The Chicago Int?l Toy& Game Fair at Navy Pier
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Toy & Game Fairs
The Chicago Int?l Toy& Game Fair at Navy Pier

September 4, 5 and 6, 2004 ? Consumer Show

The inauguralChicago Int?l Toy & Game Fair was a success! Visit our website at:

CHITAG.com

for pictures fromthe 2003 Fair



We have negotiated an unbeatable deal with Embassy Suitesfor our exhibitors? just 2 blocks from Navy Pier, a 2-room suite with aview of city or lake, a hot breakfast and many more amenities for only$139/night. Visit the website for details.



Below are comments from a few of the exhibitors andattendees to tell you about their experience in 2003. We hope you join us thisyear. Booth space is still available. Applications are available both on thewebsite and via postal mail.



The first annual Chicago Toy and Game Fairwas an outstanding success for Out of the Box Publishing. Our booth was packedwith families from start to finish, and everyone had a great time. There is nodoubt that CHITAG will grow and prosper into the premier family oriented gamingevent in the country. Sign us up for next year! Mark Alan Osterhaus, Out of theBox Publishing



Thanks for doing such a good job puttingtogether the CHITAG show. It turned out great and we really enjoyed it. Weexperienced a steady stream of people trying out and buying games. The Saturdaycrowd was incredible and we could barely keep up. Sales exceeded ourexpectations. Each day was consistently strong, even on the last day when therain kept the traffic much lighter than the previous two. The one comment we heardover and over again from the families attending was... "What a great idea,the kids have had so much fun!" Excellent show Mary, we're already lookingforward to next year's! Frank DiLorenzo, R&R Games



CHITAG was great! The turnoutfor the show exceeded my expectations and I am sure that it will grow next yearand for years to come, and will be a necessity to attend for anyone in the gamebusiness. Dave Yearick, Inventor of Kuduuck and This Vs That and representativeat ToySite/Starbucks's booth



The Chicago Toy and Game Fair on Chicago'sNavy Pier was a huge success. This amazing venue attracted families, tourists,and game fans from all over the country, and exposed our product-line to awhole new audience. We will be attending this show every year! GlennDrover, Eagle Games, Inc.



For a first time event, the show was verywell attended, especially on Sunday when we had a fairly steady stream ofpeople stop by our booth. We were impressed by the local television coverageprovided by all the Chicago stations throughout the holiday weekend. Frank Beres,Patch Products



The Chicago International Toy and Game Fairwas a huge success and totally exceeded our expectations. Countlessfamilies and gamers played our games and told us "I saw you ontelevision this morning playing Brainstrain!" The event's media coveragewas terrific and the attendance was actually more than we couldhandle. Games were being played everywhere with an atmosphere ofexcitement. We predict CHITAG will only get bigger and better eachyear. Next year, we'll have to get a double booth and morestaff! Sign us up. Darlene Calhoun, Chuckle Games - Laughter in abox.



From the perspective of a game designerrepresented by companies at CHITAG, the show was fantastic. It wasvery exciting to see people wander in off the street and learn about newgames. I'm used to playing games with my inner circle of adult gamegeeks. It was satisfying to see families show the same zeal for thegames I love to play. The show reaffirmed my conviction that themarket for new and varied games is potentially huge in thiscountry. We just need to get games in front ofpeople. CHITAG did a great job in this regard. Although it wassmaller, CHITAG had much more energy than the New York Toy Fair. Why? Becauseplaying games is more exciting than talking about games or just looking at theboxes. Darned if there weren't 1000 people all playing games! I haveno doubt that CHITAG 2003 is the tip of a big iceberg. Aaron Weissblum, GameDesigner



We did nearly double the volume weexpected. We will be back next year! Mike Stocchetti, Manager, Go! The GameStore (the retailer for game companies that did not wish to sell retail)



Although these quotes are primarily from the game part ofthe industry (my background), there were toy companies. Next year we hope toinclude more toy companies since so many attendees came in search of the newestand hottest toys. In addition, almost every newscaster asked about what toyswould be hot this fall. There were TV cameras at the Fair every day andcoverage in print media and on every major (and many smaller) TV and radiostations repeatedly.



All agree that the timing to introduce the fourth quarteritems is perfect and the interactive play encourages attendees to purchase.



Thank you to everyone who helped to make the first Fair asuccess. We are excited about 2004 and hope you join us!

