YuGiOh | Geekscape

Step Into The Next Generation Of Dueling With Our Yu-Gi-Oh ‘Code Of The Duelist’ Unwrapping

by Josh JacksonAugust 4, 2017

Yu-Gi-Oh: Code of the Duelist is finally upon us, and with it, a new generation of the long running card game makes its official arrival.

As mentioned in our Link Strike starter deck overview, the game is changing in huge ways. With new limitations on the Extra Deck, an increased focus on field positioning, and extra support for older cards to help them keep up with the new format, even veteran duelists are going to have to approach the game in a new way.

In addition to the introduction of Link Monsters like Gouki the Great Ogre, who uses the opponent’s Defense Points against them, and Missus Radiant, who supports Earth monsters while pulling them out of the grave, Pendulum, Xyz, Ritual and Synchro monsters all return in the latest expansion. While many old strategies are taking a backseat, that’s not to say some popular archtypes won’t be pulled along for the ride.

Check out our unwrapping video below and see some of these cards yourselves. What cards are you hoping to pull from your sets, and how do you feel about the new format? Be heard in the comment section below!

Link Summoning Arrives With Our Yu-Gi-Oh Link Strike Unboxing!

by Josh JacksonAugust 4, 2017

Every few years, the Yu-Gi-Oh card game gains some sort of new mechanic that’s meant to shake the game up. With Link Summoning however, fundamental rules have been changed to make way for the new type of monster, making positioning on the field much more important.

Check out our video below where we detail all of the new cards in the first Link Summon focused structure deck and go over some of the format changes making their way into the game. What do you think about this new era of dueling? Let us know in the comments!

The Yu-Gi-Oh Legendary Decks 2 Collection Breathes Life Into Old Favorites!

by Josh JacksonFebruary 8, 2017

It’s become an annual tradition for Yu-Gi-Oh players to expect some kind of grand collection when the end of the year starts to creep up on us. 2016 is no exception, following last year’s trend of releasing a series of theme decks all in one box. Sharing the spotlight with Joey and Kaiba this time around, Yugi and his two Battle City rivals return with decks blending new and old cards, many of which have become much harder to find through other means.

Starting with Joey, who had his own Joey’s World collection a few years ago, his deck naturally focuses on his Red Eyes Black Dragon. His featured cards include The Black Stone of Legend, a card that can be tributed to special summon a powerful Red Eyes monster from the deck. When in the Graveyard, it allows a Red-Eyes in the Graveyard to be shuffled back into the deck while the Stone itself goes back into your hand. Creating an easy way to continuously cycle Red-Eyes monsters in and out of your deck, it’s handy to have both in and out of the grave! Thesecond card, Return of the Red Eyes, is a continuous Trap Card that allows you to Special Summon a Normal Monster in your Graveyard while on the field. When destroyed, you can Special Summon a Red-Eyes monster from your Graveyard to the Field, providing a second way to filter in powerful monsters constantly. Lastly, Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon is an Xyz Monster from the Clash of Rebellions set that can’t be destroyed by card effects AND inflicts 500 damage every time your opponent activates a card or effect after it resolves as long as it has Xyz material attached. When material is removed, you can Special Summon one Normal Red-Eyes monster from the grave, making sure it always has backup in a fight.

The rest of Joey’s deck features many of the classic cards he used throughout the original series, including common variant favorites of Jinzo, Scapegoats, Baby Dragon and Kunai with Chain. Top that off with some powerful staple support cards such as Torrential Tribute and Mystical Space Typhoon, and you have a ready made Red-Eyes deck that can become even more powerful once cards from other booster sets are mixed in.

Next up is Kaiba, who’s trademark Blue-Eyes cards had a resurgence this year thanks to a plethora of new support cards, many of which are represented here. Maiden with Eyes of Blue kicks things off, with the popular card from the Saga of Blue-Eyes White Dragon structure deck bringing its tricks into this package. Don’t let its 0 attack and 0 defense fool you, because it’s used to bait players into attacking it in order to easily summon the powerful Blue-Eyes instantly. When attacked, the move is negated, leading to one of the dragons being Special Summoned from the Hand, Deck or Graveyard. When targeted by a card effect, the same effect comes into play, minus the negation. This can take place once per turn during either player’s turn, so one cycle can have the maximum of three Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards on the field at once! If your opponent isn’t taking your bait, you can always target your own Maiden too! The Melody of Awakening Dragons provides a second option to get your dragons out of your deck, allowing you to add up to two Dragon-Type monsters with 3000 or more attack and 2500 or less defense. This is a perfect set up for Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, the classic fusion monster that’s become a staple of Kaiba’s offense focused strategy. At 4500 attack and 3800 defense, good luck taking it down without a spell handy.

Like Joey, Kaiba’s deck is rounded out by new and old favorites, including the Synchro Monster, Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, Protector with Eyes of Blue, Master with Eyes of Blue, Beacon of White, La-Jinn- Mystical Genie of the Lamp, Battle Ox, Burst Stream of Destruction and Enemy Controller to name a few. Naturally, it’s also packed with three Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards, each of which are common variants of the first three art styles used for the iconic monster.

But as always, Yugi is the star of the show, which is why he gets six featured cards, three of which are exclusive to this set! The first three are a trio most should be familiar with by now, with the classic designs for Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor and The Winged Dragon of Ra sitting on top of the deck with their Ultra Rare variants. His exclusive cards revolve around Exodia, the all powerful god / meme that Yugi famously defeated Kaiba with in the first episode of the Duel Monsters anime. The Legendary Exodia Incarnate allows you to summon the monster as its own creature rather than the instant win device it has become known for when all of its body parts have been assembled. With 0 defense and fluctuating attack strength, it gains 1000 attack points for every “Forbidden One” card in your Graveyard. At the end of its user’s turn, it asks them to add one “Forbidden One” card from the grave to their hand, making Exodia weaker in the process. While it can’t be affected by card effects, destroying it in battle lets its user draw a card for every “Forbidden One” card in their hand, allowing them to cycle through their deck faster for that precious instant win, all while bringing cards back from the grave that might have been lost otherwise. Ties of the Brethren is a Spell Card that Special Summons two cards of the same attribute and type with different names to the field at the cost of 2000 Life Points, obviously meant to set up two Exodia pieces. Finally, the Obliterate!!! Continuous Trap Card allows you to discard a “Forbidden One” card from your hand or deck to send a monster on the field back to its user’s hand. When destroyed, you can add one “Forbidden One” card from the gave to your hand, but only one of the two effects can be used per turn.

