Summary
The annual August 2023 Pokemon Presents just aired, bringing with it a wave of updates for all thingsPokemon. The DLC forPokemon ScarletandVioletfeatured heavily, with a release date announced for its first part, The Teal Mask. More information onDetective Pikachu Returnswas revealed, and a variety of mobile games likePokemon GOandPokemon Unitedetailing their latest updates. Among several other announcements, such as a couple newPokemonshows and news related to the 2023 Pokemon World Championships, it was also announced that the Game Boy ColorPokemon Trading Card Gameand N64Pokemon Stadium 2have arrived on Nintendo Switch Online.
Both of these titles have been anticipated for a while, being seen as two shining examples ofPokemonspin-offs. ThePokemon Trading Card Gameoffers much of the excitement of the real, classic TCG in an authenticPokemonRPG package, andPokemon Stadium 2builds on top of all the singleplayer and multiplayer features that madePokemon Stadium 1so beloved.Online multiplayer makes bothPokemontitles worth it, even if many players just end up competing inStadium 2’s minigames. It’s tough to bemoan these releases, but perhaps because of how exciting their announcements are, they highlight gaps in both the Pokemon Presents' lineup andPokemon’s upcoming games as a whole.
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Pokemon Is Overdue For A New Stadium Spin-Off
While thePokemon TCGcrowd has been served well with novelty cards and sets celebrating the game’s present and past,Pokemon Stadiumcan’t say the same. The lastPokemontitle inPokemon Stadium’s lineage wasPokemon Battle Revolution, a Genius Sorority game released early on the Wii. Although it wasn’t bad, it came off as underwhelming thanks to immediately following its own developer’sPokemon ColosseumandPokemon XD: Gale of Darkness, as well as being generally inferior to thePokemon Stadiumduo.
Pokemon Stadium 2releasing for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack owners feels like a bandage over a larger wound. Having a port is nice, but it would be better if there was anewPokemon Stadiumavailable for Nintendo Switch. ThePokemonfranchise is lacking upcoming spin-offs right now apart fromDetective Pikachu, possibly due to the new Nintendo console rumored to launch in 2024.Pokemon Stadium 2getting a port won’t make major waves, although it could be foreshadowing something greater in the future.
Pokemon Stadium 3 Would Be A Perfect Modern Pokemon Game
The Nintendo Switch has been a paradise for olderPokemonspin-offs. A mixture ofports, remasters, remakes, and even sequels likeNew Pokemon Snaphas pleased many fans, and these efforts should continue on the hopefully backwards compatible Switch successor.Pokemon Stadium 3would continue that trend, and is long overdue anyway. It could continue the trend of emphasizing competitivePokemonbattling and tournaments, as well as bring back the mini-game selection and rental Pokemon that drew players to the originalStadiumgames.
Not only that, bur it could bring back the enhanced presentation theStadiumtitles andBattle Revolutionare known for. That includes a voice commentator for matches and detailed models and animations for all present Pokemon. Finally, a newPokemon Stadiumwould provide someofficial competition for thePokemonbattle simulatorPokemon Showdown, as well as a potential place for morePokemon HOME-exclusive species to become usable again. Having a newPokemon Stadiumwould be cause for celebration, and hopefully thePokemon StadiumSwitch ports are a precursor to something that big.
Pokemon Stadium 2is available now for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
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