The lion's share of Konami's video games based on the popular Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series have been pretty straightforward interpretations of the collectible-card game that is the foundation of the entire franchise. There have, however, been a few notable exceptions, one of them being 2003's Yu-Gi-Oh! The Duelists of the Roses for the PlayStation 2. Yugi and his pals have been uncharacteristically absent from the PlayStation 2 since. Konami has just announced the development of Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum for the PlayStation 2.

　　Like The Duelists of the Roses before it, Capsule Monster Coliseum will put you in control of a group of monsters on a chess-type board where you will square off with recognizable characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. As you progress through the game, you'll gain new monsters and have the option of upgrading your current roster. The gameplay will remain turn-based, and there will be three modes of play available: campaign, versus, and free battle.

　　Yu-Gi-Oh! Capsule Monster Coliseum is currently slated for an October 2004 release in the US. Stay tuned, and we'll have more on this title as it becomes available.