Can someone please explain Yu-Gi-Oh to me please?

[Legacy]

I have a sense that this/ these (?) are just the sort of thing DS1 (8 soon) would love, but where do I start? Have just looked on Amazon and have been deluged with Yu-Gi-Oh stuff...

What do you need to start - if there some sort of album, or do you just collect the cards? What are the 'hot' sets of the moment...

Any comments/ good bad? (i.e. if I get him into this will I regret it later?? (Looking wistfully across room at DH playing Club Penquin )

DS1 is into ygo and ds 2 & 3 into pokemon (again) and it seems to be just the cards, and maybe a book to put cards into, and a nice tin to put cards that are not in book into.....and then swap any cards that you don't want. The rest then carpet the floor.

You can play a game with them. Kind of like a Top Trumps "magical duel" but with more complicated rules

Ah thank you Dragon... but is it something best avoided? Will it earn him 'cool' points (to counterbalance his geekiness?)

def cool points - no-one knows how to play. Actually DS1 does and it involves throwing down a monstercard and saying 'I end my turn' in a portentious voice.

Sparkybabe, does your DS watch the cartoon on TV? DSs both have all the talk but I'm sure they have no idea what they're doing.

I have no idea what they're doing either, they just get on with itso I guess it's not a bad idea

yup pokemon, ygo, digimon when that was on, avatar...i let them get on with it. These japanese animations tend to be good v evil and fairly one-dimensional but there's no harm in them i don't think. good triumphs in the end! When the pokemon craze come round 1st time ds1 was about 7 and he might not have known his times-tables but he knew each pokemons strengths,weaknesses,hit-points etc...i suppose it helps with the reading too. (Oh yes there're books as well that you can read to them!)

A great parental tip here ..... expect them to make bum trades at school and lose all their 'good' cards. Except to buy more 'special packs' to get the good cards again for them. Do not get angry about bum trades, your DS will make great trades next year at someone else's expense. Don't even try to understand the game and certainly don't offer to play a game with them !

hi soupy

My ds has loved them for years, he is 10 now and soon to be 11!! He has picked up lots about it from the dvd's and has a huge collection of cards. Expensive ones too from grandparents hense him not being alowed to take them to school unless doubles! Also has the pokemon ones. Too involved to learn the rules but they like to think they know it all. We picked up a nice album once from a toymaster store and they will probably help you out to recommend what packs maybe better but really I dont think you can make a mistake, he will love any of them I am sure!