Pokemon Stadium
Reviewed by Danielle L.
Hmmm... the wholesome franchise of Pokemon has suddenly become violent!
Now, you can enter the ring and battle your Pokemon in 3D. Excellent graphics,
sound, and cool gameplay make this game ultra-cool. Even if you hate
Pokemon, you should still try this game. Who knows, beating the snot
out of Pikachu may just become your favorite new hobby.
Graphics: 10 out of 10
I was impressed with the 3D Pokemon graphics in Pokemon Snap, but
these graphics are even better. All 151 Pokemon are here, completely
in 3D. The animation is flawless, and the graphical effects for each
Poekmon's moves are great. I especially like the water effects when a
Pokemon uses "surf". Excellent!
Music and Sound: 10 out of 10
This has great sound. It has your typical Pokemon-ish music, but the
best part are the "voice" clips. When you introduce a Pokemon into the
ring, they usually make some sort of sound that identifies them (like
"Pika! Pika!" or something like that). The effects when you hit another
Pokemon are also excellent. The water attacks make a pleasant WHOOSH
sound, and the fire crackles beautifully. But wait! That's still not the
best part. The best part is that there is an announcer so that it feels
like it really is a real Pokemon tournament. The announcer calls out the
Pokemon's names, and remarks on certain good or bad moves you do. It
really does make the game feel more real, and I think that the sound is
one of the best features.
Game Challenge: 8 out of 10
It is pretty strategic: you have to know what each Pokemon is weak
against, and what sort of thing they are resistant to. The only problem
is the same problem with all Pokemon games: once you know weaknesses
and resistances, its hard to lose. Its a difficult game when you're just
starting out, but after awhile it gets a little too easy.
Game Play-Fun: 10 out of 10
Its great! Even after you get sick of tournaments, you can do Battle
Royales, upload new Pokemon, play your Game Boy Pokemon games on
the N64, play mini-games, there is a lot to do. Its also fun to just
play in the tournaments. Its kind of a hard game to get sick of, you
really do get obsessed with becoming a master trainer while
playing this game.
Frustration
None at all. This is a pretty relaxing game.
Replayability: 10 out of 10
Its very high, because there is so much to do. Tournaments, multi-player,
mini-games, gym leaders to defeat, and you can even play your Game Boy
Pokemon games. This is one game that covered all of the bases. Even after
you won all of the tournaments and beat all of the gym leaders, you'll
still come back just to replay your favorite mini-games or challenge
your buddies in a battle royale.
Game Value: 10 out of 10
You can get it for $40, and that's a great price, especially since you get
a free transfer pack with this game (I think transfer packs are $15 or
$20 by themselves). This game will keep you entertained for a very long
time, especially if you have a lot of friends who will play it with you. its
definitely a game that will give you a lot of bang (and punch, kick, and
slap) for your buck.
Mini-games: 10 out of 10
I love these mini-games! They have certain Pokemon in their own little
mini-games, and they're a lot of fun. My favorite is the dancing Clefairy
one (its super-cute, so don't play it with your friends if you have a rep
for being a bad boy/girl). There is also a little mini-games competition
that you can play with your friends or against the computer. The
mini-games definitely add something fun to do after losing to the same
gym leader three times in a row. It gives you a little break from the
rest of the game.
Overall: 8.5 out of 10
This is a pretty sweet game. its a mix of fighting and RPG. Though a
little too easy for its own good, it is still highly entertaining. This
game has it all. Tournaments, mini-games, multi-player, gym leaders,
etc. This is one game that will definitely waste your time for a long,
long time, and you'll be having fun all the way through.