Mega Evolution will finally return in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. This list goes over the top 10 Pokémon that will hopefully get a Mega Evolution of their own when the game releases.
Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates Honorary Mention: Porygon-Z
Porygon-Z doesn’t need a Mega Evolution in the way that some Pokémon could really benefit from the boost to their base stat total. The real value of a Mega Porygon-Z comes from seeing exactly where the evolutionary line goes. Will it get even more corrupted? Will it finally be rid of its malware? The possibilities are endless, and that’s what makes the prospect of Mega Porygon-Z so exciting.
Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates Honorary Mention: Durant
Durant and Heatmor are a rare case of a Pokémon “rivalry” that isn’t fairly matched: Heatmor’s Fire typing completely trumps Durant’s Bug and Steel types. It’s tragic, but it also makes perfect sense since ants generally don’t stand much chance against anteaters in real life, either. Durant is already fairly common throughout Pokémon X and Y, so why not give it a Mega Evolutions in Legends: Z-A? It could be a more traditional “evolution,” or something sillier, like an entire colony of Durant. It doesn’t have to be a hard counter to Heatmor by any means; just give Durant a Mega Evolution to spice it up before Heatmor chows down.
Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates Honorary Mention: Barbaracle
Barbaracle is one of X and Y’s less appealing Pokémon designs. A Mega Evolution for Barbaracle may just give it some highly needed unique attributes, whether that be more arms and legs or even heads, or by taking it in a slightly different direction than it’s already in. Unfortunately, Barbaracle isn’t very great in battle, either. A Mega Evolution could give Barbaracle a bump up both visually and in terms of viability, definitely with its extra base stats, and perhaps even with a change of type or Ability.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #10: Staraptor
Staraptor isn’t one of the most competitively viable Pokémon, but it isn’t particularly bad, either. While this does mean that Staraptor isn’t in major need of a Mega Evolution, it wouldn’t be as unwarranted as, say, a Mega Mewtwo Z (I am so sorry for speaking that into existence). Staraptor is also fairly popular among fans, so a Mega Staraptor is sure to be a welcome treat for both casual and competitive players.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #9: Pyroar
Pyroar’s design isn’t at all bad, but it feels like it could benefit from a little extra visual “push” all the same. It would be especially fun for Mega Pyroar to have two distinct appearances for the male and female designs. Pokémon with gender dimorphism, such as Scizor, don’t maintain their differences when they Mega Evolve. But there’s always a first time for everything, and I can think of no better Pokémon to have a Mega Evolution with gender dimorphism than Pyroar. Pyroar, which isn’t particularly powerful, can also stand to benefit from the competitive boost and possible type and Ability changes of Mega Evolution. As a Pokémon that is rightfully associated with Kalos and could benefit from both visual and gameplay changes, Mega Pyroar would be a great addition to Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #8: Zebstrika
Before its return in Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk, Zebstrika had only been in the regional Pokédex of Black, White, Black 2, and White 2. Zebstrika has its fans and deserves some extra love after being neglected for so long. There are plenty of directions a Mega Zebstrika can go, and they could all come with a new secondary typing for it. A winged zebra, an armored zebra—whatever it turns out to be, Mega Zebstrika will be wonderfully welcomed in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #7: Falinks
Falinks is a unique, multi-bodied Pokémon from the Galar region that surprisingly did not receive a Gigantamax form. Pokémon Legends: Z-A would be a fantastic opportunity to introduce Mega Falinks and potentially spruce up the Pokémon both visually and viably. As a Mega Evolved Pokémon, Falinks could get a secondary type and an exclusive new Ability. Or, it could get a variant of Mega Kangaskhan’s Parental Bond Ability that allows it to attack multiple times, since it comprises of multiple bodies. The lack of Gigantamax Falinks in Sword and Shield felt like a missed opportunity, but a Mega Falinks would more than make up for it.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #6: Palossand
There are a lot of great design options when it comes to a potential Mega Palossand. It could become a more elaborate sand castle, or it could even become a sand cathedral to fit Legends: Z-A’s French-inspired setting. Even if it doesn’t get a type or Ability change, just the design alone would be a fantastic justification for the addition of Mega Palossand—although the extra base stats certainly won’t hurt it, either.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #5: Luxray
Luxray is a fan favorite Pokémon that has been shockingly absent from the series’s specialty gimmicks. Pokémon Legends: Z-A seems like the perfect opportunity to deliver unto Luxray a Mega Evolution as it so rightly deserves. It’s a long-held fan hope that Luxray becomes a dual Electric and Dark type Pokémon, but even if its secondary typing isn’t Dark, a Mega Luxray is still sure to please its patient fans.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #4: Clawitzer
Clawitzer is an amazing pistol shrimp and howitzer hybrid with but a single flaw: it’s a pure Water type Pokémon. Its version-exclusive counterpart Dragalge is a Poison and Dragon type after evolving from the Poison and Water type Skrelp, yet Clauncher doesn’t gain a second type at all when it evolves. Clawitzer could have been a perfect Water and Fire type Pokémon, and it may have its chance yet if it gains a Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #3: Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja
The choice to initially limit Mega Evolutions to pre-X and Y Pokémon made sense as they were meant to help make certain older Pokémon more competitively viable and to give fan favorites a bit of a glow up. But it also made Kalos’s new Pokémon feel underwhelming. What makes your starter Pokémon special when you get a Kanto starter that can Mega Evolve later? But things have changed after three generations: now Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja can have access to their own generation’s mechanical gimmick and have the spotlight shine on them as they deserve.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #2: Flygon
Flygon is a well-loved Pokémon that generally isn’t treated as such. Besides being one of Hatsune Miku’s partner Pokémon, Flygon hasn’t been a part of any notable NPC’s teams, much less a recipient of any of the series’s special gimmicks. When Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire introduced Lisia and Mega Altaria, fans reasonably expected Aarune’s Flygon to Mega Evolve, too, but that tragically never came to pass. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the prime opportunity for Mega Flygon to finally become a reality.
Top 10 Pokémon Mega Evolution Candidates #1: Hydreigon
Pokémon X and Y introduced the Fairy type, a type that was practically tailor-made to spite the Dragon and Dark Hydreigon. Hydreigon never quite hit rock bottom, but it also never regained its former glory, either. In Scarlet and Violet, Hydreigon did receive a Paradox variant through Iron Jugulis, but it’s generally considered the least-liked Paradox Pokémon—a far cry from Hydreigon’s own popularity. Since Kalos was the region to strike Hydreigon down, it only seems fair for it to be the region that raises it back up.
A Mega Hydreigon could be given utility to take down Fairy type Pokémon. One way could be by replacing one of its types with Steel to reference Hydreigon’s original design plans as a tank, as indicated by the tread-like patterns on its belly. It could alternatively receive a unique Ability to give it more leverage in battle. Like strong and popular Pokémon such as Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Lucario, and even Garchomp before it, Hydreigon is definitely a fantastic choice to get a Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
