The Fullmetal Alchemist Trading Card Game was first released by JoyRide Studios in 2005, to accompany Cartoon Network’s airing of the series; like the show, the TCG garnered a dedicated fanbase. Expansions were released as the series ran, during the theatrical run of the series-ending feature-length film, and after the show ended. By the time early 2007 rolled around, though, with no new source material to draw from, production of the card game stopped. Now, publisher Destineer has brought us the game in digital form for the DS, including every card ever made — more than 500 in all.

Players begin by choosing a “leader” character and their deck from a large selection of the show’s main characters, including protagonists Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse, Colonel Roy Mustang, or even villains like Lust and Scar. Each deck possesses locations that can be explored; successful exploration gains the exploring player “clues” to the location of the Philosopher’s Stone, with nine clues required to find the stone and win the game. Fights occur when characters from either side search the same location. In the meantime, players can recruit new allies, equip those allies with attachment cards, or play events that can affect any number of factors.

Let’s get this out of the way right now: the Fullmetal Alchemist TCG is incredibly complex. Played Pokemon or Magic? Get ready to play a game that’s exponentially more involved and intricate. Each turn consists of six phases, some of which have as many as five sub-phases, each with very specific actions that can and cannot be taken at that point. Characters have statistics rating their Strength, Wits, and Alchemy skills, which can affect (and be affected by) plenty of different game circumstances, and since your character can level up(!) and possess equipment, these statistics are in a constant state of flux. The game does feature a very long and involved tutorial, but it still doesn’t really prepare you for the depth and complexity you’ll encounter as soon as you take part in your first real match.

Stylus control is all but required to perform the myriad actions required throughout the game, so it’s fortunate that touch control here is intuitive and well-implemented; unfortunately, you also use face and shoulder buttons, which can be confusing. Your actions take place largely on the touch screen, with the top screen showing your opponent’s card set-up, or a more detailed card view at times. It’s problematic that, between the large play area and the DS’s small screens, it’s almost impossible to see any details on your cards in the zoomed-out view; be prepared to have to examine each card frequently, since there are so many and each have a lot to remember.

The presentation here is straightforward and simple. While each card features large, detailed artwork, don’t expect any graphical frills or flourishes, let alone Yu-Gi-Oh-style card animations. This is a direct digital adaptation of the real-world card game, and doesn’t offer any of the improvements possible in a video-game version. Forget about any kind of storyline-based single-player mode (like what you’d see in the Game Boy version of the Pokemon card game); instead, you can play matches against the computer to unlock new cards, or you can play against your friends, but that’s pretty much it.

Playing against your friends is the game’s true saving grace. For fans of the cancelled card game, what could be better than being able to play and trade cards digitally against anyone with a DS? Wi-Fi Connection support means that fans the world over will be able to face off, and will provide a means to keep the game’s cult tournament scene alive, albeit in digital form.

For fans of the card game, this is a no-brainer - buy this game. You’ll have all the cards you could ever want (there’s an included Fantasy mode that lets you construct your ultimate deck, with no limitations on the cards you use), the ability to play against like-minded fans online, and a guaranteed AI opponent for practice. Anyone who’s not already familiar with the game, though, should be prepared to put a lot of effort into understanding all the rules, let alone actually getting good at the game.

Gameplay: 7.4
It’s crazy in-depth, which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. Fans of the physical card game will be ecstatic at how accurately the game’s been translated to the digital realm.

Graphics: 5.4
What graphics? Sure, you’ve got functional representations of the cards, including some nice detailed artwork taken from the series. That said, don’t expect a visual wonderland. 99% of the time, looking at this game is a matter of looking at lots of intricately-arranged rectangles.

Sound: 6.8
There are some pleasant tunes here, but they’re rather forgettable, honestly. While there is a small amount of voice-work taken from the series, nothing about the game’s audio is going to blow your socks off.

Difficulty: Hard
The learning curve is more than steep; it’s like climbing a cliff face bare-handed. Once you’ve learned the game, the actual matches aren’t exceptionally tough, although the AI does put up a respectable fight.

Concept: 7.1
Fullmetal Alchemist’s storyline doesn’t really lend itself to a fast, combat-based card game, so it’s a good thing that this isn’t one. Actually, the game does an impressive job of translating the show’s themes and tone to card form, although the rules are, if anything, too complicated for its own good.

Multiplayer: 8.3
Plenty of options (including Wi-Fi Connection) mean that anyone so inclined will have the ability to play with their friends or DS-owning strangers. Since the physical game had a dedicated fanbase, there’s a good chance that this game will see an online following.

Overall: 6.9
While it’s certainly a well-made digital recreation of the original card game, this is the very definition of a niche title: for a small group of people, the game is a godsend, and for everyone else, it’s utterly incomprehensible.