Why Are YuGiOh Cards Smaller Than Most TCGs?

The Reason Why YuGiOh Cards Are Smaller

YuGiOh was a manga long before it became a card game, even though the card game was a key component of the manga. After a couple of years, Bandai Namco (who owned the corresponding rights) decided to print some promotional YuGiOh cards.

These cards would be available in the common Japanese card vending machines created by Carddass. However, Carddass machines only fit smaller (bridge-sized) cards as opposed to standard (poker-sized) cards.

As legend has it, Konami later gained the rights to manufacture and distribute the YuGiOh TCG and decided to keep the smaller size.  

Myths About YuGiOh’s Smaller Form Factor

Our research was unable to turn up any official statements from Konami regarding the size of YuGiOh cards. That means that it’s a bit of a mystery, which means there is much speculation to follow.

I read many forum posts but mostly found fans spreading false information, therefore, here’s a list of myths about YuGiOh’s smaller size.

• The cards are smaller because YuGiOh is a kids game
• They are “Japanese-sized”
• Konami made them small to look more like the cards in the anime
• Konami wanted YuGiOh to be different than Pokémon
• They never intended to leave Japan (what?)

Bridge Size Vs. Poker Size

To make things simple, Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are smaller than most trading card games because the manufacturer, Konami, decided to make them bridge-sized, which is a smaller size than the more commonly used poker-sized cards in other trading card games. 

Bridge is a much older card game than poker, gaining popularity as early as the 1890s. Poker didn’t become popular until the 1970s, which makes it even more interesting that Konami went with bridge-size cards since YuGiOh was released in 1999 during the trading card frenzy of Pokémon. 

Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering, Digimon, and most sports cards are poker-sized.

The smaller size of the cards also makes it easier to shuffle and handle them during gameplay. Additionally, the smaller size helps to keep the cost of printing and producing the cards lower, which is important for the affordability and accessibility of the game. 

This decision was made early on in the development of the game and has since become a defining characteristic. If Konami were to switch to poker-sized cards today, it would be nearly impossible due to a large number of existing bridge-sized cards and the significant disruption it would cause to the entire trading card game ecosystem. 

Benefits And Disadvantages Of YuGiOh Card Size 

Benefits of smaller cards:

Easier to shuffle: The smaller size of the cards makes it easier to shuffle and manipulate them during gameplay.

More compact: Smaller cards take up less space, making them easier to transport and store, especially when compared to larger cards.

Lower manufacturing costs: The smaller size of the cards also helps to keep the cost of printing and producing the cards lower, making the game more affordable and accessible to a wider audience. 

Disadvantages of smaller cards:

Requirement for specific sleeves: The smaller size of the cards means that players must purchase specific sleeves designed for bridge-sized cards, which may not be readily available or may cost more than generic card sleeves. 

Incompatible with other TCGs: The smaller size of the cards means that they are not compatible with products designed for other, more commonly used, poker-sized trading card games. This includes card binders, deck boxes, and playmats. Overall, while the smaller size of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards has its benefits, it also has some disadvantages that players should be aware of when considering purchasing or playing the game

YuGiOh Card Dimensions

Metric: 88mm x 63mm 

Standard: 3.46 inches x 2.48 inches 

Pixels: 2480 x 1754 (at 300 dpi) 

Thickness: 35pt (approximately 0.05 inches) 

YuGiOh cards are smaller than most other TCGs but this is simply because Konami decided to make them smaller. Although there are some disadvantages to smaller cards such as finding sleeves, there are also benefits that come from smaller cards. They are easier to shuffle and take up less space!