To be honest, I’m struggling with finding the usefulness of these exclusive cards, mainly because their effects don’t seem worth the cost of losing your Exodia pieces, especially when they seem counter productive to other cards in the deck like Exodia Necross, which is destroyed if all pieces aren’t in the Graveyard. It seems like many of the stall and draw decks that currently exist would work much better to accomplish what these cards seem to set up. Outside of Exodia: The Forbidden One and its four limbs, Yugi’s deck also comes with cards used by both his normal form and Atem, including the Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, the Silent Magician series, Swords of Revealing Light, Magic Cylinder and Mirror Force. These should give players plenty to work with when building custom decks, especially to compliment the new magician cards that came out earlier in the year.

The decks aren’t all that come packed with these legendary decks, since three promos and three tokens are included in each set exclusively. Consisting of two Spell Cards and one Trap Card that are meant to power up the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, Dark Burning Attack destroys all face up monsters your opponent controls if you control the female variant. If you control both, Dark Burning Magic can act as a quick play spell, letting you destroy all cards on your opponent’s field during either of your turns. Mimicking the magician’s eternal loyalty for the Pharoh in the anime and manga, the Eternal Soul continuous trap card makes sure you always have a Dark Magician at your side. While on the field, Dark Magician can’t be affected by card effects from your opponent, while allowing you to either Special Summon a Dark Magician from your hand or Graveyard, or add Thousand Knives or Dark Magic Attack spells from your deck to your hand. The only drawback is if the trap is destroyed, all monsters on your side of the field go with it. Outside of these cards, tokens featuring the three heroes this set is built on round out this jam packed set, which I’m sure comes in handy for someone like Joey, who would want to line up four Kaiba tokens to have them get taken down during one of his notorious Scapegoat plays.

Overall, this is an excellent set for people who are mostly familiar with the old cards, but want some new ones mixed in to help them get re-acquainted with the game. While the Yugi set is confusing in the way its set up, the other two have excellent synergy, and the three promo cards that support the magicians more than make up for any shortcomings the Yugi deck has. While it pains me to say this as a Blue-Eyes fan, the Red-Eyes deck is the all star this time around, with some fantastic cards that not only play well, but are much harder to get outside of this set

My biggest concern however, is that we might be going to the nostalgia well a bit too often with these sets. Last year’s Legendary Decks had three Yugi decks, and many of the cards here were already released back then. When you add in the previously mentioned Joey’s World, the many Battle City re-releases, the movie cards that offered some reprints of classic monsters, the Duelist Packs featuring Yugi and Kaiba, and the theme decks featuring these characters, it’s starting to feel like we’re buying the same cards over and over again rather than being introduced to new ones. Now I might be biased since I love Kaiba, but this year felt like the perfect time to give him his own set with all of the brand new Blue-Eyes support that has released. Maybe next year?

Nonetheless, you can’t got wrong with over 150 cards of Yu-Gi-Oh goodness. At the retail price of $29.99, you’re getting more than what you paid for considering some of the rare cards that are in this set. What are your favorite cards from the box, and what do you want to see in the future? Let us know in the comments!

Power Up Your Old School Decks With The YuGiOh 2016 Mega Tins!

by Josh JacksonNovember 1, 2016

Much of this year in YuGiOh has revolved around nostalgia. Shining Victories and The Dark Illusion booster sets have firmly revived the Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician archtypes from the beginnings of the game, while older monsters from the 5D‘s and GX eras have gotten plenty of love over the last 12 months. Now that the year is wrapping up, it’s time for another set of Mega Tins to compile all the best cards over that period, for a more economical way to compile what otherwise would be an expensive deck to build. With Yugi and Kaiba at the forefront of the sets this year, this means we’ll have an even easier time finishing off our retro builds, with some brand new cards thrown in for good measure.

As with every annual tin, each one has its own set of guaranteed promo cards outside of the three 16 card Mega Packs. As you would guess, Yugi’s tin focuses on the cards that his deck was famous for, with some new ones thrown in to make them more competitive to the modern game. Aside from Ultra and Secret Rare variants the old school Dark Magician design and Yugi’s God Card, Slifer The Sky Dragon respectively, the sought after Ebon High Magician from The Dark Illusion and Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, the highlight of the Breakers of Shadow set are the real stars, ensuring you can get your hands on these cornerstone cards. Ebon in particular brings Dark Magician to the realm of Xyz monsters, allowing you to play Quick Play Spells and Trap Cards from your hand as long as it has Xyz material to use, protecting them from being destroyed on the field. Throw in its ability to Special Summon a Spellcaster when its destroyed, and you get a card that can spell disaster for the opponent.

In addition to these monsters, the set has two original cards that can only be found in this tin. D/D/D Flame King Genghis is a Fusion Monster that can only be summoned when fusing two D/D monsters, but Genghis gives you an easy way to bring them back. As long as you Special Summon D/D monster, the Flame King can bring back a D/D monster from the Graveyard once per turn. The hard part when it comes to this combo might be to keep him alive, but if he is destroyed, you can add a Dark Contract card from the Graveyard to your Hand, giving you a bit of retribution. Dragonox, The Empowered Warrior, can also make the Graveyard your playground, with its ability to Special Summon one Spellcaster with 2000 or less attack in Face Down Defense Position. Its meager 1500 attack and defense makes it easy to kill, but as a Pendulum Monster, it can also be played as a Scale 7 Spell on either side of the Pendulum Zone. When placed there, Dragonox can be discarded to end the opponent’s battle phase when they declare an attack. So basically, Negate Attack in Monster form.

