ADVISORY/Pokemon Media Alert--Minneapolis; Thousands of Costumed Kids Expected to Flock to the Mall of America for Unveiling of New Pokemon: Team Rocket Trading Card Game Cards.

News Desks/Entertainment Writers

ADVISORY...for April 22 (Saturday)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

Widely Anticipated Pokemon Trading Card Game Expansion Expected to
Draw Monster Crowds for This Century's Largest-Ever Pokemon Event

WHAT: Thousands of kids, encouraged to dress as their favorite Pokemon
      characters, are expected to flock to the Mall of America in
      Minneapolis to be the first to see the newest and largest
      expansion to the Pokemon(TM)(1) trading card game--the Team
      Rocket(TM) card set.

      Something has gone wrong with some of the usually adorable Pokemon
creatures. Having been captured by bad-guy duo Team Rocket, these
Pokemon have missed out on the proper love and attention any good
Pokemon trainer would have given them. Lacking that care, these
Pokemon have evolved into naughty, mischievous creatures that have now
found their way into the Pokemon trading card game via the Team Rocket
set, due in stores April 24. Wizards of the Coast Inc., makers of the
wildly popular Pokemon trading card game, has issued a "call to arms"
to thousands of Master Trainers from all corners of the nation to come
to the Mall of America and win back the Pokemon trading card game
cards that were taken by those nasty no-gooders Team Rocket earlier
last week. As part of the ongoing national promotion, the mischievous
Team Rocket will descend on the Mall of America in their notorious
Meowth balloon following a ten-day cross-country trek filled with
mischief and mayhem. Team Rocket's trail of trouble can be tracked at
www.wizards.com/pokemon. Throughout the promotion, clues were given at
the Wizards of the Coast website. Visitors to the site were invited to
solve the clues to reveal Team Rocket's subsequent destination. Five
winners were chosen each day.
      At the Mall of America event, every child will receive a Dark
Gyarados game card. Other activities open to everyone include free
photos with an oversized Meowth card, a demo of the new Pokemon Jr.
Adventure Game and an "Ask the Experts" all-day town meeting where you
can pose your toughest Pokemon questions to Wizards of the Coast(R)
Master Trainers. In addition, 600 kids will have an opportunity to
participate in a prerelease tournament using all-new Team Rocket
cards. Space is limited and contestants must register on site on the
day of the event. Thousands of costumed kids are expected to arrive in
a show of support!

WHEN: Saturday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:  Mall of America
        Center Court
        Minneapolis, Minnesota.
        [phone]

WHO: Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is
    the worldwide market share leader in the trading card game and
    tabletop roleplaying game categories. Wizards of the Coast is a
    leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment
    products, as well as the owner and operator of one of the nation's
    largest specialty game retail chains. The company holds an
    exclusive patent on the play mechanics of trading card games
    (TCGs) and produces games such as the Magic: The Gathering(R),
    Legend of the Five Rings(TM)and Pokemon TCGs. Wizards of the Coast
    is also one of the world's leading fantasy and science fiction
    book publishers and is a publisher of adventure games, family card
    and board games and electronic media products. The company's
    retail locations, many of which provide game-play areas, include a
    growing number of Wizards of the Coast specialty game retail
    stores as well as 53 The Game Keeper(R)stores. Headquartered near
    Seattle, Washington, Wizards of the Coast has international
    offices in Antwerp, Paris, Milan, London and Beijing. For more
    information on Wizards of the Coast, visit the company's website
    and electronic retail store at www.wizards.com.

(1)(c)1995, 1996 and 1998 Nintendo, Creatures, GAMEFREAK. Pokemon
    and Team Rocket are trademarks of Nintendo.

      WIZARDS OF THE COAST, THE GAME KEEPER, Magic: The Gathering and
Legend of the Five Rings are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast
Inc.(c)2000 Wizards.