Pokémon is a series that has lent itself well to various spin-offs over the years. Whether it’s the card game, toys, or plushies, Pokémon is a true multimedia juggernaut. However, even the series’ video game spin-offs have long delighted fans, including this little game: Pokémon Stadium. This Nintendo 64 classic is an arena-style, turn-based fighting game where trainers could pit the original 151 Pocket Monsters against one another. There is also a whole selection of minigames to choose from that fans who played the game originally back in 2000 will likely remember fondly. As ever, fans wanting to get in on the fun will need to have an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.
Note that Nintendo has turned off the transfer capabilities in this iteration of Pokémon Stadium. In the original version of the game, players could utilize the expansion port on the bottom of a Nintendo 64 controller to plug in a Transfer Pak device. Once plugged in, players could then insert a copy of the Game Boy games Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow and (you guessed it) transfer their Pocket Monsters into Pokémon Stadium. Sadly, no workaround or alternative seems to have been developed for this Switch rerelease. However, online play has been incorporated, so maybe this is an instance of “you win some, you lose some?” Glass half-full versus half-empty? We leave it to you to decide.
Are happy to see Pokémon Stadium come to Nintendo Switch Online? Tell us your thoughts about the game in the comments and on social media!