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL
Mood:  surprised

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL? will deliver thrills and chills!

March 12, 2004 (RENTON, Wash.) ? This September, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), will release the first-ever tile game with a great horror theme from the classic Avalon Hill line of board games. BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL? quickly builds suspense and excitement as players explore a haunted mansion of their own design, encountering spirits and frightening omens that foretell their fate. With an estimated one hour playing time, BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL is ideal for parties, family gatherings or casual fun with friends.

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL is a tile game that allows players to build their own haunted house room by room, tile by tile, creating a new thrilling game board every time. The game is designed for three to six people, each of whom plays one of six possible characters. Secretly, one of the characters betrays the rest of the party, and the innocent members of the party must defeat the traitor in their midst before it?s too late! BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL will appeal to any game player who enjoys a fun, suspenseful, and strategic game.

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL includes detailed game pieces, including character cards, pre-painted plastic figures, and special tokens, all of which help create a spooky atmosphere and streamline game play. The suggested manufacturer?s retail price is $40.00.

BETRAYAL AT HOUSE ON THE HILL is part of Wizards of the Coast?s Avalon Hill? line of games, which includes AXIS & ALLIESa, RISKa 2210 A.D.a, DIPLOMACYa and many others.

Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories, and a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering?, among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons?, and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at wizards.com .

# # #

Avalon Hill, Risk 2210 A.D., Axis & Allies and Diplomacy are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. All rights reserved.

Betrayal at House on the Hill is manufactured and distributed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the U.S.A and other countries.

? 2004 Wizards.

RISK GODSTORM
Mood:  cool

Axis & Allies D-Day
Mood:  not sure

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WIZARDS OF THE COAST TO RELEASE NEW AXIS & ALLIES
D-DAY^? GAME

Axis & Allies D-Day edition honors the 60^th anniversary of D-Day

December 10, 2003 (Renton, Wash.) ? It?s the morning of June 6, 1944. As Allied forces prepare to storm Normandy?s beaches, the fate of Europe is in your hands! In honor of next year?s 60^th anniversary of D-Day, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE: HAS), will release AXIS & ALLIES D-DAY, a new, stand-alone extension of the classic strategy game Axis & Allies. Axis & Allies D-Day, will allow players to re-create the largest combined military operation in history.

Scheduled for release in May 2004, Axis & Allies D-Day will feature detailed game components, including a new blockhouse piece, an extra- large game board and original artwork commissioned exclusively for the D-Day game box. Other elements of this new Axis & Allies variant include a pre-set deck with three card categories ? Order, Tactics and Fortune ? which add increasing depth and complexity to a player?s game play experience. Order cards determine play sequence and break turns into distinct phases, Tactics cards offer players more strategic opportunities, and Fortune cards add an element of unpredictability. Axis & Allies D-Day is designed for two to three players and can be played in two hours.

Axis & Allies D-Day begins as plans for Operation Overlord, the invasion of German-held Normandy, are underway. 130,000 soldiers of the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States are assaulting Fortress Europe. You and your fellow world powers control their fates.

One side is the Axis: Germany, which has turned the beaches of Normandy into a near-impenetrable stronghold. Breaching its defenses are the Allies: the United Kingdom (U.K.), Canada and the United States (U.S.). The future of Europe, and of the world, hangs in the balance.

Axis & Allies D-Day is the third Axis & Allies variant, following the successful Axis & Allies Europe and Axis & Allies Pacific, which both released in 2001.

Axis & Allies D-Day is part of Wizards of the Coast?s Avalon Hill? line of games, which includes Axis & Allies, Axis & Allies Europe, Axis & Allies Pacific, Risk, Diplomacy and many others.

Wizards of the Coast, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS), is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop roleplaying game categories, and a leading developer and publisher of game-based entertainment products. The company holds an exclusive patent on trading card games (TCGs) and their method of play and produces the premier trading card game, Magic: The Gathering?, among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of roleplaying games, such as Dungeons & Dragons?, and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at wizards.com <http://www.wizards.com>.

# # #

Axis & Allies, Axis & Allies Europe, Axis & Allies Pacific, Axis & Allies D-Day, Risk, Diplomacy and Avalon Hill are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. Used with permission.

Axis & Allies is manufactured and distributed by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast. ? 2003 Wizards.