Over on Kaiba’s side of the field, the power obsessed CEO of Kaibacorp has his own upgrades since the last time we saw him. While we would never expect Obelisk The Tormentor or his trademark Blue Eyes White Dragon to be left behind in a set like this, his new Synchro Monster, Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon, is the highlight among the promo cards. As one of the top cards in the Shining Victories set, not only does it pack a punch attack wise at 2500, but once on the field via Synchro Summoning, it can negate the activation of effects in the Graveyard, which has become a popular tactic in recent versions of the game. Tributing it also lets you Special Summon any Light type Synchro Monster during either player’s turn, which can get you out of some serious jams if played right. The trick is knowing when to use it, since the monster is destroyed at the End Phase of the turn it was summoned.

Rounding out Kaiba’s promo cards are two original cards and an old favorite. Starting with Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, a Secret Rare from the Crossed Souls set from 2015, this card is essentially a free Solemn card disguised as a monster. If it’s either on your field or IN YOUR HAND, you can destroy the card that was activated, allowing you to catch your opponent off guard. As far as the original entries, D/D/D King Gust Alexander is a Synchro card that has a similar effect to Yugi’s Genghis, but with more more flexibility and durability. With 2500 attack points, he can Special Summon a D/D Monster from the Graveyard when you Special Summon OR Normal Summon a D/D Monster. While he doesn’t have a secondary effect like Genghis’ Dark Contract ability, I’m liking Gust better since you can swarm much easier with his ability. Lastly, Aether, The Evil Empowering Dragon, is a Scale 4 Pendulum Monster with some nasty effects. By Special or Normal Summoning this level six monster, it allows you to flat out banish a monster on the field with no cost outside of what you used to summon it. Once in the Pendulum Zone, it allows you to destroy one card on the field once per turn by banishing an Empowered Warrior monster from your own Graveyard. Once it gets going, it looks like Aether would be a huge threat with the right support cards protecting it.

Rounding out the sets are the Mega Packs themselves, which each include three all star boosters. Containing highlights from the Crossed Souls, Clash of Rebellions, Dimension of Chaos and Breakers of Shadow sets, these cover a lot of ground. You’ll find plenty to love, such as the many Performapal cards, additional support for the Blackwing and Red Dragon Archfiend lines of monsters, and individual powerhouses such as the Odd Eyes Rebellion Dragon to name a few in the long list of viable cards. There’s no better way to catch up with the recent card releases than through this set. My personal pull highlights included Neptabyss, The Atlantean Prince, which single-handedly revived Atlantean and Mermail monsters earlier this year, and Jar of Avarice, which lets you recycle five Graveyard cards followed by a one card draw. If someone with luck as bad as mine can draw those, then there’s no reason why other pulls out there won’t be even better!

That about does it for the 2015-2016 YuGiOh season. What were your highs and lows, and what are your favorite cards from these sets? Sound off below and let us know!

The Winged Dragon of Ra Rises From The Ashes In The Yu-Gi-Oh Millennium Pack

by Josh JacksonMay 6, 2016

Following a recent wave of nostalgia, with sets like the Battle City Packs and the Dragons of Legend sets over the last few years, the latest Yu-Gi-Oh set takes us back to the early days with the Millennium Pack. Featuring reprints of some of the most popular monsters, spells and traps of yesteryear, the set also contains a powerful new beast in the form of The Winged Dragon of Ra- Immortal Phoenix. Despite being summoned by Marik as the God Card’s most powerful form close to 15 years ago, this is the first time this card has made its way into the real game, finally making all three of its versions available for play.

Even in their heyday, the God Cards weren’t usually worth the trouble of trying to build a deck around when their summoning conditions were so hard to achieve. With Immortal Phoenix now in play however, Ra is looking to become more viable going forward, thanks to its ability to easily rotate onto the field. Its synergy with its other forms are a must if you’re looking to play with these cards, Revolving around Sphere Mode, (from the Battle City set,) making it much easier to get Ra in play with its ability to be tribute summoned using three monsters on yours, or your opponent’s side of the field. Tributing it allows you to bring out Ra’s base form from your deck or hand, which can deliver a powerful blow to your opponent since you can give up Life Points to boost its strength. Despite all of its forms being immune to all card effects that target it, there’s still a good chance that a sweeping spell could take out your beast, which is why the risk of summoning a God Card wasn’t always the best move to make.

With Phoenix Mode however, that all changes. Gaining a base 4000 points in both attack and defense, this card can be special summoned if Ra is sent to the Graveyard. Unlike its other two forms, it’s not affected by any other card effects, making it immune to being destroyed by anything other than a higher attack. Making matters worse for its opponent, the player can give up 1000 life points to destroy any Monster on the field as often as they can afford it. The fun only lasts for one turn though, since at the End Phase, it must by cycled back out with Sphere Mode to start the fun all over again. Even with this handicap, opening up the field for an easy 4000 damage can win most games. The trick however, is getting Phoenix Mode into the Graveyard, since that’s the only way it can be summoned, which shouldn’t be hard since the game offers a variety of ways to do so with the right cards.

Every ounce of fearsome power promised in the anime without having to fuse with it or give up your life force to control it!

While Ra might be the star of this set, don’t ignore some of the other great cards in this set. Outside of fan favorites like Kunai With Chain, Flame Swordsman, Kuriboh, Toon cards and Red Eyes support, some of the most powerful cards in the game make a return with the likes of Five Headed Dragon and Harpy’s Feather Duster. Sure, they’re either banned or hard to play due to rule changes, but who’s to say you can’t just play for fun? Personally, Kaiba’s brutal trap cards like Ring of Destruction, which destroys a Monster and does damage to both players equal to its Attack Points, and Crush Card Virus, which destroys all of the Monsters in your opponent’s hand and in the top five cards in their deck that are over 1500 Attack Points, and you’ll have more ways to cripple your foe’s deck. Is there any wonder why they’re banned yet?

With these great cards come a few novelty ones too, namely Symbol of Friendship and The True Name. While both symbolize important events in the beginning and end of the show respectively, it’s safe to say you’ll never use them. The former can only be activated when you draw it as part of a normal draw while you have no Monsters and your opponent has three, and the only payoff to its contrived ruling is to add one Monster from your deck to your hand. Hardly worth the deck space, especially if you draw it as part of an effect, since you can’t do anything with it at that point. The latter card is just as unlikely, asking the player to guess the name of the card at the top of their deck. If it’s correct, add it to you hand, and either Special Summon, or add a Divine type monster to your hand, (meaning a God Card since they’re the only ones with this type). Unless you’re lacing your cards with perfumes like Mai did… Chances are this will never happen.

