Pokemon Stadium fans wonder which games will be compatible with NSO port

Josh Tyler
Pokemon Stadium

Nintendo made a lot of Pokemon fans happy at the latest Nintendo Direct by revealing NSO ports of the classic Pokemon Stadium games.

The Nintendo Switch Online subscription package has been a godsend to older gamers who are keen on revisiting the classic titles with improved controls.

Classic Nintendo 64 games like Mario Tennis, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Starfox 64, and more have become available to a new generation of gamers on the Switch.

Not many of the old-school Pokemon games have gotten the same treatment, as the NSO has mainly focused on NES, SNES, and N64 games versus Gameboy games. But now, one of the biggest Nintendo 64 Pokemon games is heading to the Switch

Pokemon Stadium games announced for NSO

At today’s Nintendo Direct, the company announced a new slew of Nintendo 64 games that would be coming to the Nintendo Switch Online store.

Released back in 1999 (but not in the US until early 2000), Pokemon Stadium was a massive shift for the series.

The game removed much of the RPG element and gave players a battle-focused game where players battle their Pokemon against Gym Leaders, Kanto’s Elite Four, their rival, and eventually Mewtwo. There was no catching mechanic in Pokemon Stadium, instead players would use the Pokemon that they caught in the original games – Red, Blue, and Yellow.

To move Pokemon from the base games to Stadium, the Transfer Pak accessory was included with the game to let players upload their Pokemon and form a team for their stadium battles.

Players are, naturally, curious how this process would work for the Switch, with some theorizing that this version would link to Pokemon Home.

It’s also possible that the NSO version of Pokemon Stadium would be linked with the Pokemon Let’s Go games, or even more recent versions like Sword & Shield.

While there is no firm release date yet, players should anticipate getting to battle their Pokemon in stadiums sometime in 2023.

About The Author

Josh Tyler is Dexerto's US Editor, focused on TV and movies as well as all things gaming. Formerly of Fansided and Screen Rant. Tips welcome at josh.tyler@dexerto.com