So a certain illness has shut down your regionals and closed your locals. You find yourself with no choice but to remain within your home. A lesser duelist might succumb to these circumstances, letting their skills rust and their passion dwindle. Is that what you are, dear reader - a third-rate duelist with fourth-rate dedication? I think not! No quarantine can dampen your love for the game. But in case you need a push of motivation or a jolt of creative energy, here are five ways to enjoy Yugioh while sheltering in place at home.
Number 5: Webcam Duels
This one is easy. So what if you can't meet your friends in person to duel? We live in the internet age! While we don't have Real Solid Vision or the world of Vrains, technology can still enable us to duel.
For this particular method, all you need is your deck, a computer with a camera, and a video-chatting program like Skype, Discord, or Zoom - and of course, a friend with all the same resources. Establish a video call connection, lay out your deck and duel space in front of you. Voila - you're ready to duel! They won't be able to cut your deck, but if you're cheating your friend in Yugioh, that's a wholly separate issue.
Number 4: The Video Games
But perhaps you grow bored of playing with the same old deck. Perhaps you hunger for a different challenge - a new deck, perhaps, or a new opponent? Even an entirely new format? Well, there is a solution to that as well - in the Yugioh video games! Specifically, I'm talking about Yugioh: Duel Links and Yugioh: Legacy of the Duelist. Duel Links is available on mobile and on Steam, while Legacy of the Duelist can be played on the Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam. We have a nifty Legacy of the Duelist guide right here.
Legacy of the Duelist lets you duel from home, with regular updates to the card pool. Duel Links uses the Speed Duel format, based on the style introduced in the Yugioh: Vrains series. Field zones, hand and deck size, and even starting life points are all reduced, and Skills can affect the game in various ways. In both games, you construct a deck from the cards you receive from achievements and packs. You can play against friends or other players around the world. You can even challenge the legends of the Yugioh anime themselves, from Yugi and Kaiba to Yuya and even Yusaku. These games open up so many more possibilities for a duelist eager to hone their skills. With new ways to play the game, you can explore the world of Yugioh in ways you never imagined.
Number 3: Watch the Anime
During your foray through Duel Links or Legacy of the Duelist, you may encounter a character you don't recognize. Or you see Yugi or Kaiba and think, "Gee, it's been a while since I've watched Yugi's adventures. I barely even remember them." Or maybe you're just feeling burnt out from dueling and want to sit back and enjoy a show. If you find yourself in any of these situations, I'd say it's high time you watched the Yugioh anime. Not merely commercials for the cards, the anime is actually quite entertaining. Heartwarming friendship, blood-curling horror, episodes of levity and moments sheer awesome all make Yugioh a fun series to binge.
In my opinion, the best way to watch it is in Japanese with English subtitles. This version has the best depth of the story and characters, as well as better music. So far, Crunchyroll has the 5DS, Arc-V, and Vrains arcs completely in subs, as well as the first seasons of Duel Monsters and GX. Meanwhile, the official Yugioh website has the first thirty or so episodes of Zexal subbed. Just the first season of Duel Monsters alone (which encompasses over 150 episodes!) should be able to tide you over in this temporary period of isolation at home.
Number 2: Sort Your Collection
Perhaps you have had enough of your computer, your phone, or your Switch for a bit. By all means, step away from the screen - and direct your attention once more to your real cards. By the way, where are your cards? In a binder? Divided into several deck boxes? Are they sleeved, at least in clear plastic? I hope they haven't been simply thrown together in a box, unsorted and unsleeved!
If you have a large collection of cards, it would be beneficial to organize them. You never know when a new ban list or a new product release will make an old card become in demand. If you've already dipped into a few episodes of the anime, you should already know that there are no useless cards. Every card has its value - and ought to be treated with respect!
Number 1: Teach Your Family (Or Whoever Lives With You)
Of course, this last suggestion assumes you don't live alone. If you do live with at home with family, or have roommates, chances are that they will be looking for ways to divert themselves as well. This may be the perfect opportunity to introduce them to Yugioh! If you think they might be receptive to learning a new game, pull out some of your cards - perhaps some old ones that you've just sorted! - and start teaching them.
Start off slow, with the most fundamental aspects of the game - summoning monsters, using spells and traps, attacking and defending. Once you've established a firm foundation, you can move on to more complex elements of the game: monster effects, Spell Speed, the different summoning types, et cetera. If the game strikes their fancy, you'll have yourself a brand-new dueling partner - one whom you won't have to leave the house or power on a device to play!
Conclusion
For the foreseeable future, we will all have to find a way to amuse ourselves as we shelter at home, Yugioh-related or not. My hope is that we all find the inner strength to persevere through this difficulty and maintain the proper discipline needed to keep ourselves and others safe. However you pass the time, never stop looking forward to the day when we can all gather once more to play our favorite card game. Until then, be safe and keep training!