If you’re longing for the days where the game was more simple, you had no idea what Pendulum Summoning was, and the only “Xyz” monster you knew of was a Dragon Cannon, then you’ll do well to give the Millennium Pack a shot. With five cards per pack for a total of 48 cards in the set, you’ll have plenty of material to live out your Battle City fantasies with.

Preview The Past With The Yu-Gi-Oh ‘Breakers Of Shadow’ Special Edition

by Josh JacksonApril 30, 2016

As if we didn’t have enough reason to love Breakers of Shadow, the latest expansion in the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game that we said could change the direction of the game in our original review, the special edition of the set has arrived with some exciting new cards for us to get our hands on. As with the previous special edition, each set will contain three booster packs along with two of four promo cards. Selected at random, each box will contain one of two reprints of a hard to get card, and one of two preview cards that will be featured in the next set. Since we’ve already spoken at length about the contents of Breakers of Shadow itself, let’s dive in and see what new cards we have to look forward to. Although… Something tells me Blue Eyes White Dragon fans like myself will have a lot to look forward to when cracking open these boxes. So, without further ado…

Starting with Number 23: Lancelot, Ghost Knight of the Underworld. Formerly found in the Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal volume 7 manga, this knight sets up a solid wall to protect your field from monster, spell and trap effects. Detaching one of its Xyz material when an effect during either player’s turn is activated allows you to negate the effect’s activation, keeping you safe for one more move. When on the offensive, detaching one Xyz material lets Lancelot attack the opponent directly, which triggers its secondary effect, which allows it to destroy one face up monster on the field. It might be tricky to get it on the field since it requires two level 8 monsters to summon, and its relatively low 2000 attack points might make it an easier card to take out, but it’s clear that Lancelot gives you so many options when its on the field that it can potentially turn the tide of any duel.

Continuing the evolution of the Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon that’s become a mascot for the fifth generation of Yu-Gi-Oh, this Shonen Jump subscription promo is now available for the world to play! Despite being a Fusion Monster, Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon can be Special Summoned without Polymerization if the fusion material monsters listed at the top of the card are on the field and in your control. Acting as a pure powerhouse, Beast-Eyes inflicts even more damage on top of its initial attack thanks to its effect, which inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the beast type monster used to summon it every time it destroys a monster. It won’t be long until those Life Points count down to zero with an ability like that!

Forge of the True Dracos is the first card that we’re previewing from the upcoming Shining Victories set, which gives a huge boost to Dracoslayer players. If you have a non-Pendulum Dracoslayer monster and a Dracolord monster on the field, you can play this card to shuffle all the cards you have on the field back in your deck to Special Summon one Dracoslayer or Dracolord straight from your deck, ignoring any special conditions that would make you unable to summon it normally. With the right hand and right monster, this card can essentially give players a do-over, allowing them to pull a game changing monster onto the field with ease.

And finally, we have Beacon of White, just in time for the revival of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. As one of the most popular cards from the series’ original run and the trademark monster of Seto Kaiba, the card of a dragon that used to be a girl that was in love with his ancient Egyptian self, (hey, I didn’t write the stuff,) is set to come back in a big way. Beacon of White is just one of many new support cards that are set to debut in Shining Victories, but if this was all we got, it would be more than enough to make Blue Eyes competitively viable again. Although the activation requirements might be a stretch depending on your deck, the result is more than worth the trouble. If you have three or more “Blue-Eyes” cards in your graveyard, (meaning any card with that name in it,) you can special summon any one of them straight to the field. While no other monsters can attack, and it loses any effects it normally has, (which is mostly moot since most Blue-Eyes cards don’t have effects,) it gains the ability to attack in an amount equal to the amount of Blue-Eyes cards in the Graveyard. So if you were to say… use this card to bring back a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, and you have three Blue-Eyes White Dragons still in the grave, that’s three attacks at 4500 each, more than enough to finish a duel! What’s crazy is, this isn’t where the support ends, and I’m excited to see what new tricks this old favorite will have when the full set releases.

So there you have it. If the base set wasn’t enough to get excited about, these promo cards really put it over the top. Which ones are you looking most forward to?

Attention Duelists! The Yu-Gi-Oh ‘Shining Victories’ Sneak Peek Is This Weekend!

by Josh JacksonApril 29, 2016

With only a week away until the next big Yu-Gi-Oh expansion, it’s time for another Sneak Peek!

On April 30th and May 1st, participating card shops will offer advanced sales of the upcoming Shining Victories set. Retailing at $20 a piece, each set comes with five packs of cards, a special promo card featuring one of the prominent new additions from the set, and a chance to win a play mat featuring the set’s cover card.

Promising a slew of new, exciting cards to power up a variety of decks, the most exciting aspect for me is the set promising to bring the Blue-Eyes White Dragon back to prominence. Featuring what’s described on the official website as Monsters and support cards that will, “…help crush non-believers of Kaiba,” it will be great to finally be able to put those old decks to good use, and just in time for the new movie that brings back characters from the original series! If the preview cards in the Breakers of Shadow Special Edition were anything to go by, let’s just say that the trademark dragon will be ruling the field once again once these cards are in circulation.

Planning on going to the Sneak Peek this weekend? Make sure to tell us what you pulled in the comments, and keep your eyes peeled for full impressions of the set once it’s released!

These ‘Breaker Of Shadows’ Cards Have Changed The ‘Yu-Gi-Oh’ Landscape

by Josh JacksonJanuary 28, 2016

Every time a new Yu-Gi-Oh booster set is released, all of the new cards, archtypes and boosts to old decks that they can provide always creates the possibility of reshaping the game. Yet, very few sets have had as big as an impact as the most recent set, Breaker of Shadows, has had. Highlighted by the return of the “Solemn” trap card, new Performapals that make Pendulum Summoning an even bigger threat, and the return of prominence for Cyber Dragons and the Atlantean/Mermail combo, and we’re left with one of the most comprehensive sets in a very long time.

