Yu-Gi-Oh Cross Duels had a shadow (realm) release last week in some parts of the world and you can pre-register for its wider release here. Cross Duels marks a new direction for the classic card game. Cross Duels combines the mechanics and variations of different formats throughout the Yu-Gi-Oh series into one. The game takes slightly different aspects of Dungeon Dice Monsters, Capsule Monsters, and the more recent format of Rush Duels and combines them all into one new kind of Yu-Gi-Oh experience.

　　The game itself is still in its Pre-Season for Ranked Mode for a couple of more weeks, but this does not stop duelists from crafting, trying out new decks, strategies, and most importantly Monster skills to equip to Monster cards. Though there may be cards you recognize, almost every single card has changed its properties or added effects, including many of the well-known Trap or Spell cards. Normal Monsters can now be equipped with different skills to transform them into Effect Monsters. Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon have been destructive powerhouses since the original series due to their high attack power, but Cross Duels asks the question: What if we added Master Skills to these Normal Monsters to create an Ace Monster?

　　Landing the final blow with Blue-Eyes White Dragon.Being able to change these cards’ properties to create all new strategies without having to lose extra card resources or make large hand dwindling combos makes these Ace Monsters much more in remembrance of the original Yu-Gi-Oh’s Duel Kingdom arc. At the time of that arc, the TCG did not have any concrete rules.

　　Seto Kaiba, with the absolutely kind and considerate heart he is most known for, allows players to choose one Ace Monster out of the 14 choices after finishing the tutorial. You can earn, and pull for other Ace Monsters to add to your deck throughout the game, but this starting decision is dire because it moves forward alongside your win condition in how you will approach many of your upcoming duels. Picking the right Ace Monster can also help you avoid spending real money on the game. Some Ace Monsters are great in any situation, and some need very specific decks to be used with, which can take players quite a while to obtain.

　　Choosing an Ace Monster is your most important decision since you always start the duel with this card in your opening hand. Be sure to pick something that suits your playstyle and approach to card games in general. To help you with this decision, we will go through the best Ace Monster to choose and explain what makes their Master Skill excellent with its usage.

　　Blue-Eyes White Dragon

　　Kaiba’s Ace Monster, the magnificent Blue-Eyes White Dragon. A destructive powerhouse with one of the highest original base attack points in the game. This dragon’s Master Skill allows it to choose and destroy any Monster card on the field. For example, if your opponent is defending with a monster and you have your own other Monster about to do battle, why not skip the interaction of your monster battling the defending monster to destroy the defending monster allowing you to attack directly? This catches opponents off guard and can make an attack go through, especially if the opponent has no Trap cards set. Another strategy is to defend with Blue-Eyes from two attacking monsters and choose one to destroy with its Master Skill.

　　Blue-Eyes White Dragon is easy to summon requiring only two Monsters or a Performapal Hip Hippo’s effect and can change the outcome in a single summon.

　　Elemental Hero Neos

　　Jaden’s Ace Monster, the unrelenting spatial warrior, Elemental Hero Neos. It is known to Contact Fusion with Neo-Spacians. In Cross Duels, Neos’ Master Skill allows it to return to the hand while gaining the ability to be tributed for one Monster less alongside granting it Hyperspeed. Hyperspeed allows Neos to jet the field faster than most other Monsters. Though, when summoned this way, Neos will lose 1000 attack/defense. The only way to stop Neos is to destroy it outside of battle or negate its skills. Having a speedy Ace Monster that can be continually summoned means you will always have an Ace Monster in your hand.

　　Elemental Hero Neos is another that is easy to summon at first by only requiring two monsters or a Performapal Hip Hippo’s effect, but it can then be summoned with only one tribute.

　　The outcome, when tag dueling with Yugi often.Red Dragon Archfiend

　　Jack Atlas’ Ace Monster, his very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend. It is known to demolish every pitiful monster that tries to defend itself. Archfiend's Master Skill allows it to destroy every single defending Monster at the end of the Battle Phase. This can clear out Monster cards from many opponents, especially players that use decks or cards requiring more stalling mechanics/playstyle or of Ace monsters such as Dark Magician, Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir, or Ojama King, for example.

　　Using cards such as Curse of Anubis, and Block Attack allows you to change the position of Monsters on the field for Red Dragon Archfiend to then activate its effect. Just make sure your own Monsters are not caught in the powerful blow of Archfiend’s Master Skill.

　　Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon

　　Yuya’s Ace Monster, the spectacular dragon with heterochromatic eyes, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. It is known to have an ever-expanding amount of variations, tactics, skills, combinations, and summoning methods. In Cross Duels, when Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is Pendulum Summoned (which requires Pendulum Scales from other Monster Skills) Odd-Eyes, alongside every Monster on your field, gains 800 Attack/Defence plus immunity to destruction effects.

　　It is a superb way to counter an Ace Monster such as Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Red Dragon Archfiend while increasing the stats of your own Monsters.

　　By using Top Runner with Hyperspeed to grab the special card in the middle of the field.Sevens Road Magician

　　Yuga’s Ace Monster, the center of the Seven Roads Dark Spellcaster archetype, Sevens Road Magician. It is one of the seven Spellcasters that are said to be used as the road to king. Sevens Road gains 400 Attack/Defence for every previous monster summoned with the Inventor Skill. If you have had four Inventor skills activate in the duel, Sevens Road gains two random skills of Immunity. Though this card works for decks with Monsters using Inventor Skills, Inventor is one of the best overarching skills allowing cards to gain extra random effects. If four or more Inventor skills have been activated, Inventor Monsters gain an extra skill. Skills can range from increasing attack/defense to inflicting effect damage to the opponent.

　　Summoning a Sevens Road Magician with more than 4000 attack alongside five different skills. When summoned, victory comes pretty swiftly. It's an unstoppable powerhouse with excellent protection to combat Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Red Dragon Archfiend.

　　These are the five best Ace Monsters to pick, but please, be sure to choose what suits your own playstyle and/or what interests you the most.

　　When choosing Blue-Eyes White Dragon as your Ace Monster.If you do end up choosing another Ace Monster such as Dark Magician or Trickstar Holly Angel, it may be a bit more difficult to create an effective deck while you still gather/pull/collect more cards that work in collaboration with one another.

　　You can always receive other Ace Monsters later on, but your first Ace Monster after completing the tutorial will be what carries you for many of your duels as your inevitable ace.