Duel Masters: Shadow of the Code is one of those GBA card battlers that just feels right—like if Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon TCG had a slightly janky but lovable cousin. You start off with a starter deck (I went with fire creatures because, well, explosions), and within minutes you're already deep in a duel against some smug NPC who thinks their water deck makes them invincible.

The pixel art for the creatures is surprisingly detailed for a GBA game, and there's something satisfying about watching your dragon card obliterate an opponent's shield. Deck-building gets addictive fast—I wasted way too much time tweaking my lineup between battles, swapping out weaklings for beefier monsters. The AI isn't a pushover either; some of those late-game opponents pull off combos that'll make you groan.

If you ever played the physical Duel Masters cards back in the day, this is basically that, but portable and without the risk of losing your rares to a gust of wind. Just don't expect a deep story—it's all about the duels. And honestly? That's enough.