Pokemon Stadium 2 hit the market in North America in 2001, following Pokemon Stadium‘s debut one year prior. Sticking with the theme of remaining true to the main-title games, Pokemon Stadium 2 introduced the second-generation Pokemon group, including 100 new lovable monsters to the game’s roster. The new title also re-worked many of the first generation’s Pokemon, revamping their move sets and tweaking their base stats to better reflect the Pokemon’s changes in the new game. While some suffered, others rose to the occasion and proved to be reliable compared to the previous game’s counterpart.
With the release of both Pokemon Stadium and Pokemon Stadium 2 to the Nintendo Switch Expansion Pack, new life has been given to these beloved titles. Due to the sheer number of available Pokemon lines in Pokemon Stadium 2, this guide will focus on placing every final-stage evolution in a tier list, ranging from the top-ranked S+ to the C tier. As players must build teams of six — and then decide on three for a single battle — it’s important to decipher which ones will give the player an edge in battle and those which should be kept on the sidelines.
10 Obscure Facts You Never Knew About The Pokemon Stadium Games
While the original Pokemon Stadium games were released a long time ago, there still contain some secrets many fans missed.
C-Tier
- Pidgeot
- Sandslash
- Marowak
- Clefable
- Porygon2
- Quagsire
- Sunflora
- Dunsparce
- Gligar
- Ursaring
- Corsola
- Delibird
- Hitmontop
- Butterfree
- Venomoth
- Farfetch’d
- Kingler
- Lickitung
- Blissey
- Seaking
- Gyarados
- Ditto
- Omastar
- Feraligatr
- Noctowl
- Ledian
- Togetic
- Politoed
- Jumpluff
- Aipom
- Yanma
- Misdreavus
- Unown
- Forretress
- Shuckle
- Sneasel
- Smeargle
- Tyranitar
Behold the bottom of the barrel. For players looking to scrape it and find value, there are some hidden gems, but they come at a high cost. Tyranitar is a popular name, but it lacks a decent move pool and boasts a speed stat of 160. Buyer beware.
Pokemon like Blissey and Lickitung provide proper bulk but not much else, as their move pools are hindered in comparison to what their stats offer. Forretress is rather niche in its utility, as Spikes provides a fun set up while rolling the dice on Rollout could be a worthwhile gamble. Hitmontop is considerably more tempting with its Triple Kick and Counter, but players will hold on to it surviving an attack with its lower Defense and Speed stats.
By all means, players can take on the ultimate challenge of building a team around these Pokemon, but in order to remain competitive and give themselves a fighting chance, it’s best to stray away from this pool. The risk may outweigh the reward.
B-Tier
- Azumarill
- Victreebel
- Ninetales
- Raticate
- Parasect
- Poliwrath
- Wigglytuff
- Golem
- Hitmonchan
- Kabutops
- Cloyster
- Hypno
- Meganium
- Furret
- Xatu
- Sudowoodo
- Umbreon
- Murkrow
- Celebi
- Mew
Mew and Celebi stand out as the most unusual ones from this crop, but they suffer from the same problem; evened-out stats. Both have very good movesets that unfortunately cannot be taken advantage of due to 205 stats for each category. Players would have a field day if an emphasis was placed on their Special Attack.
The pool becomes more diluted with middle-level Pokemon from now on, featuring some solid yet flawed options, like Meganium, Umbreon, and Kabutops, all of whom lack the statistics or move pool department, or sometimes both. Players could have a blast going for a themed party and come up with new strategies to set up and take advantage of certain traits, but they’re probably better off going with the higher classes on this list, as they offer that same potential with better moves and stat spreads.
A-Tier
- Ampharos
- Crobat
- Steelix
- Wobbuffet
- Chansey
- Zapdos
- Moltres
- Charizard
- Blastoise
- Venusaur
- Raichu
- Primeape
- Tangela
- Kangaskhan
- Kindgra
- Vaporeon
- Dragonite
- Lanturn
- Slowking
- Qwilfish
- Donphan
- Beedrill
- Arbok
- Nidoqueen
- Nidoking
- Vileplume
- Arcanine
- Magneton
- Rapidash
- Weezing
- Electabuzz
- Magmar
- Flareon
- Aerodactyl
- Typhlosion
- Ariados
- Bellossom
- Girafarig
- Scizor
- Octillery
- Houndoom
- Skarmory
- Stantler
- Entei
- Suicune
- Tentacruel
- Dewgong
- Mr. Mime
- Pinsir
- Espeon
- Granbull
- Magcargo
- Piloswine
- Mantine
- Miltank
- Raikou
If players are looking for more of a challenge, whether it’s with Pokemon that hold a handicap or a team of three that have the same typing, this tier may just be for them. A much larger pool to select from and some surprises along the way.
