Amazon.com Product Description

The e-Reader is an accessory for use with the Game Boy Advance that reads information from collectible trading cards and translates it on the GBA into standalone games or enhancements to some traditional games. The e-Reader connects into the GBA cartridge slot and can also connect to another GBA or even a GameCube. Players simply slide the paper cards, available for as low as $1.95, through the e-Reader much as you slide a credit card through a point-of-purchase machine at a grocery store. When you do this, the unit scans the codes imprinted on the card and stores the information in its 1-megabit flash ROM for as long as the power is on. Animal Crossing for the GameCube takes advantage of this technology, and many more uses are planned. This set includes the e-Reader unit and the e-Reader card for the NES version of Donkey Kong Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Gimmicky, but has some useful applications
The e-reader has the potential to be a truly amazing peripheral for the GBA. Unfortunately, the e-reader is kind of being ignored by Nintendo. Why this is, I don't know, but there still are some reasons to buy an E- Reader:

Unlock Extra Levels and Items in Super Mario Bros Advance 4 (using special cards)

Some great NES games in 5.99 packs (Mario Bros, Excitebike and Donkey Kong)

You can use them to unlock cool stuff in Animal Crossing

Some reasons not to buy the E-Reader

It's 40 dollars

Little support from Nintendo or any other company

The games for it, while fun, get old fast

That's about it. If you have Super Mario Advance 4 or Animal Crossing, and some cash to burn, I would recomend getting this. You can unlock some awesome stuff in both games. If more games supported the E-Reader, it would definately be a must buy item. Unfortunately, the small support for the device hampers the E-reader greatly.

goodness
I love this product but I think it should be cheaper. If it was cheaper more people would buy it. But I think it works likes a marvel.

please, help me!!!!
Hi! I'm french and I would like to know if the e-reader works with a french gamecube, if someone knows it, just tell please!!!
Because the e-reader will certainly not exist in France...
Tell me please!
Thanks!

Good idea, mediocre execution
[THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE E-READER - NOT THE GAMES INCLUDED.]

In 2002, Nintendo decided to bring a popular fad in Japan to America - barcode scanning for the Game Boy. This was done through an accessory called the E-Reader. The accessory has been in America for nearly a year and a half now, and has been selling surprisingly well. How does it measure up? Read on for my review of this little accessory.

PROS:
-Through the usage of this accessory, you can greatly expand the things you can do with your Game Boy Advance.
-If you buy the accessory, you can purchase classic Nintendo games for just five bucks each (that's the suggested retail price.)
-If you buy Super Mario Bros. 3 for the Game Boy Advance, you can purchase E-Reader cards to expand the game greatly - and even cards that will create items for you!
-The accessory has a link port on it, so you can link up with friends and still have the accessory attached.
-You can save one game to the accessory's hard drive.
-The newest collections of Pokemon cards can be scanned with this accessory, and by scanning them, you can get interesting bits of information.

CONS:
-It's not worth the forty bucks Nintendo is asking.
-ONLY ONE game can be saved to the hard drive at a time.
-Scanning the cards takes a lot of time.
-You must scan the cards JUST RIGHT.
-The games available for the system get old fast. Why haven't NES classics like Metroid and the Legend of Zelda gotten E-Reader releases yet?

OVERALL:
I think this was a good idea for Nintendo, but ultimately the concept just falls flat. If you can find one of these things for a good price, by all means make the purchase, but otherwise, don't bother. As good an idea as this was, it just wasn't used to its maximum potential.

