Kid 'Xiaolin Dragons-in-Training' Descend Upon New York's Chinatown for Inaugural Tournament to Celebrate National Martial Arts Day

Kid 'Xiaolin Dragons-in-Training' Descend Upon New York's Chinatown for Inaugural Tournament to Celebrate National Martial Arts Day

New Xiaolin Showdown(TM) Trading Card Game Introduced to Fans of Warner Bros. Animation's Hit Series

NEW YORK, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozens of eager, young fans assembled at the Golden Bridge Restaurant in New York City's Chinatown to be the first to play the Xiaolin Showdown Trading Card Game from Wizards of the Coast, the first product based on Warner Bros. Animation's hit animated series, Xiaolin Showdown. The event, held on National Martial Arts Day, allowed attendees to learn the skills needed to play the trading card game and use them in friendly challenges to win great prizes.

"I'm thrilled to see the excitement and magic of the TV series translate to the trading cards universe," said Christy Hui, creator and producer of the Xiaolin Showdown animated series. "It's a fun way to engage our fans to join in and experience the mystical adventures of our Xiaolin Warriors."

The martial arts inspired game challenges players to engage in showdowns, taking on the role of one of the characters in the TV series. The player's main objective is to search and protect the Shen Gong Wu, sacred objects that posses magical powers, from outlandish super villains. The mysterious Shen Gong Wu often appear as everyday items such as the Mantis Flip Coin, Tangled Web Comb and Reversing Mirror. The game enlists players to challenge their opponents with awe-inspiring, gravity defying Kung Fu skills, mirroring the excitement in the TV series.

"As the first licensed product released from the Xiaolin Showdown television show, we are pleased to bring the Xiaolin Showdown trading card game directly to the fans the same day it hits stores," said Elaine Chase, Brand Manager at Wizards of the Coast. "The kids loved experiencing the Shen Gong Wu action and the fun that can be had playing the game with friends."

Traditional Chinese Dragon Dancers and a Kung Fu demonstrator entertained the crowds of players and spectators, and a traditional Chinese feast of dumplings and other treats kept the players fueled for a full day of Xiaolin Showdown fun. "This game is the coolest!" raved Alex Mattina, 9 years old of Manhattan. "I can't wait to take this to school and play with my friends who like the show too."

The game is available at game, hobby and mass merchandise locations nationwide starting October 15, 2005. The two-player starter set contains two 41-card decks, each containing one premium card, rules, one playmat and slide counters for counting wins. The starter has a suggested retail price of $9.99 and can be supplemented with booster packs, which have a suggested retail price of $3.69. Each booster pack contains 11 randomly selected cards to reinforce the deck.

Wizards of the Coast, Inc., is a worldwide leader in the trading card game and tabletop role-playing 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(R), among many other trading card games and family card and board games. Wizards is also a leading publisher of role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons(R), and publisher of fantasy series fiction with numerous New York Times best-sellers. For more information, visit the Wizards of the Coast website at http://www.wizards.com/.

XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and (C) Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Source: Wizards of the Coast, Inc.

CONTACT: Hunter Public Relations, +1-212-679-6600, ext. 229, dallen@hunterpr.com, Wizards of the Coast; Tolena Thorburn of Wizards of the Coast, +1-425-204-8011, tolena.thorburn@wizards.com

Web site: http://www.wizards.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photo available at http://www.newscastonline.com

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