E-Reader
Encyclopedia
The is a device made by Nintendo
for its Game Boy Advance
portable video game system
. It was first released in Japan in December 2001, with a North American release following in September 2002. It has a LED
scanner that reads "e-Reader cards", paper cards with specially encoded data printed on them.
Depending on the card and associated game, the e-cards are typically used in a key-like function to unlock secret items, levels, or play mini-games when swiped through the reader. See below for a comprehensive list of cards and their functions. The cards themselves contain data, as opposed to unlocking data already on the device itself.
The e-Reader is neither a console
nor an accessory
, but an add-on device, like the Famicom Disk System
or the Sega CD. The e-Reader is one of only three official Nintendo add-ons to be released in North America. The other two are the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
's Super Game Boy
and the Nintendo GameCube
's Game Boy Player
.
games such as Animal Crossing
and with other Game Boy Advance systems for games such as Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
. The e-Reader was only considered successful in Japan. It was announced for Europe but very few were made, as it was almost immediately canceled, and it was discontinued in North America in early 2004, due to a lack of popularity. In Japan, however, it sold much better and was produced up to the discontinuation of the Game Boy hardware line.
In order to add items and scan levels in games such as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
, a player required two Game Boy Advance systems and a link cable. The gray end would go into the e-Reader GBA and the purple end into the GBA that had the game. After entering the needed point on the game, players would swipe the cards in and the data would be transferred to the game cartridge. This function does not work with the Nintendo DS
due to the lack of link cable support.
There have been numerous other games released with e-Reader support in Japan.
technology licensed from Olympus Corporation
. e-Reader Cards may have one or two sets of dot code on them, either a wide strip on the left side of the card, a wide strip on both the left and right sides of the card, a narrow strip on the bottom of the card or a short strip on the bottom of the card with a long strip on the left side of the card. Smaller games may require scanning only one card (two sets of dot code), while the greater NES
games can require as many as five cards (nine to ten sets of dot code) in order to start the application.
The shorter sets of dot code were only used with the Pokémon Trading Card Game
. Cards released in regular sets published by both Nintendo and Wizards of the Coast
had dot code on the bottom side of the card. When scanned, the e-Reader displayed a Pokédex data entry for the Pokémon shown on the card. Many of the cards published by Wizards of the Coast included a left side dot code that would allow users to play mini-games, animations, and use secret attacks in the Trading Card Game or play with various songs and graphics.
The e-Reader plugs into the cartridge slot of the Game Boy Advance like a regular game would. The end of the e-Reader sticks out from the Game Boy Advance unit to provide a slot to scan the e-Reader Cards. Electronically, the e-Reader is compatible with any console that supports Game Boy Advance games, however it may be mechanically incompatible with some systems (it simply does not fit), and the ability to link consoles may not be available.
Once installed, the link cable connector on the Game Boy Advance is obstructed, but a pass-through connection on the e-Reader allows link-up features to be used. The Game Boy Advance SP is also fully compatible, although the e-Reader doesn't mount flush with the SP (see picture). As the link cable connector on the SP is unobstructed, the pass-through on the e-Reader is not used.
The Game Boy Player is also fully compatible, and the e-Reader connects as it would to a Game Boy Advance (the e-Reader pass-through connector is used for connecting the link cable). The GameCube hosting this system acts as a Game Boy Advance - in order to link to a GameCube game, a second GameCube, running the game in question, must be used.
The e-Reader can connect to the DS Lite
, but not the original DS. The e-Reader can however be modified to fit into the original DS, In either case, there is no support for linking features, as neither system has a link cable port.
The e-Reader does fit into the Game Boy Micro
., and that system has a link cable port, however it is not a standard connector. A special Game Boy Micro Game Link Cable must be used for linking features. The Game Boy Micro's non-standard link cable port can not accept the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable, meaning it cannot link with GameCube games without modification to the cable.
Because the first version of the Japanese e-Reader did not have a link cable pass-through connector, it can fit into consoles which the later e-Readers are incompatible with. Even though Game Boys and DSs are region-free
, Japanese e-Reader cards work only on Japanese e-Readers, etc.
