Pokemon Stadium
Reviewed by Jason Paczkowski
Released in March 2000, Pokemon Stadium is the next game of the
Pokemon line. Ever since the Pokemon craze began in the US in 1998,
players have wanted more and more from this series. Pokemon Stadium,
the second Pokemon game for the Nintendo 64, carries on the line of
Pokemon games. In Pokemon Stadium, you basically battle many different
opponents using Pokemon the game provides or Pokemon that you train
yourself. You can battle to earn different trophies, battle against gym
leaders, or just battle for fun. This game carries on the tradition of the
previous Pokemon games of many different creatures with many different
attacks. It plays a lot like the other Pokemon battles for Game Boy, but
provides the Nintendo 64 touch to make them even better.
Graphics: 10 out of 10
Pokemon Stadium really comes through with graphics. Each Pokemon
is beautifully drawn, with extreme detail to each Pokemon. Also, the
attacks are very well drawn and animated, and also programming to
make the Pokemon react properly depending on the attack used. For
example, if it was a weak attack, the Pokemon just stands there, but a
strong attack causes the Pokemon to fly back. Also, the character faces
are nicely drawn. The faces are as close to realistic as the Nintendo 64
can get. Plus, the possibility of different color Pokemon shows that no
two Pokemon are alike. Overall, there are no flaws in the graphics to this
game, allowing it to receive a perfect score in graphics.
Music and Sound: 9.5 out of 10
Music and sound in Pokemon Stadium were not looked over. From the
previous Pokemon games the same music was used, but was given more
detail and clarity, intensifying the experience. Also, sounds were added
to give the attacks more realism. An announcer's voice was added to
provide a play-by-play effect to the game, as if it were a real sport.
Plus, each attack has its own sounds from when it is used to when
impact occurs. The only problem I had with this is that I think there
should have been a little more time and effort spent on music and sound.
It is good, but I think the game needs a little more variety to make it better.
Game Challenge: 10 out of 10
Pokemon Stadium is anything but easy. First of all, to be successful in
the game, you have to train Pokemon from Red, Blue, and Yellow versions,
or you will have one HARD time beating this game. Each new trainer is
harder than the last one, especially when going through the cups and Gym
Leader Castle. Plus, the different cups restrict what Pokemon you can use,
providing even more of a challenge, especially in the lower-level cups,
when you probably won't have that many low-level Pokemon. Of course,
once you beat the game, it heats up the competition even more, providing
stronger trainers with even more diabolical strategies. This is one game
you can expect to play 15 hours or more before you can beat it even the
first time. However, that is just a minimum. You can expect hours in
upwards of 25 once you have beaten it.
Game Play-Fun: 9 out of 10
It is now easier to have fun when playing this game. You can now easily
play against an opponent, and the only thing you may need is a second
Transfer Pack. You can play against one opponent, or you can team up
with a friend and go against another opponent or team. Each person will
pick his or her own Pokemon, then will cooperate with your teammate
and choose a good selection to battle the other team with. Plus, the new
mini-games added into it provide even more fun for the players who don't
like battling but like this game. It provides 9 mini-games, where you use
skills other than strategy.
Frustration
This game really will only become frustrating if you can't beat one opponent.
Chances are you will have to start over every time you lose a battle. Even if
you gain continues, you won't have much luck a second time through if you
lost the first time. It can easy become frustrating if you try to beat the
game and keep losing.
Replayability: 8 out of 10
Chances are you will replay this game many times. The number of different
team line-ups can seem endless, and it takes a while to beat the game with
each different Pokemon, especially when you try to do it with lower-level
or lower-evolution Pokemon. It will take 25 hours to beat the game, but I
say it will take close to 50 hours to beat it with each different Pokemon,
making this game worthwhile to play.
Game Value: 9 out of 10
This game is definitely worth buying. Chances are you will play it many
different times. The game provides many different ways to play and many
different possibilities when going up against any opponent. Each opponent
has his own strategy, and chances are you will want to try out many of
these different strategies to find which one works best for you. The only
reason that you might not want to buy this game is if you don't like
Pokemon that much.
Overall: 96 out of 100
Pokemon Stadium is one of the best games out for Nintendo 64. You will
definitely like this game after just playing it for a few minutes. It provides
graphics that go above the Nintendo 64's standard, and a challenge that will
keep you on the edge of your seat for hours. This game is not for just a
one-time rental, but for you to buy, whether if it is to beat the game or to
play against your friends.