thankfully the game has a tutorial that will walk you through the basics, and even throw a hint or two. The “battles” are realized via the touch-screen, where you will choose which cards to use against your opponents. Pretty basic stuff, if you know what you’re doing.

The game is definitely improved over Nightmare Troubadour -- it has a better graphical engine with improved animations, much more special effects during battles, and a much more accessible control. Mind you, Nightmare Troubadour had nice graphics, so an improved graphic engine is definitely good, considering that the battles are the only “meat” of the graphical engine. The sound is very anime-esque, which fits right there with the franchise with its up-tempo, dynamic soundtrack will remind Yu-Gi-Oh fans of the TV series. It works well, and Konami deserves props for creating a very solid soundtrack with the Nintendo DS hardware.

When Nightmare Troubadour was released, Nintendo still didn’t have solid online plans for the dual-screened, but now there’s no excuse not to have an online mode with the Nintendo Wi-Fi connection being a major success. So yes, Yu-Gi-Oh fans -- you may rejoice -- as you will finally be able to take your card battles online on the Nintendo DS. The online mode may not be as beefy as other games (Metroid Prime: Hunters and the upcoming Pokémon games come to mind), but it still works. You make a move, wait, and then make a move again. Don’t go thinking too much about it, though, as each move is restricted by a timer – which should be good news for experts, but bad for newbies.


We're ready to battle

You will also get your grubby mitts on three “Collector’s” cards (if you’re into that kind of thing – and if you’re reading, we bet you are) that include the Hunter Owl and the Masked Chopper. But these aren’t virtual cards, these are real ones! It’s a nice little bonus that Konami has included for you Yu-Gi-Oh followers.

Call the Spirit, or Keep Your Mouth Shut?
Yu-Gi-Oh: Spirit Caller may not be the easiest game for people who are looking to join on the Yu-Gi-Oh fun, but it is still a very complete package for hardcore Yu-Gi-Oh followers. But then again, isn’t that the market it should be aimed for? However, if you are still interested in trying out the Yu-Gi-Oh formula, the game has plenty of content, easy tutorials, and even helps you start a real deck of Yu-Gi-Oh cards with its bonus gift. Add to that the highly anticipated online feature, and you’ve got yourself a very interesting way of joining on the trading card craze.

-- Miguel Yanez