Pokémon Puzzle League facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pokémon Puzzle League |
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North American box art
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| Developer(s) | Nintendo Software Technology |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Director(s) | Yukimi Shimura |
| Producer(s) | Genyo Takeda |
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| Platform(s) | Nintendo 64 |
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| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
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Pokémon Puzzle League is a fun puzzle video game for the Nintendo 64. It was made by Nintendo Software Technology and released by Nintendo. The game came out in North America on September 25, 2000, and in Europe on March 2, 2001.
This game is part of the Puzzle League series, but it features characters from the popular Pokémon TV show. You'll see Ash Ketchum, his Pikachu, and their friends Brock and Misty. You'll also meet the Kanto Gym Leaders and other characters from the series.
The main goal is to solve puzzles. You battle different trainers and gym leaders, just like in the Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow games.
When Pokémon Puzzle League was made, video games were changing a lot. Games were moving from 2D to 3D. This meant the developers could make the computer opponents (AI) smarter. They added many difficulty levels to the game. You can also play against a friend in local multiplayer battles.
Pokémon Puzzle League got mostly good reviews from game critics. Another puzzle game, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge, came out for the Game Boy Color in 2000. Later, Pokémon Puzzle League was re-released for the Wii in 2008 and for the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack in 2022.
Contents
How to Play: Gameplay Basics
Pokémon Puzzle League plays like other games in the Panel de Pon series. Your goal is to clear blocks from the screen. You do this by lining up three or more blocks of the same color. They can be in a horizontal (side-to-side) or vertical (up-and-down) line.
New blocks are always pushing up from the bottom of the screen. If the blocks reach the very top, you lose the game! You can stop the blocks from rising for a short time by making combos (clearing many blocks at once) or chains (clearing blocks that cause more blocks to fall and clear).
In battles against another player, making combos and chains also sends "garbage blocks" to your opponent's screen. This makes it harder for them to play.
2D and 3D Modes
Unlike older Puzzle League games, Pokémon Puzzle League has a 3D mode. In this mode, the game takes place on a cylinder, which is like a tall, round tube. This gives you more space to play, with 18 blocks wide. The traditional 2D mode has a flat screen that is six blocks wide.
You can choose between the original block designs or a special Pokémon-themed design. The game lets you battle against computer opponents. However, the computer's skills are not as good when playing in the 3D mode.
Game Modes to Explore
The game has many different ways to play:
- 1P Stadium: You play as Ash Ketchum. Your goal is to defeat many opponents and become the Puzzle Master.
- 2P Stadium: Two players can battle each other. You can choose from 15 different Pokémon trainers.
- Marathon: See how long you can play before the blocks fill the screen.
- Time Zone: Try to get the highest score possible in two minutes.
- Spa Service: You need to clear a certain number of lines to move to the next stage.
- Puzzle University: This mode gives you puzzles with blocks already set up. You must clear them in a limited number of moves.
The game also helps new players learn:
- Professor Oak's Lab: Professor Oak teaches you how to play with helpful tutorials.
- Mimic Mansion: Tracey Sketchit hosts this training area. It shows you special moves and lets you practice them.
Game Characters
There are 16 characters you can play as in Pokémon Puzzle League. They are all from the Pokémon TV show. Some of these characters, like Misty, Brock, and Giovanni, first appeared in the Pokémon games.
In 1P Stadium mode, you can only play as Ash Ketchum. But in 2P Stadium mode, you can choose from many other characters.
The final opponent you face depends on the difficulty setting:
- Easy mode: Giovanni
- Normal mode: Bruno
- Hard mode: Ash's rival, Gary Oak
- Very Hard and Super Hard modes: The powerful Mewtwo
If you defeat Mewtwo, you get a special ending scene!
Other characters you can play as in 2P Stadium include the eight Kanto Gym Leaders, Tracey Sketchit, and the villains Jessie, James, and Meowth from Team Rocket. You can also play as rivals Gary Oak and Ritchie, and Elite Four trainers Lorelei and Bruno. Mewtwo is also a playable character and uses cloned Pokémon.
Each character has three unique Pokémon and their own theme music. These differences are just for fun and don't change how the game plays.
Some characters are not playable but help you in the game:
- Professor Oak gives you tips.
- Nurse Joy helps you with game options in the "Pokemon Center."
- Butch and Cassidy from Team Rocket appear as special opponents in Spa Service mode.
Story of the Puzzle League Tournament
The story begins with Ash and Pikachu on vacation. Suddenly, Professor Oak calls Ash. He tells Ash that he has been chosen to compete in the official Puzzle League Tournament! Ash and Pikachu quickly head to the Pokémon Puzzle League Village.
During the tournament, Ash first battles his rival, Gary. Then, he defeats seven of the eight Gym Leaders from the Kanto region. Each time he wins, he earns a badge. From the Gym Leaders, Ash learns about a legendary, undefeated player known as the Puzzle Master.
After battling Tracey and Team Rocket, Ash challenges the person believed to be the Puzzle Master, Giovanni. Ash defeats Giovanni and wins his last badge. Soon after, he defeats the Elite Four, including the current Puzzle League Champion, Gary.
After Gary's defeat, Ash is named the new champion and gets a trophy. But the trophy suddenly warps him into a final challenge! He must face the true Puzzle Master, Mewtwo. After a tough battle, Ash defeats Mewtwo. He is then warped back to his vacation spot. Ash first thinks it was all a dream. But then he finds a special Pokémon Puzzle Master trophy given to him by Mewtwo.
Game Development and Music
The main system for Pokémon Puzzle League was first made for another Panel de Pon game on the Nintendo 64. That version was later released as part of a game collection called Nintendo Puzzle Collection for the GameCube.
The music in Pokémon Puzzle League comes mostly from the 1999 album Pokémon 2.B.A. Master. You'll hear instrumental versions of songs from that album. Other songs include music from Pokémon: The First Movie's short film Pikachu's Vacation. The game also has animated video scenes and voice acting from the original Pokémon TV show cast.
See also
In Spanish: Pokémon Puzzle League para niños
