Yu-Gi-Oh! The Falsebound Kingdom (Nintendo GameCube, 2003)

As Yugi or Kaiba, you must form a team of three monsters to occupy towns across two different scenarios and take part in strategic team battles. Delegate commands to your team to conquer each mission. During battle, your team can perform devastating group attacks and combos. Over 175 monsters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! animated TV series appear in the game--and all of them will fight to the finish for control of each map. This game features beatifully detailed 3D models of over 175 of your favorite monsters from Yu-Gi-Oh! are featured in this game.

Sure to please Yu-Gi-Oh! fans young and old.

If you are a general fan of Yu-Gi-Oh!, then this game may please. Think of it as a game based on the anime. If you are a fan of the card game...well if bought new it comes with 3 cards but the similarities end there. Personally, what I love about this game is that it is essentially a clone of the SNES classic Ogre Battle, but simplified and featuring Yu-Gi-Oh! characters. If you've played the strategy game in Soul Calibur 3 or the PSP game Generations of Chaos then you have the general idea- move a unit (indicated by one character) across a map, holding strongholds and protecting your main base. You make your way towards the enemies main stronghold. When two opposing icons clash you are taken to a turn-based battle between the two "parties." If you like strategy RPGs, give it a shot. If you like the anime, give it a shot. If you want to play the card game then pcik up GX Tag Force or Spirit Summoner. If you want a more traditional RPG, games like Dragon Quest 8 and Final Fantasy 12 are your ticket. If that is the case, pass this one up (or pick it up cheap online or rent it).

No one would ever suspect that a game based on Yu-Gi-Oh! could be anything more than a repetitive virtual version of a children's card game. Those people would be right--for the most part. However, Falsebound Kingdom is one game out of MANY that manages to provide a rather decent, different kind of gaming experience.

The summary sounds like it's going to be another version of the Virtual World filler arc from the anime, but no, it actually isn't. This time instead of being forced to play card games, the characters are sent into a hybrid RPG/RTS game. Monsters and items from the card game are used, but there the similarities end. Your main goal is to get out of the game by thinking strategically--sure, most levels just involve "use your monsters to take the enemy fortress" but you do so by moving your Marshals--the characters who control the monsters--strategically through the playing field. Night and day effects the battle depending on the monsters' abilities, as well as a whole host of other factors. On its own, the game seems rather short, but the thing is you need to play through it multiple times in order to get the full experience--however, on the plus side, your monsters keep their levels from previous playthroughs, which means you can unlock the monsters' special moves to make battles more interesting. Thus, the game has a HUGE replay value, and that alone makes it worth a purchase in my opinion.

This game brings the original Yugioh Monsters into live 3D action. It puts you in a world where you have to fight your way through the Kingdom to return to your world. Any true Yugioh fan will love this game!!

I personally like this game despite some of the terrible reviews it has received. I really feel this game is a love/hate type of thing where either you'll absolutely love the game, or hate it with a passion. Part of the reason why some people hate this game is that it becomes difficult very quickly. In most cases when you see people saying the game was terrible was for one of three reasons: high expectations of the graphics (which are low), isn't a traditional yu-gi-oh game, or severe difficulty playing the game.