The Poké Cup is the “official” tournament of Pokémon Stadium: it accepts all Pokémon from Level 50 to 55, except for Mewtwo and Mew, and caps the sum of the three fighters’ levels at 155. It has four divisions of eight opponents each, named Poké Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball and Master Ball. This page details the first two; the other two are in Ultra Ball and Master Ball. The general rules of Stadium mode are on the page Stadium Mode.
Rules and rentals
- Levels 50 to 55, with the sum of the three chosen levels at most equal to 155: you can enter 55, 50 and 50, but not 55, 55 and 50.
- Mewtwo and Mew are banned.
- Each division is played over eight matches; you must win the previous one to unlock the next.
- The rental service offers 149 Pokémon, all at Level 50. Every Pokémon in the game is lent out, except for Mewtwo and Mew.
The four moves of a rental Pokémon are fixed once and for all for each cup: see Rental Pokémon for details. Our recommended team, at the bottom of the page, gives a complete example.
Poké Ball Division, Round 1
The entry division is the easiest: all the opposing Pokémon are Level 50, without exception. Your rental Pokémon, also Level 50, match the ones across from you in level. The one to watch most is the Juggler, who fields three Pokémon able to put you to sleep (Drowzee, Gastly and Clefairy); his battle is the third.
| Match | Trainer | Opposing team (6 Pokémon, you face 3) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle 1 | Biker | Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Ekans, Hitmonlee, Machop, Mankey (all Lv. 50) | — |
| Battle 2 | Rocker | Voltorb, Magnemite, Pikachu, Bellsprout, Bulbasaur, Oddish (all Lv. 50) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Voltorb ; Sleep: Bellsprout |
| Battle 3 | Juggler | Drowzee, Gastly, Hitmonchan, Machoke, Geodude, Clefairy (all Lv. 50) | Sleep: Drowzee, Gastly, Clefairy |
| Battle 4 | Beauty | Horsea, Staryu, Shellder, Kabuto, Cubone, Rhyhorn (all Lv. 50) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Shellder |
| Battle 5 | Channeler | Gastly, Vulpix, Zubat, Goldeen, Tentacool, Butterfree (all Lv. 50) | — |
| Battle 6 | Tamer | Rattata, Growlithe, Cubone, Sandshrew, Charmander, Squirtle (all Lv. 50) | — |
| Semifinal | Psychic | Abra, Slowpoke, Exeggcute, Doduo, Farfetch’d, Pidgeotto (all Lv. 50) | Sleep: Exeggcute |
| Final | Old Man | Dratini, Seel, Ditto, Magnemite, Beedrill, Porygon (all Lv. 50) | — |
Poké Ball Division, Round 2
In Round 2, the same trainer classes return in a different order (the Juggler opens the tournament) with reshuffled teams, whose levels range from 50 to 54. The final is held by the Psychic, with a Level 54 Abra that knows Counter and a sleep-inducing Drowzee.
| Match | Trainer | Opposing team (6 Pokémon, you face 3) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle 1 | Juggler | Hitmonlee (52), Hitmonchan (52), Graveler (51), Poliwhirl (51), Abra (52), Gastly (51) | Sleep: Gastly |
| Battle 2 | Biker | Koffing (51), Grimer (51), Machop (52), Mankey (53), Wigglytuff (50), Beedrill (52) | Sleep: Wigglytuff |
| Battle 3 | Channeler | Gastly (50), Vulpix (50), Zubat (52), Lickitung (51), Butterfree (50), Seaking (50) | — |
| Battle 4 | Rocker | Voltorb (52), Magnemite (50), Pikachu (53), Exeggcute (50), Gloom (51), Ivysaur (52) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Voltorb |
| Battle 5 | Old Man | Dragonair (51), Farfetch’d (52), Persian (50), Marowak (52), Omastar (50), Ditto (53) | — |
| Battle 6 | Beauty | Dewgong (50), Seadra (51), Seaking (52), Graveler (52), Rhyhorn (52), Pidgeot (53) | — |
| Semifinal | Tamer | Cloyster (51), Ninetales (52), Rapidash (53), Arbok (52), Tentacruel (51), Dragonair (50) | — |
| Final | Psychic | Abra (54), Slowpoke (50), Exeggcute (50), Drowzee (51), Venomoth (51), Porygon (50) | Sleep: Drowzee ; Counter: Abra |
Great Ball Division, Round 1
In the Great Ball division, all opponents are Level 51. The Juggler remains the trickiest: Drowzee, Haunter, Poliwhirl and Clefable can put you to sleep, and three of them know Counter (Drowzee, Poliwhirl, Clefable). Counter returns double the damage of a Normal- or Fighting-type move: against this trainer, favor moves of other types.
