Nintendo Offers Pre-Sale Rewards for New Pokémon Games

Pre-Order New Pokémon HeartGold Version or Pokémon SoulSilver Version Games Starting Feb. 1 to Receive Pokémon Figure

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– For Pokémon™ fans, good things come to those who don’t wait. The new Pokémon™ HeartGold Version and Pokémon™ SoulSilver Version games for the portable Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems will launch across North America on March 14, but consumers will have the chance to receive a reward for pre-ordering the games beginning Feb. 1. Those who take advantage of this pre-sale opportunity can receive a Legendary Pokémon figure crafted by Kaiyodo, an internationally renowned figure-making company, while supplies last at major retailers, giving fans of the blockbuster series yet another way to enjoy its vast and imaginative cast of Pokémon characters.

Consumers who pre-order Pokémon HeartGold Version will receive a figure of Ho-Oh™, a Legendary Pokémon that circles the skies of the Johto region on rainbow-colored wings. Those who pre-order Pokémon SoulSilver Version will get a figure of Lugia™, a Legendary Pokémon that dwells deep in the seas and has the power to create massive storms. Ho-Oh and Lugia are featured on the packages of the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Version games, and these premiums will be offered at participating retailers nationwide while supplies last.

“These unique figures are our way of thanking Pokémon fans of all ages for the enthusiasm and support they have shown for the series,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions include new features and enhancements that players will instantly appreciate, and we think these terrific figures will help to get fans even more excited about what is in store for them on March 14.”

Created exclusively for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi systems, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions return players to the scenic Johto region first introduced in the popular Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver Version games for the portable Game Boy™ system a decade ago. Both games have been fully updated with enhanced graphics and sound, plus new touch-screen features. The games are also bundled with the new Pokéwalker™ accessory, a portable device that players can use to take their favorite Pokémon from the Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Version games wherever they go, catch wild Pokémon and even find hidden items.

Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions each carry a suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information about Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version, visit www.pokemon.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.2 billion video games and more than 535 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. 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 Nintendo, visit the company’s Web site at www.nintendo.com.

About Pokémon

The Pokémon Company International, a subsidiary of The Pokémon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia and is responsible for brand management, licensing, marketing, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the animated TV series, home entertainment, and the official Pokémon website. Pokémon was launched in Japan in 1996 and today is one of the most popular children’s entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.