Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links - Konami

This review of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links was completed by the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) on 27 February 2017.

About the app

This section contains details about the app provided by an ACCM Reviewer.

ACCM review

This review of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links contains the following information:

• The level to which the game was reviewed
• App description
• Reviewers comments
• In App purchasing
• Online information
• Gambling
• Advertising and product placement
• Gender stereotypes and sexual references
• Coarse language
• Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents
• Other

The level to which the game was reviewed

Level 4

App description

Yu-Gi-Oh! (Japanese for “Game King”) – Duel Links builds on the manga series franchise by adapting its popular card trading game in virtual form. In the game, players randomly deal out their playing cards (which include things like monsters, wizards and spells) of varying degrees of power (as indicated by the point system denoted on each card). Players must decide how to play the cards at each turn by using them in attack positions, defence, traps, etc.

The aim of the game is to deplete your opponent’s total points to zero through successful attacking and/or using strategy. Successful battles will earn the player gems and coins, which can be used to buy things such as new characters and new packs of cards (which can then be added to your playing deck).

Fine motor skills and good strategic thinking skills are required to play. Players can freely communicate with others online, in real time, and for this reason this app is not recommended for children under 13 and parental guidance and/or co-playing is recommended for children 13-15 years of age.

 

Reviewers comments

This game requires you to accept the terms of use of the game before you can play. Both the terms of use and privacy policy (found here at the bottom of the page: https://www.konami.com/yugioh/duel_links/en/ ) are very long and younger children are not likely to read, nor understand these conditions before clicking on the accept button. In both of these conditions, the developers refer to children under the age of 13. For example, in the “Terms of use” it states: “Children under 13: If you are under 13 years old, please do not access or use the Application if Platform Terms prohibit you from accessing or using the Platform”. Furthermore, in the “Privacy policy” it states: “We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of thirteen”. Some parents may find this concerning, considering the age recommendation of 9+.

Some younger children may be attracted to the card collection feature of this game – which requires in-app purchasing. Better cards (those with higher attacking power) may also be attractive purchases for younger children who may not have comparative strategic planning skills to combine 2 (or more) lower point cards in attacks to defeat higher opponents.

In App purchasing

• Virtual cards can be purchased in the shop:
  
  
• 1 Pack - $1.49
• 5 Packs - $7.99
• 10 Packs – 14.99
• 30 Packs - $46.99
• Special: 10 Packs, 1SR, Custom. Set 2 - $9.99

Online information

• Log-ins are required to play this game.
• Players can freely communicate with others online, in real time.

Gambling

Players unfamiliar with the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise will not encounter any themes of gambling. However, those familiar with the background story will know that the man character, Yugi Mutou, competes in games to satisfy his gambling alter-ego (although this is not a feature of the game itself).

Advertising and product placement

• Advertisements were not encountered during game play – other than for new virtual cards within the game itself.

Gender stereotypes and sexual references

None

Coarse language

None

Game playing behaviour which may be of concern to some parents

None

Other

N/A.

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