The objective of the game's mission is to save the world in 30 minutes or less. Families work together to infiltrate the Evil Guy Complex and unlock the safe where the plans for the Evil Guy Operations are kept, while helping each other to defeat the booby traps and avoid the complex's security guard and his vigilant dog.

"Break the Safe(TM) is unique in its emphasis on teamwork - players need to cooperate and communicate with each other in order to beat the clock. They win or lose as a team," said Phil Jackson, vice president, games & puzzles marketing, Mattel. "We believe that this concept will strike a chord with families whose busy fast-paced lives leave little time for quality family interaction. Break the Safe(TM) provides them with an opportunity to have fun, communicate, work together toward a common goal - all in a set time frame of 30 minutes. It also teaches the kids that whether they win or lose, their family is always on their side."

While playing the game, the team of "Agents" faces many obstacles while searching for the four hidden keys that will allow them to unlock the safe and retrieve the Evil Guy Operations documents. Working their way through the maze of hallways and rooms in the complex, they must use each other's tools to disarm the booby traps that protect the top-secret tiles. While some tiles contain the keys, others represent secret passages to other rooms in the complex; one of the tiles is there to stun you (you lose your next turn), while another is just a decoy and contains nothing.

As the pressure is building for the agents to locate the keys to the safe, they must always be aware of another threat to their mission. The guard and the dog provide security in the Evil Guy Complex and, if awakened, they browse the hallways of the complex - if any of the agents are detected by either one, they're automatically sent to jail and the mission is derailed. The agents must now rely on their teammates to get out of jail and continue their search for the keys. The entire team must return to the location of the safe at the end of the game in order to stop the safe's self-destruct mechanism and open it. Mission accomplished!

Mattel's Break the Safe(TM) is the latest testament to a growing trend of board game popularity in the last several years. In uncertain times, people are increasingly choosing home-based social activities and board games instead of public outings to crowded places. Faced with playing a board game or a video game, more people are opting for the board game because they want an activity that is more social, less violent, allowing them to spend more time with friends and family, rather than in front of a TV or computer screen. Break the Safe(TM) goes one step further in enhancing social interaction by eliminating the rivalry that is usually associated with games and emphasizes the importance of teamwork - players can only beat the clock and win by working as a seamless team unit. This type of cooperation provides a valuable bonding experience for the entire family - whether they win or lose, their family is always on their side.

Break the Safe(TM) is now available at retailers nationwide for an approximate retail price of $19.99.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products, including Barbie(R), the most popular fashion doll ever introduced. The Mattel family of toys and games is comprised of such best-selling brands as Hot Wheels(R), Matchbox(R), American Girl(R), and Fisher-Price(R), which also includes Little People(R), Rescue HeroesTM, Power Wheels(R), as well as a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 25,000 people in 36 countries and sells products in more than 150 nations throughout the world. The Mattel vision is to be the world's premier toy brands --- today and tomorrow.