It's unbelievable. Games that have been 5 bucks used for years are now new and exciting on paper!
Nintendo's e-Reader Turns Trading Cards Into Video Games
New Way to Play Games On Game Boy(R) Advance
REDMOND, Wash.--Sept. 16, 2002--Nintendo is turning paper trading
cards into electronic games for the Game Boy(R) Advance using the new
innovative e-Reader.
When slid through the e-Reader, high-tech paper trading cards
allow players to experience games in a number of ways, depending on
the card. The e-Reader cards hold complete video games playable on
Game Boy Advance, enhance game play on Nintendo GameCube(TM), and
expand the play of traditional trading card games, all from just
sliding one or a few paper cards.
The e-Reader, with a suggested retail price of $39.95, includes a
set of cards with one classic NES(R) game, either Donkey Kong Jr.(R)-e
or Pinball-e, and a sample pack of five e-Reader cards. The sample
pack includes the Manhole-e Game&Watch game, one Animal Crossing(TM)-e
card, which connects to the Nintendo GameCube, and three cards from
the Pokemon(R)-e: Expedition series. Additional e-Reader card packs
will retail from $1.95 to $4.95.
"The e-Reader creates a completely new experience for game
players. It's the fun of collecting trading cards and the challenge of
playing video games," says Peter MacDougall, executive vice president,
sales and marketing, Nintendo of America Inc. "Now anyone can carry
their favorite games on just a few cards -- all they have to do is
slide it and play it. It's technology on paper."
The e-Reader accessory connects to the Game Boy Advance via the
cartridge slot and uses "dot code technology" to read optical data
imprinted on the specially designed trading cards. The e-Reader
hardware has hardware has a one megabit flash ROM to store up to one video game for
continued play. The hardware also links to a second Game Boy Advance
or a Nintendo GameCube. Animal Crossing for Nintendo GameCube uses the
feature and upcoming products will take advantage of it in exciting
and innovative ways.
Card sets for five classic games originally made for the Nintendo
Entertainment System(R) (NES), Donkey Kong Jr.-e, Pinball-e, Balloon
Fight(R)-e, Tennis-e, and Excitebike(R)-e cards, will be available at
launch. Pokemon-e trading card game cards which also can be used as a
stand-alone trading card game, will be distributed by Wizards of the
Coast under license from Pokemon USA, Inc, will also be available on
September 16th.
In Q4, a second series of NES cards will launch including Donkey
Kong(R)-e, Mario Bros.(R)-e, Ice Climber-e, Baseball-e, and Urban
Champion-e. Animal Crossing-e card packs will also be available to
unlock features and enhance game play in Nintendo GameCube games.
As the worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of
interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan,
manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home
video game systems. The systems include Game Boy(R), Nintendo(R) 64,
Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube(TM). Since the release of its
first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.6
billion video games worldwide, creating enduring industry icons such
as Mario(TM) and Donkey Kong(R) and launching such franchises as
Zelda(TM) and Pokemon(R). As a wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of
America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for
Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.
For more information about any Nintendo product visit the
company's Web site, www.nintendo.com.