Pokemon Stadium 1 Complete Game FAQ

Pokemon Stadium 1 Complete Game FAQ:

This game was released on the Switch NSO. It plays *way* faster on the Switch. It is considered an entirely different category.

Q: How much faster is it?
A: I can't say exactly, because I haven't done extensive testing or runs. Even if I had there isn't an exact answer, because the reason it's faster is because there's less lag - and the amount of 'lag' each run varies based on outcomes.
From my short testing though, on average battles are about 4-5% faster (some more or less depending on how much lag there would be). Over the course of this run, this adds up almost an hour of time save. Of course this is just an estimate, and there are factors of the game where the time save does not apply - for example resets actually take a bit longer on the switch, and anytime spent 'thinking' will remove any advantage.

Q: Is there team manip in this game like Stadium 2?
A: No, at least not yet. The teams are made in a more complex/correct way in Stadium 1 compared to Stadium 2 (somehow...), so figuring it out is harder, as is exploiting it. So for now, and perhaps forever, it's just, dunno, spam Thunder anyway.

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Q: Why are you using <pokemon>? Why not <other pokemon>?
A: Because the restrictions in running this game involve only using rental Pokemon (as otherwise it would be incredibly easy and not at all challenging). In Stadium 1 a fair few evolved Pokes have good moves (Legendary Birds and Jolteon get a lot of useage, for example), but sometimes a lesser Pokemon is used for a better movepool (Eg Kadabra has better moves than Alakazam)

Q: What is this category?
A: This is the Complete the Game. Essentially I finish the Gym Leader Castle, then do all 10 Stadium Cups (4 Prime Cup, 4 Poke Cup, Petit Cup, Pika Cup) and then the Mewtwo fight. That then unlocks Round 2, and I do it all again.

Q: Does this really take almost 20 hours?
A: Yes that timer is right, it takes almost a whole day to do this.

Q: What is your goal time?
A: I don't particularly have one. Just want to get a decent time on the Switch, but having not done runs on the Switch yet, I don't know what that will look like. As long as I beat my N64 PB this run I'll be happy for now, and can always improve later. You'll basically never get a knockout run of the category because deaths are so common and sooo punishing.

Q: Are the movesets the same between all the Cups and Gym Leader Castle?
A: No. Pokemon between Gym Leader Castle, and each individual cup, the movesets are different. A lot of Pokemon are still good between the different cups (E.g. Zapdos/Jolteon get Thunder/Thunderbolt between wherever they are). Stats are also different, even between GLC and Poke Cup, where all Rentals are Lvl 50. | The Mewtwo fight uses Prime Cup Rentals.
In general, movesets are better from Poke Cup > Gym Castle > Prime Cup > Pika Cup > Petit Cup.
Stats wise, Gym Castle > Petit Cup > Prime Cup > Pika Cup > Poke Cup.

Q: Why does that gym leader have a Pokemon that isn't of their type??
A: Because if every leader had only their type, all these fights would be easy. There aren't too many Pokemon to choose from in Gen 1, so a lot of them might have pokes that don't make a whole lot of sense, mainly just for coverage

Q: Why is that Pokemon coloured differently?
A: Giving Pokemon nicknames in the Stadium games changes their colouration, so you can see some cool and different looking Pokes.

Q: What is the record?
A: http://www.speedrun.com/pkmnstadium#Complete_the_Game | See: Splits (no one else runs this)

Q: Where can you save the most time?
A: Places I can save a big chunk of time, because of full losses, are;
Round 2 - Pika Cup (~1 hour)
Round 2 - Giovanni (~20 minutes)
Round 2 - Elite Four (~40 minutes)
Round 2 - Prime Cup Master Ball (~1 hour)
Round 2 - Poke Cup Master Ball (~2 hours)

Q: Is this game easier than Stadium 2? Or harder?
A: Round 1 is easier in Stadium 1, Round 2 is a lot harder. In terms of difficulty, Stad 2 starts at 3 and gradually builds to to 7, but Stad 1 starts at 1 and ends up at 15.

The rentals you get to work with are a lot more powerhouse-y (Good birds, Jolteon, Nidoking, Jynx, Starmie, Kadabra, etc), and there are less complexities without held items and such. However, you do rely on moves that can miss a fair bit, especially Thunder in Gym Castle and Prime Cup, which is used a lot in the run. As this is Gen 1 as well, criticals are a lot more common, which becomes a larger possibility to lose, as well as make up time.

Because there are less complexities, however, means there's less opportunity for you to make up the power gap by using smarts. There's no chance for you to use Mirror Coat smartly, or Destiny Bond, it is on the most part just power vs power, and at the end of the game, their power far outways yours. The end fights of the last cups are just ridiculous. Most notably, Pika Cup Round 2. That entire back half of the cup is ridiculous, but the final fight is on another level. So much so that even if I have a 4 hour lead before the cup starts, I would have no confidence at all that I would PB. It is truly not over until it's over in this run.

The biggest different between the two runs between the games though, is that Stadium 2 has the infinite continue glitch, which means if you lose a fight in a cup you can redo the fight without losing a continue, and therefore not have to redo the whole cup. This doesn't exist in Stadium 1, so a loss instead of costing you 4 minutes, can cost you 50 minutes.

Q: Why do you reset after completing a cup?
A: This is just to skip the small cutscene that shows all the Pokes you used in the cup. Saves just a few seconds each time it's used. It isn't used on the Poke/Great/Ultra Cup levels, as they do not show the pokes, and just give you the cup straight away.

Q: How are you going to play for 20 hours straight?? Don't you need to eat and shit??
A: I got some snacks. It ain't too hard to not use the bathroom for 24 hours, especially if you aren't drinking too much. I've done this whole thing before, it honestly takes no extra effort in that regard. Focused on the game, so I just get it done. Plus, now that I'm playing on Switch I get to use a wireless N64 controller, so I can actually go to the bathroom without wasting any time now regardless.

Q: Does this game have the 1/256 miss?
A: No it does not. Stadium changed a few mechanics from the handheld Gen 1 games, and removing the 1/256 miss is one of them. However, it simply replaced it with a Stadium exclusive 1/65536 miss instead! (it just rerolls once if it gets the 1/256 miss, if it gets it again it doesn't bother rerolling a second time)

Another relevant example of things that were changed in Stadium is switching after Wrap/Fire Spin means the other Pokemon won't attack that turn, so you don't get stuck forever. Also Substitute actually blocking status moves, and Hyper Beam needing to recharge even if it kills a Pokemon.

Crit mechanics are slightly different. See this spreadsheet for specifics: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lab4RC9Ngt3x1Eb7qOMYvLtqhKIekOVPmv4eaiyc4nY

Here's another spreadsheet you might find handy if you like to follow along. It lists every Pokemon in the game, both opponent and rental, listing their complete stats, and moves.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Qx8BeSwQGXyk4o0O0TG7tVyuhKyjCXbXClZIwMfoAiE