, Donkey Kong
, and Ice Climber
, all released as e-Reader cards, were later released in cartridge form as part of the Classic NES Series
on Game Boy Advance. Also, all games except Urban Champion
were included as unlockables in the GameCube game Animal Crossing, in full two-player mode where applicable.
All NES titles released include:
, would provide items to players. Some were rare, while others were more common. Some unlocked "town tunes", which were played each time you talked to an animal, still others were "sibling" cards (series 2–4) with two related characters on the front, and yet more were tailor design cards, which unlocked new designs to be used around the village. Aside from the regular card packs, some regular series cards were distributed on a promotional basis through GameStop
, EB Games, and Energizer batteries. These cards did not differ from the regular version of the cards contained within the packs sold at the retail level.
, allowed the player to load up special trainers to battle or to get special berries. In Japan, the series was sold as six sets, each with a different theme, with 10 cards in each set (8 trainers, 1 berry, and 1 checklist), while in the US, the series was packaged together to have two themes per pack. In addition, 2 promo cards, 1 for each version, were packed in with the games. The cards are loaded into Ruby or Sapphire through the Mystery Events function once it is unlocked.
When scanned and loaded into Ruby and Sapphire, a trainer would appear in a house in Mossdeep City. When the player battled the trainer, the Pokémon used in battle would not gain Exp. points, and the trainer would not earn any winnings, like in a Battle Tower or link battle. The checklist card in each set lists all the trainers for the theme of the set.
When scanned and loaded into Ruby and Sapphire, a Special Berry would be set into the game. The first time an Enigma Berry card is scanned, you get the berry from Norman. When a new Enigma Berry card is scanned, all the Enigma Berries in the game change into the newly scanned one. An Enigma berry cannot leave the game it was scanned into, except through Diamond and Pearl's
migration system. When the berry is transferred, it changes into "Enigma Berry", no matter what Enigma Berry it was before, and gains the ability to restore the HP of a Pokémon holding it if it was hit by a super effective attack.
This card is seen as part of this set as it is scanned through the same method. See "Other" below for more info.
There were additional Battle-e card sets for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon Emerald in Japan, but because the e-Reader was discontinued in the US, they were never released outside of Japan, and the e-Reader functionality was removed from all non-Japanese versions of the games as the e-Reader proved unpopular.
Two promotional cards came packed in with every US and Australian copy of the game sold. Five additional cards were released for a very short time and were packed in with the game and sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores in the US. These five cards have become extremely hard to find, as the e-Reader had been discontinued in North America not long after the release of the game. The two e-Reader cards that were initially bundled with Super Mario Advance 4 have since been discontinued.
games for GBA (known as Mega Man
outside of Japan) used Card Reader e+ cards to customize their game with the e-Reader +. The cards caused various effects as, such as Base HP, Abilities, Buster Changes, Charge Shot Modifications, B+ Back Abilities. There are even Item Cards which can give out sets of Battle Chips, Sub Chips, BugFrags, Zenny, and even Navi Customizer Programs (Only introduced in Rockman EXE6
Modification Card Part 1 & Rockman EXE6 Modification Card Part 2). They could also cause negative effects ('Bugs') to happen, causing such effects as the causing Rockman to lose health and move the wrong way, or causing the player to be unable to control it. As for the Rockman Zero 3
Cards, they'll change the Resistance Base and add new an overhaul of new things to it as well as Weapon Upgrades and Bullet Appearances to make an actual Buster Shot look like a real bullet that an actual Gun fires.
These cards cannot be used on the English version of the games. The only way to gain the cards' effects in the English versions is through various cheating devices, such as Code Breaker
, Pro Action Replay and GameShark
.
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
for its Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
portable video game system
Handheld game console
A handheld game console is a lightweight, portable electronic device with a built-in screen, game controls and speakers. Handheld game consoles are run on machines of small size allowing people to carry them and play them at any time or place...
. It was first released in Japan in December 2001, with a North American release following in September 2002. It has a LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
scanner that reads "e-Reader cards", paper cards with specially encoded data printed on them.
