Two crystal polymorphs of Ni(cyclam)I-2 (cyclam = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) were synthesized, and their magnetic properties were investigated. Temperature-dependent X-ray structural analysis and magnetic measurements revealed gradual spin transition in molecular-crystal polymorph trans-[Ni(cyclam)I-2] (1a), whereas the zigzag-chain polymorph catena-[Ni(cyclam)(mu-I)]I (1b) did not show an obvious spin transition. The entropy difference between high- and low-spin states of la estimated by assuming the spin-equilibrium model is much smaller than those in typical iron(II)-based spin-crossover (SCO) complexes, suggesting that the normal mode softening is less remarkable in la. In this system, it is clearly evidenced that the interaction mode responsible to the spin equilibrium in octahedral nickel(II) complexes is highly anistropic, i.e., z-elongation and x,y-shortening of the coordination octahedron.