Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's (video game series)

North American boxart of 2009's Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Wheelie Breakers

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's video games are a series of card games based on the 2008 anime series, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. They were developed and published by Konami and are primarily based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game. With the exception of Decade Duels, each game comes bundled with promotional trading cards for use with the trading card game.

Games

Wheelie Breakers

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Wheelie Breakers (遊戯王ファイブディーズ ウィーリーブレイカーズ, Yū-gi-ō Faibu Dīzu Uīrī Bureikāzu^?) is a racing game for the Wii. It was released in Japan on March 26, 2009 and in North America on May 19, 2009. The game sees characters race in Duel Runners, using Monster, Trap and Spell cards to gain a lead over their opponents. The player is guided by Rally Dawson through to the Wheelie Breakers Championship, dueling against people across a virtual network before reaching the championship and eventually facing Yusei Fudo. Characters ride their signature Duel Runners (D-Wheels in Japanese versions), while those who don't normally drive Duel Runners (such as Leo, Luna and Akiza), use virtual simulators.

Rather than following the standard Yu-Gi-Oh! card game, Wheelie Breakers is a racing title based on the card game. Players race along a track picking up cards and earning action points, which are required to put the cards into play and attack. Monster cards are used to attack opponents and protect from direct attacks. When summoned, a monster has a life gauge which, when depleted from enemy attacks, causes them to be destroyed. Monsters require action points to attack, with more powerful monsters require a larger number of action points to attack. Spell cards are used as power-ups, often speeding up the player or hindering other opponents, and can be activated depending on the situation (for example, some cards may only be used when you are behind an opponent). Trap cards can be set, and are activated under certain conditions, such as receiving a direct attack. When players are attacked, they lose life points. Unlike the card game, where losing all your life points results in a loss, you simply spin out for a short time when your life points hit zero.

Promotional cards include "Skull Flame", "Burning Skull Head" and "Supersonic Skull Flame".

Tag Force series

Main article: Gameplay of Tag Force

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 4 (遊☆戯☆王: 5D's タッグフォース4^?) is a card battle game for the PlayStation Portable released in Japan in September 17, 2009, North America on November 17, 2009 and in Europe in November 26, 2009. It is the fourth installment of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force series, and the first to be based on the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's series (previous installments were based on Yu-Gi-Oh! GX.) It is based on the Dark Signers arc of the anime series. The promotional cards are "Warm Worm", "Worm Bait", "Regret Reborn" and "Shield Worm".

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 5 (遊☆戯☆王! 5D's タッグフォース5, Yugiō Faibu Dīzu Tagu Fōzu Faibu^?) was released in Japan on September 16, 2010, in North America on October 26, 2010, and in Europe November 15, 2010. Promotional cards include "Fleur Synchron", "Fleur de Chevalier" and "Liberty at Last!".

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Tag Force 6 (遊☆戯☆王! 5D's タッグフォース6^?) was released in Japan on September 22, 2011.^[1] This installment is the first to feature Xyz Monsters which were first introduced in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal anime series.

World Championship series

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship 2009 was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on March 26, 2009, in Europe on May 15, 2009 and in North America on May 19, 2009. There are two parts to the game; Story Mode and World Championship. The story mode is an alternate retelling of the events of the anime series up to the "Fortune Cup". There is Wi-Fi in this game where player's can play against each other, the improvement and discovery card.

The game contains a story mode where players can fight a duel, look at a 3D map, interact with other characters and collecting items and cards. These are highlighted in the game (adding an Egyptian Gods Speed Spell-Speed Breaker and Wheelie World), approaching crimson Crisis cards also includes the first four Duel Terminals and cards from Structure Decks to SD16, but excludes any TCG exclusive cards to date. The game also includes many promo cards, something similar as "stardust DragonAssault Mode", "Slide On The Wings shield", "Elemental Hero Absolute Zero" and "Dragon Genesis." However, 779 OCG cards were released before Lord of Magicians, mainly cards that rely on other specific cards, such as Ritual Spells that require specific monsters, they like to "Checkmate."

