The Nintendo 64 is one of the most popular video game consoles of all time because it is one of the earliest to display 3D graphics. Games like Super Mario 64, Goldeneye 007, and Star Fox 64 are all games that were successful because they brought Nintendo fans the joy of 3D gaming for the first time.

However, like many video game consoles, Nintendo also made other games for players to enjoy on their video game consoles. 

One such game is Pokemon Puzzle League, a puzzle video game featuring many characters in the much-beloved "Pokemon" anime.

Pokemon Puzzle League History, Gameplay

Pokemon Puzzle League is a puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. according to Bulbapedia, it is Nintendo's attempt of creating a Pokemon-based version of the game Tetris Attack, which has players line up three or more matching panels, which rise from the bottom, horizontally or vertically to make them disappear. 

Failure to match enough colors will result in the resulting stack of panels increasing in height until it touches the top of the screen, giving the player a quick visit to the "Game Over" screen.

If you're unfamiliar with Tetris Attack, imagine a Pokemon-based puzzle game with the same core gameplay mechanics as Candy Crush but without the explosions that come when matching certain panels.

Instead of the game featuring the game's original characters, such as Red, Green, and Team Rocket leader Giovanni, the game features characters from the popular "Pokemon" anime series. These characters include Ash, Gary, Jesse, James, and Meowth. Misty and Brock also make an appearance in the game.

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Players of the game go head to head with enemies in a match that tests their thinking skills. As previously mentioned players have to keep their stack as low as possible to keep the game going and win. 

However, keeping their stacks down isn't the only way players can achieve victory. Although there are no explosions a la Candy Crush, the game does have similar effects against enemies when matching similar panels. 

For example, stringing a combo will place a large colored block that takes up most of the enemy's screen, giving them an easier time losing the game as the block acts like a giant panel, per Nintendo Life. 

However, the AI could make a small block touch the large block if it could, causing the latter to disappear.

Nintendo also added multiplayer of up to three other players to the game, allowing players to coordinate, cooperate, or sabotage each other with combos.

Reception And Switch Port

Critics and players found the game enjoyable despite its simple premise. IGN writer Fran Mirabella III mentioned in his article that he got hooked on the game and that he recommends Tetris players give the game a shot. 

Meanwhile, the game got a Metacritic score of 81 based on 15 critic reviews while it got a user score of 8.5. Both critics and users found the game fun, describing it as "the most frantic, frenzied, fun-filled Pokemon challenge ever."

On the other hand, Blake Fischer of NextGen gave the game four stars out of a possible five, calling it "one of the best puzzlers on N64."

The game was well received enough for Nintendo to resurrect the game from the video game cemetery and make it available on the Nintendo Switch, per a separate Pokemon.com article.

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