Depending on the card and associated game, the e-cards are typically used in a key-like function to unlock secret items, levels, or play mini-games when swiped through the reader. See below for a comprehensive list of cards and their functions. The cards themselves contain data, as opposed to unlocking data already on the device itself.
The e-Reader is neither a console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
nor an accessory
Video game accessory
A video game accessory is a distinct piece of hardware that is required to use a video game console, or one that enriches the video game's play experience. Essentially, video game accessories are everything except the console itself, such as controllers, memory, power adapters , and audio/visual...
, but an add-on device, like the Famicom Disk System
Famicom Disk System
The was released on February 21, 1986 by Nintendo as a peripheral for the Family Computer console in Japan. It was a unit that used proprietary floppy disks for data storage. It was announced, but never released, for the North American Nintendo Entertainment System...
or the Sega CD. The e-Reader is one of only three official Nintendo add-ons to be released in North America. The other two are the Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
's Super Game Boy
Super Game Boy
The is a 16-bit adapter cartridge for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System, as well as the Super Famicom in Japan. The Super Game Boy allows game cartridges designed for use on the Game Boy to be played on a TV display using the SNES/Super Famicom controllers. When it was released in...
and the Nintendo GameCube
Nintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
's Game Boy Player
Game Boy Player
The is a device made by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube which enables Game Boy , Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance cartridges to be played on a television. It connects via the high speed parallel port at the bottom of the GameCube and requires use of a boot disc to access the hardware...
.
General information
Two versions were released in Japan: the original e-Reader (without a link cable port), which could read cards to unlock game content, etc.; and later the e-Reader+ (simply "e-Reader" in Australia and North America), which came with a link cable port to connect with Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCube
The , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
games such as Animal Crossing
Animal Crossing
The Animal Crossing games have garnered positive response. The first three games are among the best-selling for their respective consoles. Animal Crossing has sold 2.321 million copies; Wild World 10.79 million; and City Folk 3.38 million...
and with other Game Boy Advance systems for games such as Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
are the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
. The e-Reader was only considered successful in Japan. It was announced for Europe but very few were made, as it was almost immediately canceled, and it was discontinued in North America in early 2004, due to a lack of popularity. In Japan, however, it sold much better and was produced up to the discontinuation of the Game Boy hardware line.
In order to add items and scan levels in games such as Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3, released in Japan as , is a platform video game that was developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It was first released in Japan, and then later released in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is an enhanced...
, a player required two Game Boy Advance systems and a link cable. The gray end would go into the e-Reader GBA and the purple end into the GBA that had the game. After entering the needed point on the game, players would swipe the cards in and the data would be transferred to the game cartridge. This function does not work with the Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
due to the lack of link cable support.
e-Reader cards
In the U.S., e-Reader Card packs have been released that contain:- NESNintendo Entertainment SystemThe Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
games - New levels and power-ups for Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros 3, released in Japan as , is a platform video game that was developed and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It was first released in Japan, and then later released in Europe, North America, and Australia. It is an enhanced...
- Items and designs for Animal Crossing
- New trainers to battle in Pokémon Ruby and SapphirePokémon Ruby and Sapphireare the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
- Mini-games, including an exclusive version of Mario PartyMario Partyis a party video game for the Nintendo 64 game console, developed by Hudson Soft and published by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on December 14, 1998, in North America on February 8, 1999, and in Europe on March 9, 1999...
. - Game & WatchGame & Watchis a line of handheld electronic games produced by Nintendo from to . Created by game designer Gunpei Yokoi, each Game & Watch features a single game to be played on an LCD screen in addition to a clock and an alarm ....
Cards, originally there were plans to release every Game and Watch game on a series of E-reader cards, or at least 20 according to some people. There have only been four of the games officially released.
There have been numerous other games released with e-Reader support in Japan.
Dot code
Data is encoded on the cards using "dot code", a specialized barcodeBarcode
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional . Later they evolved into rectangles,...
technology licensed from Olympus Corporation
Olympus Corporation
is a Japan-based manufacturer of optics and reprography products. Olympus was established on 12 October 1919, initially specializing in microscope and thermometer businesses. Its global headquarters are in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, while its USA operations are based in Center Valley, Pennsylvania,...
