Pokemon Stadium' Will Bowl rentals Fans Over

By AARON CURTISS

Gamer's Corner

"Pokemon Stadium" is€ 'Pokemon Stadium' Will Bowl Fans Over all Pokemon, all the time.
Depending on your perspective, that's either a very good thing or the digital equivalent of a bikini wax. With regard to most things Pokemon, I fall into the latter category--understanding only on a purely academic level the fascination Pikachu and his pals hold for millions of kids worldwide. And although "Pokemon Stadium" for Nintendo 64 baffles me plenty most of the time, it contains equal doses of good-natured fun, down-home charm and chillingly brilliant product planning. This surely will be a game for which kids whine, beg and promise. But it may also be a game that helps parents share the Pokemon phenomenon with their tots.

"Pokemon Stadium" extends the Game Boy franchise to Nintendo 64 with real game play. Unlike "Pokemon Snap," in which players try to snap photos of as many Pokemon as possible--and then print them out for a price--"Pokemon Stadium" lets players pit their Pokemon against one another in a stadium setting for a fight to the finish.

For those who don't understand Pokemon, the object is to capture and nurture as many of the cutesy little creatures as possible and then pit them against other Pokemon for a cuddly kind of cockfight. The Blue, Red and Yellow cartridges for Game Boy rank among Nintendo's all-time best-selling games--in part because the only way to collect all the Pokemon is either to have all three cartridges or to swap with a friend.

"Pokemon Stadium" makes that process easier. The game's marketing genius lies in its ability to allow players to transfer Pokemon from their Game Boy cartridges to their Nintendo 64s, creating a seamless realm of play that joins the cartoons, fast-food meals, stuffed toys and trading cards that already bear the Pokemon imprimatur. Using Nintendo's Transfer Pak, which comes with "Pokemon Stadium," up to four players can swap Pokemon back and forth, then pit them against each other for a friendly fight.

For non-fans, the fighting sequences are as confusing as they are on Game Boy. The turn-based battles work fine on Game Boy, but they get a little tedious on Nintendo 64. Success depends on knowing how the different Pokemon's powers affect other Pokemon. With dozens upon dozens of Pokemon, it requires more brainpower than I'm willing to dedicate. Even with the nice graphics that accompany each move, I failed to get very excited about having my Pokemon knock each other out in the ring.

Parents may appreciate some of the game modes in which encyclopedic knowledge of Pokemon is not necessary to win. "Pokemon Stadium" includes a range of enjoyable smaller games that up to four people can play simultaneously. Most are so simple that even the most uncoordinated can have some fun. In one, players scramble to eat as much sushi as possible. The player with the highest final bill wins.

I found these games more exciting than the main draw and suspect many parents will feel the same. If nothing else, it provides an easy way to spend some time with a Pokemon-obsessed child without having to learn the difference between a Growlithe and a Magneton.

"Rockett's Camp Adventures"

The problem with most games for girls is that they rarely pay attention to the details the way games for boys--or those that are gender-neutral--do.

"Rockett's Camp Adventures" for the PC and Macintosh illustrates the point.

It doesn't take a brain surgeon--or an astute marketer, for that matter--to appreciate that boys and girls approach video games differently after a certain age. Regardless of gender, younger kids tackle games the same way. I've never met a little girl who doesn't think games such as "Super Mario 64" are cool. But I know only a few older girls who dig "Unreal" the way boys do.

Girls like stories. They enjoy cooperative ventures. They want to identify with the characters. They prefer play that is less linear and more free-flowing. Fair enough. For years, the video game industry has ignored girls and their needs. In recent years, though, designers have sought to cater to girls. But if game companies want girls to stick around, they need to deliver the same kind of quality they put into games for boys and older players.

"Rockett's Camp Adventures," for instance, gives girls a story, but not a very good one.

It features games that are noncompetitive. But they aren't very fun. It offers nonlinear play. But not really.

The game follows Rockett Movado, a girl at summer camp for the first time. Perfect fodder for all the insecurities that girls--and boys, for that matter--suffer through daily. Players can choose to engage in camp activities or follow Rockett through her time at camp. Choosing the latter means watching poorly animated sequences full of crummy acting as Rockett plays keep-away with a snooty girl's towel and sings songs around the campfire.

Sure, there are moments when players get to choose how Rockett should respond to certain situations. For instance, she can give the towel back to the snooty girl or try to pass it on to the next kid. But as far as I could tell, the game doesn't care which option players choose.

The so-called adventure really is little more than filler between a series of mini-games based on camp experiences. Players can race canoes--always against the clock and never against an opponent. Or they can track a lost friend through the Crystal Caverns. Or they can make friendship bracelets.

None is very sophisticated. Girls deserve better than "Rockett's Camp Adventures." "Rockett's Camp Adventures" for the PC requires a Pentium 133 with 32mb of RAM and at least 50mb of available hard-disk space. On Macintosh, the game requires a Power PC 133 or faster with 32mb of RAM and 50mb of available hard-disk space.

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Aaron Curtiss is participating in a Times management training program, where he currently serves as assistant to the senior vice president of advertising. He has no financial dealings with the companies he covers. To comment on a column or to suggest games for review, send e-mail to aaron.curtiss@latimes.com.

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Essentials

Pokemon Stadium

* Platform: Nintendo

64 * Publisher: Nintendo

* ESRB* rating: Everyone

* Price: $59.99

* Bottom line: Accessible

Rockett's Camp Adventures

* Platform: PC/Macintosh

* Publisher: Mattel Media

* ESRB rating: Everyone

* Price: $39.99 * Bottom line: Girls deserve better

*Entertainment Software Ratings Board