PRESS RELEASE

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif., - March 15, 2004 –THQ® Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced that a code revealed in the Warner Bros. Pictures feature film Scooby-Doo™ 2: Monsters Unleashed unlocks an alternate ending in the Game Boy Advance game of the same name and a mini-game in the PC version. The code, along with gameplay footage, appears on the silver screen as Scooby-Doo plays a Game Boy Advance during the credits sequence.

Additionally, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed for PC features the voices of film stars Matthew Lillard, Alicia Silverstone, Neil Fanning, Linda Cardellini and Scott McNeil. Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed for PC and Game Boy Advance will be available from March 26th in UK, in advance of the film’s April 2nd theatrical release.

“THQ has sold more than four million Scooby-Doo games worldwide since 2000,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president, worldwide marketing, THQ. “We are thrilled to further demonstrate the depth of our relationship with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment with Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. Our unique collaboration has lead to a great bonus for gamers - Game Boy Advance footage and secret codes in the theatrical release, granting consumers access to additional game content.”

“The Scooby-Doo! 2: Monsters Unleashed videogames offer Scooby-Doo movie fans compelling gameplay by bringing to life the established characters, voices and storylines depicted in the new film,” said Jason Hall, senior vice president, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Additionally, with film-embedded cheat codes and authentic voice talent delivering movie lines for the game, the combined storytelling experience of the film and the games result in a much deeper and exciting overall journey for the players.”

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed for Game Boy Advance and PC is based on the Warner Bros. Pictures sequel to 2002’s Scooby-Doo: The Movie and features Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and of course, Scooby-Doo. The storyline of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed for Game Boy Advance and PC matches the movie plot, with characteristic Scooby humor and varied gameplay. At the Coolsville Criminology Museum’s grand opening, the Pterodactyl Ghost escapes with other monster costumes in tow and vows revenge upon the mystery-solving teens. On the Game Boy Advance, players control Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and Daphne throughout five worlds, each with four levels, to meet and defeat creepy monsters and ghosts, capture and unmask the villain. As a reward for completing the game, the players can re-play all of the mini games and fight enemy bosses individually in special battles. The PC version features locations and characters from the movie in 16 levels that can be played in order (Story Mode) or as the player wishes (Arcade Mode).

Nintendo of Japan announced that a new GameCube version will ship without Digital AV port at its back. The nameplate on the CD lid will also be fixed, so that it cannot be removed or replaced any longer. The new system ships in Japan starting from Monday March 22, accompanied by a 5% price drop. In the western hemisphere the new system with Digital AV port will hit the shelves in May.

HARDWARE CHANGES:

While not many of us have a problem with the change on the nameplate, it's rather disappointing that the Digital AV port (also used for progressive games with the GC Component Cable) will be removed. Nintendo of America representatives confirmed that the change to the hardware will eventually affect all territories, including North America. The first Cubes without the digital AV output will begin hitting the US market in May.

According unconfirmed reports by the folks at Famitsu, Nintendo will release a new component cable that makes use of the standard AV out at the new GameCube consoles. Other media reported that Nintendo will release a new GameCube pack that will still include the Digital AV output. No official word about the rumours from Nintendo at this point of time.

Since this might affect the availability of Digital AV Cable and Component Video Cables needed for games that support progressive scan, it's not a bad idea to secure your cable now before they are gone. The designers of Resident Evil 4 are surely not happy about Nintendo's decision to remove the port, but if we are a bit lucky Famitsu's roumors are true and there will be a new cable. Please note that a new cable would probably only work with the new consoles, not the old ones.

PRICE DROP:

New Japanese laws require retailers to include the 5% Japanese VAT into the price displayed to customers in the future. Until now, a game displayed for Yen 5800 at the store fronts was taxed with 5% at the checkout, costing gamers Yen 6090 in total. Nintendo agreed to "absorb" the 5% tax from now on, so that the current hardware prices displayed remain unchanged. As a result, Japanese gamers save 5%. Games to be released in the future will follow the same scheme, while already released games will still follow the old system.

Sony and Microsoft did not yet announce any intentions to do the same. This probably means that Sony's and Microsofts hard- and software prices will not change, but they will rather re-print catalogues with the tax added into the price. Apart from the fact that the prices are looking more expensive, it really doesn't matter for the customers - they still pay the same.

This is positive news for import gamers. The 5% price drop is very welcome to thwart the record high of the currency exchange rate for the Yen.

The following is taken from the .nfo file:

• Added Support for Starcubes 1.0 and Metal Gear Solid Loaders
• More Multiple NIC Compatibility Improvements
• Improved Backup Creating Reliability
• Better Windows 98/ME support (Requires Jet 4.0 install)
• Faster loading/streaming through our Phoenix PC-side Server
• Added ability to 'Swap discs' for games that require multiple discs

Nintendo_Gamecube_Demo_MiniCD

The features of the new cart are (taken from ezf-advance.com):

• Super Memory Stick(SMS) function, backup/restore up to 12 game saves. Use Flash Memory to save the data, no battery is needed USB interface, plug and play.
• Hardware saver support, perfect support for all kind of current and future saver types.
• Real Time Clock, perfect experience for Pokemon and future RTC compatible games.

The following is taken from the nfo file:

   | Origin...: ---              Filename...: s3-l_10b.zip    |
   | Released.: 6, Mar, 2004     GOD / Rars.: 1 zip           |
   | Console..: GAMECUBE         Format.....: DOL, EXE        |
   | Source...: ---              Supply.....: ---             |
   | Company..: ---              Store Date.: ---             |
   |                                                          |
   |                                                          |
(2)>> Game Info:                                             <<)
   |                                                          |
   | For the fans out there...                                |
   |                                                          |
   | - Boots most clean ISO dumps                             |
   | - No save crashes                                        |
   |                                                          |
   | Dedicated to all the great members of STARCUBE past and  |
   | present.                                                 |
   |                                                          |
   | Enjoy!                                                   |

I'm still suffering from a major PC breakdown on my home PC (powersupply died and fried everything in the PC), but anyway here's an update.

TAKEN FROM PLANET GAMECUBE

According to Game Informer Online, Nintendo just might be planning to release a new Game Boy Advance SP system designed to look like the original 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System. The system will probably be released this summer, in a move similar to the Japanese launch of the Famicom styled Game Boy Advance SP. The inner part of this NES GBA SP will be designed to look like the original NES controller.

Along side the release of the system a series of old NES games will be released for Game Boy Advance. Much like their Japanese counterparts, these games will most likely come in cartridges colored like NES games and boxes that are reminiscent of the old school Nintendo game boxes. Which games will be released has yet to be decided, but the Famicom mini games released in Japan are up for consideration.

Although Nintendo has not yet officially announced this system yet, when contacted about it they did mention that it "is being considered."