Fans of Pokemon X and Y know Mega Evolution well: players could equip certain Pokemon with a special stone that allowed them to temporarily evolve beyond their final stage, gaining increased power in battle for a while. Although Mega Evolution was a clever idea, it has since faded into the background, and its role in the Pokemon series remains uncertain. In Pokemon GO, however, Mega Evolution is implemented and celebrated. Niantic makes extensive use of Mega Evolution in ways that the core Pokemon games never thought to do. If Game Freak ever wants to give Mega Evolution another change, then it should study some of Niantic’s ideas.
RELATED: Pokemon GO’s Team Rocket Leader Battles Should Increase Party Sizes
Pokemon GO’s Approach to Mega Evolution
The core Pokemon franchise has done away with Mega Evolution while making attempts to replace it. Instead of focusing on new Mega Evolutions, new generations after Pokemon X and Y introduced gimmicks of their own like Z-Moves and Dynamax in order to fill Mega Evolution’s shoes. Meanwhile, Pokemon GO has nothing quite like Dynamaxing or Z-Moves, but it uses Mega Evolution liberally. Lots of Pokemon GO events include limited-time opportunities to battle Mega Evolved Pokemon in Raids, regardless of the event’s theme. Even as Niantic adds new Pokemon and spotlights other established Pokemon, Mega Evolution gets plenty of attention.
It’s worth noting that Pokemon GO has a very different approach to Mega Evolution, and as a result, the mechanic may have found more life in the mobile game than in the core games. Rather than giving their Pokemon an item, Pokemon GO players use Mega Evolution by spending Mega Evolution Energy of a specific type on their ally. Once they’re Mega Evolved, they’ll stay that way for several hours and provide a buff to friendly Pokemon in Gyms and Raids. This teamwork-centric, resource-intensive version of Mega Evolution is entirely different from the original version, but it keeps the mechanic in check in a clever way.
RELATED: Pokemon Go Fans Shouldn’t Hold Their Breath for a Season of Galar
Keeping Mega Evolution Alive
The Pokemon franchise might want to borrow ideas from Niantic if it ever wants to take another pass at Mega Evolution. Rather than simply evolving a Pokemon on command once per battle, each Pokemon might need to store up Mega Evolution Energy by battling, meaning each Pokemon might only be able to Mega Evolve once every few battles. Additionally, spreading out a Mega Evolved Pokemon’s power across an entire team of Pokemon might level out their overall strength in a good way. Pokemon GO’s system of limitations and benefits is clever, and it could very well be implemented into another Pokemon game.
For the moment, Mega Evolution may not have a future in the core Pokemon franchise. There’s no sign that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will bring the mechanic back just yet, and recent precedent from Pokemon Sword and Shield as well as Pokemon Legends: Arceus suggest that Mega Evolution has largely been laid to rest. In the meantime, though, the mechanic’s fans can enjoy it in Pokemon GO, where it continues to flourish. Major updates to Mega Evolution are on the way to Pokemon GO proving that Niantic is dedicated to the mechanic even while Game Freak has given up on it. Niantic’s relationship with Mega Evolution shows how spinoffs can contrast their ancestors in all kinds of interesting ways.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.
MORE: Peridot Must Do A Lot To Stand On Its Own
