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Pokemon Stadium 2: Stage Research

ParanoidDrone

Smash Master
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
4,335
Location
Baton Rouge, LA
Today we look at Pokemon Stadium 2, a returning stage from Brawl. It should therefore be familiar to many people, although the new engine in Smash 4 means it behaves slightly differently.

Shoutouts to @webbedspace who requested I cover this stage next.

Previously Covered
Big Battlefield
Battlefield
Smashville
Lylat Cruise
Castle Siege
Town & City
Duck Hunt
Delfino Plaza
Kalos Pokemon League
Mario Galaxy
Coliseum
Gamer
Wii Fit Studio
Kongo Jungle 64
Windy Hill Zone
Luigi's Mansion
Norfair
Orbital Gate Assault
Woolly World
Skyloft
Garden of Hope
Mushroom Kingdom U
Wuhu Island
Mario Circuit

Layout
Pokemon Stadium 2 is a transforming stage and thus its layout is not constant. Its base form, however, is always the same and generally sticks around for a while, so it's good to know. It consists of a main platform with two secondary platforms, one on each side. The underside of the stage is mostly open, but a supporting pillar prevents players from flying underneath.

Players 1 and 2 start on top of the side platforms. Players 3 and 4 start near the middle on the ground, inside each half of the Pokeball design. The Omega form has the same supporting pillar design.

Pokemon Stadium 2 has no damaging stage hazards, but it does have several other features that influence the fight.

Transformations
Pokemon Stadium 2 has a total of 4 transformations in addition to its base Normal form, each representing a different type. The types in question are Electric, Ice, Ground, and Flying. The stage spends one minute in its Normal form before transforming to one of its other forms. The transformation lasts 30 seconds before reverting back. All transformations are signalled 5 seconds in advance by the large screen in the background flashing a corresponding image. The Electric form is represented by lightning bolts, the Ice form by a snowflake, the Ground form by a mountain, and the Flying form by clouds. When reverting to Normal form, the image is simply a Poke Ball.

The stage cycles through all 4 transformations before beginning another cycle of 4. Within each cycle, the order is random. This means it is possible to predict every 4th transformation with perfect accuracy. In theory, the last transformation of a given cycle and the first transformation of the next cycle can match, resulting in the same transformation appearing twice in a row, although this has not been observed in practice.

The majority of the transformations feature some oddity or other that can influence the battle. Details on these features are located below in the "Notes" section of the table.

Name|Image|Notes
Normal|
|Base form. The stage spends one minute here before and between transformations. All other transformations last 30 seconds. Transformations signalled 5 seconds in advance by the background screen.
Electric|
|Conveyor belts on either side move players toward the ledge. Players carried to the end will fall off the stage but grab the ledge almost immediately. Conveyors are slow enough that Jigglypuff can walk in place when facing opposite the direction of motion. Ganondorf and Robin walk fast enough to slowly move forward. All characters run fast enough to move forward.
Ice|
|Extreme edges of main stage are not affected by ice. Ice no longer increases trip chance due to tripping no longer being a thing in the first place. Stopping or turning on ice results in an extended skid animation. A running skid can be interrupted with a jump or up smash. A turning skid can only be interrupted with a jump. Pivot grabs, tilts, etc. result in the fighter continuing to skid while attacking. Perfect pivots were not tested.
Ground|
|No dynamic stage elements, transformation is static. Due to engine changes, wall infinites are impossible -- the attacker gets pushed away from the target with each hit.
Flying|
|Updraft makes players jump higher and fall slower. The effect is not limited to the area above the stage but instead affects players offstage and below the ledge as well. "Stall-and-fall" moves such as Ganondorf's aerial Wizard's Foot and Zero Suit Samus's down air act normally. Certain moves that propel players upward such as Duck Hunt's Duck Jump and Sonic's Spring Jump are greatly enhanced and send the player much further up than usual.
Summary
  • Stage spends 1 minute in the Normal form and 30 seconds in all other forms.
  • Stage always reverts to Normal form between transformations.
  • Transformations signalled 5 seconds in advance by sign in background.
  • Electric form has conveyor belts that push players offstage.
  • No fighter walks slower than the conveyor belts' motion and all run faster.
  • Ice form has reduced traction.
  • Running skid in Ice form can be interrupted with a jump or up smash.
  • Turning skid in Ice form can be interrupted with a jump.
  • Pivot attacks in Ice form let the attacker continue to slide.
  • Ground form has no dynamic features. Wall infinites are no longer possible.
  • Flying form increases jump height and reduces fall speed.
  • "Stall-and-fall" moves act normally in Flying form.
  • Some recoveries are greatly enhanced in Flying form.
 
Last edited:

19_

Smash Journeyman
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
297
Location
South Jersey
NNID
19sean
3DS FC
3239-4949-6616
I would like to note that :4pacman:'s hydrant is unaffected by the movement of the conveyor belts. I don't have footage but it is not that hard to do.
 
Last edited:

Asdioh

Not Asidoh
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Messages
16,200
Location
OH
@ ParanoidDrone ParanoidDrone it'd be good to mention if the transformations go one at a time until all four have appeared, and then repeat. It would also be good to mention if the same transformation can appear multiple times in a row.

Just tried it in training mode:
Ice, Electric, Flying, Ground.
Electric, Ground, Flying, Ice.
Flying, Ground, Electric, Ice.
Flying, Ground, Ice, Electric.
Ice, Ground, Electric, Flying.
Ground, Flying, Ice, Electric.
Ice...

Ok, it seems pretty obvious that it cycles through all four before restarting, and the order is random. I swear I've seen Electric appear twice in a row before though. I think it might be possible for the "fourth" one and the following "first" one to be the same, but I couldn't get it to happen here.
 

ParanoidDrone

Smash Master
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
4,335
Location
Baton Rouge, LA
@ ParanoidDrone ParanoidDrone it'd be good to mention if the transformations go one at a time until all four have appeared, and then repeat. It would also be good to mention if the same transformation can appear multiple times in a row.

Just tried it in training mode:
Ice, Electric, Flying, Ground.
Electric, Ground, Flying, Ice.
Flying, Ground, Electric, Ice.
Flying, Ground, Ice, Electric.
Ice, Ground, Electric, Flying.
Ground, Flying, Ice, Electric.
Ice...

Ok, it seems pretty obvious that it cycles through all four before restarting, and the order is random. I swear I've seen Electric appear twice in a row before though. I think it might be possible for the "fourth" one and the following "first" one to be the same, but I couldn't get it to happen here.
Could have sworn I talked about the order already, I guess not.
 

Sonsa

Smash Champion
Joined
Sep 27, 2013
Messages
2,005
I would like to note that :4pacman:'s hydrant is unaffected by the movement of the conveyor belts. I don't have footage but it is not that hard to do.
Also works with Villager's tree, itll stay put on the conveyor belt.
But yeah, thanks for covering this stage OP! Many of its old problems don't exist anymore so I urge that we legalize Pokemon Stadium 2!
 
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