| Match | Trainer | Opposing team (6 Pokémon, you face 3) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle 1 | Biker | Nidorina, Nidorino, Grimer, Koffing, Machoke, Hitmonchan (all Lv. 51) | — |
| Battle 2 | Rocker | Magneton, Electabuzz, Voltorb, Weepinbell, Ivysaur, Gloom (all Lv. 51) | — |
| Battle 3 | Juggler | Drowzee, Haunter, Poliwhirl, Hitmonlee, Clefable, Graveler (all Lv. 51) | Sleep: Drowzee, Haunter, Poliwhirl, Clefable ; Counter: Drowzee, Poliwhirl, Clefable |
| Battle 4 | Beauty | Krabby, Wartortle, Omanyte, Seadra, Graveler, Onix (all Lv. 51) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Onix |
| Battle 5 | Channeler | Haunter, Gastly, Seaking, Golbat, Lickitung, Magnemite (all Lv. 51) | — |
| Battle 6 | Tamer | Eevee, Ponyta, Marowak, Diglett, Lickitung, Raticate (all Lv. 51) | — |
| Semifinal | Psychic | Kadabra, Abra, Mr. Mime, Jynx, Pidgeot, Fearow (all Lv. 51) | Sleep: Jynx |
| Final | Old Man | Dragonair, Venomoth, Wigglytuff, Parasect, Poliwhirl, Charmeleon (all Lv. 51) | Sleep: Wigglytuff, Parasect, Poliwhirl |
Great Ball Division, Round 2
In Round 2, the Juggler opens the tournament with a team that includes six Pokémon able to put you to sleep (Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Drowzee, Hypno and Jynx). You will therefore have to rely on the Sleep Clause, which allows only one sleeping Pokémon on your team.
| Match | Trainer | Opposing team (6 Pokémon, you face 3) | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle 1 | Juggler | Gastly (53), Haunter (51), Gengar (50), Drowzee (52), Hypno (50), Jynx (52) | Sleep: Gastly, Haunter, Gengar, Drowzee, Hypno, Jynx |
| Battle 2 | Biker | Arbok (50), Venomoth (51), Hitmonlee (53), Hitmonchan (53), Rapidash (50), Raticate (51) | — |
| Battle 3 | Channeler | Haunter (51), Magmar (51), Zubat (54), Lickitung (50), Magneton (51), Tentacruel (51) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Haunter |
| Battle 4 | Rocker | Magneton (50), Electabuzz (51), Electrode (53), Parasect (53), Victreebel (50), Vileplume (51) | Explosion or Self-Destruct: Electrode |
| Battle 5 | Old Man | Dragonair (53), Charizard (52), Raichu (51), Scyther (51), Kangaskhan (50), Poliwrath (50) | — |
| Battle 6 | Beauty | Omastar (50), Kingler (50), Golduck (51), Marowak (52), Onix (53), Fearow (53) | — |
| Semifinal | Tamer | Raichu (51), Magmar (52), Clefable (51), Seadra (50), Pidgeot (52), Sandslash (53) | — |
| Final | Psychic | Mr. Mime (51), Kadabra (52), Exeggcute (54), Slowpoke (50), Drowzee (51) (one uncertain Pokémon, see the note) | Sleep: Drowzee |
Note: the composition of the Round 2 final (the Psychic) is not established with certainty. Five of his Pokémon are confirmed; the sixth, at Level 50, is given by various sources as a Clefable, a Clefairy or a Wigglytuff.
Our recommended team
Across all four divisions, one opposing Pokémon in five is Poison type and one in six is Water type, followed by Psychic, Normal, Flying and Electric. A balanced team therefore relies on Psychic or Ground moves against Poison types, Electric against Water and Flying, and Water and Ice for the rest.
- Drowzee: Hypnosis to put foes to sleep, Dream Eater to exploit the sleep, Psychic against Poison types and Tri Attack as a backup.
- Jynx: Lovely Kiss to put foes to sleep, Psychic and Ice Punch to hit Poison, Flying, Ground and Grass types.
- Zapdos: Thunderbolt against Water and Flying Pokémon, Thunder Wave to slow down an opponent.
- Rhyhorn: Earthquake against Poison, Electric, Fire and Rock types, Rock Slide against Flying types, which Earthquake does not hit.
- Slowpoke: Surf, Psychic and Thunder Wave, a versatile Pokémon.
- Kabutops: Surf and Mega Kick, with Swords Dance to raise Attack.
| Pokémon | Types | Lv. | Rental moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drowzee | Psychic | 50 | Hypnosis, Tri Attack, Dream Eater, Psychic |
| Jynx | Ice/Psychic | 50 | Lovely Kiss, Mega Punch, Ice Punch, Psychic |
| Zapdos | Electric/Flying | 50 | Thunderbolt, Flash, Sky Attack, Thunder Wave |
| Rhyhorn | Ground/Rock | 50 | Earthquake, Fire Blast, Body Slam, Rock Slide |
| Slowpoke | Water/Psychic | 50 | Surf, Amnesia, Psychic, Thunder Wave |
| Kabutops | Rock/Water | 50 | Surf, Submission, Swords Dance, Mega Kick |
For each match, choose three Pokémon based on the preview: two offensive Pokémon of complementary types and one support Pokémon that can put foes to sleep or paralyze them.
