Unprecedented Demand Spurs the extension of Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour

CARLSBAD, Calif. (April 24, 2003) – Upper Deck Entertainment, a division of The Upper Deck Company, and Konami Corporation have announced the launch of the extension of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG) Mall Tour, a 13-stop, 14-week North American tour kicking off in Portland, OR, on April 26 and ending at the Gen Con Gaming Convention in Indianapolis, IN on July 24-27.

This tour marks Upper Deck’s first foray into Canada for a mall tour with a stop at a yet-to-be-disclosed location. Featuring elaborately designed sets and teams of Duelist Leaders, the tour will provide fans (and their parents) with the opportunity to learn how to play the immensely popular trading card game, pick up tips and “secret” hints from Duelist Leaders, trade cards with other fans, acquire special free Yu-Gi-Oh! gifts, and take part in a variety of fun Yu-Gi-Oh! activities. The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG Mall Tour is a free event open to the public, however, space is limited for all activities and some require an appointment, which can be made upon check-in at the Registration Zone.

“The Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour has exceeded even our highest expectations,” said Jerry Bennington, vice president of Entertainment at Upper Deck. “We continue to see attendance numbers grow at our mall tour stops averaging more than 10,000 fans.”

Based on Japanese comics, the Yu-Gi-Oh! phenomenon spans an animated television series that airs on Kids WB and the Cartoon Network, game cards, video games and a toy line. In conjunction with Konami, Upper Deck Entertainment began distributing the trading card game in the U.S. in March 2002, and it became an immediate success.

The game has made virtually every toy “hot list” for the 2002 holiday season, has been covered by media from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times to USA Today, and overnight became the world’s most popular trading card game. For more information on the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME, the Mall Tour, or Upper Deck please visit www.yugoih-card.com or www.upperdeck.com.

Conceived in response to unprecedented consumer demand for organized play opportunities, the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour will bring the game to fans in a way they’ve not yet experienced, with lavishly staged demonstration, teaching, and play areas designed to provide current players with a world of enriching activities. Additionally, beginning players will have the chance to learn the basics of the game from Duelist Leaders.

The tour also introduces players to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Duelist League that launched in January at participating major retail chain locations across the country. For a list of participating retail locations near you please call 866-635-5050.

Each stop will feature a variety of activities including The Magician’s Workshop, where players, parents and bystanders can enjoy a theatrical presentation of the game’s basics and follow step-by-step commentary of a game as it’s played; Exodia Training Zone, where beginners can receive hands-on instruction in how to play the game; The King of Games Challenge, an ongoing “king-of-the-hill” style tournament for experienced players; The Dueling Field and The Duelist Arcade Arcade for supervised casual open play among experienced or newly-trained players; and The Millennium Puzzle, where experienced players can test their skills against official Duelist Leaders.

Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour dates:

April 26-27 Portland, OR

Lloyd Center

2201 Lloyd Center

　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Portland, OR

May 3-4 Sacramento, CA Area

Westfield Shoppingtown Solano

1350 Travis Blvd.

Fairfield, CA

May10-11 Phoenix, AZ

Paradise Valley Mall

Cactus Road and Tatum Blvd.

Phoenix, AZ

The object of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME is to win a Match (which consists of three duels) by reducing an opponent’s “life points” from 8,000 to zero. This is accomplished through a series of turns using a deck with a minimum of 40 cards and a combination of strategy, skill and luck. Three main types of cards are used in Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG: Monster Cards, Magic Cards and Trap Cards, with each category being further divided into sub-categories.

The Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME is distributed by Upper Deck Entertainment, a division of The Upper Deck Company, a worldwide sports and entertainment company based in Carlsbad, California.

For years, Upper Deck has been hailed as the industry leader in quality sports cards and collectibles, and the same level of excellence can now be seen in the full line of Upper Deck Entertainment products. For additional information about the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME and Upper Deck Entertainment, please visit the company’s Web site at www.upperdeckentertainment.com