. e-Reader Cards may have one or two sets of dot code on them, either a wide strip on the left side of the card, a wide strip on both the left and right sides of the card, a narrow strip on the bottom of the card or a short strip on the bottom of the card with a long strip on the left side of the card. Smaller games may require scanning only one card (two sets of dot code), while the greater NES
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
games can require as many as five cards (nine to ten sets of dot code) in order to start the application.
The shorter sets of dot code were only used with the Pokémon Trading Card Game
Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game based on the Pokémon video game series, first introduced in Japan in October 1996, then North America in December 1998...
. Cards released in regular sets published by both Nintendo and Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
had dot code on the bottom side of the card. When scanned, the e-Reader displayed a Pokédex data entry for the Pokémon shown on the card. Many of the cards published by Wizards of the Coast included a left side dot code that would allow users to play mini-games, animations, and use secret attacks in the Trading Card Game or play with various songs and graphics.
Compatibility
Once installed, the link cable connector on the Game Boy Advance is obstructed, but a pass-through connection on the e-Reader allows link-up features to be used. The Game Boy Advance SP is also fully compatible, although the e-Reader doesn't mount flush with the SP (see picture). As the link cable connector on the SP is unobstructed, the pass-through on the e-Reader is not used.
The Game Boy Player is also fully compatible, and the e-Reader connects as it would to a Game Boy Advance (the e-Reader pass-through connector is used for connecting the link cable). The GameCube hosting this system acts as a Game Boy Advance - in order to link to a GameCube game, a second GameCube, running the game in question, must be used.
The e-Reader can connect to the DS Lite
Nintendo DS Lite
The is a dual-screen handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It is a slimmer, brighter, and more lightweight redesign of the Nintendo DS, designed to be aesthetically sleeker, while taking styling cues from the Game Boy Advance SP, and to appeal to broader commercial audiences...
, but not the original DS. The e-Reader can however be modified to fit into the original DS, In either case, there is no support for linking features, as neither system has a link cable port.
The e-Reader does fit into the Game Boy Micro
Game Boy Micro
is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was first released in September 2005 in the market. The system is the last console of the Game Boy line...
., and that system has a link cable port, however it is not a standard connector. A special Game Boy Micro Game Link Cable must be used for linking features. The Game Boy Micro's non-standard link cable port can not accept the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance Cable, meaning it cannot link with GameCube games without modification to the cable.
Because the first version of the Japanese e-Reader did not have a link cable pass-through connector, it can fit into consoles which the later e-Readers are incompatible with. Even though Game Boys and DSs are region-free
Regional lockout
Regional lockout is the programming practice, code, chip, or physical barrier used to prevent the playing of media designed for a device from the country where it is marketed on the version of the same device marketed in another country.-Video games:...
, Japanese e-Reader cards work only on Japanese e-Readers, etc.
Classic NES
Each game in this series comes in a pack of five cards, each of which must be scanned twice, on both sides. There are thirteen games in this series, each is a direct port of the one-player mode of the classic NES game of the same title (minus the added "-e" suffix). ExcitebikeExcitebike
is a motocross racing video game franchise made by Nintendo. It first debuted as a game for the Famicom in Japan in 1984 and as a launch title for the NES in 1985. It is the first game of the Excite series, succeeded by its direct sequel Excitebike 64, its spiritual successors Excite Truck and...
, Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong (video game)
is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
, and Ice Climber
Ice Climber
is a vertical platform video game developed and published by Nintendo for release on the Nintendo Famicom in Japan and the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America in 1985...
, all released as e-Reader cards, were later released in cartridge form as part of the Classic NES Series
Classic NES Series
The Classic NES Series in North America are a series of Game Boy Advance games that were originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System emulated on the Game Boy Advance...
on Game Boy Advance. Also, all games except Urban Champion
Urban Champion
is a 2-player fighting game produced by Nintendo in 1985. It was inspired by the 1984 Game & Watch title, Boxing . It is also Nintendo's first 2D fighting game, followed by the Joy Mech Fight, released exclusively in Japan for the same platform.-Gameplay:The purpose of the game is to knock the...
were included as unlockables in the GameCube game Animal Crossing, in full two-player mode where applicable.
