The world of card gaming is expansive and popular. There is a rash of games that encompass the gaming concept and utilize it well, but few give the genre more than a cursory look.

Then there is Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition Stairway to the Destined Duel, a Konami release for the Game Boy Advance. This game is the sequel to The Eternal Duelist Soul, but is touted as a worldwide addition simply because it is available in six languages.

The game concept is rather basic. You have a deck of cards, and are in a zone in a city. You must travel from zone to zone, battling other duelists in the turn-based game. As you go, you collect cards, assemble your deck and take on tougher opponents. Through the use of static screens and scrolling text, you are told of other tougher duelists, some of whom prey upon the weak, and you move along against the increasingly tougher AI.

Other than the six different languages, other game features include 150 brand new cards, which increase the total of cards available to more than 1,000. The cards are the key to the game. In each duel, you are given a zone, which features your deck, the playing zone (this is separated into two categories, for support and attack cards), and your discard area.

The cards themselves come in three main classes: Monster (which is further broken into normal, fusion, ritual and effect categories), Magic and Trap. Monster attributes are similar to other games in that they are based on elements – earth, water, fire, wind, and then light and dark. There are 20 monster types and six magic/trap effects.

The order of duels is determined by the rock-paper-scissors. Each battle has several phases – the main phase in which you set up your deck, and then attack (battle) phase. Once you are done with your turn, your opponent goes through the same process.

This game will allow players to compete against other players via the GameLink.

The graphical elements of this game are static and while the screens have some detail, some of the type of the platform is incredibly small. Don’t expect to be enthralled with the game’s look. This is about card battling, and though the program tries to hype the ensuing action, it does not do a good job of that. The strength of this game lays in the battles, how you strategize and play your cards (which also incorporates a randomness for while you can create a deck, the draw in the game is generally random).

The game lacks an in-game tutorial, and newcomers to the genre may find themselves scratching their heads and wondering what it is they are supposed to be doing. You will need to familiarize yourself with the game’s basic before venturing forth, rather than relying on screen prompts. This game does have a learning curve of 30 minutes.

What sound there is here is rather poor and among the most basic 8-bit audio renderings on the market.

Yu-Gi-Oh! is not the kind of game that everyone will embrace. This game is predicated on those who like the cerebral challenge of card-driven chess in a static environment. This is not a reflexive challenge. That said, what this game does offer are battles that can last two minutes or 20 minutes depending on the fall of the cards and how you use them. That is where the game’s enjoyment lays.

Gameplay: 6.5

The static quality of the game, the mapboards and scrolling text are basic, and this game is fraught with minor load times.

Graphics: 6.8

The static nature of the game suits the style of play, and the actual artwork has the anime flair many enjoy, but this game has some very basic qualities, and the battles are nothing short of unspectacular. This is a thinking game, not an action-packed bit of eye candy.

Sound: 6

Typical 8-bit sound that is better left turned down.

Difficulty: Medium/Hard

Grasping the game concepts may take a bit for those unfamiliar with the genre, Learning how to play the cards to your best advantage will take time and is challenging. The AI doesn’t evolve so much as your opponents just get tougher the further you move from your starting base or zone.

Concept: 7

This game has added a few nice elements, but the star is the protracted card battles.

Multiplayer: 7.5

Players can trade cards and compete head-to-head via the GameLink cable.

Overall: 6.8

This game will not stun players with its graphical qualities, but rather is a challenging mental outing which incorporates both random chance and some strategic card play. There is a nice variety of cards to choose from and each battle can last for a long time if the cards are well played. But that may not be enough to make this a strong enought reason to do anything other than rent this game.