Series 1: The Beginning (Part 1)

         Series 1 (第(だい)１期(き Phase 1) is the first generation of Yu-Gi-Oh! released by Konami for the OCG. This Series introduced many of the core concepts of the game that we still use in Dueling. Many of the iconic monsters and DM staples that we're familiar with also saw extensive play during this period. This is a summary of the first portion of Series 1 up to Booster 3 and the First Limited List.


Vol.(ボリューム)1

    Vol.1 saw the introduction of the majority of the game's mechanics introduced. Early players played under the Official Rules which will be discussed later. The Yu-Gi-Oh! National Tournament took place on February 21, 1999 with this Core Booster with both an OCG/Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters tournament which had Kanan the Swordmistress as its attendance card.

KEY CARDS: TRAP HOLE, DARK HOLE, Fissure, Beast Fangs, Legendary Sword, Dark Magician, Gaia the Fierce Knight, Silver Fang, Hitotsu-Mi Giant, Mammoth Graveyard, Dark Grey, sparks, red medicine

Attendance Card: Kanan the Swordmistress

BOOSTER(ブースター)1 

     The Duel of Pride and Truth begins now in the first Booster Pack in Yu-Gi-Oh!'s history. Booster 1 saw the introduction of new monsters that quickly powercrept the third tier of Meta-viable choices. These choices favored a more offensively oriented gameplan with 1000 Attack Power being the new high in the third tier. Furthermore, the Equips introduced in Vol.1 were given the status of first reprints in the game, though Beast Fangs and Legendary Sword were the most sought out. 

KEY CARDS: Beast Fangs, Legendary Sword, Ryu-Kishin, Wattkid, Battle Warrior, 

STARTER BOX 

    The Starter Box was released in two ways. The first, known as the Theatrical Release (劇（げき）場（じょう）限（げん）定（てい）発（はつ）売（ばい）版)（ばん, saw limited release in Movie Theaters beginning March 6, 1999. A more widespread, official version came out on March 18.  Both versions were identical barring minor differences in cards. But that minor difference was the key to getting viable monsters for your Deck and weaker monsters:

                                           Theatrical Release                   Starter Box

                                               Aqua Madoor                          Genin

                                              The 13th Grave                      Kageningen

                                           Trial of Nightmare               Rock Ogre Grotto #2

                                         Dark King of the Abyss               King Fog

                                                 Turtle Tiger                          Spiked Snail

    Those who pre-ordered the Starter Box also got a Super Rare Celtic Guardian as consolation for not going to theaters. This also introduced Fusion Summoning and Field Spells to the game

KEY AND IMPORTANT CARDS: RAIGEKI, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Aqua Madoor, The 13th Grave, Trial of Nightmare, Dark King of the Abyss, Turtle Tiger, Polymerization, Umi, Dragon Capture Jar, Remove Trap         

Vol.(ボリューム)2 

     Vol.2 saw the continued expansion of the monster lineup for Standard builds, but the most relevant cards were Magic Card DM Staples like Swords of Revealing Light and Monster Reborn. Strong 2000 Defenders also became a little more common as well as the first Level 5 monster in Curse of Dragon, but they're relevant more as bodies at this time than key pieces of the Deck.

    Speaking of 2000 bodies, those who attended the Duel Monsters II meeting experience would claim a 2nd copy of Aqua Madoor, this time as the game's first Ultra Secret Rare. However, the biggest change during this period came with the Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game Duel Monsters Official Guide Starter Book (遊戯王 オフィシャルカードゲーム デュエルモンスターズ 公式ガイドスターターブック, Yugiō Ofisharu Kādo Gēmu Dyuerumonsutāzu Kōshiki Gaido Sutātā Bukku), or more simply known as the Official Guide Starter Book (公式ガイドスターターブック, Kōshiki Gaido Sutātā Bukku.) This 130 page guide introduced the Expert Rules which remains the core on which modern Yu-Gi-Oh! rules are built on to this day.

We also can't forget the Ultra Secret Rare Flame Swordsman which also is the first card to get alternative artwork in the game's history.  

KEY AND IMPORTANT CARDS: MONSTER REBORN, SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT, De-Spell, Curse of Dragon, Mystical Elf, Spirit of the Harp, Uraby

Promo: Aqua Madoor (UscR), Flame Swordsman (alt.)

BOOSTER(ブースター)2 

    "Booster Part 2 is here! Gather here, all those who see true strength." More monsters are added to the lineup, but this set is known for the additions of Rogue Doll and Elf's Light. This allowed the development of the LIGHT Equip Beatdown Deck. Invigoration also allowed for the EARTH Equip Beatdown Deck built with the core of Giant Flea, Uraby, and the Warriors. Official Rules Decks saw the introduction of more Level 5 monsters.  

KEY AND IMPORTANT CARDS:  Elf's Light, Invigoration, Sword of Dark Destruction, Rogue Doll, Giant Flea, Dark-Piercing Light, the inexperienced spy

Vol.(ボリューム)3 

    As Vol.2 had before it, Vol.3 expanded on the game further through adding and adjusting new mechanics. Pot of Greed allowed you to draw from the Deck outside of the Draw Phase while Gravedigger Ghoul allowed you to banish from the Graveyard for the first time. Flip Monsters also saw their first appearance in the game, being the first line of Effect Monsters in the game's history. Finally, the first Exodia was released in this Core Booster, beginning the countdown to being able to play Exodia.

    Also, the last work associated with Toei in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Super Complete Book was released shortly after this Core Booster.

KEY AND IMPORTANT CARDS: POT OF GREED, Gravedigger Ghoul, Stop Defense, LEFT LEG OF THE FORBIDDEN ONE, Skull Red Bird, Giant Soldier of Stone, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Hane-Hane, Man-Eater Bug, Skelengel

LIMITED EDITION 1 

    Cards that you couldn't get through normal means, the Limited Edition was sold through mail order through Weekly Shonen Jump. All Ultra Secret Rares, they were mostly weak cards though some still have influence to this day. They were split between three different packs:

YUGI:

Stuffed Animal

Flying Penguin

Millennium Shield

KAIBA

Yaranzo

Takriminos

Three-Legged Zombies

JOEY

Megasonic Eye

Yamadron

Fairy's Gift

Furthermore, there was a raffle for the August 1999 version of V-Jump where two sets of 50 reprinted cards were given away as a Special Present:

SET A

Trial of Nightmare

The 13th Grave   

Kanan the Swordmistress

SET B

Celtic Guardian

Dark King of the Abyss 

Turtle Tiger

    Finally, the announcement of the First National Conference came with familiar invitation cards.

BOOSTER(ブースター)3 

    This set continued the string of noteworthy Booster Packs with the expansion of the Trap lineup. Most important of these Traps was Ultimate Offering whose existence necessitated another change to the rules with the Battle Step replay. Otherwise, it was the weakest set thus far.

KEY AND IMPORTANT CARDS: ULTIMATE OFFERING,  Reinforcements, Castle Walls, Hourglass of Courage, ancient telescope

JULY 1999 LIMITED LIST

    The first list in YGO's history, what it exactly was applied for isn't fully known. What we do know is that it either applied to Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters II: Dark duel Stories Duelist Legend in Tokyo Dome and/or the tournaments that came before it. What is true or not remains a mystery.

LIMITED:

Dark Hole

Raigeki

Trap Hole

    PART 2 will arrive here when released.

 

  

 

 

 

              

 



 

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