All NES titles released include:
- Balloon FightBalloon Fightis a 1984 video game developed by Nintendo. The arcade version was released in 1984 and the Nintendo Entertainment System version was released in 1986. The gameplay is similar to the arcade game Joust by Williams Electronics.-Gameplay:...
- Baseball
- Clu Clu LandClu Clu Landis an arcade and Nintendo Entertainment System game released in 1984 and was later released in North America on the Wii Virtual Console on September 1, 2008 and in Europe on March 6, 2009. The game was called Vs. Clu Clu Land in video arcades...
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Donkey Kong 3Donkey Kong 3is the third video game in the original Donkey Kong series by Nintendo. Released near simultaneously for the Family Computer and arcade, and later released in America on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1986. The game was re-released on the Wii Virtual Console in North America on July 14, 2008...
- Excitebike
- Golf
- Ice Climber
- Pinball
- Mario Bros.Mario Bros.is an arcade game published and developed by Nintendo in 1983. It was developed by Shigeru Miyamoto. It has been commonly featured as a minigame in the Super Mario Advance series and other games...
- Tennis
- Urban ChampionUrban Championis a 2-player fighting game produced by Nintendo in 1985. It was inspired by the 1984 Game & Watch title, Boxing . It is also Nintendo's first 2D fighting game, followed by the Joy Mech Fight, released exclusively in Japan for the same platform.-Gameplay:The purpose of the game is to knock the...
Animal Crossing-e
The cards, when used with the game's post officePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, would provide items to players. Some were rare, while others were more common. Some unlocked "town tunes", which were played each time you talked to an animal, still others were "sibling" cards (series 2–4) with two related characters on the front, and yet more were tailor design cards, which unlocked new designs to be used around the village. Aside from the regular card packs, some regular series cards were distributed on a promotional basis through GameStop
GameStop
GameStop Corporation is an American video game and entertainment software retailer. The company, whose headquarters is in Grapevine, Texas, United States, operates 6,500 retail stores throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, New...
, EB Games, and Energizer batteries. These cards did not differ from the regular version of the cards contained within the packs sold at the retail level.
Pokémon Battle-e
The Pokémon Battle-e Cards, when scanned into Pokémon Ruby or SapphirePokémon Ruby and Sapphire
are the third installments of the Pokémon series of role-playing games, developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance. The games were first released in Japan in late 2002 and later released to the rest of the world in 2003 . Pokémon Emerald, a special edition version,...
, allowed the player to load up special trainers to battle or to get special berries. In Japan, the series was sold as six sets, each with a different theme, with 10 cards in each set (8 trainers, 1 berry, and 1 checklist), while in the US, the series was packaged together to have two themes per pack. In addition, 2 promo cards, 1 for each version, were packed in with the games. The cards are loaded into Ruby or Sapphire through the Mystery Events function once it is unlocked.
- Trainer Cards
When scanned and loaded into Ruby and Sapphire, a trainer would appear in a house in Mossdeep City. When the player battled the trainer, the Pokémon used in battle would not gain Exp. points, and the trainer would not earn any winnings, like in a Battle Tower or link battle. The checklist card in each set lists all the trainers for the theme of the set.
- Enigma Berries
When scanned and loaded into Ruby and Sapphire, a Special Berry would be set into the game. The first time an Enigma Berry card is scanned, you get the berry from Norman. When a new Enigma Berry card is scanned, all the Enigma Berries in the game change into the newly scanned one. An Enigma berry cannot leave the game it was scanned into, except through Diamond and Pearl's
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
are role-playing games developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. With the enhanced remake Pokémon Platinum, the games comprise the fifth installment and fourth generation of the Pokémon series of RPGs...
migration system. When the berry is transferred, it changes into "Enigma Berry", no matter what Enigma Berry it was before, and gains the ability to restore the HP of a Pokémon holding it if it was hit by a super effective attack.
