Pokémon Stadium
A 3D battle-focused Pokémon game for the Nintendo 64.
Pokémon Stadium is a 1999 strategy game for the Nintendo 64, made and published by Nintendo. It focuses on 3D turn-based Pokémon battles using all 151 species from the Game Boy titles Red, Blue, and Yellow, and offers various challenges. This was the first Stadium game released outside Japan, following the Japan-only Pocket Monsters Stadium from 1998.
The game lacks a story mode, instead centering on battles. Players pick teams of six Pokémon—either from their Game Boy cartridges (via the bundled Transfer Pak) or from preset ones in the game—and choose three for each fight. Pokémon appear in 3D with unique animations, and an announcer reacts to battle events. The main challenge is the Stadium tournament, which has four Cups totaling eighty battles, each with its own rules. The Gym Leader Castle mode pits players against the eight Kanto Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and the Champion from the Game Boy games. Beating this mode rewards rare Pokémon. After winning all Cups and clearing the Castle, a six-on-one battle against Mewtwo unlocks; defeating it opens a harder version of all modes.
Other features include the Pokémon Lab, which uses the Transfer Pak to connect with Game Boy cartridges. Here, players can organize, store, trade, and view Pokédex data for their Pokémon, as well as play the Game Boy games through Stadium. The Lab also gives out Pokémon that were normally one-time choices in the Game Boy games, helping complete the Pokédex. The Kids Club offers nine mini-games for up to four players, with CPU filling empty slots. Examples include a Simon Says game with Clefairy and a ring toss game with Ekans.
Development was handled by Nintendo EAD, with producer Shigeru Miyamoto noting the team had 20 to 30 staff per title, plus support from the programming group SRD. The earlier Pocket Monsters Stadium was originally planned for the canceled 64DD but moved to cartridge with only 40 Pokémon. Pokémon Stadium released in Japan as Pokémon Stadium 2, expanding on its predecessor by including all 151 Pokémon and more features. For the US version, a Gallery mode was added, Pikachu’s voice changed, and tournament rules were adjusted.
The game sold over one million copies by the end of 1999, becoming one of the Nintendo 64’s best-sellers. Critics praised its visuals and Game Boy connectivity but noted repetitive gameplay and poor audio.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Nintendo EAD
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Series
- Pokémon
- Platforms
- Nintendo 64
- Released
- April 30, 1999 (JP)
- March 6, 2000 (NA)
- March 23, 2000 (AUS)
- April 7, 2000 (EU)
- Genre
- Turn-based strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Director
- Takao Shimizu
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pokémon Stadium was developed by Nintendo EAD, with producer Shigeru Miyamoto noting that the group consisted of 20 to 30 staff per title. A programming group called SRD, a separate company of about 200 people working exclusively for Nintendo, also contributed. The game was initially released in Japan as Pokémon Stadium 2, acting as a sequel and expansion to the Japan-exclusive Pocket Monsters Stadium. Unlike the prior release, Stadium allowed the usage of all 151 species of Pokémon instead of the limited pool of 40. For the US releases, the Gallery mode was included, Pikachu's voice was altered, and changes were made to the tournaments. In international releases, the in-game announcer is portrayed by Ted Lewis, while Pikachu is portrayed by Ikue Ōtani. The game was announced in the December 1998 issue of the Japanese magazine The 64Dream. Nintendo held a tournament as part of the Pokemon Festival '99 to promote Stadium, Pokémon Snap, and Pokémon Pinball.
Reader's Guide
Pokémon Stadium became one of the best-selling Nintendo 64 titles, selling one million copies before the end of the year. In Japan, Nintendo Official Magazine reported in July 1999 that it was the number one best-selling game, followed by Pokémon Pinball. It was the 10th best-selling video game of the year in Japan by August 1999. Nintendo reported selling 1,370,000 copies in Japan by December 1999. Outside Japan, Nintendo launched a $7 million advertising campaign on March 6, 2000, as part of a wider $30 million Pokémon promotion. A promotional bundle included a Nintendo 64 console, two controllers, a poster, a journal, and a 'Cool Porygon' promo card. Nintendo of America promoted the game through a national tour between March 11 and April 9 titled the Pokémon 2000 Stadium Tour. The game sold over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. By April, Nintendo of America announced that Pokémon Stadium sold over 1 million copies, becoming the best-selling console game in the region. Critics praised the game's visuals and connectivity with the Game Boy games but criticized the audio quality and repetitive gameplay. A sequel, Pokémon Stadium 2, released in 2000, supporting connectivity with Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. Stadium was re-released on the Nintendo Classics service on April 12, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Pokémon Stadium released?
Pokémon Stadium was released on April 30, 1999 in Japan, on March 6, 2000 in North America, on March 23, 2000 in Australia and on April 7, 2000 in Europe.
Who directed Pokémon Stadium?
Pokémon Stadium was directed by Takao Shimizu.
Who composed the music for Pokémon Stadium?
The music for Pokémon Stadium was composed by Kenta Nagata, Hajime Wakai and Toru Minegishi.
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