TheYu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collectionbrought back a lot of classic titles, but there’s oneYu-Gi-Ohgame that more than deserves its own comeback. WithYu-Gi-Ohstill having a strong fanbase after over twenty years, it’s little surprise that it would have a long history of video games. TheEarly Days Collectionpaid tribute to that history, but there are plenty ofYu-Gi-Ohgames that were not included. There is one game in particular that has more than earned its reputation. It wasn’t in theEarly Days Collection, but it has more than earned a release on current-gen consoles.
TheYu-Gi-Oh! Early Days Collectiongathered 14Yu-Gi-Ohgames that were originally released for Game Boy consoles from 1998 to 2004. Most of these were card games, including theDuel Monstersgames that predated the official card game’s release and used their own version of the rules. The collection also includesMonster Capsule GBandDungeon Dice Monsters, which focus on games aside from the card game as a throwback to the series' original focus on gaming in general. The games in the collection are a far different experience fromYu-Gi-Oh Master Duel, and it’s an interesting look overall atYu-Gi-Oh’s earlier years.
The firstYu-Gi-Ohvideogame ever released,Yu-Gi-Oh Monster Capsule: Breed and Battle, had nothing to do with the card game.
Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories is a Prime Candidate For a Modern Port
Forbidden Memories May Be the Most Iconic Old Yu-Gi-Oh Game
One title missing from theEarly Days Collection’s list of titlesis one of the series' biggest.Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memorieswas a PlayStation game that followed the same general rules as the earlyDuel Monsterstitles, with a couple of twists. Taking place in Ancient Egypt, the game follows Pharaoh Atem as he duels to avenge his family and stop the wicked high mage Heishin from ruling all of Egypt.Forbidden Memorieshas its own story that doesn’t really intersect with the actual plot ofYu-Gi-Oh, but is more of an alternate retelling. It may not be canon, but it’s still a fun and challenging journey.
Forbidden Memories Still Has a Devoted Fanbase
Forbidden Memoriesis fairly notable for itsthriving and impressive speedrunning community. DespiteForbidden Memories' high difficulty and heavy reliance on luck, a lot of speedrunners enjoy challenging themselves with the game. Not only that, but challenge runners have found plenty to like about the game as well, attempting to beat the game with various themed decks. Even though the game’s mechanics are old and simple compared to modernYu-Gi-Oh, that doesn’t detract from its popularity. In fact, it’s a good alternative considering how complicated and fast-paced the card game is now.Forbidden Memoriesis still enjoyable despite the passage of time.
The Flaws of Forbidden Memories Could be Addressed in a Remaster
A remake could also solve some ofForbidden Memories' issues, similar to theEarly Days Collection’s quality-of-life changes. InForbidden Memories, some cards were only obtainable through the Pocket Station, a peripheral only available in Japan, which made them unobtainable to everyone else. This is particularly painful since that list included many excellent cards. Likewise, while players could buy cards with Starchips, most strong cards cost 999,999 starchips, which was more than one could ever expect to earn in-game. By addressing these issues while keeping the overall challenge and formula intact, players could get a better version ofForbidden Memoriesthan ever before.
Forbidden Memoriesdeserves a remaster, possibly more than any otherYu-Gi-Ohgame. While players haveMaster Duelfor modernYu-Gi-Oh,Forbidden Memoriesis a fantastic throwback to the older days of the series. It may be one of the hardest games for the PlayStation, but that hasn’t stopped the gameplay from holding up. In fact,Forbidden Memorieswould only need a few minor adjustments at most for a modern release. AForbidden Memoriesremaster feels like the best next move for the future ofYu-Gi-Ohgames.