- Eon Ticket
This card is seen as part of this set as it is scanned through the same method. See "Other" below for more info.
- Battle-e Cards for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreenPokémon FireRed and LeafGreenare enhanced remakes of the original Pokémon Red and Blue video games, which were released in 1996. The new titles were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy Advance and have compatibility with the Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, which originally came bundled with...
, and Pokémon Emerald
There were additional Battle-e card sets for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and Pokémon Emerald in Japan, but because the e-Reader was discontinued in the US, they were never released outside of Japan, and the e-Reader functionality was removed from all non-Japanese versions of the games as the e-Reader proved unpopular.
Pokémon Colosseum
In Pokémon Colosseum, there is a Colosseum at the back of Phenac City. There are 2 large doors, which in the English version lead to the same arena. In the Japanese version the right door goes to the arena, while the left door leads to a special e-Reader area where players can scan in extra cards to battle additional trainers & capture 3 more Shadow PokémonSuper Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3-e
There are 36 cards, divided into two series: 18 for Series 1 and 18 for Series 2. In each package of 18 cards there are five demo cards, five level cards, eight power-up cards, and a promotional card without data strips which only contains an advertisement for the Pokémon Battle-e cards. More were released in Japan, however never saw American release.Two promotional cards came packed in with every US and Australian copy of the game sold. Five additional cards were released for a very short time and were packed in with the game and sold exclusively at Wal-Mart stores in the US. These five cards have become extremely hard to find, as the e-Reader had been discontinued in North America not long after the release of the game. The two e-Reader cards that were initially bundled with Super Mario Advance 4 have since been discontinued.
Rockman.EXE & Rockman Zero 3 cards
The Japanese RockmanMega Man
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
games for GBA (known as Mega Man
Mega Man (series)
Mega Man is a video game franchise from Capcom, starring the eponymous character Mega Man, or one of his many counterparts. The series is well-known and comprises well over fifty releases, easily making it Capcom's most prolific franchise. As of December 31, 2010, the series has sold approximately...
outside of Japan) used Card Reader e+ cards to customize their game with the e-Reader +. The cards caused various effects as, such as Base HP, Abilities, Buster Changes, Charge Shot Modifications, B+ Back Abilities. There are even Item Cards which can give out sets of Battle Chips, Sub Chips, BugFrags, Zenny, and even Navi Customizer Programs (Only introduced in Rockman EXE6
Mega Man Battle Network 6
MegaMan Battle Network 6, known as in Japan, is a video game developed by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. As with the previous three games, the Japanese edition was released in two separate versions: and . The North American releases are titled Cybeast Falzar and Cybeast...
Modification Card Part 1 & Rockman EXE6 Modification Card Part 2). They could also cause negative effects ('Bugs') to happen, causing such effects as the causing Rockman to lose health and move the wrong way, or causing the player to be unable to control it. As for the Rockman Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 3
Mega Man Zero 3, known in Japan as , is a video game developed by Inti Creates and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It is the third video game in the Mega Man Zero series of Mega Man video games....
Cards, they'll change the Resistance Base and add new an overhaul of new things to it as well as Weapon Upgrades and Bullet Appearances to make an actual Buster Shot look like a real bullet that an actual Gun fires.
These cards cannot be used on the English version of the games. The only way to gain the cards' effects in the English versions is through various cheating devices, such as Code Breaker
Code Breaker
Code Breaker is a cheat device developed by Pelican Accessories, currently available for PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS. Along with competing product Action Replay, it is one of the few currently supported video game cheat devices.-History:...
, Pro Action Replay and GameShark
GameShark
GameShark is the brand name of a line of video game cheat cartridges and other products for a variety of console video game systems and Windows based computers. Currently, the brand name is owned by Mad Catz, who actively markets GameShark products for the PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Sega game...
.
Other
- E3 2002 Promo Pack: A very rare promotional pack given away at the 2002 E3 conference, this pack contained a variant Manhole e-card, two Pokémon trading card game cards and a Kirby card that, when scanned, would tell you if you have won a prize. The Kirby card is considered to be the rarest e-Reader card produced.
