Power Challenge Trading Cards

Binder

Power Challenge Trading Cards are a series of trading cards distributed with issues of Nintendo Power between 1992 and 1995. The cards were distributed in sheets of six. Each card depicted a game playable on either the Nintendo Entertainment System, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or the Game Boy on its front end. The back of each card featured a short description of the game, a "Power Challenge" for the player to complete within the game (three difficulties were available, these being "Novice", "Intermediate", and "Pro"), and miscellaneous information about the game (such as the game's genre and release date). Many cards were themed after a game in the Super Mario franchise. The "Power Challenges" were created by Game Play Counselors employed by Nintendo and the Nintendo Power staff.

The cards were printed as part of a contest, to which the grand prize was one of 500 game cartridges for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. To win, the participant needed to obtain a specific set of three cards, which changed with each issue. The Player's Pulse section of the Nintendo Power magazine listed that issue's winning set of cards. The uncut sheet of cards states that participants can trade cards with a friend to obtain the winning combination, or they could combine the cards they already own with cards that are printed in future issues. If the participant obtained the winning combination, they were to mail the cards, their name, phone number, and address, their Club Membership number (if they had one), and the answer to a riddle to Nintendo Power.

Cards

#	Front	Back	Game	Description	Power Challenge
4			Yoshi	The mega-popular dinosaur from Super Mario World gets his own puzzle game! Shuffle the pillars of baddies back and forth to capture them in Yoshi's eggs!	How long will it take you to score 30,000 points? Novice: 25 minutes Intermediate: 20 minutes Pro: 15 minutes
6			Super Mario Bros. 3	The biggest NES Mario adventure ever! Take Mario through 87 Koopa-infested levels with the help of his Flying Raccoon, Frogman, and Hammer Brother suits!	Use the three Warp Whistles to get to World Eight. Then, try making it all the way through to Bowser without- Novice: Using any special items or suits Intermediate: Losing any lives Pro: Losing any lives as Small Mario
25			Dr. Mario	Three kinds of viruses are on the loose, and only Dr. Mario and you can stop them! The beastly bacteria meet their match as you direct nine color-coded vitamin capsules into a medicine bottle to wipe them out!	How many matches can you make from putting one vitamin into place- Novice: Three Intermediate: Five Pro: Seven
36			Super Mario Bros. 3	The biggest NES Mario adventure ever! Take Mario through 87 Koopa-infested levels with the help of his Flying Racoon, Frogman, and Hammer Brother suits. Can you defeat Bowser?	Try to beat these bosses using only fireballs- Novice: World One - Larry Koopa Intermediate: World Three -Wendy Koopa Pro: World Six - Lemmy Koopa
39			Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins	Mario Land has been taken over by Mario's evil alter-ego, Wario! Travel through the[sic] one of the[sic] Mario's biggest adventures ever in this awesome Game Boy blockbuster!	Try clearing all of the stages in one of the following zones using only one Mario life- Novice: Turtle Zone Intermediate: Mario Zone Pro: Pumpkin Zone
42			Super Mario Kart	Mario and friends are in a race to the finish in this excellent Super NES driving game! In speedy go-karts, one or two players can race against the likes of Bowser and Donkey Kong, Jr. Or for a change of pace, try dueling it out in a game of high-speed tag!	Try to win the following races in 100cc class without using any items- Novice: Flower Cup Intermediate: Star Cup Pro: Special Cup
80			Golf	How far can you hit the ball and how accurately? Golf will test your skills on two different courses, one in the U.S. and one in Japan. Watch out for water hazards and sand traps galore! The only thing you don't have to do is look for lost golf balls!	Can you beat these scores? Novice: Shoot Even Par on the Japanese Course Intermediate: Shoot -5 on the US Course Pro: Shoot-15 on the Japanese Course
81			Super Mario All-Stars	The world's most popular video games are now all on one Super NES Game Pak, with updated graphics and sound! SMB 1, SMB 2, SMB 3, and a game never before released in the U.S., Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels. Can you master all four games?!	Can you finish these games WITHOUT warping? Novice: Super Mario Bros. 3 Intermediate: Super Mario Bros. 1 Pro: Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels
84			Yoshi's Cookie	There's chaos at the cookie factory! Try to keep the cookies together and get them off the screen as quickly as you can. It's great fun for two players as well. Can you fill the Cookie Orders before your opponent does?!	Score more than 6,500 points on these speed and level settings: Novice: Speed low, round five, beat score before stage six Intermediate: Speed medium, round three, beat score on stage one Pro: Speed high, round seven, beat score before stage four
86			NES Open Tournament Golf	Grab the clubs and hit the fairways! With three courses to choose from, NES Open Tournament Golf is packed with challenge. Play in the tournaments and try to up your standing from beginner all the way to the pro level.	In the match mode, can you beat Luigi by: Novice: Losing only 8 out of 18 holes Intermediate: Losing only 5 Pro: Not losing any holes
89			Yoshi's Cookie	The cookie factory has gone bonkers and only you can control it!! Keep the cookies together and get them out the door as quickly as you can. There is two-player fun to be had as well!!!	Starting at Round Five with the speed set at High, how far can you go? Novice: Round Five, Stage 4 Intermediate: Round Five, Stage 10 Pro: Round Six, Stage 2
129			Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3	Wario's back and he wants a castle of his own! All he needs is money, and lots of it. He's getting it the old fashioned way, swiping it from pirates! Work through forty levels and get as much money and treasure as you can to buy the best castle in the world.	How much treasure can you collect when you finish the game? Novice: 10 Treasures Intermediate: 15 Treasures Pro: 20 Treasures
134			Donkey Kong	An arcade classic comes to Game Boy. Donkey Kong has all the original levels as well as a new quest game, too. The object is the same-rescue the lady in distress from Donkey Kong! Travel through level after level while you try to outsmart this oversized monkey.	Can you make it through these levels using only one Mario? Novice: Level 1-3 Intermediate: Level 2-2 Pro: Level 3-3
144			Donkey Kong Country	Our old pal Donkey Kong is back, staring in his own adventure along with his new pal Diddy Kong. Stunning graphics and an amazing soundtrack make this 32 meg game one of the all-time greats. Romp through jungles, caves, mountains and forests fighting against the Evil Kremlings. Challenging levels with lots of hidden secrets make for endless hours of fun. The King is back!	Can you finish these levels using only one monkey? Novice: Platform Perils Intermediate: Mine Cart Carnage Pro: Snow Barrel Blast
164			Wario's Woods	Wario's at it again, and Toad is there to pick up the pieces; bombs that is. In this fast-paced puzzle game Toad has to undo what Wario has done, and done well. Only fast moves and quick thinking can save you now!	Can you beat the gold medal time for: Novice: Easy Intermediate: Normal Pro: Hard