Released in North America on September 25, 2000, and in Europe on March 2, 2001, its Puzzle League-based gameplay has a focus on puzzle-based strategy in the game's grid-based format.

To advance to new levels, players are required to combat the game's trainers and gym leaders, similar to the ones featured in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow.

One of several games based on the Pokémon anime, it features lead protagonist Ash Ketchum, his Pikachu, his companions Brock and Misty, the Kanto Gym Leaders, and other characters from the series.

In "1P Stadium", players control Ash Ketchum as they compete to defeat a series of increasingly difficult opponents and become the Puzzle Master.

In addition to Ash, characters playable in the 2P Stadium mode include the eight Kanto Gym Leaders; Orange Islands companion Tracey Sketchit; perpetual villains Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket; rivals Gary Oak and Ritchie; Elite Four trainers Lorelei and Bruno; and Mewtwo, who uses cloned Pokémon.

[a] Each character has a unique set of three Pokémon to battle with and a specific theme music; these differences are purely cosmetic and do not affect gameplay.

Non-playable characters include Professor Oak, who provides tutorial information to the player; Nurse Joy, who hosts the game's "Pokemon Center" options menu; and less-seen Team Rocket members Butch and Cassidy, who appear as special opponents in the Spa Service mode.

During the tournament, Ash challenges Gary, his first rival, before defeating seven of the eight of the Kanto region gym leaders and earning their badges, learning from them of a legendary undefeated competitor known as the Puzzle Master.

After battling Tracey and Team Rocket, Ash challenges the supposed Puzzle Master, Giovanni, and defeats him to win the last badge.

Upon Gary's defeat, Ash is named the new champion and presented with a trophy, which immediately warps him into a final challenge with the true Puzzle Master, Mewtwo.

Ash initially believes the experience to be a dream, until he discovers a Pokémon Puzzle Master trophy awarded to him by Mewtwo.