REPEAT/SNK Targets June 1 for Neo Geo Pocket Color Online Availability; Company Also Confirms Rumors Surrounding U.S. Release of Blockbuster Fighting Title for Handheld Gaming System

Business Wire, May 13, 1999

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 13, 1999--

SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color, a new 16-bit portable gaming system that is smaller, lighter, faster and can display nearly three times as many colors as Nintendo's Game Boy Color, will be available for online orders beginning June 1, 1999, directly from the company's Web site at www.snkusa.com.

The system will be available in six different colors: Platinum Blue, Platinum Silver, Anthracite, Aqua Blue, Stone Blue and Clear. At least 10 games will be available for purchase when the system goes on sale.

"We've been working for the past month to make sure we could provide enough software and a competitive price point to show strong support to handheld gamers who purchase the Neo Geo Pocket Color that our loyal customers have come to expect from SNK," Susan Barone, vice president, SNK's consumer division, said. "The recent success of Nintendo's Game Boy Color has reaffirmed the sheer magnitude of the portable gaming market in the U.S., and we believe there is room in the marketplace for more than one handheld system, especially one capable of displaying the amount of colors at such a high-resolution as the Neo Geo Pocket Color."

At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, the company also announced plans for a Winter 1999 release of the long-rumored and eagerly anticipated "SNK vs. Capcom" dream match fighting game for the Neo Geo Pocket Color.

"SNK and Capcom have both created some of the most popular fighting game franchises for any platform, such as the 'Street Fighter,' 'Fatal Fury' and 'King of Fighters' series, so an upcoming game featuring characters from both companies is sure to excite even the most jaded of fighting game enthusiasts," Barone said. "This comes in addition to the more than 20 titles we've already acknowledged that will be available for the Neo Geo Pocket Color before the end of the summer, and in the next few months, we look forward to announcing and confirming even more titles and third party developers for the system."

The company is still pursuing third party developers in the U.S., although the extensive list of confirmed developers in Japan includes Taito, Capcom, Namco, Sega and Sony.

Neo Geo Pocket Color features a custom-designed TFT-format LCD with a palette of 4,096 colors, capable of displaying 146 colors simultaneously. The 45 x 48 millimeter game window, which measures 2.6 inches diagonally across, is easier to see from side angles and in both bright and dim light than other handheld gaming systems.

SNK's Neo Geo Pocket Color also features a unique revolving joystick, providing gamers with advanced game control and maneuverability. Two buttons help players perform all the actions.

Titles that are already confirmed for the Neo Geo Pocket Color include "King of Fighters - R2"; "Puzzle Bobble Mini (Bust-A-Move)"; "Samurai Shodown! 2"; "Baseball Stars Pocket;" "Pocket Tennis"; "Neo Turf Master"; "Fatal Fury - First Contact"; "Metal Slug - First Mission"; "Dive Alert"; "The Last Blade "; "Puyo Puyo"; and "Neo Pocket Bass Fishing." A full list of the more than 20 titles can be found on the company's Web site.

Two AA batteries will provide nearly 40 hours of continuous play, double the amount provided by the Game Boy Color. Neo Geo Pocket Color also features a lithium battery, which allows for backup and save game capabilities. The unit is able to keep time on the system's built-in clock, even when the system is turned off.

The Neo Geo Pocket Color features an alarm, a calendar, an international clock with the correct time in any of six major cities and a horoscope.

For more information on the Neo Geo Pocket Color, please visit www.snkusa.com.

About SNK

SNK Corporation of America, located in San Jose, Calif., produces coin-operated and home entertainment hardware and software under the Neo Geo brand. Established in 1985, SNK is a wholly owned subsidiary of Japanese-based SNK. For more information, visit SNK on the Web at www.snkusa.com.