DESCRIPTION

Taking its cue from the trading card game and inspired in part by the cartoon series, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul equips players with a deck of powerful cards and charges them with the task of becoming the best duelist in the world. Gameplay is composed of one-on-one, turn-based battles, where each player attempts to overpower the opposition's deck by the best use of the given cards. Unlike other Yu-Gi-Oh! titles, this handheld rendition adheres strictly to the rules established in the physical card game. The over 800 cards included in this digitized incarnation of the card game cover a wide assortment of trap, magic or ritual, and tribute monster summon card types with which to battle. Additionally, owners of the actual cards can utilize the passwords printed on them to "import" those cards into the GBA game.

Initially, players are able to choose from three different decks (Black, Red, or Green), each consisting of 40 different cards. Thereafter, players compete in a series of battles against increasingly tougher opponents. At first players are only able to challenge five rivals, including Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Tea. Success in battle will grant players additional booster packs, containing five cards to be added to their collections. Eventually, they'll be challenged by another tier of newer, tougher opponents that should be familiar to fans of the show. Based on a typical calendar year, in-game battles advance time by a single day, with specific days yielding new booster packs to incorporate into collections, or new tournaments to enter. Unlike standard battles, the winner of tournament events is decided in a best-of-three match series.

During battle, players are free to summon monsters (each with their own particular elemental affinities and type) in attack or defensive positions, combine creatures to form stronger ones, and even imbue existing monsters with additional health or powers to utilize. Away from the tier-based single-player competition, players can make use of the link cable to duel against friends or trade cards from their respective decks. ~ Gavin Frankle, All Game Guide