The game truly has something for everyone! The second you turn it on, you are greeted with a familiar "Pika!" and catch glimpses of the beautifully rendered pokemon. There are many options when you start the game. You can go for a quick practice battle at "Battle Now", where you are given a pre-selected team of pokemon for a true test of skill, or you can go to "Event Battle" where you can battle a friend who also has the GB Transfer Pak.

But the "Stadium" area is where the real fun is. Probably the best place to go for Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow veterans in the Gym Leader Castle, where you can face all the Gym Leaders, earn Badges, and make it to the top to battle Mewtwo. There are other tournament types, of course, in the Stadium arena. The Pika Cup, Petit Cup, Poke Cup, and the Prime Cup. Each tournament has its own set of rules and level restrictions, so choose the one that suits you best. For those who have beaten many of these areas, you can visit the "Victory Palace" and see all your pokemon in the hall of fame!

But wait, there's more! To enhance your Pokemon GB playing experience, plug a game into your Transfer Pak and head over to the GB Tower. Here, you can play your games in a sort of "Super Game Boy" mode. The "Pokemon Lab" will also be helpful for GB players. Here, Prof. Oak allows you to view your pokedex, arrange your pokemon and items, perform trades with others, and use your TMs and HMs easily through a series of menus. I like what they've done with the pokedex, especially the maps of where the pokemon live. And, for those who want to go from one- to four-playing action, check out the "Free Battle", where you and your friends can do tag-team battles with either your own pokemon or rental pokemon. And if you're tired of battling, unwind at the "Kids' Club", with nine multiplayer mini-games that are both fun and frustrating (sort of like Mario Party!)

Nine mini-games of various skill settings can be played, including Ekan's Hoop Hurl, in which you try to toss an Ekans onto the Diglett that pops up, the memory game Clefairy Says, which pretty much speaks for itself, Sushi Go Round, in which you play as a Lickitung trying to eat up the most sushi first, and other games like Magikarp's Splash, Run Rattata Run, Snore War, Thundering Dynamo, Rock Harden, and Dig Dig Dig.

And, in case you're wondering what that coupon in the Stadium box for Blockbuster is all about... The Gallery option allows you to snap photos of your favorite pokemon in your favorite arena, posing for the camera. Organize these pictures and print them out as stickers at a Pokemon Snap Station at your local Blockbuster for a small fee!

With the exception of the poor sound effects, Pokemon Stadium is truly a remarkable game filled with hours of endless fun for people of all ages and skill-level. Don't miss out!

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