Our Heist Guides introduce new fans to something we think is seriously cool, and they may even provide some behind-the-scenes knowledge to longtime diehards. It's everything you need to know to plan your own heist.
When it comes to trading card games and media franchises, Yu-Gi-Oh! is one of the biggest in the world. With 25 years worth of cards, anime series, manga, and video games, it can be hard for a newcomer to know where to start playing, watching, and reading. Don't worry, though. Trust in the heart of the cards and this guide and you'll be on your way as a duelist.
Whether you are playing Yu-Gi-Oh! for the first time or just want to casually watch or read it, we're here to help you. Here are some common questions about Yu-Gi-Oh!, from what the card game is, how it ties into the manga and anime series, and how and where to play and watch it.
Without further ado, it's time to duel! This is Pop Heist's Guide to Yu-Gi-Oh!
What Is Yu-Gi-Oh?
Yu-Gi-Oh!, which means "King of Games" in Japanese, is a multimedia franchise consisting of multiple manga series, multiple anime series, a physical trading card game, and video games that let you play the trading card game digitally.
In the fictional world of Yu-Gi-Oh!, people play a card game called Duel Monsters. Moreover, Duel Monsters serves as the basis for the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game. It involves using a deck of 40 cards consisting of spells, traps, and monsters to duel and defeat your opponent. You and your opponent start off with a certain amount of life points, i.e. health points. Whoever reduces their opponents life points to zero first wins the duel.
Cool! So, how can I play the physical card game?
Since 2024 was the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game, there have been a lot of new cards released for newcomers and veterans to enjoy. One of those card products is the 2-Player Starter Set, which, as the name implies, contains everything two players need to play Yu-Gi-Oh!. This includes two decks of 44 cards (40 in a main deck, 4 in an extra deck) and a 64 page comic book that walks you through a scripted duel so you can learn the rules.
Alternatively, you can get a Structure Deck that has more powerful cards than a Starter Set. A Structure Deck is a deck based on a specific monster archetype or Yu-Gi-Oh character, such as the Blue-Eyes White Destiny structure deck that focuses on the Blue-Eyes White Dragon monster, or the Yugi's Legendary Deck set that focuses on decks used by the character Yugi Muto.
Last but not least, there are Booster Packs. These are cards that come in a single pack and are used to strengthen an already existing deck, such as a Structure Deck or an original deck made by the player. Booster Packs are also inspired by a specific card monster card archetype.
Where can I buy Yu-Gi-Oh! cards?
You can buy Yu-Gi-Oh! cards anywhere trading card games are sold — like a local card shop. If you have one nearby, you can also find people to play with by attending the shop's Yu-Gi-Oh! card game events.
If you don't have a card shop nearby, you can also buy Yu-Gi-Oh! cards from big chain stores such as Walmart, Gamestop, and Barnes & Noble. You can also order them online from places like Amazon, eBay, or online stores specifically for trading cards such as TCGplayer.com or Cardmarket.com.
How do I play Yu-Gi-Oh! digitally?
As mentioned earlier, the Yu-Gi-Oh! trading card game is also available to play via various video games. One of the best ways for a newcomer to play Yu-Gi-Oh! digitally is the game Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel. Master Duel is a free-to-play game with in-app purchases, available on mobile devices, all modern consoles, and PC.
Master Duel features an extensive tutorial for newcomers and a Solo Campaign that lets you earn rewards — like cards and in-game currency — to spend on card packs among other things. You can also battle players around the world online or with friends and family through cross-platform play (i.e. playing with someone that's on a different device or console).
Another way to play Yu-Gi-Oh! digitally is through the free-to-play game Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS. This game, available on mobile devices and PC, features the ability to play as any character from the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series. However, newcomers might be overwhelmed by the game's presentation as in-game events and in-game product advertisements appear similar to each other. You will also have to grind (i.e. repeatedly fight the same non-player character) in order to level up your character and earn rewards.
If you want to play Yu-Gi-Oh! digitally offline, the options you have are the most recent Yu-Gi-Oh! games. These include the Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection, Yu-Gi-Oh! Legacy of The Duelist: Link Evolution, and Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL: Dawn of The Battle Royale!!
Out of all these options, Legacy of The Duelist is the most welcoming for newcomers. Despite lacking the most recent card updates, it still has a lot of solo content, including a thorough tutorial and a campaign that lets you play through events of the different anime series. It is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC (Steam).
As for the other games, they are drastically different from each other. Yu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collection is a series of older Yu-Gi-Oh! games originally released on the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance. It features a simplified version of the card game and is only available on Nintendo Switch and Steam for now.
Meanwhile, RUSH DUEL: Dawn of The Battle Royale is only available on Switch and follows completely different rules and gameplay than the official trading card game. Both are interesting ways to delve further into Yu-Gi-Oh!, especially if you watch the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! and Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens beforehand.
How does the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game relate to the anime and manga?
Duel Monsters originally appeared in Volume 2 of the very first Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series created by the late, great Kazuki Takahashi. Originally known as Magic & Wizards, the card game was initially meant to be a brief feature of the original seven volume Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series, which featured a variety of games.
According to a 2019 interview Kazuki Takahashi did at the convention Magic, readers wrote to Takahashi so much about the card game that he changed the story of the manga series to revolve around it. Duel Monsters would be seen in subsequent volumes of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga that continued the story, as well as various spin-off manga and anime series that would come later.
For the next 20+ years, each anime and manga series in the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise involves a different series of characters and a protagonist that must save the world by playing Duel Monsters. By the end of each series, each protagonist has earned a variation of the title "King of Games."
Where can I watch the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series?
Depending on the series you are watching and what language you are watching it in, there are quite a few ways to watch Yu-Gi-Oh! For example, the first Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series (the titular Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters) can be streamed in English on Netflix and Tubi, while the Japanese version can be streamed on Crunchyroll. It originally aired back in 2000 in Japan and in 2001 in America and told the story of a young man named Yugi Muto who saves the world with the help of an ancient Egyptian pharaoh trapped in a mystical item called The Millennium Puzzle.
The subsequent spin off Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series consist of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains can be streamed on Hulu and Tubi in English and on Crunchyroll in Japanese. The only exception to this is Yu-Gi-Oh Sevens, which can only be streamed in English on Hulu and Disney+.
As of this writing, the most recent Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series is Yu-Gi-Oh! Go Rush!, which started airing in January 2025 on Disney XD and is available to stream on Fubo TV. It is a prequel to the anime series Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens and is the second series besides Sevens to be inspired by the RUSH DUEL format of the game.
Have any Yu-Gi-Oh! questions or tips? Let us know over on Bluesky.
If you haven't already, consider supporting worker-owned media by subscribing to Pop Heist. We are ad-free and operating outside the algorithm, so all dollars go directly to paying the staff members and writers who make articles like this one possible.
