While Crush Card Virus was revealed as the next Shonen Jump Championship prize months ago, the past few weeks have had some surprises in store. Though the card itself was known, its debut event was not announced until relatively recently, so many duelists who had already booked their trip to Orlando were pleasantly surprised to find out that they were getting an unforeseen opportunity. Then, just two days before the tournament, Upper Deck Entertainment announced that they’d be awarding not two, but a whopping four copies of Crush Card at each upcoming Shonen Jump event! It was an announcement that’s garnered near-uniform praise from the dueling masses, and everybody here today seems really thrilled at having more chances to take one home.
If you’re not familiar with Crush Card’s prestigious pedigree, or just want to see the official English text, here’s a transcription:
Tribute 1 Dark monster with 1000 or less ATK. Check all monsters on your opponent’s side of the field, your opponent’s hand, and all cards they draw (until the end of your opponent’s 3rd turn after this card’s activation), and destroy all monsters with 1500 or more ATK.
On one hand, Crush Card Virus is the ultimate fan-pleaser: collectors and avid watchers of the animated series have been pining for it for years. It isn’t just the most important promo for collectors though: it’s also the most playable Shonen Jump Championship prize of all time (I sincerely think it puts Cyber-Stein to shame). Monsters that can be tributed for its effect include Sangan, Spirit Reaper, Apprentice Magician and Old Vindictive Magician, and it blows away a countless number of popular attackers in this format. Monarchs? Gone. Goldd and Sillva? They get destroyed from the hand, not discarded, so, though they land in the graveyard, they don’t get special summoned. Survivor? If he gets destroyed from the hand, he never hits the field, so he won’t get his effect in a Macro Cosmos deck. Cyber Dragon? Toast. Big Fusions? Destroyed at point of activation if the Crush Card player times things right. The list just goes on and on: the only decks that dodge the wrath of the Virus are Chain Strike Burn and the Gadgets.
With four cards being released here today it’s likely that at least one winner might keep their card to play it in future tournaments. If they do, it could see use in anything running an Apprentice Engine, from Spellcasters to Monarchs. Looking forward, Strike of Neos even makes Crush Card Virus playable in Dark World. Cool stuff!
I remember writing an article like this about Shrink when it was released last year at SJC Columbus, and I did a lot of explaining about combos and various ways to use it. This time around, things are different. While it’s certainly even more dangerous when you can flip an Old Vindictive, take out a small monster like Spirit Reaper or a set Dekoichi, and then tribute it, you don’t need combos or specific situations to make this card work once you have a monster to tribute. Just set it, get your tribute on the field, and if you can chain to a Nobleman of Crossout or Zaborg then that’s just gravy.
Whoever makes Top 3 here this weekend will be the owner of easily the most sought-after, celebrated promo of all time! We’re just one round into the tournament, and it’s still anybody’s game, so stay with us to see which duelists will be in the running tomorrow.