After almost two months of live testing, Konami has confirmed Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL will officially release for mobile devices on Sept. 6.
This release should be worldwide, as most official Yu-Gi-Oh! social media accounts shared the news earlier today to inform fans the game is finally here.
CROSS DUEL is another oddity for Konami, as it pulls from multiple different areas of existing Yu-Gi-Oh! iterations to offer a unique take on the card game. This includes elements of the traditional card game most fans are familiar with, along with the Speed Duel format and Duel Links mobile game.
At its core, CROSS DUEL is a free-for-all Duel between four players. It utilizes an original card battle system that utilizes lanes as a core mechanic where players will summon and manage monsters in those lanes to strategically attack or counter opponents in a limited, eight-turn format. Spell and Trap cards also factor into the gameplay in new ways to add even more depth.
Iconic characters from across the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime are featured as tag partners, including Yami Yugi, Seto Kaiba, Jaden Yuki, and Yusei Fudo. You can level up these tag partners to unlock rewards like Gems, new decks, cosmetic items, and more.
Certain Ace Monsters, which are tied to your tag partners, give you special Master Skills that can change the tide of battle. For example, Blue-Eyes White Dragon’s Master Skill allows it to destroy a monster upon summon and Dark Magician deals 300 damage to other players’ Life Points when you activate a Spell.
At launch, CROSS DUEL will be free-to-play, utilizing in-game currency and microtransactions in a way that resembles Duel Links. Players will use that currency to feed into a Gacha system in an attempt to collect rare cards that will power up their decks.
The game also surpassed its global pre-registration goal, meaning players will receive a handful of bonuses when they first launch the game. This will include 1,200 Gems to use in the Gacha system.