The legendary dogs; Raikou, Suicune, and Entei are among the more surprising names, but their placement is warranted. Each comes with its own set of problems, whether it’s Entei’s unreliable Fire Blast, Raikou’s weak Spark, or Suicune’s mid-level Bubblebeam, there’s much left to be desired. Flareon, on the other hand, is a disappointing step-down from its much stronger Eeveelutions.
The original three starters in Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur all come with their pros and cons, and it’s up to the player to weigh them accordingly. Charizard’s Fire Punch/Wing Attack combination could come in handy, and the same can be said for Venusaur’s dangerous Mega Drain/Poisonpowder 1-2 punch, which will leave most opponents furious.
Pokemon Stadium 2’s Mini-Games Prove It’s Time For Pokemon Party
Though it might have taken many years to return, Pokemon Stadium 2 and its mini-games could help inspire a Mario Party-inspired Pokemon spin-off.
S-Tier
- Tauros
- Jolteon
- Starmie
- Articuno
- Lapras
- Heracross
- Electrode
- Rhydon
- Jynx
One of the toughest aspects to creating a tier list is deciphering the S-tier from the very top of the list, as some Pokemon can make a case for being alongside those slotted in the S+-tier. Given their abilities and move sets, what sets them slightly behind the others is a few minor flaws that could be taken advantage of if a player isn’t careful.
If one Pokemon stands out from this crop, it’s Tauros. Solid numbers across the board for its HP and Speed, along with solid Attack and Defense, make it dependable out the gate. Consider its moveset, which includes STAB Takedown, Pursuit to scare ghosts away, Rock Smash for some extra versatility, and Scary Face to drop its opponent’s speed, it can do pretty much everything. Starmie is another example of a Pokemon that covers several areas with its Waterfall and Zap Cannon attacks, high Speed and Special Attack stats, and Harden to give it an extra defensive boost.
Articuno may surprise some with its inability to climb into S+ tier, but the fact that it has Peck as a flying-type attack and an unreliable Blizzard move for the ice coverage make it extremely volatile to use. Heracross has good coverage with Mega Horn and Rock Smash, but its tremendously-low Defense stat puts it at risk of being blown away by a pesky bird.
One pesky Pokemon that could have gotten the boost to a higher rank is Electrode, who is certain to frustrate many with its Flash and Sonicboom moves. With Swift never missing, it would have been wonderful to have the Explosion move at hand in order to become the ultimate trump card.
S+Tier
- Exeggutor
- Snorlax
- Dugtrio
- Gengar
- Alakazam
The cream of the crop, the class that outlasts the rest; the S+ tier is reserved for the absolute best rentals that players should consider adding to their team. Whether it’s a special sweeper or a defensive tank, this tier has everything.
A grass/psychic type like Exeggutor is sensational when it comes to keeping opponents at bay, with its Sleep Powder/Nightmare combination to a powerful Confusion attack, there’s no doubt that Exeggutor is one of the best choices in the game. Snorlax loses the incredibly useful Rest, but in its place comes Defense Curl to amplify its defense to combine with an insanely high HP. Slam opponents with a STAB Headbutt or wind up and smash down Pokemon with a Fire Punch, there’s no stopping Snorlax.
Dugtrio may not have access to Dig, but it’s mixture of a high speed stat and the ability to Attract and Curse make it a lethal set-up option. If all goes well, a priority Magnitude will rock the competition, but the threat of a critical Slash looms in the shadows if all else fails. If glass cannons are something players enjoy risking, Gengar’s high speed stat and special attack make its Hypnosis and Nightmare combination one of the most dangerous choices. It also has Night Shade for extra firepower, and a Threat if players are feeling dicey.
Speaking of high-attack and speedy Pokemon, Alakzam remains a popular choice, thanks to its blazing speed, power, and few weaknesses. Dark types put it in some hot water, and the risk of taking a Bite head on may scare some away, but Alakazam is still as quick as ever and can take down most Pokemon with a Psychic.
This tier list can have some interchanging between the S and S+ rankings, with some making an argument for a better position than A, which proves how versatile the rental Pokemon in Pokemon Stadium 2 are. Whether players prefer a slow and steady pace with proper set up, or a guns-blazing style, this tier list provides great examples of where to find good value wherever you look.
Pokemon Stadium 2 is available now for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.
