From the very first Pokemon games fans clamored to have the experience in full 3D on Nintendo’s very capable home console of the time. Several generations later and we’re still waiting for a true blue Pokemon sequel on home console. In the meantime Nintendo has released several spin-off titles, but the majority of them simply do not meet the same quality standards as the mainline games. Pokemon Stadium was the first glimpse we had of actually battling our creatures in full 3D, and I still remember being extremely excited about the prospect. At the same time this is a companion game and I wasn’t entirely convinced that Nintendo could make such a package worth the full price. They did a commendable job, but to be honest the game is severely outdated in modern times. It’s a fun title for sure, but it’s no longer worth it.
Pokemon Stadium functions as an expansion of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow on the Game Boy. Using the bundled transfer pak peripheral (which plugs into the back of your N64 controller) you can download and any Pokemon you’ve collected in the portable adventure and use them here. Thankfully if you don’t own any of the original titles you can use ‘rental’ Pokemon without penalty. Customizing your creatures and building up your own party is half the fun of the experience, and so most gamers are going to want to use their own. Pokemon Stadium foregoes a story driven scenario and instead focuses solely on battles. Combat is identical in function to the main games; you can have up to six Pokemon with you at once, and send them out one at a time to battle against an opponent’s. Everything here is turn based, and each Pokemon has four special moves at a time. This is a full fledged RPG where each of these characters has stats that determine their abilities in combat. Stadium ports over the battle system with no changes to the formula.
Where this game excels is in all of its game modes. The first of these is referred to as stadium, and you must battle and win against several different opponents in basic battles. The catch here is that opponents are divided up into different cups, and they each have their own set of rules. These restrictions are based on level, evolution, height, and weight. Although the latter of these stats have always been mentioned in the main games this is the first time they’ve really mattered which is kind of interesting. You can only use three Pokemon per match here, but this restriction makes you think on your feet because you can see your opponents line-up before each battle. The next mode is called the gym leader castle. This re-creates the gym leader battles from the original portable games with several lesser encounters leading up to the boss. These are pretty faithful re-creations of classic encounters, and in my opinion this is the most entertaining mode in the entire game. What’s really cool is the fact that you’re awarded rare Pokemon as prizes that can be transferred back on to your Game Boy cartridge to be used within the main game.
Completing both stadium and gym leader castle modes unlocks a final battle against Mewtwo. There’s decent longevity within the main game, but where it excels is in the optional content. Pokemon is a social experience, and that aspect was carried over to this package. You can trade and battle a friend directly through this game, and it’s a whole lot easier than hooking up two Game Boys. The benefit of playing against each other on portable screens is that the opponent can’t look at your Pokemon or their special moves. Fortunately Nintendo came up with some ideas to alleviate this issue via a button based interface. You select your line-up of Pokemon using the face buttons on the controller, and during battle the four special moves are each designated to a different C-button. It’s not a perfect system, but it allows for more privacy and strategy than you would suspect. It’s a really nice touch that Nintendo actually put in a game mode where you can play your Game Boy game on the TV. Sure this feature has been available on the Super Game Boy for years prior, but it’s still thoughtful. Finally, for those with short attention spans Nintendo also included a series of multiplayer mini-games. These are surprisingly entertaining, and I must admit I’ve probably spent more time with the Lickitung attraction than the main modes.
The graphics are great even by Nintendo 64 standards. Each of the Pokemon are accurately represented, and animate wonderfully. What’s really impressive is that each of the one hundred and fifty creatures all have different fainting and damage animations. The fact that they were able to cram so much into a cartridge is truly impressive. The special moves feature surprisingly good particle effects, and each one looks very different from the rest. The only issue is the fact that the backgrounds are blurry and lack detail. There’s also only one setting, but I guess that’s okay considering the fact that the game is supposed to take place within a stadium. The sound is also pretty decent. The music consists primarily of remixes from the Game Boy games, and it’s all represented pretty well. Unfortunately the audio is plagued by an announcer who never shuts up. He enthusiastically shouts out every single thing that’s happening, and it gets old very fast. The huge number of voice samples is impressive, but Nintendo really should have toned it back a bit.
Back in the day this was a stellar package. Pokemon was at the height of its popularity, and being able to battle in 3D was every fan’s dream. Unfortunately the Game Boy games are outdated and incompatible with modern titles. They’ve also since been replaced by remakes on the GBA. There’s really no reason to return to the original games because of this, and therefore Pokemon Stadium is obsolete. It’s still a fun package, but the only reason to return to it is for the entertaining mini-games. You won’t be missing out on much.
