CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Jan. 7, 2003 -- Upper Deck Entertainment, a division of The Upper Deck Company, and Konami Corporation have announced the launch of the national Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour, a 12-stop, 12-week cross-country tour kicking off in New York on January 11.
Featuring elaborately designed sets and teams of Duelist Leaders, the tour will provide fans (and their parents) with the opportunity to learn to play the immensely popular trading card game, pick up tips and "secret" hints from Duelist Leaders, trade cards with other fans, acquire special Yu-Gi-Oh! free gifts, and take part in a variety of fun Yu-Gi-Oh! activities.
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.
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 newly-established Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Duelist League that kicks off in January at participating major retail chain locations across the country.
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 Forbidden Memories 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. Space is limited for all activities and some require an appointment, which can be made upon check-in at the Registration Zone.
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!: Monster Cards, Magic Cards and Trap Cards, with each category being further divided into sub-categories.
Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME Mall Tour dates:
January 11-12 New York Metro Area
Palisades Center
New York State Thruway, Exit 12
West Nyack, NY
January 18-19 Boston Area
Northshore Mall
Intersection of Routes 128 & 114
Peabody, MA
January 25-26 Chicago Area
Spring Hill Mall
Intersection of Routes 72 & 31
West Dundee, IL
February 1-2 Mall of America
Crossroads of Interstate 494 and Highway 77
Bloomington, MN
February 8-9 Philadelphia Area
Oxford Valley Mall
2300 East Lincoln Highway
Langhorne, PA
February 15-16 Miami/Fort Lauderdale Areas
Aventura Mall
19501 Biscayne Boulevard
Aventura, FL
February 22-23 Baltimore Area
Towson Town Center
825 Dulaney Valley Road
Towson, MD
March 1-2 Dallas/Fort Worth
Ridgmar Mall
I-30 at Green Oaks Road
Fort Worth, TX
March 8-9 Los Angeles/So. Cal Area
Santa Monica Place
South End of Third Street, Promenade on Broadway
Santa Monica, CA
March 15-16 San Diego/So. Cal Area
Westfield Shoppingtown North County
272 East Via Rancho Parkway
Escondido, CA
March 22-23 San Jose/San Francisco Bay Area
Eastridge Mall
Highway 101 at Capital Expressway & Tully Road
San Jose, CA
March 29-30 Seattle Area
SeaTac Mall
Two Blocks West of I-15 on 320th Street
Federal Way, WA
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.upperdeck.com.
