Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection Fits Perfectly on the Steam Deck - First Impressions

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A code was provided by Konami for review. Thank you!

When I was younger, I absolutely loved Yu-Gi-Oh! I collected the cards, dueled anyone willing, and even had my own Duel Disk. I loved the card game, and I still do, but what got me into it initially wasn't the anime, it was the video games. More specifically, it was Yu-Gi-Oh! Worldwide Edition: Stairway to the Destined Duel on the Game Boy Advance. I could not stop playing this game when I was younger, so I was so excited to see Konami announcing the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection.

This new collection, released in a couple of days, includes 14 different classic Yu-Gi-Oh games that were released from 1998 to 2005 on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. It includes all of the games with some special enhancements, the ability to change screen size and filter, rewind and save anywhere, and switch their versions between all of their regional versions (US, EU, Japan, etc.). You are also able to duel online with some games, though only Duel Monsters 4 is compatible right now, with more titles getting online support after release.

It sounds awesome, especially since it will give me a chance to relive the glory days. With it being Steam Deck Verified, I had a feeling it would be great to play on the go. Luckily, I was given the chance to find out. Konami sent over a key for Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection, and I had to try it out immediately. And I can confirm it deserves that green checkmark.

The games all run at 60 FPS and drain around 7W, so we are getting a ton of battery life (around 8+ hours). I am so glad the battery isn't too much of a drain, as some remasters of old games drain way too much. It also works perfectly with a controller; each game loads extremely fast. With how easy it is to expand the screen as well, which is best for the Game Boy Advance titles, it fits perfectly on the Steam Deck. And with the optional enhancements, this is a great way to replay the older titles.

I am so glad that this collection runs so well on the Deck. I did have my worries after seeing other collections or remasters of old games needing a GPU frequency lock or TDP limit to bring the battery drain down, but the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection runs perfectly right out of the box. I am having a blast playing through some of the classic titles I grew up with and loved, and this truly feels like the best way to do it, especially with how fast everything loads. Here's hoping Konami adds in online play for Worldwide Edition as well, that would be amazing!

Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection can be wishlisted ahead of its February 27th release. It is rated Steam Deck Verified.

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