The game features Turbo Duels. "Speed Spell" versions of existing cards appear in the game, something similar as "Speed Spell- Raigeki" and "Speed Spell-Wheelie Breaker" and Speed Spell - the Harpie" also Speed Spells completely new is added as "Speed Spell" Speed Jammer. The special Trap Cards designed specifically for Turbo Duels is also included, such as Des Accelerator and Slip Stream. Duel Runner There are also segmented into which players should play pranks through courses sneaked through the obstacles. Promotional cards include "Infernity Guardian", "Infernity Archfiend" and "Infernity Dwarf".

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010: Reverse of Arcadia was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on February 18, 2010, in North America on February 23, 2010, and in Europe on March 26, 2010. Just like its predecessor, Stardust Accelerator, There are two parts to the game; Story Mode and World Championship. Story Mode contains a 3D map, where the players can interact with other characters and confront obstacles. The story mode is an alternate retelling of the "Dark Signers" arc of the 5D's anime series. Turbo Duels have been updated to include "Speed World 2" and more "Speed Spell" variants of existing cards. Racing mechanics have been enhanced to include obstacles, puzzles, hidden pathways and increased collection points. Racing in the game has a number of new mechanics, including collectible coins. Wi-Fi rankings allow players to track and compare their percentages with other players worldwide. A different card can be downloaded from Wi-Fi each day.

The game contains 3965 cards. This includes Egyptian Gods, "Speed Spells", "Speed World 2" and alternate artworks. It includes cards from all cards from the OCG Booster Packs up to Absolute Powerforce, Duel Terminals up to Duel Terminal - Pulse of the Trishula, Structure Decks up to Structure Deck 18: Machiners Command, promotional packs up to Premium Pack 12, Limited Edition Pack 17 and Extra Pack Volume 2 and promotional cards and including "Darklord Superbia", "Cyber Eltanin", "Archlord Kristya" and "Hundred-Eyes Dragon".

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2011: Over the Nexus was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on February 24, 2011, in Europe in March 2011 and in North America on May 10, 2011. Based on the third season of the anime series, new features include the Destiny Draw mechanic from the Tag Force games, a Puzzle Editor which allows players to create puzzle duels and distribute them online, and a replay feature where players can save their favourite duels. The promotional cards include "Z-ONE", "Sorciere de Fleur" and "Necro Fleur". Including 4233 cards from the booster packs up to Storm of Ragnarok, Duelist Pack 10: Yusei Fudo 3, Duelist Pack 11: Crow, V-Jump Edition 4, Yu-Gi-Oh: Super Fusion! Bonds That Transcend Time Movie Pack, Premium Pack 13 and Duel Terminal - Judgment of Omega.

Other titles

Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Decade Duels was released for Xbox Live Arcade on November 3, 2010 (no longer on XBOX Marketplace). Its features include a single player Championship Mode and various online play features, as well as the option to purchase additional cards on the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Transer (遊戯王 5D's デュエルトランサー, Yugiō Faibu Dīzu: Dueru Toransā^?) (known as Yu-Gi-Oh! Master of the Cards in Europe) was released for the Wii in North America on December 7, 2010, in Europe on December 26, 2010, and in Japan on April 21, 2011. The game takes place some time during the second season where the Signers and the Dark Signers enter a duel tournament held by the mysterious Surtr. The story mode see players navigating across a grid, in which their movement is determined by spinning a roulette. Players will have to cross the grid where they may find extra cards or opponents that they must duel to progress. The Japanese version of the game comes bundled with a Duel Scanner which allows players to scan cards from the trading card game for use in the game.

Reception

IGN gave Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Wheelie Breakers 7.5 out of 10, citing while the game is rather complex, it comes together as a fun experience.^[2]

IGN gave Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Decade Duels a score of 4.5, stating newcomers will be frustrated with the grossly overpowered computer opponents while hardcore fans will lament the absence of thousands of cards.^[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.gamespot.com/psp/puzzle/yu-gi-oh--5d--s-tag-force-6/index.html
2. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/999/999659p1.html
3. ^ http://uk.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/113/1135357p1.html