Once a staple in nearly every deck, Solemn Judgment was a trap that let you sacrifice half of your life points to negate anything. Having since been banned from competitive play, Solemn Warning would take its place, costing 2000 LP to negate any card effect that would special summon a monster. Now that this card has also been hit with a limited restriction of one per deck, and newer cards that can summon en mass, Warning would eventually fade as well, With Solemn Strike however, the card’s ability to stop monster effects as well as special summons for 1500 LP gives it more flexibility. Since the card is brand new and hasn’t been affected by ban lists, this card is setting the dueling world on fire while three can still be packed in the deck.

On the subject of negating, Cyber Dragon Nova is the card you want when you want to shut down effects. Bringing the GX era Cyber Dragon set back into prominence, this XYZ monster can continuously attach an attack position monster to it as material once per turn, allowing it to continuously boost its attack while storing material. When an opponent tries to set up a troubling effect, using up one of Nova’s Xyz material lets it negate the activation during either player’s turn. It’s almost having near unlimited access to a Solemn card attached to a 2100 Attack monster, who’s strength only grows as its material accumulates.

As with most of the recent sets, Performapal Pendulum monsters are prominent within the set, but BOSH seems to take it to another level. Headlined by the much sought after Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, which gives you some incredible searching power with the right card combinations. Before you know it, you’ll essentially be able to choose your cards at will, reaching maximum effectiveness with your deck and dominating the field. This Secret Rare card is further complimented by Performapal Monkeyboard and Performapal Guitartle. Monkeyboard can change its Pendulum Scale to 4 when paired with a non-Performapal monster in the opposite zone, and can search for one level 4 Performapal monster once per turn, (including Sorcerer.) Guitartle on the other hand, will let you draw a card while in the Pendulum Zone every time the effect of the card in your other Zone is activated. In other words, Monkeyboard could search cards while Guitartle can let you draw a card each time, resulting in two bonus draws per turn while setting up a 1-6 scale for a wide variety of summoning possibilities. With the option to draw Sorcerer on top of that? You’re looking at a devastating combo.

Oh, and by the way; I was lucky enough to pull all three cards in my review packs that Konami so graciously provided, so if you see someone tearing up your LA locals, it’s probably me. Or not… I kind of suck.

Lastly, we can’t talk about new cards without one that’s bringing back Mermail and Atlanteans in a big way. Neptabyss, The Atlantean Prince, allows you to move other Atlanteans to the graveyard and hand. When Neptabyss is used to activate other card effects, (like many cards of the two archtypes mentioned do,) you can then special summon one of those Graveyard cards with no further cost, potentially setting up big combos in very little time. Combined with cards from the Realm Of The Sea Emperor structure deck and Mermail cards from various sets, and this card has brought both types back to prominence all on its own. Plus, look how sexy it is!

In addition, Breaker of Shadows has additional support for Buster Blader‘s. Red Eyes B. Dragon‘s, and many other card sets. More than any other since I’ve started reviewing these sets, if you were planning on buying a box of cards, this is the set to do it with. With so many cards to help countless decks, and with these amazing abilities that have yet to be hit by the ban hammer, and it’s clear that now’s the time to boost your competitive presence. It’s only a matter of time before Konami catches onto us!

Preview The Upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh Expansion With The ‘Clash Of Rebellions’ Special Edition

by Josh JacksonJanuary 14, 2016

If you follow the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game, you’re probably hyped for the upcoming Breakers of Shadow booster set, which promises to flood the game with a wave of viable cards that are looking to improve existing decks while reviving old ones. If you wanted a small taste of what that set will offer, the Clash Of Rebellions special edition is looking to tide you over until the full set is released.

As with most every special edition set, $10 MSRP gets you three booster packs of the previous set, which includes a new deck’s worth of new Red Eyes Black Dragon cards, such as The Black Stone Of Legend, Red-Eyes Archfiend Of Lightning, and Cards of the Red Stone, and the cover monster that’s both a Pendulum and Xyz card, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon. In addition to the standard boosters however, each box now comes with two of four promotional inserts, one of which is a reprint of a hard to find card, and the other releasing as a Super Rare variant of the next major expansion.

Starting with the preview cards, here are Engraver of the Mark and the Trap Card, Destruction Sword Flash. Engraver is a spellcaster with a decent amount of attack points and an odd set of abilities. If the opponent plays a card that asks them to name a specific card as part of its effect, Engraver allows its controller to discard it from their hand to the graveyard in order to change the name of the card to one of your choosing. When on the field, Engraver can destroy any one card on the field at the end of the following End Phase, forcing the opponent to either use it before they’re ready, or see it destroyed.

Destruction Sword Flash gives duelists an even bigger reason to dust off their Buster Blader cards from 10 years ago and breathes fresh life into them with a powerful effect. When using a Fusion Monster that used Buster Blader as its material, you can flip this card to banish your opponent’s entire field. Once in the graveyard, this card can be used AGAIN by triggering its secondary effect if you banish it. In this case, if a Buster Blader monster you control is targeted by an effect, this card can negate the effect and destroy that card. Buster Blader is sounding pretty awesome right about now!

Not to be left out, the two Shonen-Jump promo reprints, Ultimaya Tzolkin and Frightfur Tiger, each of these monsters offer huge benefits to their respective decks when in the right situation. Tzolkin, (known as the Crimson Dragon who served as a guide for Yusei and his friends in the 5D‘s anime,) can use its effect to special summon a level 7 or 8 dragon type Synchro monster, or a Power Tool Synchro monster without fear of follow up effects to the card that’s special summoned. A perfect set up for cards like Azure Eyes Silver Dragon, Tzolkin looks like it could be a huge asset to any Synchro heavy dragon deck.

Freightfur Tiger also has a very specific benefit, but it’s one you’ll want to pay attention to. As a fusion monster that can destroy one card of the field for every Fluffal monster used as its material, potentially allowing you to wipe the field and clear the way for a powerful series of attacks. When you consider that Freightfur Tiger also boosts the attack strength of every Fluffal card it shares the field with, and you have a chance to deal a finishing blow to your opponent pretty easily with the right cards.

What say you, duelists? What are your highlights within the Clash Of Rebellions Special Editon? Comment below and share your thoughts!

Yu-Gi-Oh Aims For Our Nostalgia Glands With ‘Yugi’s Legendary Decks’

by Josh JacksonNovember 11, 2015

This year’s Yu-Gi-Oh Legendary Collection is targeting our inner child.

