A Pokémon Super Contest is an expanded format of the Pokémon Contests for the Generation IV games. In it, Pokémon are rated on their appearance and performance, rather than strength. They are different from the previous generation's competitions because they make use of the Nintendo DS's touch screen. They come in four rankings in the same five categories as Generation III: Cool, Beauty, Cute, Smart and Tough.

All Super Contests are at the Contest Hall in Hearthome City.

Competitions

Visual Competition

This is the equivalent of the first round of regular contests. As in the previous generation, Pokémon are rated based on their appearance in the appropriate category. These stats can be raised using Poffins, rather than the Pokéblocks of the previous generation.

However, in Super Contests, an extra element is added to these competitions by dressing up the Pokémon with accessories found in the Fashion Case. By using the stylus to drag and drop accessories onto the Pokémon, competitors must dress up their Pokémon as well as they can within the 60 second time limit. These competitions will have a randomly picked theme which the competitors must follow.

Themes

• The Bright
• The Created
• The Colorful
• The Festive
• The Flexible
• The Gaudy
• The Intangible
• The Natural
• The Relaxed
• The Shapely
• The Sharp
• The Solid

Dance Competition

In the next round, all four Pokémon dance on the stage. Competitors control their Pokémon with four buttons: Left, Right, Front, and Jump. The dancer in front chooses up to three steps in the Normal and Great Ranks, and four in the Ultra and Master Ranks, matching the beat as closely as possible, and then the back-up dancers try to match the lead dancer's moves.

At the bottom of the top screen, a simple music staff shows the steps with a bouncing Jigglypuff on top of it keeping the beat.

Acting Competition

This is the equivalent of the second round of regular contests. Pokémon perform moves for one of the three judges, Jordan, Dexter and Keira, to earn appeal points. At the end of each round, judges award extra points to the Pokémon: 3 points if only one Pokémon performed to them, 2 points each if two Pokémon performed to them, and 1 point apiece if three Pokémon performed to them. This competition has four rounds, rather than the five rounds found in the regular contests. The Pokémon, contrary to the regular contests, get their position by their scoring in reverse. The best scorer goes last and the least scorer goes first.

Awards

The winning Pokémon will receive a ribbon for the contest type and rank. They will also receive a special accessory.

Accessory prizes

Cool Contests

Normal Rank - Red Barrette

Great Rank - Red Balloon

Ultra Rank - Top Hat

Master Rank - Gold Pedestal

Beauty Contests

Normal Rank - Blue Barrette

Great Rank - Blue Balloon

Ultra Rank - Silk Veil

Master Rank - Glass Stage

Cute Contests

Normal Rank - Pink Barrette

Great Rank - Pink Balloon

Ultra Rank - Lace Headdress

Master Rank - Flower Stage

Smart Contests

Normal Rank - Green Barrette

Great Rank - Green Balloon

Ultra Rank - Professor Hat

Master Rank - Cube Stage

Tough Contests

Normal Rank - Yellow Barrette

Great Rank - Yellow Balloon

Ultra Rank - Heroic Headband

Master Rank - Award Podium

Notable contestants

There are several contestants that are important in other parts of the story. You will encounter them in the Ultra and Master Ranks.

Fantina

Fantina is the Gym Leader of Hearthome City. You first meet her outside the Contest Hall, where she announces she is a Contest master and then departs. She uses a Drifloon called Loony.

Johanna

Johanna is your mother. She seems to be well acquainted with the judge Keira. You meet her in Hearthome City with Keira when you enter the Contest Hall for the first time, where she gives you a pink dress or a tuxedo to wear when you enter a Contest, depending on the gender you play as. She has a Kangaskhan called Jumpy, which knows Dizzy Punch, Endure, and Reversal.

Jasmine

Jasmine is a Johto Gym Leader, from Olivine City. She gives you the Waterfall HM when you defeat the Sunyshore Gym. She enters using a Steelix called Rusty, which knows Screech and Fire Fang.

Trivia

The Contest Ranks are named after the original Kanto Poké Balls. They also were in Generation III, although it seems the translation team did not catch this, as back then the Japanese Poké Ball names were used in the English versions.