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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Card sets for five classic games originally made for the Nintendo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.