Yu-Gi-Oh to make gaming debut
by Jolex Del Pilar

Wednesday, February 20, 2002

Popular cartoon being made into videogame? Who would've thought it?

Konami of America announces the North American debut of two new videogames based on the ultra-successful Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise. Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories for Nintendo Game Boy® Color and Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories for Sony PlayStation® will ship to retail outlets in March 2002. Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Duel Stories will include three (3) Limited Edition Official Trading Cards for the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! collectible card game.

The two games represent the first step in Konami¹s plan to bring the Yu-Gi-Oh! phenomenon to North American shores. The company also confirmed today that Yu-Gi-Oh! videogames will appear on next generation consoles later in 2002, including PlayStation® 2 and Game Boy® Advance.

An overwhelming phenomenon in Japan, the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise has already sold more than 3.5 billion cards, 23 million comic books, 10 million related books, 7.5 million videogames and in excess of $2 billion in merchandise. The franchise premiered in the U.S. as an animated TV series broadcast on the Kids WB. Entering its second season this fall, the show, Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games, currently ranks number one in its Saturday morning timeslot.*

--- Jolex Del Pilar