Pokemon Stadium 2

"Now the Pokemon Gold/Silver/Crystal owners can battle in their very own Stadium!"

Okay, fellow trainers, let's be honest: When you got your copy of Gold, Silver, and/or Crystal, did you ever wonder what any of the new Pokemon and moves would look like in
3-D? Did you hope and dream that they could be used in Pokemon Stadium?

Well, in Pokemon Stadium 2, you can!

For those of you new to these two games, here is the basic premise: Using an N64 Transfer Pak, you can transfer your Pokemon from your Game Boy Pokemon games, and watch them battle in all their 3-D glory!

Interested in how this game measures up? Read on:
Graphics: 10/10
Why: All 251 Pokemon look so real, you can almost touch them! The environments are also very realistic looking, and fit their areas appropriately.
Case in point: Gym Leader Castle is a great place for the themed arenas, because each Gym Leader has his or her own theme in their arena. (I personally like the Poke Ball stained glass window in Whitney's arena!)

The generic stadium arenas are also very well done, complete with people packing them to the brim! The only things we need now is the concession stand and a gift shop! (although the Mystery Gift function kinda takes care of the gift shop idea.)

Audio: 9/10
Why: All the classic Pokemon battle music is here, and every Pokemon sounds just like its Game Boy counterpart! (a plus in my book) Sound effects are very nice; fire hisses, wind whistles, grass rustles...there isn't a single noise that makes you wonder ''What is THAT noise?'' (another plus!)

There are also some instances of voices in the game, but they are a mixed bag. For example, Earl, the Pokemon Academy headmaster, sounds just like a professor, with such bits as ''Pay attention, please!'', and ''Indeed!'' and ''Okay, first...''. Yet, I somehow swear that Earl sounds just like Mario!

On the other hand, we have a commentator for the battles, giving those in the stands the play-by-play of what happens as the fight unfolds. While he may sound cool at first, he tends to get annoying after a while. Fortunately, you can turn him off from the Options menu if you'd rather listen to the effects by themselves.

Controls: 10/10
Why: Each command has its description next to its button, so you don't have to play around with trial and error to figure out what the buttons do. (although you may still hit the C button for the wrong move from time to time.) You also don't have to fiddle with a hard-to-use camera!

Fun Factor: 10/10
With several different battle modes, 2 player battles, Gym Leader Castle, and other modes, you will be dueling Pokemon well into the night!

Final word:
This game is a worthy successor to the original Stadium, and is just as fun to play! Go out and get this, you will not regret it!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/08/03