Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection
{{Short description|2025 video game compilation}}
{{Infobox CVG
| title = Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection
| image = Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection.jpg
| caption =
| alt = The characters Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba are positioned back-to-back emerging from within a golden inverted triangle, each holding up a trading card in one hand. In the background is an ancient Egyptian mural with tiles shaped like cards, each one depicting a monster. The title "Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection" is positioned at the bottom of the image.
| developer = Digital Eclipse
| publisher = Konami
| producer = Dant Rambo
| designer =
| programmer = {{ubl|Michaēl LaRouche|Ian Sherman}}
| released = {{vgrelease|WW|February 27, 2025}}
| genre = Digital collectible card game, RPG, strategy game
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms = Nintendo Switch, Windows
| writer =
| composer = Bob Baffy
| artist = {{ubl|Norm Badillo|Cameron Badillo|Oscar Charla}}
}}
{{nihongo foot|Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection|遊☆戯☆王 アーリーデイズコレクション|Yū Gi Ō Ārī Deizu Korekushon|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} is a video game compilation developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Konami, released in commemoration of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game's 25th anniversary. It contains emulated versions of the first 14 handheld games based on the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise, originally released between 1998 and 2004. Several of the included games were localized and released outside of Japan for the first time as part of the collection.
Early Days Collection was released worldwide on February 27, 2025 for Nintendo Switch and Windows. It received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the collection's preservational aspects and amount of content, but criticized the games themselves for their slow gameplay and lack of tutorials.
Features
All games in the compilation are playable in Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, including those which had not previously been localized, with the exception of Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2, which is only available in Japanese.{{cite web | last=Biordi | first=Jordan | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection (Nintendo Switch) Review | website=CGMagazine | date=February 24, 2025 | url=https://www.cgmagonline.com/review/game/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection/ | access-date=February 24, 2025}}{{efn|name=DM6|Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2 was later modified and released internationally as Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel, which is also included in Early Days Collection.{{cite web | last=Stenbuck | first=Kite | title=Yu-Gi-Oh Early Days Collection Full Title List Revealed | website=Siliconera | date=December 13, 2024 | url=https://www.siliconera.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-title-list-revealed/ | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=December 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219124345/https://www.siliconera.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-title-list-revealed/ | url-status=live }}}} In each game, players can remap the button layout, create save states, and fast forward or rewind gameplay.{{cite web | last=Broadwell | first=Josh | title=Yu-Gi-Oh Early Days Collection brings together more than a dozen YGO Game Boy games from over 20 years ago | website=Video Games On SI | date=December 11, 2024 | url=https://www.si.com/videogames/news/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-game-list-game-boy-games | access-date=January 27, 2025}}{{cite web | last=Hodgkins | first=Crystalyn | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection's Introduction Trailer Streamed | website=Anime News Network | date=January 24, 2025 | url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2025-01-24/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-introduction-trailer-streamed/.220411 | access-date=January 27, 2025}} Online multiplayer is supported for Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists, and is planned to be added to other games after launch.{{cite web | last=Doolan | first=Liam | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Trailer Introduces Online Play And Other New Features | website=Nintendo Life | date=January 26, 2025 | url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/01/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-trailer-introduces-online-play-and-other-new-features | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=January 26, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126163719/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/01/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-trailer-introduces-online-play-and-other-new-features | url-status=live }} An "enhancements" menu allows the player to apply special modifiers to each game; examples include unlocking all cards, removing deck point limits for player decks, enabling cards normally banned from play, or activating hidden characters and cards that could originally only be accessed through special means.{{cite web | last=Tu | first=Trumann | title=Yu-Gi-Oh: Early Days Collection Confirms Important Quality-Of-Life Features and Online Play | website=Game Rant | date=December 14, 2024 | url=https://gamerant.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-quality-of-life-features-online-play/ | access-date=January 27, 2025}} An in-game gallery includes digital scans of the games' original box art and instruction manuals.
