These famous monsters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! series are still waiting for improved versions of themselves.

Even though Yu-Gi-Oh! has been around for about 25 years, many of the original monsters from the manga and anime series still don’t have updated versions. This means that they are rarely used in modern Yu-Gi-Oh! games, and some of them haven’t been seen in years outside of tutorials and anime-based games.

Even though many of the most important monsters from the early days of Yu-Gi-Oh! have been updated to make them better for modern play, many of them are still waiting for their chance to shine again, even if they were important in the original series.

Copycat

Copycat is a tricky Spellcaster-type Effect Monster that was first used by Joey Wheeler in the Duelist Kingdom arc of the original Duel Monsters series. It copies the Attack and Defense Points of one face-up monster on the field and does nothing else.

A more powerful version of Copycat would still have the original effect of the monster. But it could also destroy or equip the monster whose Attack and Defense Points it copied. The equipped monster could then be used as a shield to stop Copycat from being destroyed by an attack or card effect, but this could only happen once per turn.

Mad Sword Beast

Mad Sword Beast was the first monster to have a piercing effect. Which means that an attacking monster can damage the opponent’s monsters when it attacks them. It is a Dinosaur-type Effect Monster that first appeared in the Dungeon Dice Monsters arc of the original Duel Monsters series. Where Duke Devlin used it in a short battle against Joey Wheeler.

Because it looks like the Normal Monster Sabersaurus, an upgraded version of it could have 1900 Attack points and 1200 Defense points. Once an attack has been declared, it could also put monsters it attacks into Defense Position, letting it use its piercing effect afterward.

Cyber Commander

Cyber Commander is a Machine-type Normal Monster that first appeared in the original manga and anime series of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters because it was Tristan Taylor’s favorite card. The card has never been printed in the TCG, which makes it stand out from the other popular main series cards. Which all have TCG versions.

An upgraded Effect Monster version of Cyber Commander could boost its weak 750 Attack and 700 Defense Points to 1750 and 1700, respectively. It could also have an effect that increases the Attack Points of Warrior and Machine-type monsters, like Tristan Taylor’s skill in Duel Links.

Little-Winguard

Little-Winguard, also called Tiny Guardian in some media, was one of Joey’s most used monsters during the Battle City arc of the original Duel Monsters series. It is a Warrior-type Effect Monster that can change its battle position once per turn during its controller’s End Phase.

A more powerful version of Little-Winguard could drain the opponent’s Life Points. Or destroy one of their cards on the field every time its battle position was changed. On the other hand, it could do something like the Alchemy Cycle Trap card it’s on. And reduce one monster’s Attack Points to zero every time its battle position changed.

Gazelle The King Of Mythical Beasts

Gazelle, the King Of Mythical Beasts, is a monster that Yugi uses during the Battle City arc in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Yu-Gi-Oh! and Duelists manga Duel Monsters anime series. Usually to be combined with Berformet to summon Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast.

Since then, Gazelle has become part of the Phantom Beast archetype. However, because it doesn’t have a King of Phantom Beasts version, newer versions of the card have to say in their errata: “This card is always treated as a “Phantom Beast” card.” This could be fixed by making Gazelle a proper Phantom Beast Effect Monster. And giving it an effect that could be useful in beast decks.

Mammoth Graveyard

Mammoth Graveyard is a famous Zombie-type Normal Monster that Yugi combined with Kaiba’s Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon to make it decay from the inside, lowering its attack each turn. The Last Tusk Mammoth from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, the Fusion Monster Great Mammoth Of Goldfine, and the Effect Monster Zombie Mammoth are all similar to Mammoth Graveyard.

Even though they are related, none of them are better than Mammoth Graveyard. But you could say that the Last Tusk Mammoth and the Zombie Mammoth are the Mammoth Graveyard at different times in their lives. If Mammoth Graveyard was properly upgraded, it could lower the Attack Points of one or all monsters. That were not of the Zombie type each turn, just like it did in the original Duel Monsters series.

Silver Fang

Yugi used Silver Fang a few times during the Duelist Kingdom arc. It is a Normal Monster that is a type of beast. Silver Fang isn’t very strong. It’s a pale green wolf with only 1200 Attack Points and 800 Defense Points. Which is the same as the similar Normal Monster Wolf. Which is also a Beast type and is often thought of as its counterpart.

Silver Fang needs to be changed because it isn’t strong enough. It could be used with the Trap card Superior Howl, whose art shows it. Since the effect of Superior Howl is to destroy one Equip card to lower the Attack Points of all monsters on the field to their original values. This could be built into an improved version of Silver Fang.

Winged Dragon Guardian Of The Fortress #1

Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 was one of the first monsters Yugi used in the Duelist Kingdom arc. It was also the first monster Yami Yugi ever summoned in the entire Duel Monsters series. There is another Winged Beast-type Normal Monster with the same name. Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #2, but it has never been upgraded.

A more powerful version of this blue dragon could change its attribute from Wind to Fire. This was like the fireball attack it had in the original Duel Monsters series. It could also have an effect that kills any monsters with the Earth attribute that it fights. Like Seto Kaiba’s Hitotsu-Me Giant.

Blackland Fire Dragon

Before the focus shifted to the Duel Monsters card game, Blackland Fire Dragon first appeared in the original Yu-Gi-Oh! manga. Even after all these years, it still doesn’t have a better version or a monster that fights against it. It was the first monster Yugi summoned and the first one he used to declare an attack. That should make it important enough to get an improved version many years later.

A more powerful version of the Effect Monster could be a level five monster with 2100 Attack Points and 1600 Defense Points. This would be similar to the Bandai card game version. It could also make a reference to the anime-only Spell card Flying Dragon Whirl by sending other Dragon-type monsters to the Graveyard to boost its Attack Points.

Shining Friendship

Shining Friendship is a Fairy-type Normal Monster that Tea used in her duel against Mai Valentine. When she was trying to convince Yugi not to give up on saving his grandpa’s soul from Pegasus. It has two similar monsters, Petite Angel and Shining Peacephilia. But has never gotten an upgraded version, even though it is a very important monster.

Shining Friendship could connect to the Unity, Yu-Jo Friendship. And Symbol of Friendship Spell cards, as well as the Judgment of the Happy Wheels card, if its effect was made better. Depending on how many of these cards are in your Graveyard, it could either search the deck for them. When it was summoned or get a boost to its Attack Points.