Which Pokémon game first let players battle with Pokémon in full 3D?

Pocket Monsters Stadium was the first Pokémon game to depict Pokémon battles in full 3D.

Released in Japan for Nintendo 64 on August 1, 1998, the game transferred the series’ battle formula from the Game Boy to a polygonal arena. Pokémon performed animated attacks while an announcer commented on the action, creating a very different presentation from the original handheld games.

The game connected to Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow through the Nintendo 64 Transfer Pak. Players could import compatible Pokémon, although the game’s own battle roster was limited to 40 species. It also offered rental Pokémon for players without connected Game Boy cartridges.

International players often name Pokémon Stadium as the first 3D battle game because Pocket Monsters Stadium was Japan-only. However, the Japanese title came first. The Western Pokémon Stadium was released later as an expanded successor and supported all 151 first-generation species.