=Games included=
Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection includes 14 games originally released for the Game Boy (GB), Game Boy Color (GBC), and Game Boy Advance (GBA) handheld systems, all featuring characters and cards from the original Yu-Gi-Oh series.{{cite web | last=Doolan | first=Liam | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Trailer Introduces Online Play And Other New Features | website=Nintendo Life | date=January 26, 2025 | url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/01/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-trailer-introduces-online-play-and-other-new-features | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=January 26, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250126163719/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/01/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-trailer-introduces-online-play-and-other-new-features | url-status=live }} While the included games are primarily digital collectible card games, Monster Capsule is instead a real-time strategy game, while Dungeon Dice Monsters and Destiny Board Traveler are based around board game mechanics. All three versions of Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists—Yugi Deck, Kaiba Deck, and Joey Deck—are available for play in the compilation.{{cite web | last=Garcia | first=Carley | title=Full Yu-Gi-Oh: Early Days Collection Game List Revealed | website=Game Rant | date=December 12, 2024 | url=https://gamerant.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-game-list/ | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=December 13, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241213220607/https://gamerant.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-game-list/ | url-status=live }}
{{collist|
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (GB, 1998)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories (GBC, 1999)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Monster Capsule (GBC, 2000)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories (GBC, 2000)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists (GBC, 2000)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Dungeon Dice Monsters (GBA, 2001)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! The Eternal Duelist Soul (GBA, 2001)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2 (GBA, 2001)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! The Sacred Cards (GBA, 2002)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Reshef of Destruction (GBA, 2003)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel (GBA, 2003)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! World Championship Tournament 2004 (GBA, 2004)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Destiny Board Traveler (GBA, 2004)
- Yu-Gi-Oh! 7 Trials to Glory: World Championship Tournament 2005 (GBA, 2004)
}}
Development and release
Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection was announced on February 5, 2024, at a Konami event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game.{{cite magazine|last=Stewart|first=Marcus|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/02/05/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-bundles-the-tcgs-earliest-video-games-into-one-package|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205184414/https://www.gameinformer.com/2024/02/05/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-bundles-the-tcgs-earliest-video-games-into-one-package|url-status=live|archive-date=February 5, 2024|title=Yu-Gi-Oh Early Days Collection Bundles The TCG's Earliest Video Games Into One Package |magazine=Game Informer|date=February 5, 2024 |access-date=February 5, 2024}} The announcement revealed two of the included games, with the remaining entries confirmed gradually over the course of the year; the final list of included games was published in December 2024.{{cite web | last=Romano | first=Sal | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection full games list announced | website=Gematsu | date=December 11, 2024 | url=https://www.gematsu.com/2024/12/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-games-list-announced | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250127151124/https://www.gematsu.com/2024/12/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-full-games-list-announced | url-status=live }} The compilation marks the first international release of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, Duel Monsters II: Dark Duel Stories, Monster Capsule, Duel Monsters 4: Battle of Great Duelists, and Duel Monsters 6: Expert 2.{{cite web | last=Ignacchitti | first=Ivanir | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Revives Nostalgic TCG Videogames in February 2025 | website=Hardcore Gamer | date=October 17, 2024 | url=https://hardcoregamer.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-revives-nostalgic-tcg-videogames-in-february-2025/ | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=December 10, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210154221/https://hardcoregamer.com/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-revives-nostalgic-tcg-videogames-in-february-2025/ | url-status=live }}{{efn|name=DM6}} The game was released on February 27, 2025 for Nintendo Switch and Windows via Steam; physical copies of the Nintendo Switch version included one of two limited edition Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards.{{cite web | last=Petite | first=Steven | title=Yu-Gi-Oh Early Days Collection | website=GameSpot | date=December 11, 2024 | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-all-14-games-revealed-switch-edition-includes-rare-card/1100-6526344/ | access-date=January 27, 2025 | archive-date=December 23, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223062130/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-all-14-games-revealed-switch-edition-includes-rare-card/1100-6526344/ | url-status=live }}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| MC=68/100 (NS){{cite web | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection critic reviews (Nintendo Switch) | website=Metacritic | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=nintendo-switch | access-date=February 24, 2025}}{{efn|Based on 23 reviews}}
65/100 (PC){{cite web | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection critic reviews (PC) | website=Metacritic | url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection/critic-reviews/?platform=pc | access-date=February 24, 2025}}{{efn|Based on 11 reviews}}
| OC=69%{{cite web | title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Reviews | website=OpenCritic | url=https://opencritic.com/game/18160/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection | access-date=February 24, 2025}}{{efn|Based on 36 reviews}}
| NWR=6.5/10{{cite web | last=Hilhorst | first=Willem |
title=Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Review | website=Nintendo World Report | date=February 24, 2025 | url=http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/70092/yu-gi-oh-early-days-collection-switch-review | access-date=February 24, 2025}}
}}
{{Expand section|date=February 2025}}
Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection received "mixed or average" reception according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.konami.com/yugioh/earlydayscollection/}}
{{Yu-Gi-Oh!}}
{{Konami compilations}}
{{Digital Eclipse video games}}
Category:Digital Eclipse games
Category:Konami video game compilations
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Nintendo Switch games