This year, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is upon us, bringing us back to Generation VI’s Kalos from Pokémon X & Y and Mega Evolutions, often heralded by players as one of, if not the best, new gimmicks in the iconic game franchise. Taking iconic and less-than-stellar Pokémon and giving them a new temporary Mega form in battle, Mega Evolutions boost their stats, abilities, and designs and even change secondary typings to make these Pokémon even more beloved in players’ eyes. For the subpar Pokémon, Mega Evolution can give them a lifeline to competitive viability.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A has the opportunity to give both fan-favorite and less popular Pokémon the Mega Evolutions they deserve, to let both reach their full potential in battle and aesthetics. Below are 10 Pokémon that we need to see have Mega Evolutions in either the upcoming game or generally in the Pokémon universe, as hopefully, Mega Evolutions will continue. Of course, this is a subjective list, so let us know any other Pokémon you’d like to see have Mega Evolutions!
10. Crobat
Players have long lambasted Zubat as one of the worst Pokémon to encounter but tend to belie the badassery of its final evolution, Crobat. With a stunning Speed stat of 130, its Hidden Ability Infiltrator that allows it to bypass Light Screen and Reflect, and an already killer design with its four wings, Crobat is an underrated Poison and Flying-type. It can wipe the floor with powerful Fairy and Grass-types if conditions permit. However, competitive players may understandably not use it as much due to its other relatively average stats, such as its second highest stat being Attack at only 90.
A Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A could give this bat a much-needed boost in its Attack and Special Attack stats while remaining fast, allowing it to use its Poison and Flying moves to their full capacities. It could also get some sharper edges on its wings to reflect these higher attack stats and make it look even more remarkable. These changes would give it true sweeper status in its role as the indisputable badass bat of the Pokémon world and redeem the Zubat line as a whole in players’ eyes.
9. Sunflora
There’s no getting around it. Sunflora is overall a terrible Pokémon. Its abysmal base Speed stat of 30 negates the effectiveness of its high Special Attack stat of 105, as the latter doesn’t come into much use if it virtually never attacks first! Even with its ability Chlorophyll, which doubles its Speed stat in harsh sunlight, the Speed stat only gets up to a measly 60. Its average HP stat of 75 makes it an easy target as well. And overall, a terrible base stat total of 425 has players steer clear of this otherwise cute Grass type.
However, what if a Mega Evolution could change all that? The first thing it needs is a much higher Speed stat. With Sunflora’s motif being that of the sun and evolving from Sunkern via a Sun Stone, what if it got a Fire-typing in addition to its singular Grass-type, with offensive Fire movies in the new game, and giving it additional resistances to Steel and Fairy? With the proper modifications for its Mega form, Mega Sunflora could be a killer Grass and Fire type in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, redeeming this otherwise joke of a Pokémon.
8. Golduck
It never made sense that Golduck and its pre-evolution Psyduck never had a Psychic typing alongside their Water typing. It’s in Psyduck’s name for Arceus’ sake! But a Mega Evolution for Golduck could easily give it the additional Psychic-typing, finally bolstering its already existing Psychic moves with a coveted Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB).
Additionally, Golduck has rather average stats, with only its Special Attack standing out at 95. A Mega Golduck could have beefed up Special Attack and Attack (currently, it’s only 82) and perhaps a higher Speed stat. That, of course, could risk it being overpowered, but hey, at least it’s not Inceneroar. Golduck is a longstanding iconic duck of the franchise that sorely deserves a Mega form.
7. Meowstic (female and male forms)
Evolving from Espurr, Meowstic is a Generation VI Psychic-type Pokémon who differs in gender forms. While both female and male forms have the same base stats, they differ in moveset they each learn leveling up, with female Meowstic learning more offensive moves, and male Meowstic learn more support moves. Both visually distinctive Pokémon, Meowstic appears both cute and powerful, giving Pokémon fans that are cat lovers a small Psychic powerhouse.
While Meowstic has a solid base Speed stat of 104, its Special Attack of 83 and Special Defense of 81 are somewhat average. A Mega Form for both male and female forms could give each a boost in their Special stats, making Meowstic a more formidable sweeper. While both Meowstics have excellent designs, they leave enough to the imagination for what their Mega forms could look like. Additionally, as a Generation VI Pokémon from which Mega Evolutions originated, Meowstic deserves a Mega Form.
6. Mismagius
Mismagius is the Generation IV Ghost-type evolution to the Generation II Misdreavus, evolving via a Dusk Stone. Leaning more into a witchy aspect with its design, Mismagius is already a noteworthy Pokémon with great Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed base stats, all at 105, with its other stats only at 60 each. Despite the latter lower stats, it remains formidable in battle.
Giving Mismagius a Mega Evolution would be more for its design and typing, especially pertaining to its pre-evolution Misdreavus’ past Paradox form from Generation IX, Flutter Mane. Flutter Mane is dominant in competitive play as a rare Ghost/Fairy type with superb Attack, Special Defense, and Speed base stats at 135. A Mega Mismagius could benefit from an additional Fairy typing to give it STAB for the Fairy-type moves it can access, and Game Freak could give it a wider array of Fairy moves like Flutter Mane. Mismagius would make its ancient ancestors even prouder in battle with these modifications.
