Pokémon Puzzle League

Pokémon Puzzle League is a Pokémon-based version of the game for the Nintendo 64. It has a Game Boy Color counterpart, Pokémon Puzzle Challenge.
It was originally released in North America on September 25, 2000, in Europe on March 2, 2001, and in Australia in 2001. It was later released for the Wii Virtual Console in North America on May 5, 2008, and in Europe and Australia on March 30, 2008 and was released on Nintendo 64 - Nintendo Switch Online application for Nintendo Switch worldwide on July 15, 2022.Pokémon Puzzle League (Switch) announcement
It is the first Tetris Attack-style game to allow editing puzzles, and introduced a 3D mode of play. The game takes place in Puzzle Village. Within Puzzle Village, there are nine different places to go to. The title "Puzzle League" would go on to be the official non-Japanese name for all future games in the series. 
Like , it is based directly on .
==Story==
 and are on vacation (presumably after having competed in the Orange League) when they are called on the phone by , who tells Ash that he has been selected as one of the challengers for the Official Puzzle League Tournament. Ash excitedly accepts the offer, ready for a new challenge, and heads off to Puzzle Village to compete.
To succeed in the tournament, Ash has to earn eight Badges from the Kanto region which allow him to proceed to the Elite Four and, eventually, the Puzzle Champion. He can do so by fighting the respective Kanto Gym Leaders in puzzle matches. Other characters, such as or , interrupt him on his way and also challenge him to a fight.
After earning seven Badges, Ash encounters , who claims to be the Puzzle Champion. However, his old friend Ritchie informs him that Giovanni hasn't even seen the true Champion. Ash challenges Ritchie, who is the first of the Puzzle League's Elite Four, eventually beating the members and encounters the Puzzle Champion, who turns out to be none other than , his rival and very first opponent.
In another puzzle match, he manages to beat Gary, replaces him as the Puzzle Champion and is rewarded with a trophy. While celebrating his victory, Ash and his Pokémon are suddenly teleported away. They are welcomed by , who reveals that he is the Puzzle Master, and he set up the Puzzle League to find a worthy foe and clones Ash's Pokémon. They challenge him to a last fight, from which Ash emerges victorious once again. However, upon his victory, Ash is transported back to where he started his adventure.
It seems as though all of it was a dream, but Ash soon discovers a trophy given to him by Mewtwo beside him.
==Blurb==
Master a new challenge!
Discover the most frantic, frenzied, fun-filled Pokémon challenge ever - Pokémon Puzzle League! Line up three or more blocks of the same type to clear them off the screen. Create chains and combos to send garbage to your opponent. Collect badges from other Pokémon trainers to earn the right to enter the ultimate competition... a battle against the mysterious Puzzle Master!
* A puzzle game with a Pokémon theme! Ash and Pikachu are off to the Pokémon Puzzle League Tournament to defeat the mysterious Puzzle Master.
* Six different modes in 2-D or 3-D! Train at Professor Oak's Lab or Mimic Mansion, then challenge a friend or the computer in the Main Stadium. Build endurance in the Marathon Field. Solve puzzles at the Puzzle University, race against the clock in the Time Zone, and battle Team Rocket at the Spa.
* Defeat all 15 Pokémon trainers! Win all their badges to become the Pokémon Puzzle Master!
==Play Modes==
* Prof. Oak's Labs - will give the player a tutorial here.
* 1p Stadium - The arena for the game's main "story" mode. This is where battles the Gym Leaders for the title of Puzzle Champion.
** The cannot complete the entirety of the story initially. More and more of it is revealed in the later difficulties as more and more stages are added.
*** Easy: is the final opponent.
*** Normal: Bruno of the Elite Four is the final opponent.
*** Hard: is the final opponent.
*** Very Hard and Super Hard: is the final opponent.
* 2p Stadium - The arena for multiplayer battles.
* Mimic Mansion - A practice arena hosted by .
* Time Zone - Here, the player has to clear the board within a limited time.
* Spa Service - This "spa" is actually run by , and they will challenge to a line clear game to get his and back.
* Marathon - An endless game. The object is to score as high as possible before the screen fills completely with blocks.
* Puzzle University - A training arena hosted by Ritchie. The object is to clear all the blocks on the screen in a set number of moves. After clearing the first class, the player can play the second class and third class hosted by Lorelei and , respectively.
==Playable Characters==
* Ash Ketchum (2.B.A. Master)
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* Gary Oak ()
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* ()
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* (Catch Me if You Can)
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* Lt. Surge
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* Erika (What Kind of Pokémon Are You?)
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* Koga
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* Sabrina (Everything Changes)
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* Blaine (My Best Friends)
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* Tracey Sketchit
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* : Jessie, James, and (Double Trouble)
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==Unlockable Characters==
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* Ritchie (Together Forever)
** Sparky (as a )
** Zippo (as a )
** (as a )
* Lorelei (Pokémon (Dance Mix))
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* Bruno
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* (temporarily unlockable in VS. mode by entering a code; Player 1 will be forced to play as Ash)
** Clone 1 (as a )
** (as a )
** (as a )
==Non-Playable Characters==
* Gary Oak (Champion)
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* Cassidy and Butch
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==Badges and Trophies==
In addition to Badges, the player can also earn three Elite Medals and two trophies for defeating Elite Four members and .
Boulder Badge 	Cascade Badge 	Thunder Badge 	Rainbow Badge
Soul Badge 	Marsh Badge 	Volcano Badge 	Earth Badge
Ritchie Elite Medal	Lorelei Elite Medal	Bruno Elite Medal	Gary Champion Trophy
==Localization changes==
* The hidden developer love message depends on if the game is the Japanese or international version.
==Staff==
==Trivia==
* The majority of the soundtrack features rearranged midi instrumentals of tracks from Pokémon 2.B.A. Master, with additional instrumentals from and Mewtwo Strikes Back.
* Lorelei is referred to by her correct name in this game, despite being called Prima in .
* In this game, Jessie and James are seen with a , a Pokémon they have never owned in the animated series.
* Similar to the above instance, Gary Oak owns a , which he has never owned in the animated series. However, he did own its pre-evolved form . Similarly, he also owns a in this game, while in Pokémon the Series, he instead owns its evolved form, .
* Several members of the Puzzle League are shown to own Pokémon which they do not own in Pokémon the Series, despite the game being based on it:
** Lt. Surge owns a and a .
** Sabrina owns a and an .
** Blaine owns a and a .
** owns a and a .
** Lorelei owns a .
* This is the first game in which Pokémon from Generation II ( and ) appear outside of Japan.
* It is possible, while playing, to encounter a glitch in which puzzle blocks will keep appearing forever and it is impossible for any player to make any block combinations or lose.Fortune Cookie: Christmas Shirt Available? Edition - !eggmas for Info
* Getting a high enough chain combo will result in a question mark displayed as the number of chains the player has performed. Changing the options in the Pokémon Center can make the display change to the word "Special" instead.
* The internal files for this game contain two unused voice lines. They are Japanese and English audio files of unknown developers declaring their love to their significant others.
* This game originally began development as "Panel de Pon 64", a sequel to the original "Panel de Pon", but this version went unreleased and was instead re-skinned with a Pokémon theme. However, Panel de Pon 64 would later be completed and released on Nintendo GameCube as part of .
==References==
==Related articles==
* Appendix:Pokémon Puzzle League walkthrough
Category:Games
Category:Nintendo 64 games
Category:Pokémon game crossovers
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