e-reader
yes the e-reader works with the gameboy sp. the sp is more advanced than gba so get over it. the port does not have to connect to it just rests on top of open gba-sp, and does not interfere with gameplay. the e-reader is most useful for animal crossing. of course you need the cable to link gba and gc. more e-cards are expected in the future to enhance current games and you can play classic games. look at your ecards.... on mario bros there are strips on both sides , all you have to do is scan both sides. just scan the card slowly and it works great. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The e-Reader is an accessory for use with the Game Boy Advance that reads information from collectible trading cards and translates it on the GBA into standalone games or enhancements to some traditional games. The e-Reader connects into the GBA cartridge slot and can also connect to another GBA or even a GameCube. Players simply slide the paper cards, available for as low as $1.95, through the e-Reader much as you slide a credit card through a point-of-purchase machine at a grocery store. When you do this, the unit scans the codes imprinted on the card and stores the information in its 1-megabit flash ROM for as long as the power is on. Animal Crossing for the GameCube takes advantage of this technology, and many more uses are planned. This set includes the e-Reader unit and the e-Reader card for the NES version of Pinball. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Nice gadget with lots of potential
The e-Reader is a very cool idea, especially if Nintendo follows up with lots of classic NES games. $40 may seem a bit steep for the reader, but you DO get a full game with it, as well as an old "Game and Watch" game (which is rather fun), and Pokémon stuff, if you are into that sort of thing. If nothing else, the Pokémon mini-games can be entertaining, albeit very simplistic.

One tip, though - unless you absolutely LOVE pinball games, you might want to get the e-Reader bundle with Donkey Kong instead. Nintendo Pinball is *very* basic and the physics are fairly loose. It's fun, but it's not a good demonstration of what the NES was capable of. I bought the e-Reader, as well as Excitebike-e and Balloon Fight-e, both of which are a blast to play.

Anyway, I got a bit sidetracked. The e-Reader has lots of potential, and if you are a Pokémon fan, you will find even more value in it with Pokémon Expidition and future card sets. If you like retro games from the NES era, you are in for a real treat as well. The fact that you can pick up a classic game for $5 and play it on the GBA adds a lot of value to the device - especially if Nintendo goes ahead and ports such classics as Metroid and the original Zelda titles.

Buy it if: You like Pokémon, or you are interested in classic Nintendo games for $5 a pop.

Don't buy it if: You hate Pokémon, didn't like the NES, and have zero interest in remakes of old LCD games from the Nintendo stable.

FUN FUN FUN!!!!!!!!!!!
The e-reader is a great kinda thing for people that like old NES games. I think it is a great product...SO GO BY IT!!!!!!!!!!

Next Generation Gameplay: E-reader
the e-reader is an incredible device for the gameboy advance why?what do you think about complete nes games that comes in trading cards for 5 bugs each ,pretty cool huh, but wait theres more¡¡¡¡¡¡
this are great news for pokemon fans the reason? pokemon-e are special trading cards that have special minigames and tips videos sound effects and also special features like a coin flipper for your game boy to be found.and this is the begining why if for the next megaman battle network you can buy megaman-e cards for make megaman more powerful or to have new techniques i think that nintendo can do great things whith this incredible product so what are you waiting for? buy it and you wont regret it¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This pack of cards is for use with the Nintendo e-Reader accessory, which reads information from the cards and translates it into games for the Game Boy Advance system. This bundle comes with the following card packs:

• Excitebike: Top cyclists from all over the world have gathered to test their skill and daring in the Excitebike World Championship--the first-ever motocross designer race. Riders must not only overcome the incredible dangers of motocross racing, they must design the winning or losing course. The anticipation in the air is apparent as the riders, with engines fired up, inch toward the starting line.
• Tennis: It's match point and your advantage. You drive a rocket serve to the far corner and rush the net. Your opponent makes a great return lob to the baseline. You scramble back and get off a crosscourt passing shot for the point and match. See if you have what it takes to be the ultimate pro!
• Balloon Fight: The balloons are coming! They're floating around carrying the enemy, who is armed with more ammo than plain hot air. The only thing to do is hop in your own balloon and counterattack. The balloon fight is on--raging over land and sea.
• Pinball: From bumpers to flippers, all the action is here. Launch the pinball from the lane onto the table and rack up megapoints. Keep the ball on the table with two sets of flippers and score big by turning over cards, knocking out lights, and hitting as many bumpers as possible. There is even a secret Mario minigame to discover. With all the action of real pinball, this game is full-tilt fun.

Reviews (2)

Great when it arrives but gets repetative
If you get bored easily E-Reader is obviously for you. This pack contains classic games that are fun for the first 2 months but get repetative. Personally I believe this is better than purchasing NES games because it is probably cheaper and it is portable.

