Pokemon Stadium (Italy)

Introduction: "Pokemon Stadium (Italy)" is not an official title but a common misnomer for the Italian-language version of the official Nintendo 64 game Pokemon Stadium. It is not a ROM hack or a bootleg. The game is a 3D battling simulator set in the Stadium arena, designed to interface with the Game Boy titles Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow via the Transfer Pak. The visual style is characterized by early 3D models of the original 151 Pokemon and various stadium arenas.

Gameplay & Mechanics: The game does not feature a traditional adventure with starter Pokemon or a region to explore. Its core is turn-based battles using Pokemon imported from the Game Boy games. The difficulty is modular, with cups like the Pika Cup and Prime Cup imposing level restrictions, and the Gym Leader Castle providing a significant challenge that often requires optimized teams. It does not introduce mechanical changes like the Physical/Special split; it strictly uses the Generation I battle system. A key mechanic is the Rental Pokemon system, which provides pre-set teams for players without Game Boy data.

Key Features:

• Transfer Pak Connectivity: The primary feature was using the Transfer Pak to bring teams from Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow into full 3D battles on the N64.
• Minigame Collection: The game includes nine party-style minigames, such as Clefairy Says and Run, Rattata, Run, which were popular for multiplayer.
• Gym Leader Castle and Elite Four: This mode allowed players to battle against the AI-controlled Gym Leaders and Elite Four from Kanto, serving as the game's primary single-player challenge.

The Italian version is a direct localization of the original, with no gameplay alterations from other regional releases.