The Gym Leader Castle is Pokémon Stadium’s “adventure” mode: a dark, winding map with towers topped by the symbol of each badge, where you take on Kanto’s eight Gym Leaders in order, then the Elite Four and finally the Rival. Each Gym has three disciples to beat before the Leader, and the next Gym only opens afterwards. This page covers the rules of the mode and details the first four Gyms; the rest is in Gyms 5 to 8 and then the Elite Four and the Rival.
The Gym Leader Castle map: each tower bears a Leader's badge, here Pewter Gym (English version).
Gym Leader Castle rules
All Pokémon are allowed, with no species limit. You can use your cartridge Pokémon or Rental Pokémon (level 50).
Opposing Pokémon are at level 50, or at the level of your highest-level Pokémon if it is above 50. The stronger your Pokémon are, the stronger the Trainers get.
You can change your team at the foot of each tower. The only exception is the Rival, who is fought with the same team you used against the Elite Four.
Each match is played three Pokémon against three from teams of six, with the Sleep Clause, Freeze Clause and Self-KO Clause.
No divisions or cups: the Castle has 37 battles, that is 8 times 4 (disciples and Leaders), 4 Elite Four members and the Rival.
Mewtwo.
After the Rival, Professor Oak gives you one of the eight rare Pokémon reserved for the Castle: see the Elite Four page and Rewards. The Castle and the Stadium cups must all be completed to face Mewtwo.
Pewter Gym: Brock (Boulder Badge)
The three disciples are nothing to worry about. The Leader, Brock, fields Onix, Graveler, Cubone, Vulpix, Omanyte and Kabuto in Round 1. Graveler knows Self-Destruct and Cubone knows Fissure. In Round 1, Ice hits 15 of the Gym’s 24 Pokémon for double damage, well ahead of Rock (11) and Flying (10).
Misty favors Water Pokémon: Starmie, Horsea, Psyduck, Blastoise, Staryu and Seel in Round 1. In Round 1, Electric hits 17 of the Gym’s 24 Pokémon for double damage and Grass 16. In Round 2 the Gym opens up: Dugtrio and Exeggutor join Misty’s team, and Exeggutor knows Explosion.
Explosion or Self-Destruct: Exeggutor; one-hit KO: Dugtrio
Vermilion Gym: Lt. Surge (Thunder Badge)
Lt. Surge offers Raichu, Voltorb, Electrode, Pikachu, Magnemite and Magneton in Round 1. Against such a set of Electric Pokémon, only one attack really pays off: Ground. In Round 1, it hits 17 of the 24 Pokémon for double damage. Voltorb knows Explosion and Electrode knows Self-Destruct, which can cost you a Pokémon, even a sturdy one.
Explosion or Self-Destruct: Electrode; Sleep: Tangela
Celadon Gym: Erika (Rainbow Badge)
Erika’s Grass-type Pokémon (Gloom, Victreebel, Tangela, Vileplume, Weepinbell and Exeggcute) come with plenty of status moves: Sleep Powder and Hypnosis (sleep), Stun Spore (paralysis). Ice, which hits 14 of the 24 Pokémon in Round 1, is the safe bet; Bug (10) and Flying (8) follow. In Round 2, Erika includes an Exeggutor that knows Hypnosis and Explosion.
Explosion or Self-Destruct: Exeggutor; Sleep: Exeggutor
Tips for the first four Gyms
Change your team for each Gym: an Ice-based team for Pewter and Celadon, Electric and Grass for Cerulean, Ground for Vermilion.
Always keep a Pokémon ready to take the sleep: Erika and her entourage have plenty of it.
The opposing level follows that of your highest-level Pokémon: a single level 100 Pokémon on your team raises the whole Castle to level 100. To keep opponents at level 50, play with Rental Pokémon, which are all level 50.
