Ever since the reveal of X&Y Game Freak have been giving fans what they’ve always wanted. You want 3D models? Here you go. You want to personalise your character? No problem. You want to sit on a bench? Well that’s a weird request, but sure why the hell not? The games look to be every fan’s dream and even with some questionable Pokémon and a new type, most people have welcomed it all with open arms…
The return of surfing, fishing, and running around in 2D areas also shows that while the games look different they are still familiar, and with plenty of interesting looking characters we can probably expect a decent story. However, something major has just shaken the fandom to its core and I’m not talking about a Snorlax falling out of a tree. No, I’m talking about a feature that turns Pokémon into Super Saiyan rock Gods… that’s right it’s the Megalution!
Over the years we’ve become accustomed to the slow evolution of the series and although there have been a few major additions such as double battles and online, for the most part it’s mostly been minor improvements/implementations. People have been crying out for bigger advancements for the past two generations or so, and while 3D models and a new type do set it apart from previous gens, it is nothing compared to what Megalutions will do – they are literal game changers.
It’s understandable then that opinions remain divided, strong words are being exchanged and emotions continue to run high. It’s a feature which runs the risk of causing unbalance and contaminating old beloved Pokémon, and along with the other big changes mentioned (not forgetting diagonal movement) it has become hard for us to take it all in.
We’re not used to such massive changes all in one generation and now instead of people saying stuff like: ‘Oh it’s always the same game just change it already’, they’re now saying: ‘Pokémon has changed!’ ‘This is not what I want!’ ‘Put it back as it was!’ etc. It’s an unfortunate side effect of having so many followers because you can never please everyone. But most of the time people get used to the change and begin to like it and hopefully in time everyone will come to love this new concept. So before we get into the pros and cons of a Mega, let’s just recap on what it is.
Megalution – A temporary powered up form of a Pokémon which can only be seen and used in battle. Only certain Pokémon can mega-evolve and they will need to hold their mega stone in battle to achieve it (alongside other unknown requirements). Mega-evolving alters the appearance of the Pokémon in question and can change its ability, stats and even type.
Now many people compare this to Digimon which is fair enough because it is similar. But let’s be honest here, Digimon was probably inspired by Pokémon in the first place and how many other games use ideas from other franchises? – Pretty much everyone these days. So you can’t really begrudge Game Freak this feature. But the main issue here of course is will it unbalance the game and were the right Pokémon picked?
We know that Absol for example will get its attack and speed increased when it enters mega mode, but by how much? This is stuff we just don’t know yet, so it makes sense to be a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. But I believe in Game Freak and over the 15+ years the franchise has been going they have yet to properly screw up. Sure some things are a bit unpopular (IVs/EVs), but nothing has made the game unbalanced. Arash Ommati, this year’s Masters Division World Champion, showed that even Amoonguss can be useful when used right.
Ok to make things easier and to stop me blathering on, let’s bullet point possible pros and cons.
Pros:
- Useless/forgotten/old Pokémon get a new lease of life.
- Epic Pokémon become even more epic.
- Adds a new layer of strategy and unpredictability to make battles more interesting.
Cons:
- Could lead to balance issues.
- Some Pokémon don’t need one but are getting one.
- May ruin old Pokémon in some people’s minds.
I personally loved the idea right from the beginning and when I saw the scans I couldn’t believe my eyes. I think being able to transform in battle not only looks awesome, but it also adds some epic unpredictability.
Just imagine being on the verge of defeat against the champion and then BAM! You whip out a mega and turn it around! Or maybe vice versa, where you think you’re about to win comfortably but they surprise you by giving a wig and an electric guitar to Ampharos who then blasts out ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ or ‘Don’t Stop Believin’’ which shatters your ear drums and claims them victory… ok maybe not the latter.
Anyway enough talk about my pointless opinion, let’s here from the masses. What do you think of Megalutions and what pros and cons can you think of?
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<Sammydodger>