Pokemon Stadium is one of the first games I played as a kid. I know I had a PS2 and an N64, but I have no idea which I got first. All I know is I loved battling, even though I was crap at it. Well, we now have a spiritual successor of sorts to Stadium: Pokemon Champions, a new battle-focused game coming sometime in 2026.
Pokemon Champions lets you pull your critters straight from Pokemon Home so that you can use them in ranked, casual, or private matches with players from around the world or your friends and family. You can get Pokemon from Gen 1 all the way to the modern games, so give it a go.
The Pokemon Stadium comparison comes in the game's recruitment system. You don't have to connect to Home. Instead, you can choose from Champions' in-built roster. To do this, you can do a trial recruitment of any 'mon for one week, or you can permanently unlock one with Victory Points.
Victory Points are an in-game currency that you earn by doing ranked battles, as well as from "other places in Pokemon Champions." Before you start worrying that this is a premium currency, you can't buy it with real money, so you'll have to actually play the game to earn it – which is great news.
Victory Points can also be used to change the EVs, moves, and even abilities of your Pokemon. This is a quick and easy way to get a competition-ready team without needing to spend hours upon hours breeding and EV training against wild 'mons.
This seems like a great way to make competitive battles easier to get into for more casual players. You can do double or single battles, so you'll feel like you're in a real tournament.
Pokemon Champions is coming to both Switch and mobile, and it will be out in 2026.
If you want something to play right now, Pokemon Friends shadow launched during the recent Pokemon Presents. It's an adorable puzzle game you can try out.
