The next iteration of digital Yu-Gi-Oh! experience is here, with Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL finally available globally on mobile platforms after a year of on-and-off communication from Konami.
CROSS DUEL is an entirely unique take on the traditional Yu-Gi-Oh! card game format, bringing yet another way for fans to enjoy the franchise to mobile, alongside the likes of Duel Links and Master Duel.
During a CROSS DUEL, four players will face off in a free-for-all environment utilizing lanes to attack and defend against each other over an eight-turn timer. This means Monster summons and Spell/Trap usage will need to be handled with more real-time strategy than in a more traditional Duel in other Yu-Gi-Oh! titles.
And, just like with basically every other Yu-Gi-Oh! game available on mobile, the game utilizes a free-to-play model.
Does Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL include microtransactions?
CROSS DUEL is entirely free-to-play on both Android and iOS, and that approach will carry over should the game come to other platforms in the future too. There is one key thing players should know before starting though, which shouldn’t come as a surprise if you have played any of Konami’s other mobile ventures.
Related: What consoles and platforms is Yu-Gi-Oh! CROSS DUEL playable on?
Just like with Master Duel and Duel Links, CROSS DUEL does heavily feature microtransactions in the form of a Gacha system. This is done more in tune with how Duel Links handles its own systems, as CROSS DUEL’s pulls and banners called “Card Gacha” offer a chance to receive rare cards in banners rather than simple packs.
Card Gacha utilizes Gems, which can be purchased using real money and then used to try and unlock new cards for your deck. The motion of selecting a card from the banners even emulates a roulette of sorts, so just be aware of that before you dive into the game expecting something that isn’t more akin to a “free-to-start” experience.
