Editing Nintendo e-Reader (section)

==Usage and versions==
Two versions were released in Japan: the original e-Reader (without a link cable port), which could read cards to unlock game content, etc.; and later the e-Reader+ (simply "e-Reader" in Australia and North America), which came with a link cable port to connect with [[GameCube]] games such as ''[[Animal Crossing (video game)|Animal Crossing]]'' and with other [[Game Boy Advance]] systems for games such as [[Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire|''Pokémon Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'']]. The e-Reader was only considered successful in Japan. In 2004, Nintendo's head European PR confirmed that the e-Reader would not be releasing in Europe, following a year of confusion surrounding the subject.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/news080704ereader|title=Nintendo will not release E-Reader in Europe|date=8 July 2004|website=[[Eurogamer]]|access-date=15 April 2022|archive-date=15 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415000950/https://www.eurogamer.net/news080704ereader|url-status=live |first=Tom |last=Bramwell}}</ref> It was discontinued in North America in early 2004, due to a lack of popularity.<ref name="GameRant"/> In Japan, it sold much better and was produced up to the discontinuation of the Game Boy hardware line.<ref name="GameRant"/>

In order to add items and scan levels in games such as ''[[Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3]]'', a player required two Game Boy Advance systems and a link cable. The gray end would go into the e-Reader GBA and the purple end into the GBA that had the game.  After entering the needed point on the game, players would swipe the cards in and the data would be transferred to the game cartridge. This function does not work with the [[Nintendo DS]] due to the lack of link cable support.

===e-Reader cards===
[[File:Eon Ticket.jpg|thumb|e-Reader card, showing the [[#Dot_code|dot code]] at the bottom]]
In the U.S., e-Reader Card packs have been released that contain:
#[[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] games
#New levels and power-ups for ''Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3''
#Items and designs for ''Animal Crossing''
#New trainers to battle in ''Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire''
#Mini-games, including an exclusive version of ''[[Mario Party]]''.
#[[Game & Watch]] Cards; originally there were plans to release more Game and Watch games as a series of E-reader cards. Only Manhole-e was officially released.

There have been numerous other games released with e-Reader support in Japan.

===Dot code===
Data is encoded on the cards using "dot code", a specialized [[barcode]] technology licensed from [[Olympus Corporation]]. e-Reader Cards may have one or two sets of dot code on them, either a wide strip on the left side of the card, a wide strip on both the left and right sides of the card, a narrow strip on the bottom of the card or a short strip on the bottom of the card with a long strip on the left side of the card. Smaller games may require scanning only one card (two sets of dot code), while the greater NES games can require as many as five cards (nine to ten sets of dot code) in order to start the application.

The shorter sets of dot code were only used with the [[Pokémon Trading Card Game]]. Cards released in regular sets published by both Nintendo and [[Wizards of the Coast]] had a dot code on the bottom side of the card. When scanned, the e-Reader displayed a [[Pokédex]] data entry for the Pokémon shown on the card. Many of the cards published by Wizards of the Coast included a left side dot code that would allow users to play mini-games, animations, and use secret attacks in the Trading Card Game or play with various songs and graphics.<ref name=tcgTech>{{cite web |url=https://www.pokemonaaah.net/report/carde/ |title=Pokémon TCG Card-E Era |author=nick15 |date=February 17, 2021 |work=Pokémon Aaah! |access-date=June 4, 2024}}</ref><ref name=tcgAttack>{{cite web |url=https://snorlaxative.tripod.com/Snorlaxative!/id19.html |title=Pokemon Card E Reader: Sure to revolutionize the Pokemon TCG for the better! |access-date=June 4, 2024 |author=Snorlaxative}}</ref>