5. Lanturn
The sole evolution of Chinchou, Lanturn is one of the only two Water/Electric Pokémon, besides Rotom-Wash, offering a bulky cross between an anglerfish and a dolphin. With its exceptionally rare typing offering of far more resistances (Flying, Steel, Fire, Water, and Ice) than weaknesses (Grass and Ground) and its high HP stat of 125, Lanturn offers excellent bulk to players who want to use its variety of Water and Electric moves for STAB.
However, with its Special Attack and Special Defense base stats each only at 76 and its Speed stat at 67, Lanturn isn’t the strongest offensive Pokémon, despite its excellent typing and moveset. A Mega Evolution could quickly boost these stats, giving Lanturn more offensive and defensive ability. A new form could also lean more into the dolphin aspect, making it more distinguished in its peak form.
4. Kingdra
The final form of the Horsea line, Kingdra, made Pokémon history as the first Water/Dragon type in Generation II. This gave it a single weakness to Dragon until the introduction of Fairy types in Generation VI. Water/Dragon is still an exceptionally strong typing with more resistance than weaknesses. It is relatively scant in the franchise, with only four other Pokémon (and their different forms) sharing this combination.
However, despite its excellent typing, regal design, and solid abilities, Kingdra has rather average stats, all at 95, except Speed at 85 and HP at 75. If an opposing player has a Fairy or other Dragon-type with higher speed, of which there are many, or just a stronger and faster overall Pokémon, Kingdra would understandably not fare well.
Kingdra is ripe for a Mega Evolution that would boost its Special Attack, Speed, and HP stats. This would allow it to use its various Special-based Water, Dragon, and Ice-type attacks to their full potential. Its new design could give it a much longer tail while keeping its trademark curl, which, along with its bulkier stats, would make it an even grander Sea Dragon ready to decimate all that dare to challenge it.
3. Ninetales
Ninetales has been one of the most iconic Pokémon since the start. With its striking design and its mythological ties to the East Asian Nine-Tailed Fox, as well as its powerful movepool and Alolan Ice/Fairy form, it has cut above many other Fire types in the franchise. However, its average stats leave something to be desired, with only its Special Defense and Speed at 100, compared to its other stats around 75-81. Also, it is a travesty that it never got a Psychic typing when it evolved from Vulpix, for all its famed Psychic powers.
A Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A would fix all of that. Simply give Ninetales the additional Psychic-typing when it evolves so it can get that sweet STAB, a boost to its Special Attack, and more details on its nine tails. Ninetales will finally be able to access the full range of its potential. No matter what, however, it will remain this player’s favorite Fire-type Pokémon.
2. Milotic
Milotic and its pre-evolution Feebass are the Hoenn equivalents of Magikarp and Gyarados. Both being feeble Water-type fish Pokémon who evolve into powerful serpentines, as well as Magikarp and Feebass’ almost identical stats, it’s not hard to see the resemblance. However, whereas Gyarados received a Mega Evolution in Generation VI that gave it an additional Dark-typing (swapping out for its additional Flying typing), Milotic never got an additional typing nor a Mega Evolution.
Milotic, with room to improve its Special Attack (100) and Speed (81) stats to match its already bulky Special Defense (125), a parallel to the famous Gyarados, thoroughly deserves a Mega Evolution. Also, as Milotic resembles a Dragon and has access to various Dragon-type moves (just like Gyarados, sidenote Mega Gyarados should have been a Water/Dragon type), it should handily get an additional Dragon-typing to get STAB for its Dragon moves and look more fearsome, while remaining one of the most beautiful Pokémon of all time of course.
1. Flygon
Flygon is a striking Ground/Dragon type from Generation III and the final evolution of the Ground-type Trapinch. With a sleek design that evokes a bug-like Dragon and bold green coloring and is known as “The Desert Spirit” Dragon, Flygon is unique and a favorite Dragon-type among many players. However, Flygon has room for improvement, with its stats all at 80 (except for Attack and Speed at 100), making players opt for the Generation IV Dragon/Ground type, Garchomp, instead. But with Flygon’s otherwise excellent movepool, including STAB-assisted moves like Earthquake and Dragon Rush, it still can hold its own, though seemingly not at its full potential.
It always appeared strange to players that Flygon never received a Mega Evolution, and the reason it didn’t boiled down to design challenges. As Game Freak’s Ken Sugimori simply put it in an interview with Nintendo Dream magazine, “Flygon has had the potential to have a Mega Evolution since XY, but we were unable to complete a design and so it was dropped from consideration.”
Now is the chance to make up for the past in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. An ideal Mega Flygon would retain its Ground/Dragon typing, gain boosts to its Special Attack, Attack, and Speed, and receive additional wings like its pre-evolution, Vibrava, to re-empathize its Dragonfly motif. Whatever Game Freak decides for its design, our favorite buggy desert Dragon deserves the Mega treatment perhaps more than any other Pokémon.
What Pokémon do you think needs a Mega Evolution that hasn’t gotten it yet in Pokémon Legends: Z-A? Let us know in the comments or on our socials!