Round 2 is the second half of Pokémon Stadium. It is not a separate mode, but a new version of all the tournaments: same cups, same Gym Leader Castle, same trainers, but different teams and a higher difficulty. Round 2 is also where the game’s two most coveted rewards are hiding: Mew as a rental and the Surfing Pikachu.
How to unlock it
- Win all ten trophies of the Stadium and complete the Gym Leader Castle in Round 1.
- Face and defeat Mewtwo, which then appears in the sky above the stadium.
- The credits roll and the title screen changes. Back at the main menu, press C-Right to switch between Round 1 and Round 2.
The switch is reversible at any time: your Round 1 trophies stay earned, and you can go back to Round 1 to finish a cup or use the GB Towers.
What changes
New opposing teams
Each trainer keeps their place and class, but fields a different team. Levels rise only slightly (in the Pika Cup, the average goes from 16.0 to 16.7; in the Poké Cup, they stay between 50 and 55), but the compositions are more coherent and more dangerous. A few trends noticed in the teams:
- More Explosion and Self-Destruct in the small cups: there are seven Pokémon able to blow themselves up in the Round 2 Pika Cup, compared with two in Round 1.
- Legendary Pokémon as early as the Poké Cup: Moltres appears in the Ultra Ball division, Zapdos and Articuno in the Master Ball division.
- The Prime Cup changes its face: in Round 1, the first divisions rely on one-hit KO moves; in Round 2, the Poké Ball and Ultra Ball divisions drop them in favor of Explosion, while the Master Ball division keeps both and fields Mew, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.
- In the Gym Leader Castle, the disciples and the Gym Leaders change teams: Electrode, Poliwrath, Exeggutor, Parasect and Clefable come back five times each.
All the teams of both rounds are on our pages: Pika Cup, Petit Cup, Poké Cup (Poké Ball, Great Ball), Poké Cup (Ultra Ball, Master Ball), Prime Cup (Poké Ball, Great Ball), Prime Cup (Ultra Ball, Master Ball), Gym Leader Castle (Gyms 1 to 4), Gyms 5 to 8 and Elite Four and Rival.
Mew as a rental
In Round 2, Mew joins the list of rental Pokémon in the Prime Cup. At level 100, with Psychic, Metronome, Mega Punch and Flash, it is one of the best choices in the cup. For many players at the time, who had never been able to get Mew in the Game Boy games (it was only available through official distributions), this was the only chance to battle with it. Mewtwo, for its part, is never offered as a rental.
A stronger Mewtwo
The Mewtwo waiting at the end of Round 2 has maxed-out stats and replaces Blizzard with Amnesia. You have to win everything again to make it appear. Our Versus Mewtwo page explains how to approach it.
Different rewards
- The Pokémon given after beating the Gym Leader Castle Rival are the same, but those from Round 2 hold a Luxury Box once traded to Gold, Silver or Crystal (a Normal Box in Round 1). See the rewards.
- Winning the Master Ball division of the Prime Cup in Round 2, under certain conditions, teaches Surf to Pikachu. See Surfing Pikachu.
- In the American version, beating Mewtwo in Round 2 adds hidden stickers to the Gallery, a mode absent from Europe.
Our method for Round 2
- Start with the Gym Leader Castle: its rules (level 50 to 55) are close to those of the Poké Cup, and winning it again gives access to the Round 2 gift Pokémon.
- Follow with the small cups, bringing a Pokémon that can take Explosions well.
- Save the Prime Cup for last, with the rental Mew on your team. If you are aiming for the Surfing Pikachu, do the Master Ball division last, with your own Pokémon (the conditions are strict).
- Face Mewtwo with two or three Pokémon able to paralyze and as many one-hit KO moves.
The Hall of Fame keeps filling up in Round 2: every final victory registers your team there. It is a chance to complete the 151 statues that entitle you to the Psyduck that knows Amnesia.
