Nintendo e-Reader for Game Boy Advance

Based on "Dot Code Technology" (licensed by Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.), Nintendo's e-Reader is innovative technology which reads optical data imprinted on specially designed paper trading cards. The e-Reader, by the way, contains one MB flash memory and 64 MB mask ROM to store up to one video game at a time. You can also use the e-Reader to link to a second Game Boy Advance or a Nintendo GameCube.Why go with a regular card deck if you can go high tech and scan a few trading cards for some new games?

Although the e-Reader is relatively inexpensive (approximately $40), expect your kids to be collecting packs of shiny e-cards, some which contain scannable codes which allows kids to play classic NES games by scanning five cards. It'll take one or two cards to replicate a classic "Game & Watch" game (released by Nintendo in the 1980s!).

At press time, Nintendo games include Donkey Kong Jr. (way back from the NES era), Tennis-e, Pinball-e, Excitebike-e, and Balloon Fight-e. The most interesting card pack that Nintendo currently offers is Animal Crossing-e, which actually unlocks features and enhances game play in Nintendo's Game Cube platform. You can send game data from your e- Reader/GBA through your Nintendo Game Cube. That will require using a cable to connect between the platforms. Plus Wizards of the Coast has introduced an Expedition of Pokémon e-Cards to liven things up.

Hands down, we preferred the Wizards of the Coast Pokémon cards to the old-classic Nintendo games, which seemed dull compared to our other video games. The nice thing about the Pokémon games is that you can use them as e-Cards or as the traditional trading card game. In the Pokémon-e: Expedition cards, you can scan the short bar on the card for an expanded Pokédex while scanning the long bar on several related cards will get you a Pokémon mini-game or surprise!

One of the real problems with e-Cards is that kids have to play responsibly. That means keeping the cards, by packs, in one place and in good condition. Bend the card and it won't scan. Let the dog chew on the card and there's an obvious problem. Stepping on a scannable e-Card is not a good idea. Unfortunately, they look just like the other regular paper Pokémon cards your kids probably have all over his or her bedroom floor! That is, if they haven't sold them at your last garage sale!

Unfortunately, not all of the cards in the e-Reader card packs are scannable. You also need to scan about five cards in order to play a full game. Lose one card and you won't be able to play the game. You know, gotta buy s'more!

As a parent, I prefer games on disks or cartridges for replayability and durability. As a technology reviewer, I think e-Card technology is an awesome leap in gaming connectivity. As consumers, we are likely familiar with scanning our credit cards at the check-out lines, whether it be a grocery store or a mega-super store. On the other hand, your kids will know exactly how to scan any card by practicing on the Nintendo e-Reader. Scary? I think so. Obviously, this is a huge deal in gaming technology and just the start of what's to come!

Nintendo's e-Reader hardware snaps into place easily on a Game Boy Advance. There are no cables or wires to mess with. The only true challenge is storing the cards somewhere other than the floor! You decide if this will work in your house!

The $40 Nintendo e-Reader includes a set of cards with one classic NES game (either Donkey Kong Jr. or Pinball-e) and a sample pack of five e-Reader cards. You'll find cards on Manhole-e, an Animal Crossing-e card which interestingly, connects to the Nintendo GameCube, and three cards from the Pokémon-e: Expedition series in the sample pack.

Obviously, Nintendo's e-Reader combines card collection with high-tech game playing. Without a doubt, it's fun scanning cards and watching your Nintendo GBA recognize the card and load up a game! Unfortunately, not all cards are scannable and 8-year-olds do not seem to want to understand that harsh reality. Kids will repeatedly scan cards in hopes that their e-Reader will recognize the card. Parents need to intervene to explain that not all cards have scannable dot codes on them. In a perfect world, all cards would be scannable!

Is this the start of another expensive hobby? Maybe! At less than $5 per card pack, it's less expensive than any video game or rental but since the cards are paper and you can only store one game at a time, this will require organization and supervision to safeguard your investment. Otherwise, they'll likely end up in the floor or stuffed in the family room couch.

The Review Zone Wrap-Up: For true Pokémon card collectors who take care of their cards, this is a two-thumb's up investment and will provide hours of fun. For kids who have too many toys, this may be an expensive stocking stuffer with instant gratification games which may or may not hold their interest for long.