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Everything we know about Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS ‘RUSH DUEL’ update

by Chris White on September 25, 2023

It’s the 25th anniversary of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card game, and since it released, the beloved franchise has taken on lots of different forms, such as various manga, anime, and video games. Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS is one such game, which has been downloaded a staggering 150 million times and more since it released on iOS, Android, and PC. We recently got to look at the upcoming update which focuses on one of the newest rulesets, RUSH DUEL, introduced in the anime Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS. Although I couldn’t go hands-on, I did get to see a lot of cool stuff coming in the Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS RUSH DUEL update.

For those not familiar with RUSH DUEL, it was introduced in 2020 and was made popular by the duelling style of Yuga Ohdo in the SEVENS anime because he wanted a much more streamlined and simplified experience due to growing tired of the restrictive rules of SPEED DUEL. It’s a massive deal because it is its own game, meaning no cards from the older ruleset can be used – only RUSH DUEL can be played within it. Some of the big changes comes from allowing as many monsters to be summoned from your hand as you like, and also refilling your hand to five cards regardless of how many you’ve played.

Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS RUSH DUEL Ruleset

Refill hand to five cards on each turn
If you have five cards, draw one more
No size limits for hands
Summon and Set unlimited monsters
New exclusive cards (including Legend Cards)

Yu-Gi-Oh! DUEL LINKS RUSH DUEL

When it comes to new DUEL LINKS update, there’s plenty for fans to be excited about. Whether you’re coming in fresh, or have been playing for a while, the update features a brand new adventure with a new world from the SEVENS anime to explore, new characters and RUSH DUEL cards, new rewards, and more, starting everyone off from the same point. For those of you worried about saying goodbye to SPEED DUEL, it isn’t going anywhere. In fact, both will exist which means you can play either whenever you want.

The new world of Goha City is where the RUSH DUEL update is set, focusing around a primary school student called Yuga Ohdo who’s aiming to become the King of Duels. From launch, you’ll be able to play as the enthusiastic Yuga, as well as Luke, Gavin, and Romin, where familiar locations like Goha #7 Elementary School, Goha Stadium, and A.I. Restaurant have all been adapted for the new update. I got to see a short introduction to the game at the point Yuga is unlocked and looking for his friend Luke, and it’s art style is gorgeous.

There’re some interesting specifics for players of RUSH DUEL in DUEL LINKS. For example, players start with 6,000 Life Points and between 30 and 40 cards in their decks. Controls will be familiar to existing players, as will the UI, however, the rules are simpler and there’s a new presentations while still familiar. From the tutorial video I watched, it’s very welcoming to new players, with plenty of detail on what cards to what, and how you get stuck into the main adventure.

While I didn’t get to play Yu-Gi-Oh! RUSH DUEL in DUEL Links, I heard a lot about the update and how it intends to introduce to new and existing players to the popular ruleset introduced in the SEVENS anime. From the three videos I watched (including a full-on battle towards the end of the presentation), fans of the trading card game and going to have plenty to keep them occupied, with refreshing new rules, some beautiful visuals, and lots of opportunities to earn new cards and rewards.