Pokemon Stadium for N64 joins Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack in April 2023

Nintendo announced that Pokemon Stadium, a combat-focused spinoff of the original Pokemon RPG series, is coming to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. It'll be part of the service's selection of playable Nintendo 64 titles, and arrive on April 12, 2023. The game was originally released in 2000.

Check out a trailer for the Japanese version of the game below (the English trailer appears to have been made private).

Pokemon Stadium features the 151 "Generation I" Pokemon that appeared in Pokemon Red, Pokemon Blue, and Pokemon Yellow​​​​​​. It's actually a sequel to 1998's Japan-exclusive Pocket Monsters Stadium, and like its predecessor, focuses on turn-based battles between Pokemon in 3D. As part of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service, it'll be available to download and play via emulation on Switch consoles for subscribers.

There's a bit of a catch, though. Whereas the original game could view, organize, and battle with the Pokemon they owned from the original Game Boy games via the N64 Transfer Pak, this functionality is absent from the emulated version. Players won't be able to transfer their owned Pokemon, and will need to use the ones in the base game. It does, however, support online functionality. Up to four players can battle it out, as well as participate in the game's "Kids Club" minigame selection.

Pokemon Stadium will launch on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service on April 12, 2023.