Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force immerses players in the Duel Academy, an elite school for young duelists, as they join the Slifer Red dormitory and go head to head with other students from the opposing Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue student associations. The school is holding a new type of dueling contest this year, letting students team up in groups of two and compete together. Breaking new ground in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Series, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force features an original tag team battle system in which players can team up with a computer controlled teammate and take on two other duelists. Each teammate utilizes a different deck, allowing for countless new strategic opportunities as players bring each character into the dueling fray. The game also features a larger selection of cards than any previous Yu-Gi-Oh! Video game, providing players with more choices in building their decks and new custom animations for each card as they are brought into play.

Building upon the competitive foundations of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Series, Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Tag Force features ad-hoc wireless multiplayer functionality for two duelists. Players can select two unique characters and decks to use in each battle, setting the stage for intense head to head standoffs.