- Mario Party-e: A complete card game with 64 cards using the e-Reader for minigames.
- Mario Party-e Promo Card: While not an e-Reader Card (the card contains no dot codes), a promotional "Two Coin Card" was packed with GamePro magazine and can be fully used with the Mario Party-e game.
- Air Hockey-e: A promotional card given away at various retailers when the e-Reader was initially released. In this game you play a real game of fast paced air hockey. An AU-exclusive version of this card was packed in with the e-Reader when sold in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. - Manhole-e: A port of the original Game & Watch game. Included with the e-Reader. Close the manholes as pedestrians pass by. A complete Game & Watch card series was planned for release, but never made it to stores.
- FOXBOX Kirby Slide Puzzle: A slide puzzle game included in an issue of Nintendo PowerNintendo PowerNintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
and Tips & TricksTips & TricksTips & Tricks is an American video game magazine published by Larry Flynt Publications . For most of its existence, the publication was devoted almost exclusively to strategies and codes for popular video games...
Magazine. It was also given away with FOXBOX promotional boxes at Toys R Us. - EON Ticket: A promotional card given away at e3, at Toys R Us during the EON Ticket Summer Tour in 2003 and in an issue of Nintendo PowerNintendo PowerNintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
. Used to get Latias or Latios on Pokémon Ruby or Pokémon Sapphire. - Pokémon Channel: Three US exclusive cards and three Australian variant cards were released with the Nintendo GameCubeNintendo GameCubeThe , officially abbreviated to NGC in Japan and GCN in other regions, is a sixth generation video game console released by Nintendo on September 15, 2001 in Japan, November 18, 2001 in North America, May 3, 2002 in Europe, and May 17, 2002 in Australia...
Game Pokémon ChannelPokémon ChannelPokémon Channel, released in Japan as is a virtual pet video game for the GameCube, developed by Ambrella. Its focus is the adventures the player has with Pikachu, most of them involving a new television network...
. The USA version holds a "6-Pattern" card, a Pikachu card and a Kyogre card, whereas the Australian version has a Jirachi card, instead of the Kyogre card. - Domo-Kun no Fushigi TerebiDomo-Kun no Fushigi TerebiDomo-Kun no Fushigi Terebi is a video game for the Game Boy Advance featuring Domo-kun, of NHK television network. It was released exclusively in Japan on February 21, 2002.- Synopsis :...
: Released in packs exclusively throughout Japan, little is known about this series to English-speakers. The cards extended the original title by a great number of mini-games and events not available on the cartridge. - Mario VS Donkey KongMario vs. Donkey KongMario vs. Donkey Kong is a Game Boy Advance spiritual sequel to the first Donkey Kong game for Game Boy. The game concept revolves around a combination of platform and puzzle elements, challenging Mario to find keys, reach a locked door, and rescue mini-Marios. This game revives Mario and Donkey...
: It is a little known fact that this game has a hidden e-Reader support. Nintendo of Japan had a competition where 1,000 lucky people won cards. However, there is space for twelve levels, and there were only five cards released. They are considered to be among the rarest of e-Cards. It is not tested if these cards also work for non-Japanese versions, or if it is exclusive to it. - Pikmin 2-e: Exclusive to Japan, six packs of e-reader minigames were released subsequent to the release of Pikmin 2Pikmin 2is a real-time strategy video game developed by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube. It was released in Japan on April 29, 2004, in North America on August 30, 2004, in Europe on October 8, 2004, and in Australia on November 4, 2004....
. These games challenge players to pluck all the Pikmin in an area in a set amount of steps, to try to get Pikmin from one point to another without injury, etc. The cards contain region-specific encoding blocking their use with North American systems.
External links
- GameFAQs entry for e-Reader
- Complete e-Reader card list, courtesy of GameFAQs and UncleBob
- PixelBoy's (Archived) e-Reader website
- e-Reader Modification for Nintendo DS
- e-dia: the e-Reader encyclopedia
- Bulbapedia, the Pokémon encyclopedia: E-Reader article. Contains list of applications that appeared on Pokémon TCG cards.