Mirror Force is one of Yu-Gi-Oh!’s classic cards, and, as one of Yugi’s favorites, it has seen play throughout almost all of the series and games. Always popular and useful, this fan-favorite card has also served as an inspiration for the creation of eight unique variations of it.
With a total of nine Mirror Force cards and with all of them being able to activate whenever an opponent’s monster attacks but still having quite different effects, some have managed to outshine the original, while others haven’t seen much play at all. Of course, the list may vary depending on certain matchups, but some cards objectively outperform the others.
Dark Mirror Force
Dark Mirror Force activates whenever an opponent’s monster performs an attack, and it removes from play all defense position monsters that they control.
It is placed at the bottom of the list since it is difficult to get much value out of this card. Usually, when the opponent attacks, they will have no defense position monsters. Thus, there will be cases where this card won’t be activatable at all, while, in any other case, the most common outcome is banishing a single monster. Since the opponent’s attacking monsters persist, it doesn’t exactly help the player.
Radiant Mirror Force
Radiant Mirror Force activates whenever an opponent’s monster attacks but also requires that the opponent controls three or more Attack position monsters.
It sets the bar a bit too high and thus does not see much play; if the player has to wait until the opponent has three attack position monsters on the field, then it will probably be too late as the player will have already lost a lot of life points over the previous rounds.
Mirror Force Dragon
Mirror Force Dragon is the only monster on this list. It can only be fusion summoned and bears a significantly strong effect; whenever a monster the player controls is targeted either for an attack or by a card effect, it can destroy all cards on the opponent’s side of the field.
Despite its strong effect, its setback is that it isn’t a face-down trap card, but a face-up monster that is also difficult to summon. The opponent can easily destroy it with a spell—even one that targets it if it procs first and then gets destroyed by the dragon’s effect—before attacking or doing anything else.
Mirror Force Launcher
Mirror Force Launcher is, as its name suggests, an infinite supply of Mirror Force. Once per turn, at the cost of discarding a monster, it brings back to hand from the graveyard a Mirror Force. It is important to note that it can only bring back the original Mirror Force, not its other variants.
However, its drawback is that it becomes obvious; the opponent will know that there is a Mirror Force set down and will play accordingly based on that.
Blazing Mirror Force
Blazing Mirror Force offers a more unique effect. It activates whenever an opponent’s monster attacks, and it destroys all attack position monsters that the opponent controls. However, the player is damaged by the combined attack of the destroyed monsters split in half, and it then inflicts the same damage to the opponent. It offers a unique, less defensive, and more offensive approach to Mirror Force, and is utilized best by decks who aim to win via effect damage.
Quaking Mirror Force
Quaking Mirror Force activates whenever an opponent’s monster attacks. It sets all attack-position monsters to face-down defense, and, more importantly, does not allow them ever to switch back.
This card can be exceptionally useful asm not only does it stop the opponent’s attack, but it also fills their field with face-down monsters that they cannot use. This card is best used in slow-paced decks that aim to win with card effects like F.I.N.A.L and Final Countdown.
Mirror Force
Mirror force, which is the original card and inspiration for all the others, still maintains a high spot on this list. It activates when an opponent’s monster attacks, and it destroys all attack-position monsters on their field.
As a card that is easy to activate and has a powerful effect, it still remains a solid choice for almost any deck. Especially in the previous games and series, it was one of the most popular cards.
Storming Mirror Force
As one of the best variations, Storming Mirror Force activates when an opponent’s monster attacks and sends all attack-position monsters that they control back to their hand. This blocks the opponent from activating any graveyard effects—as could happen after the normal Mirror Force—and can even force them to discard cards at the end of their turn due to exceeding the maximum hand size of six.
Drowning Mirror Force
Drowning Mirror Force has a major difference when compared to all the others, as it can activate only when an opponent’s monster performs a direct attack at the player’s life points. If activated, it returns all attack position monsters on the opponent’s field back to their deck.
It is considered by many fans as the best Mirror Force card since it fully disrupts the opponent’s combo. They can’t resummon these monsters through their field, hand, or graveyard and will probably have to wait to draw them again. It’s easily the most disruptive card of all of the Mirror Force variants.
