Pokemon: Pikachu Variant Tier List

As the mascot of the ever-present Pokemon franchise, just about anyone who’s heard of video games has heard of Pikachu. Despite Pokemon now featuring more than 1,000 creatures to collect, Pikachu has remained one of the most popular. Naturally, sitting at the top of such a mountain comes with plenty of perks. Pikachu has received a number of variant forms, with each of them showing a new side of the lovable mouse.

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire introduced Cosplay Pikachu, a unique female Pikachu that can switch between a number of different costumes. This makes Cosplay Pikachu responsible for the majority of Pikachu variants, with each of its costumes representing a different kind of Pokemon Contest. There are many other prominent versions of Pikachu throughout Pokemon‘s vast history, including some of its very best forms yet.

Ranking Every Variant of Pikachu in the Pokemon Series

Cosplay Pikachu’s various costumes will be ranked separately, thanks to the vast differences between each of them. Although some may consider Cap Pikachu to be a similar case, it will be ranked under a single umbrella thanks to the similarities between each form. Pikachu’s other notable variants are thankfully straightforward, and are not to be confused with Pikachu clones.

S-Tier Pikachu Variants in Pokemon

S-Tier Pikachu variants are the cream of the crop. While every version of Pikachu has its own unique charm, these chosen few go the extra mile. Beyond the dynamics of cool and cute, some alternate forms were simply born to be special.

Detective Pikachu is the foremost example of this, being the subject of his very own spin-off game. Likewise, the Detective Pikachu movie adaptation is seen as one of Pokemon‘s best outings on the silver screen to date. Aside from his time in the public eye, Detective Pikachu has plenty of appeal on its own. Detective Pikachu sports humanlike intelligence, which only manifested after a tragic accident. Between his eccentric personality and dapper sense of style, there’s a lot to love about the great detective.

Gigantamax Pikachu is another form designed to stand out, and even the most statistically powerful of the bunch. Considering Alolan Raichu is hogging the regional variant status, Gigantamax is currently the only regional gimmick that grants Pikachu a brand-new design. However, the main appeal of this design is actually not anything new that it provides. After all, Gigantamax Pikachu is a clear reference to the “Fat Pikachu” design that the Pokemon debuted with, and this fun call back brings it right to the front of the pack.

Compared to the other two S-Tier Pokemon, Pikachu Libre has climbed her way to the top through sheer force of will. Not only does she stand out as the most unique among the Cosplay Pikachu forms, she is also the only one to appear outside the mainline games. Pikachu Libre was a playable fighter in Pokken Tournament, and her grappling left a lasting impression on the game’s meta. If another Pokemon fighting game ever hits the scene, Pikachu Libre should be sure to tag along.

A-Tier Pikachu Variants in Pokemon

Pokemon is a series that can appeal to anyone and everyone. This has manifested in the series’ design tropes from the very beginning, with Pikachu meant to appeal to young boys and girls alike. To strike this balance, Pikachu needed to be “both cute and cool”, and no one exemplifies this better than the A-Tier Pikachu variants.

Pikachu Pop Star and Pikachu Rock Star are a dynamic duo of sorts. While Pop Star perfectly embodies the cute aspects of Pikachu’s design, Rock Star goes all in on the rule of cool. Both of these variants represent the best of what Cosplay Pikachu has to offer, and perfectly capture the Pokemon Contest theme that the entire group represents.

B-Tier Pikachu Variants in Pokemon

Pikachu Belle is another design featured under the umbrella of Cosplay Pikachu. Although Belle’s cuteness factor is a little outdone by Pop Star, she’s still an adorable addition to the bunch. Furthermore, Pikachu Belle’s elegant dress almost feels reminiscent of the Kalos Region featured earlier in the same Generation.

Pikachu Ph.D. is a complete change of pace from the other Cosplay Pikachu variants. While the others are inherently tied to performance, or at least to Pikachu’s cute-cool spectrum, Pikachu Ph.D. almost feels out of pace. However, this ends up working in her favor, as it gives her an entirely unique design that has its own kind of quirky cuteness.

C-Tier Pikachu Variants in Pokemon

Pikachu’s design is nigh-impossible to mess up, meaning even its C-Tier variants are still going to have their fair share of fans. In fact, the only thing holding them back tends to be a lack of unique traits. Whereas many Pikachu variants stand out in their own right, some C-Tier variants occasionally struggle to distinguish themselves from a run-of-the-mill Pikachu design.

Cap Pikachu is the perfect example of this, and the best of this group. Donning Ash Ketchum’s hats may not make Cap Pikachu appear unique, but it’s a well-deserved dose of fan service for fans of the Pokemon anime. Furthermore, the variety of hats Cap Pikachu can wear further allows players to express themselves, and which season of the anime they’d like to represent.

Surfing Pikachu and Flying Pikachu are two peas in a pod. Both of them have made recurring appearances in Pokemon TCG, and both of them are cute references to the opening of Pokemon Yellow. While neither of them are a far cry from Pikachu’s original design, they still bring a charm of their own thanks to their adorable antics.

Partner Pikachu was introduced in Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu, and falls squarely at the bottom of the pile. Unlike the other C-Tier Pikachu variants, Partner Pikachu features practically no distinction at all from the base design. However, Partner Pikachu does have a wide variety of signature moves, which do help it to stand out in one degree.