The N-pire strikes back

Nintendo's attempts to fight back the PlayStation 2 onslaught begins in earnest today with the release of Pokemon Snap and the Pokemon-themed N64. The latter includes a Pikachu moulded into the plastic that lights up, and will likely be retailed in bundles alongside Snap, which offers players the opportunity to photograph Pokemon in their natural habitat. Also arriving in the UK in the near future are Mario Party 2 and the highly anticipated Mario Tennis. The former is due out on October 23rd and will follow on from the original with its multiplayer orientation. Mario Tennis on the other hand is due out on November 3rd and will act as a strong aggressor against the PS2 and its early lineup, which will of course hit our shores on the 24th of the same month. As if this were not enough, the incredibly impressive Zelda : Majora's Mask will hit on the 17th, barely days before the PS2, and N64 feeling a bit depressed on the first morning of Sony's new console can pick up Rare's Mickey's Speedway to drown their sorrows. Nintendo representatives have called this the most impressive pre-Christmas N64 lineup yet. Meanwhile in related news, the GameBoy Color welcomes Heroes of Might and Magic, Activision's Spiderman and the timely Carl Lewis Athletics into its stable of games this week.