Excitebikes level editor keeps the replay value pretty high. The racing mode is fun too. Best game in the set.

Balloon Fight is exactly like JOUST if you have ever played it. The Journey mode gives the game a nice twist.

Pinball doesnt have much. 1 table and 1 bonus round. Worst game in the set.

Tennis is a stripped down Mario-Tennis clone. You run up to the ball, press A and hit it... Amazingly addicting actually.

Every time you get bored of one game you can swipe to another...

Great if you like collecting and old Nintendo games
These cards are part of Nintendo's latest accessory, the Card-e reader. The games in this set are Pinball, Balloon Fight, Tennis, and Excitebike. Using the E-reader (sold seperately), you can run the barcodes on the cards through it and then play the games the cards are based on. Other available NES games include Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros., Ice Climber, Baseball, and Urban Champion. There are also some other E-reader sets, like Animal Crossing, Pokemon, and an upcoming Game & Watch set.

For those who enjoy collecting cards, who like classic Nintendo games, or who just like fancy peripherals, these are great and fun to buy. Sold individually, the prices on these cards are a bit steep. ... However, this package deal is a great buy, so long as you have a taste for them. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

This pack of cards is for use with the Nintendo e-Reader accessory, which reads information from the cards and translates it into games for the Game Boy Advance system. This bundle comes with the following card packs:

• Excitebike: Top cyclists from all over the world have gathered to test their skill and daring in the Excitebike World Championship--the first-ever motocross designer race. Riders must not only overcome the incredible dangers of motocross racing, they must design the winning or losing course. The anticipation in the air is apparent as the riders, with engines fired up, inch toward the starting line.
• Tennis: It's match point and your advantage. You drive a rocket serve to the far corner and rush the net. Your opponent makes a great return lob to the baseline. You scramble back and get off a crosscourt passing shot for the point and match. See if you have what it takes to be the ultimate pro!
• Balloon Fight: The balloons are coming! They're floating around carrying the enemy, who is armed with more ammo than plain hot air. The only thing to do is hop in your own balloon and counterattack. The balloon fight is on--raging over land and sea.
• Donkey Kong Jr.: Donkey Kong has been captured, so it's up to Donkey Kong Jr. to save the day. Hopping from vine to vine and gathering fruit along the way, DK Jr. scrambles through four perfectly re-created environments in a race to save his dear ol' dad.

Reviews (4)

The NEW Ape: The Story Of Donkey Kong Jr.
Mario Was Evil. Pricess Peach Knew It. I Knew. And Even Luigi Knew It. What Better Way To Show It Than In Donkey Kong Jr?

"Can The Son Of Donkey Kong Save His Papa From Little Mario's Indestructble Prison?" The Question That Made Gamers Reborn And Back With Pockets Filled With Quarters.

So After Pauline Was Saved, Donkey Kong Was Trapped By Mario (Origanlly "Jumpman") And Mario Had That "I'm A Villian" Grin On His Face. Little Mario Didn't Know That The Son Of Donkey Kong (DK Jr.) Misses Pop and Wan'ts To Save Papa.

You Play As DK Jr. DK Jr.'s Offense And Defence Is Fruit Bombs And Vine Climbing Action. Use The Fruit Bombs To Throw At Enemies

What Kills You This Time? Snapjaws And Gorilla Eating Birds. Dodge These And You'll Become King Of Dk Jr.

Grab A Copy Of Dk Jr. And Get Ready For The Squel To DK Jr, DK3. What About DK4? Man This Is Good!!!

Get an e-Reader today!...
This is really neat because you can scan like 9 or 10 codes (printed on the cards)and you have an original NES game! Baloon Fight's OK, I reccomend Donkey Kong Jr., Tennis [is bad], and so [is]Excitbike.

(:fun!!!!!!!
balloon fight is okay, exctebike is awsome, DK Jr. is okay, tennis is boring.What else do you need to know?

Cards
If you'd like to get all the nintendo games available to the e-reader now( if your's came with pinball) this may be the best way to do it ... Read more