Rather than include sets of cards surrounding a particular theme like in previous years, Yugi’s Legendary Decks supplies duelists with three different 41 card decks, each of which covering a different story arc from the original Yu-Gi-Oh animated series.

Following the evolution of Yugi’s decks, from his Exodia and Dark Magician focused deck in the Duelist Kingdom arc, to his Knight and Magnet Warrior set in Battle City, and all the way to his final battle against The Pharaoh, Atem, focusing on the progressively stronger Silent Magician cards, this set is perfect for those with fond memories of the series from years past, or collectors who want to wield the power of these cards in their new forms.

The prize card of (Steve) Akana

Speaking of which, many of these reprinted cards will now come with different rarities or art styles, like every piece of Exodia being printed as an Ultra Rare, or the long sought after red Dark Magician used by Arkana. Adding to an already huge set of 123 cards are extra cards throughout Yugi’s history, such as the three God Cards and the Duelist Kingdom prize cards. Sadly, Glory Of The King’s Hand can’t be traded in for one million dollars, so you’re going to have to find another way to pay for your sister’s eye operation.

Not redeemable for actual money.

If legacy cards aren’t your thing, the set will also debut three new cards that offer more support, like Black Illusion, which protects Dark Spellcasters with 2000 or more attack points from being destroyed by battle or card effects. All this for an MSRP of $29.99. Heart of the cards not included.

For all the details, check out the press release below, then let us know what you think of this set in the comments section!

Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KONAMI) delivers a must-have product for fans on November 13 with Yugi’s Legendary Decks. This latest Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) release is a magnificent collector’s set which contains three different Decks used by the “King of Games” himself, plus several unique, collectible foil cards, all in one gold foil-stamped box. With Yugi’s Legendary Decks, Yu-Gi-Oh! fans can re-live the memorable Duelist Kingdom and Battle City storylines with the Decks that Yugi used to defeat his rivals, rescue his Grandpa from Pegasus, protect the Pharaoh’s legacy, and save the entire world from the maniacal menace of Marik!

This remarkable box set is overflowing with dozens upon dozens of fan-favorite and collectible cards, easily pleasing both the veteran or budding Duelist. Filled with iconic cards such as Black Luster Solider, all five pieces of Exodia, the Forbidden One all in the Ultra Rare rarity, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior, and the special, long-awaited Arkana-style Dark Magician, each box set includes three different 41-card Decks. The first Deck is one used by Yugi in the debut season of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! animated series, including his initial Duel with Seto Kaiba and his adventures in Duelist Kingdom. The second Deck is inspired by Yugi’s Duels in the Battle City story arc from the second and third seasons of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! animated series. Not to be outdone, the third 41-card Deck was used by Yugi as he battled The Pharaoh in the final Duel of the original series, focused on “Gadget” monsters and the “Silent” series of “LV” monsters.

As if three 41-card Decks weren’t enough, Yugi’s Legendary Decks also includes three brand-new Secret Rare cards: Electromagnetic Turtle, Dark Renewal, and Black Illusion; three Ultra Rare collectible (non-playable) historical cards celebrating the Duelist Kingdom storyline, including Glory of the King’s Hand, Set Sail for The Kingdom, and the Duelist Kingdom itself; and three Ultra Rare collectible (non-playable) Egyptian God Cards: Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, and The Winged Dragon of Ra. Plus, KONAMI has added one Ultra Rare “Yugi” Token Card to top it off. Yugi’s Legendary Decks will be available nationwide for $29.99 MSRP.

Take A Sneak Peak At The Yu-Gi-Oh ‘Dimension of Chaos’ Booster Set This Weekend!

by Josh JacksonOctober 30, 2015

Are you a duelist who needs something to do this Halloween weekend? Konami has you covered with a few treats of their own, thanks to the upcoming Dimension of Chaos booster set. Officially releasing on November 6th, card players will be able to get their usual sneak peak of the set this weekend at participating card and hobby shops.

Typically sold in sets of five boosters and bundled with a special promotional card for $19.99, the event will give Yu-Gi-Oh enthusiasts a first look at the new cards that will grace the game. From the introduction of Majespecters, Pendulum Monsters that use their spell casting prowess to avoid being destroyed by the effects of other Monsters, and Graydles, who can take control of other Monsters, there promises to be plenty of new strategies to rise out of the set. Plus, with the return of past archtypes like Odd-Eyes, Performapal and the popular Blackwings from the 5D’s days, existing decks are sure to get a much needed boost as well!

However, no individual card may be as sought after as much as Black Luster Soldier- Super Soldier, which I can only assume is the Black Luster Solider with its best Captain America costume just in time for Halloween. What’s really scary is its ability to punish opponents who destroy it. All you need is the right ritual conditions to bring it out!

Check out the full press release below for all the details on the upcoming set. Do you plan on attending one of the sneak peaks? Let us know in the comments!

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KONAMI) doles out the treats with the Dimension of Chaos booster set, releasing nationwide November 6. Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) fans can also get into the Halloween spirit by checking out the Dimension of Chaos Sneak Peek on October 31. The latest 100-card set features brand-new support for the powerful Black Luster Soldier and more, sure to elicit a scream from any opponent.

Dimension of Chaos gives Duelists the opportunity to power-up their Decks with an enormous arsenal of cards allowing players to make Black Luster Soldier more powerful than ever! Plus, impressive Monster, Spell, and Trap cards bring Black Luster Soldier front and center, culminating in the powerful Black Luster Soldier – Super Soldier, a powerful Monster that punishes an opponent should they dare destroy it.

Dimension of Chaos also introduces cards for brand-new Deck themes sure to make Duels more exciting than ever. Players can create powerful new strategies with the Majespecters, spell-casting Pendulum Monsters that can’t be destroyed by an opponent’s Monster effects, or take control of an opponent’s Monsters with Graydles. New cards for existing themes like Blackwings, D/D, Kozmo, Frightfur, Performapal, Igknights, Odd-Eyes and much more make this set no Duelist will want to be without.

