If you're a true Pokémon fan there's not a chance in Johto of you wanting to miss out on
Pokémon Stadium 2. As with the original this isn't really a game as such, more a utility for the Game Boy games. Indeed, if you don't own
Pokémon Red,
Blue,
Yellow,
Gold,
Silver or
Crystal then there's not much point owning
Pokémon Stadium 2. However, if you do own any of these games, particularly the three new ones, then
Pokémon Stadium 2 could well be manna from gaming heaven. Especially as this sequel now includes all 251 Pokémon
Pokémon Stadium 2 has two main functions. The first is to allow you to upload your Pokémon from the Game Boy games (you'll need a Transfer Pak to do this, which is sold separately or comes with the first Pokémon Stadium game) and let them battle it out in stunning 3-D. The second function is to act as a sort of Pokémon encyclopaedia, and to this end there are mountains of tutorials, references and maps telling you everything you could ever possibly want to know about the world of Pokémon.
Apart from a dozen Mario Party-esque mini-games the real gameplay comes from the 3-D battles. These come in a number of different forms, from basic friendly matches against up to three opponents (human or computer) to huge four-part tournaments against the toughest computer opponents around. This is the essential purchase for any Poké-fan. -- David Jenkins