Jolly Ruthless
Mood:  not sure

JOLLY RUTHLESS - THE NEW BOARD GAME. IT'S FUN, ITS EXCITING
Remember that TV Show Dallas? Well JR is BACK! JOLLY RUTHLESS - The Money Board Game Do you want control of countries? What about playing the stock exchange? Do you want to take over companies? Here is your chance to test yourself! With this fantastic new board game before going out into the real world of buying shares, making money and taking over companies. "Jolly Ruthless" is an exciting fun game that can be played by families, adults and children. Having money involved and potential to lease countries, oil wells and to take a Jolly Risk adds to the excitement. For more information visit: http://www.moneygames.biz Money Games Incorporated is looking to open up discussions with a manufacturer for production and distribution rights. We would be interested in discussing business opportunities. Click here to contact us.

Wildwords
Mood:  happy
Wildwords is now in board game form just in time for Christmas. (see review).

The board game is $29.95 and can be purchased at www.wildwords.us.

Cranium Custom

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October 30, 2003

Cranium Custom: The New Way to Add a Personal Twist to Outrageous Fun

The smash-hit game Cranium has given outrageous fun to parties and get-togethers for millions of Craniacs. Now, Cranium Custom offers a new way to add a unique personal touch to the next bridal shower, baby shower or party. With Cranium Custom (at www.cranium.com), Craniacs can print custom-made Cranium cards for all kinds of special events. Whether it's getting a new friend to spell "schmooze" backwards at a party, or getting your sister to hum the theme from "The Brady Bunch," Cranium Custom is guaranteed to bring outrageous fun and memorable moments to any special get-together.

Making shared moments and memories even more special is what Cranium Custom is all about. Craniacs can create themed cards to enhance a Halloween or New Year's Eve party, or use the customization feature to add a personal touch to a birthday party or a special game night with friends. All gamers need to do is log on and register at www.cranium.com to start creating custom cards any time they'd like to add a cool personal twist to their next party.

With more than three million copies sold, Cranium is the fastest-selling independent game in history. Cranium is a recipient of the Toy Industry Association's "Game of the Year" Award, recognizing the most innovative, interactive and playful game of the year.

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Axis & Allies in 2004!

Cranium Hullabaloo & Conga

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November 25, 2003

Cranium?s Hullabaloo and Conga Win The National Parenting Center?s Seal of Approval

What happens when you create games that are outrageous fun for the entire family? You win awards of course! Cranium, Inc. is proud to announce that their Conga and Hullabaloo family boardgames recently earned The National Parenting Center?s Seal of Approval, which is awarded to those games that provide wholesome fun for the entire family. This recent award adds to an already impressive list of fifteen combined awards for the two games, and more than 40 awards earned across the entire Cranium product line.

Read more of what The National Parenting Center had to say about both games!

Conga:

?It's hard to put into words just how much we loved this fabulous family game.?

?Lots of fun and laughs are guaranteed.?

Hullabaloo:

?Borrowing a little from Musical Chairs and a bit from Simon Sez, Cranium demonstrates again that they know how to have a good time.?

?Hullabaloo is great for groups, the larger the crazier, so spread out and get ready to host a heck of a hullabaloo.?

Conga and Hullabaloo are available for a suggested price of $19.95 and $24.95 respectively and can be found at retailers nationwide, or ordered directly from the Cranium online store.

About Cranium, Inc.

Cranium, Inc. has been creating outrageously fun games since the 1998 debut of Cranium, which quickly became the fastest-selling independent board game in history. Today, the Cranium craze is a global phenomenon with Craniacs of all ages finding the fun at home, at work, at school, or on the go. Cranium, Cranium Tin Edition, Cranium Primo Edition, Cranium Booster Box^? 1 and Booster Box 2, Cranium Hoopla, Cranium Cadoo, Cranium Cadoo Tin Edition, Cranium Cadoo Booster Box?, Cranium Cariboo, Cranium Hullabaloo, and Cranium Conga are available in the United States. Around the world, international editions of Cranium have been written by and for fun-loving people in Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Throughout 2003, Cranium, Inc. will debut 10 new international versions that will be sold in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Cranium Cadoo is also available in a World English Edition. For additional information about Cranium, Inc., its family of products, and the Cranium Fund, visit the Cranium web site at: www.cranium.com.