Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution

With no microtransactions, a constant stream of cards to unlock and a streamlined recreation of all six seasons of the anime, this ranks as one of the best CCGs on Switch – if you can overlook its somewhat irksome issues.

Collecting the cards from any TCG series is fantastic and rewarding, but realistically not everyone can afford to participate in such a hobby.

Link Evolution is not only a step up from its predecessor, but a step up for the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise as a whole, proving itself as the definitive Yu-Gi-Oh! video game. It's got an up-to-date card list, comprehensive deckbuilding, some solid campaign duels, and a ton of replayability. Of course, this is all on top of the already excellent card game and all of its mechanics, even including the newer link summoning mechanic.

With over 9,000 cards at our disposal as well as being able to relive the anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution is everything I could have hoped for. [OpenCritic note: Thi Chao separately reviewed the Switch (80) and PC (78) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]

Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of The Duelist: Link Evolution is the most ambicious game of the franchise. Relive the adventures of the famous Yugi Muto and more than 20 years of duels.

The bottom line is this: the gameplay, abundance of cards, and fan service mean that those looking for a virtual Yu-Gi-Oh! card game experience have come to the right place. The overwhelming learning curve and lack of production values means that it's probably not the best way for newcomers to experience the series though.

New and old fans alike will find something to love in Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution. Featuring several generations of the iconic series and over 150 duels from the show, there's plenty of content to keep you occupied. It's not the perfect replacement for a physical deck of cards, but it sure comes close.

Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of the Duelist: Link Evolution is the perfect game for lovers of this franchise. A remarkable longevity and many playing cards ensure many hours of fun, despite the unforgivable laziness on the visual side.

With over 10,000 cards for your deck, this is the perfect game for longtime Yu-Gi-Oh! lovers.

With a new handheld format comes a new Yu-Gi-Oh! title, and while Link Evolution offers a compelling and modernised take on the Card Game for both fans and novices alike, with almost infinite play styles and strategy possibilities, it retains the stale interface and storytelling of its original form.