As another treat for fans, and a great way for them to get their hands on the latest cards early, participating Official Tournament Store (OTS) locations will be holding Sneak Peeks of Dimension of Chaos on either Saturday, October 31 or Sunday, November 1, depending on the availability of the store. Visit this link to see if an Official Tournament Store in your area is hosting a Sneak Peek: http://www.yugioh-card.com/en/events/sneakpeek.html.

The Dimension of Chaos booster set includes 100 cards (MSRP $3.99 per nine-card pack): 48 Common Cards, 20 Rare Cards, 14 Super Rare Cards, 10 Ultra Rare Cards, and 8 Secret Rare Cards.

Geekscape Games Reviews ‘Yu-Gi-Oh: Legacy Of The Duelist’

by Josh JacksonAugust 11, 2015

Platforms: PS4, Xbox One (Digital Only, Reviewed On Xbox One)

Genre: Trading Card Game

Price: $20.00

Publisher: Konami

Developer: Other Ocean Interactive

Available: Now

What used to be a franchise where multiple releases across nearly every platform every year was considered a sure thing, the world of Yu-Gi-Oh has really dialed it back in the video game department in recent years. For many, (including myself,) the games were always a great tool to gain access to hundreds of potential strategies to experiment with, while developing a firm grasp of new rules as the game evolved. With the recent release of Yu-Gi-Oh: Legacy Of The Duelist, the first game in the series for PS4 and Xbox One is a return to form for the long running series, serving as the most comprehensive game yet! Despite its card pool that reaches over a decade back and heaps of nostalgia however, a few head scratching snags keep it from being the Duelist Kingdom we were hoping for.

Pendulum Summoning is one of many summoning types in the game.

As mentioned, Yu-Gi-Oh: Legacy of the Duelist goes as far back as the beginning of the series, all the way up to cards that were released early this year. With over 6,600 cards in total,this is easily the most comprehensive console version released up to this point. If you don’t know the difference between a Blue Eyes White Dragon or a Galaxy Eyes Photon Dragon, if you think Xyz is a dragon cannon, or if the last time your dueled was when you were getting your game on with Jaden in GX, this is far from a problem. Thanks to the game’s campaign mode, (where the bulk of the single player content lies,) each of its four main stories contain about 25 duels, all of which cover the most important events through each anime series. Using text dialogue ripped straight from the show, jumping into each generation starts off with a comprehensive tutorial explaining the new mechanics that were debuted at the time. Even though it’s annoying that veterans can’t skip these, or that the first series has such a long explanation of the most basic mechanics, (I probably wouldn’t be playing if I didn’t know what a Normal Summon is,) its an invaluable tool for those who dropped out throughout the years and want to get caught up with the game a little bit at a time.

Story mode often serves as a game of patience, which in some ways, simulates the struggles each character faced on the show. These scenarios give the player a Story Deck that simulates the cards that were actually used in the episodes they’re drawn from, which can be a blessing and a curse. On one hand, though the decks do have a fair amount of cards they never used, (which is expected when episodes only featured about a dozen cards out of a 40 card deck,) but are mostly accurate, with each staple monster, spell and trap making an appearance. On the other hand, these decks SUCK by today’s standards, especially when starting with the early series. Their only saving grace, (often to our detriment,) is that single player throws ban lists out the window, so its not uncommon to be sent into a deck kicking rage after enduring multiple Dark Hole, Raigeki, and Swords Of Revealing Light cards. Luckily, your opponent’s deck is usually worse, but that luck runs out when it comes to Reverse Duels, unlockable battles where you take control of the losing character. Using their Story Decks makes it almost impossible to win, often having to rely on “the heart of the cards”, to sneak away with a victory. This is why the campaign giving you the option to use custom decks is a gift from Ra, because some of these duels would be almost impossible to beat otherwise. Then again, relying on them took away from the fun found in playing with cards you might never use on your own.

Winning unlocks new Booster Packs based on certain character, cards from the defeated Duelist’s deck, and points to buy new cards with. Lastly, if you want to face these protagonists of the past with a little more challenge, Duelist Challenges allow you to play against them with updated decks. Seeing Kaiba and Yugi using Synchro and Xyz summoning is a sight within itself, while keeping an already lengthy single player mode fresh. If all this content isn’t enough, some of the missing story duels are featured as DLC, many of which had no business being left out, (Jaden vs. Yugi anyone!?) Basically, if it wasn’t featured on U.S. TV, you’re going to have to pay extra for it.

Key moments from the anime play out with dialogue ripped from the show’s script.

Duels themselves take the form of a variety of phases per turn, with each card having different functions as each phase goes by. Without going too far into detail, each card falls into one of three types. Monsters are used to attack or defend against your opponent, (most of which come with secondary effects,) Spell Cards unleash effects that have the potential to turn a duel around in the user’s favor, and Trap Cards spring surprise effects on the opponent, usually putting a stop to their moves. Speaking of Traps, (and Quick Spells for that matter,) unless you’re brand new to the game, you might want to switch the default settings for Duel Notifications off. Unless of course, you want the game to ask you half a dozen times per turn if you want to use it. It’s all pretty straightforward presentation and game play wise, but the only real issue I came across was with how slow the game moves. Previous versions had ways to speed up turn animations or skip them outright, whereas Next Gen gaming doesn’t seem to have the option to do so. And while seeing signature cards come to life and attack using 3D models, these just drag the game out after you’ve seen them repeatedly with no way to pass them by.

Elemental Hero Neos makes his entrance. Oddly, Flame Wingman doesn’t get the same treatment.

As a real duelist, part of the reason some have had trouble getting into the game is those handful of players with bad attitudes. As we know, the Internet tends to make this attitude so much worse, which is why the acceptable Online Mode is best played with people you know. If you’re expecting to have fun, competitive matches with players around the world, you’ll surely be disappointed by the large amount of rage quitting that takes place. While I wouldn’t normally hold this against the game itself, the fact that it doesn’t give the remaining player the win, or even that it takes so long to make the win official, it gives quitters so much time to sneak away with their record clean. Since there’s no way to Mind Crush over Xbox Live or PSN, avoiding them or accepting this fact going in are your only solutions.

Online play is fun with friends. With strangers, prepare for rage quits.

