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Show The SaltLake Tribune NATION Friday, December 25, 1998 Critics Blast Nintendo’s Pokemon’ Show as Only a Marketing Tool for Game LOS ANGELES TIMES fornia has banned the game, in which players capture and train 150 miniature monsters. At an Arcadia, Calif., playground one recent afternoon, three fifth-grad- toys and key chains.” Even with a warchestof toys, editor at Minnesota-based Game Underlying Nintendo's marketcomicsand a TVseries, Pokemon Informer magazine. “No one ing assault is the success of Pokewasn't a sure bet in the United knew whether kids would jump mon in Japan, where the popular States. In a category driven by all overthis thing. for school. Minutes before 7 a.m.. 38-year-old toy has produced a lifelike graphics, PokeIndependent TVstations greetKenric, age 10, plops in front of ers compared notes on the treasure trove of spinoffs easily speedand mon,a black-and-white game for ed the syndicated show coolly the TV, grabs the remote and zaps monsters theylike best. exported to the United States. the technologically obsolete when Nintendo offered it last on his favorite cartoon show: Donald Price, 10, tapes posters Pokemon comics already apGameBoysystem, didn’t measure spring “Pokemon.” of Blastoise, a turtle-like creapearin six Japanese publications. up. But Nintendo persuaded dozIt's a ritual taking place in ture, and other favorites on the More than 1,000 items — from And many gaming industryob- ens ofstations to pick up the many homesof young video-game closet door in his bedroom; he clothes to booksto to: feature fans. Children who once slept downloads the pictures from Nin- Pokemon monsters. And the Po- servers considered Pokemon too weekday show by committing $5 mild for young American gamers million in advertising to them through breakfast are up with the tendo’s Web site. kemon TVseries — the samepro- with their fondness for realistic Even with that, the Pokemon dawn to watch the weekday proAnd his friend Kenric pastes his that’s rousing American video combat show was relegated to undesirgram — the cornerstone of Nin- drawings of Pokemon monstersto gram youngsters in the morning — is “It isn't the hyper-kick-punch able time slots in some markets tendo of America’s elaborate his bedroom wall. Sometimes, Japan’s highest-rated children’s gameassociated with boys 12 to But the 30-minute animated sales pitch forits Pokemon video Kenrics. he creates Pokeballs show. 14,” said Andy McNamar: game. program, in which a band of ad—empty spheresused in the vidAnd thanks to the show — plus eo game to trap Pokemon — by a relentless, nine-month publicity crunching up sheets of paper and drive — Pokemon has becomeone putting pictures of Pokemon of the hottest toys of theholiday monstersinside. When Kenric Lo’s alarm goes off at 6:30 in the morning, he bolts from bed and hurriedly dresses season. Nintendo expects to sell a hand-held Game Boy system as big an item as the much-hyped talking creature, Furby. Blectronics chains and toy tores areselling out entire Pokemon shipments on the day the gamesarrive. This is my fourth stop today, said Sally Mendez, an exasperat d parent who fruitlessly searchedforthevideo game amid Pokemonplaying cards, stickers and key chainsat a gift shop in Orange, Calif. “Does anyone have it? Mediacrities blame thefrenzy on a commercial assault in which the television show is little more than a 30-minute pitch for thevid- eo game “The showis onthe air for the wrong reason,” said Peggy Char- ren, a longtime children’s televi- sion activist. “It doesn’t serve the public interest It serves the bottomline of the corporations involved.” But marketers counter that kids are experts at seeing through hype;witness the amount of movup indiscount bins ie-related merchandise that ends Youcan create all the hype you want,” says Ira Mayer, publisher of the New York-based trade publication Licensing Let ter. “If the product doesn’t deliver, it’s gone.” Since it wenton sale Sept. 28, Pokemon has become Topic A in elementaryschools. At least one middle school in Northern Cali- and nurture elusive Pokemon nensters, has been a ratings sue cess. The distributor, New York based 4 Kids Entertainment boasts that Pokemonis the top rated syndicated children’s pro gram Marketerssay the challengefor Nintendo lies beyond the holiday season. The company’sgoal is ti sustain the popularity of Poke mon fortwoto three years. That's aneternity in the world of video games, where 80 percent to 90 percent of a game's sales occur during the first 12 to 16 weeks. Nintendo is preparing to fan excitement for Pokemonin the United States with a second wave of products from Japan I like the whole idea of the nillion Pokemon games by Dec 31, making the $30 game for the Al3 enturesomechildren catch, train game,” says another friend, Dus- loshaj, 10. “I like the idea of collecting them, and trying to train them. It’s fun,” Few toys have been launched as aggressively as Pokemon. Besides the TV show, there are licensed toys and collectibles (from Hasbro), a fast-foodtie-in (with KFC), an in-school promotion (thou- sands of kids got free Pokemon book covers), a direct-mail blitz (a million children received promo- tional videos), and a steady stream of TV commercials in which adorable children sing a spirited jingle Also in Nintendo's arsenal is its own Nintendo Power magazine Since April, each issue of the 650,000-circulation monthly has containedacolorful 32-page comic book about the adventures of Pokemon monsters andtheir hu- mantrainers Nintendosaysit is spending $14 million to plug Pokemon, two to three times what it typically spends to promote a new game. Industry observerssay the reasons behindthe blitz are no mystery ‘Think about the pure number There are 150 monsters in a game,” said Howard Grossman editorof Expert Gamer magazine If youthink ofthat asa toyline, there are 150 separate toys you can sell. “Granted, nonewill be as popular as Super Mario,” Grossman added, referring to Nintendo's nown video game charac“But that’s still a lot of little If its Christmas, its on sale!!! aa) nates plier, Barcana Christmas Trees End ofseasondiscounts onall models 8 ft. Adirondack Fir Model #30-063-080 Starting at Compare at Our regular $ Ourclearanceprice 248, Save up to 53% Limitedto supply on hand . Otherremaining models at similar great savings!! 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