Tokyo - August 30, 2000-- Bandai is pleased
to announce it will release WonderSwan Color, the next generation successor
of its popular hand-held gaming system WonderSwan, on 9 December 2000.
WonderSwan Color will go on sale at toy stores and other retailers across
Japan at a recommended retail price of 6,800 yen.
Four software titles are scheduled for release at the same time as the
new WonderSwan: FINAL FANTASY (Square), GUNPEY EX (Bandai), RHYME RIDER
Kerorikan (Bandai) and Digimon Adventure (Bandai). A commemorative package
including FINAL FANTASY and WonderSwan Color is also planned. By the end
of December 9 titles will be available, while Gundam and twenty-one more
titles will be released in color by March 2001.
Bandai forecasts sales of 1.2 million WonderSwan Color units by March
2001, making a total of 2.9 million WonderSwan units shipped since the
system was first released in March 1999. In the future Bandai plans development
of a multi-purpose memory card, advances towards full utilization of UBS
cable connection potential and conceptual expansion towards an information
communications system.
WonderSwan Color Features
- A 2.8 inch screen that can display a possible 4,096 colors and up to 241 colors simultaneously, allowing for top quality gaming animation.
- Backwards compatibility with any original WonderSwan game (will display in 8 shade monochrome)
- Capable of extended functionality with the Mobile WonderGate from NTT DoCoMo Inc., which allows the unit to be used as a mobile terminal, WonderWave for remote linking to Play Station and Play Station 2, WonderBorg insect robot programming interface and the software development kit WonderWitch
- Connectability with Headphone Adapter, Link Cable and Battery Pack
- Shares the sleek WonderSwan design which has proven so popular with teenagers and young adults in their 20s: palm-sized (74.3x128x24.3mm) and ultra-lightweight (95g). One AA battery provides up to 20 hours of play, and is capable of both horizontal and vertical play formats
WonderSwan Color
Game Software
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* only available for WonderSwan Color
WonderSwan Color Distribution System
Bandai
is also pleased to announce that it will continue its relationship with
[Happy Net] for the distribution of WonderSwan Color consoles, and with
Beam Entertainment and [Happy Net] Group for distribution of game software.
WonderSwan's sleek, compact design and extensive catalogue of 105 game
titles has supported sales of 1.55 million units since its release on
4 March 1999. Teenagers form the core group of users, with the average
user age considerably
WonderSwan Color Specifications
| Release date: | 9 December 2000 |
| Price: | 6800 yen (not including tax) |
| Dimensions: | 74.3
x 128 x 24.3 mm (with AA battery) 74.3 x 128 x 17.5 mm (with rechargeable battery, sold separately) |
| Weight: | 95g (without battery) |
| Power: | 1 AA battery or rechargeable battery (sold separately) |
| CPU: | 16-bit at 3.072 MHz |
| LCD: | 2.8"
FSTN reflective 224 x 144 RGB resolution 4,096 possible colors, 241 simultaneous colors |
| Sound: | 4 channel digital stereo |
| Cassette capacity: | ROM/FLASHROM
up to 512 Mbit RAM up to 512 Mbit EEPROM up to 32 Kbit |
| Body colors: | Crystal Blue, Crystal Black, Crystal Orange, Pearl Blue, Pearl Pink |
| Other: | Mobile
WonderGate function via earphone/communications jack WonderWave (1,500 yen, tax not included) WonderBorg (12,000 yen, tax not included) WonderWitch (16,800 yen, tax not included) |
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