With so many cards, even veteran duelists might feel a little overwhelmed with gathering the best cards for their deck building needs. Thankfully, the game is generous with its allocation, giving you a variety of ways to unlock them. Primarily, cards are purchased from the Booster Packs mentioned above using Duel Points, (or DP,) which are rewarded for playing and winning duels. Outside of the character packs, Battle Packs make their video game debut, which mirror their real life purpose of building decks right out of the pack. Featuring some of the best cards in the game, Battle Packs test your duel knowledge, forcing you to play a best three out of five series either against the CPU or other players with the same blind deck. Win or lose, you keep the cards for your own deck building needs. Character packs provide their reward immediately, with each set being loaded with cards from each generation. Sadly, with a new console generation comes some of its annoyances, since many of the very best and most up to date cards are locked behind DLC pay walls.

Yet, while having thousands of cards is definitely a great thing, Legacy Of The Duelist‘s biggest flaw is how poorly it handles card management. For one, there are far too few Character Packs, so each one is full of archetypes that the booster’s namesake never used. For example, if Pegasus had his own pack featuring Toons and Relinquished instead of them being forced into Kaiba’s packs, it would make it easier for Seto’s fans to gather up Blue Eyes cards rather than plod through a ton of cards they don’t want. This wouldn’t be a huge problem normally, but the game does a terrible job of filtering out repeats, leaving me opening packs with three of the same card at times. With each set containing hundreds of cards, it makes it almost impossible to get that one card you’re desperate to find without potential hours of pack grinding.

Oh, and the worst part? There is no in game card list telling you what’s in each pack. That’s right, absolutely none! The cards you buy don’t tell you where they came from, and there’s no list telling you if you’re missing anything. With so many cards available, this creates a huge problem for those who want to keep track of where to get more than one of the same card, or who wants to let their friends know where they can find their favorite cards. The only sign of relief is that beating the CPU duelists repeatedly will eventually reward you with their entire deck, but this answer is far from ideal. An online trading system, a card password system like what was used in the past, or a simple list would have gone a long way to improve this aspect of the game. Instead, it serves as its biggest flaw in an otherwise comprehensive title.

Does anyone know who drops a Dark Magician!?

Featuring over 6,600 cards spanning nearly 15 years of history, including the newest Pendulum Summon mechanic from the Arc-V era and the debut of Battle Packs, there’s plenty of reason for new and old duelists alike to be excited for Yu-Gi-Oh: Legacy of the Duelist. Best used as a tool to get back into the game, learn it for the first time, and test out a near limitless vault of cards before buying the cards for yourself, it serves its purpose well. A nostalgia filled campaign will keep you playing for hours while Duelist Challenges update the game for your favorites, but its poor online management, thoughtless card management system, slower pace and DLC locked content keep it from being the true king of games. Still, if you wanted an excuse to get your feet wet in the dueling arena, there isn’t a better way to learn the game than Legacy of the Duelist.

tl;dr:

+ Over 6,600 cards to use, featuring nearly limitless possibilities.

+ Comprehensive tutorials that explain the new mechanics from each generation in a progressive, easy to understand way.

+ A lengthy campaign mode skims every anime series thus far, using mostly authentic decks. Challenge Duels update these characters with modern cards, keeping your favorite characters relevant.

+ Battle Packs make their first video game appearance, creating an unpredictable way to play.

– Duels move slow, with unskippable animations for certain Monsters.

– Online is poorly handled, creating an environment where its easy to rage quit with no reward for the winner.

– Booster Packs contain far too many cards, making it hard to find your favorites. Having no card list to keep track of your finds make this so much worse, and the lack of a trading or password system means tons of grinding.

– Key cards and story duels locked behind a DLC paywall.

Verdict: Buy

Final Score: 3/5

SDCC 2014: Konami Tips The Scales With ‘YuGiOh’ And Pendulum Summoning

by Josh JacksonJuly 31, 2014

At Comic Con, Konami’s booth was a giant celebration of all things YuGiOh. Everywhere you looked, all of the best cards, characters, and even a con exclusive Kaiba themed play mat were on display for new and old players to see. But the main focus wasn’t on the past, but on the future of the game, starting with the newest game mechanic, Pendulum Summoning.

Debuting with YuGiOh: Arc-V, the new anime series that saw its debut back in April, the 2014 starter deck was the first chance that North Americans got to try out the new monster type. Having only been released recently, the card game experts at the booth had numerous tables set up for the demonstrations as to how these monster turned spell cards have the potential to completely change the way the game is played.

The most immediately noticeable change is the color of the card. With its orange top half and its green bottom, color schemes that are typically reserved for effect monsters and spell cards respectively, this visual difference further illustrates the hybrid nature of these new cards. Featuring attack, defense and spell effects, duelists have the choice of playing them like normal monsters, or using them in one of the two new Pendulum Zones. While placed on these spaces, players can use its spell effect once per turn until the card is destroyed. Essentially becoming a Continuous Spell Card, it avoids many of the counters that are designed to stop these effects , since the new cards aren’t classified as any existing spell. Not only that, but when they do get destroyed by an attack or monster effect, they go face up on top of your Extra Deck, keeping them out of the graveyard. Why does it matter? That’s where their real power comes in.

Pendulum Monsters each have a value that can differ depending on which one of the two zones they’re placed on. Now, once one monster is placed on each side, their respective values come into play, potentially allowing a Pendulum Summon. What that means is that any Pendulum Monster that is between the levels of the two cards’ values can be special summoned to the field from your hand or Extra Deck on that turn. For example, if one monster has a scale value of one and the other is six, you can potentially fill your field with level two through five beasts, all while the potential spell effects of the two monsters on the scales can still be used. The best part? Each summon is a standalone move, so to my understanding, cards like Solemn Judgment, which negates the activation of a card before destroying it, would only affect one summon. The rest are free to win you the game.

Of course, this is with the best case scenario in mind. While the mechanic is still in its infancy, if Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Summoning are any indication, then it’s safe to say that this new generation will add tons of support cards that will make us forget that these other summon types ever existed. But until then, the future looks exciting for the next stage in the popular card game’s evolution.

We hope to have some more detailed, hands on impressions with Pendulum Monsters, including a full breakdown of the Starter Deck, in the near future. Until then, stick with Geekscape.net for the rest of your Comic Con news!