Sticky Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire

[9 Tales of Ninetales]

Hey, I'm all for goofy, silly and fun designs. that's not the issue I have with M-Slowbro...

9 Tales of Ninetales; But imo the whole point is how unaware Slowpoke is and thats why it is being pulverized by shellder without it knowing. I find the mega evo extremely logical and innovative. Megabro is def my 2nd fav mega ever after the heartthrob that is megalatis <3 <3

Getting eaten even more by the shellder is TOTALLY the next logical stage of evolution. I don't know that i would call that concept "innovative" but I would have full on preferred they implemented that concept in a way that didn't undo most of the things that fundamentally make Slowbro Slowbro.

The moment I saw mega Slowbro it was clear to me it was supposed to move (if at all) by using its psychich powers. Now its secondary typing finally can be related to its design.

If this were the case I would be able to let this design settle with me a lot easier. However even that idea has some issues with me because Slowbro was one of those Psychic types like Psyduck where it's kind of mentally not really there. Like a kid who comes off kind of as retarded but then also is an insane math genius. Slowbro is this psychic type that is "missing a few screws" but has these insane mental powers. but it's not even aware it uses them because it's so not in the moment. Like I can't imagine it consciously focusing on moving itself around and using it's powers to do so.... But that's getting really specific.

AND the main point is that this Psychic thing doesn't even matter. It doesn't move around using Psychic powers it BOUNCES. It moves around like a freaking Spoink. I didn't see that page before it was taken down and I can't read Korean anyway, so I can't vouch that this is 100% true but Serebii is typically careful with what is put up and here's the quote on M-Slowbro:

This Pokémon was accidentally uploaded by the Pokémon website in Korea. It has boosted Defense and Special Attack. Energy was focused in the Shellder biting Slowbro's tail, and the result was that the hardness of the shell increased and it became an immensely hard suit of armor that can be damaged by no one. When the battle begins Mega Slowbro uses its tail to stand up straight and it propels itself like a spring.

So it now is this active energetic thing aware of its surroundings that moves like Spoink, it doesn't have that same vacant expression that says it's not even processing things happening around it, and it just all around betrays the funny and unique aspects of Slowbro.

On a plus note I noticed in this screen shot that the Shellder's eyes are still there, they're just on the back (which you'd expect I guess) So that's one good thing about the design

but yeah. I won't plague you guys with my opinion or rants on this any further. Maybe the animation and 3D models will implement a kind of slow or sluggish bounce with very little height and will mostly use Slowbro's original expression. If so I'll feel better about this later on. For now it's just kind of upsetting for Slowbro's "character." I would very much prefer this thing be slowly rolling around on the ground with Slowbro's original facial expression.

 

[Seth Vilo]

The thing I like best about Mega Slowbro is just that expression. Factoring in the whole "slow" part of their evolutionary line, as well as their meme use, I think it just hit him that something bit his tail. Bit late on the draw there, Bro.

I'm really excited though. I, like many here, got worried that potential Megas were, for lack of a better word, "wasted" or "used up" on Slowbro and Audino, but in counting them and only 10 being revealed so far there's a lot more potential ones to go. XY had 29 I believe (including the unreleased Lati@s cause they are seen in the coding/hacks). It just felt like there have been so many more revealed than there actually have been.

 

[Delibird is Amazing]

The thing I like best about Mega Slowbro is just that expression. Factoring in the whole "slow" part of their evolutionary line, as well as their meme use, I think it just hit him that something bit his tail. Bit late on the draw there, Bro.

I'm really excited though. I, like many here, got worried that potential Megas were, for lack of a better word, "wasted" or "used up" on Slowbro and Audino, but in counting them and only 10 being revealed so far there's a lot more potential ones to go. XY had 29 I believe (including the unreleased Lati@s cause they are seen in the coding/hacks). It just felt like there have been so many more revealed than there actually have been.

x and y had 30 megas counting lati@s and 28 megas discounting lati@s

 

[9 Tales of Ninetales]

I don't know if anyone remembers this from like... getting close to 100 pages ago. But around the time of M-Sabeleye's reveal there was this grid that showed the starters, Legends, and new Megas on the official Japanese pages. We mostly discounted it because some of the patterns in how it was filled in where not totally consistent. But I want to point out that they haven't ever taken it down or expanded the grid size but they have continued to fill it in. So here it is in it's current state:

And this is a link to M-Loppuny's page where you can see the gird at the bottom of the page for yourself: Link

There are a couple possible conclusions to draw. The first being that there are only 2 more megas that we are gonna get (OH CRAP! but we were just leaked 2 more! SO IS THAT EVERYTHING!?!?)

But before we all start hyperventilating about the lack of Mega Milotics and Flygons, I think there's an alternative take on this grid. See the reason people thought this grid was weird to start with is that it includes all the non mega starters and the non primal legends in addition to the new forms. But then goes on to not list things like regular Sabelye or Metang and Beldum etc. However if you navigate your way around the Japanese site a little you'll discover that it is set up so that additional new info just keeps getting added on to what they have. And it started as this sort of "introduction to Hoenn" type deal were it talked about the starters and legends, probably for newcomers to the games. Then they add more megas and new forms on as more is released. If you follow the link to the Japanese website and scroll over this grid you'll see that it serves as a grid of links to each new form/old starter/lengend's page.

So basically I think this grid is not necessarily a grid of "New Pokemon Forms" but a grid of "Pokemon Featured on the Japanese Website" This take would mean that we could be getting more megas than will fit on the gird but that only 2 more mega swill be officially revealed to us before game release, thus filling in all the "Featured Monster" slots. Any other new megas will not be featured or revealed but we will find them in the games after release. Supposedly those final 2 will be (or at least were going to be) Slowbro and Audino since they had formatted pages that went up on the Korean site. But maybe they'll change plans and reveal another 2 or maybe Slowbro and Audino will be the last 2 megas we get before release. Either way I think this grid does have some important meaning.

 

[captainpokemon]

Hey, I'm all for goofy, silly and fun designs. that's not the issue I have with M-Slowbro...

Getting eaten even more by the shellder is TOTALLY the next logical stage of evolution. I don't know that i would call that concept "innovative" but I would have full on preferred they implemented that concept in a way that didn't undo most of the things that fundamentally make Slowbro Slowbro.

Not necessarily. Since this is mega evolution we are talking about, which is supposed to be breaking all limits, GF could have gone the path of making Slowbro finally opening his eyes and get rid of the parasite that is biting on his tails. But instead we get a Mega "stupid" Slowbrow that is even being eaten more lol I can totally understand why you think the design is off. But I really appreciate the damning simplicity of it XD It is soooooo derpy and soooooooooo cute. especially the expression. it is as if it saying.....ha? wha? ok scaaaaald!! ha? whaaa? ok psyshock. xd lol reminds of a baby that happens to have a super power and it uses it without knowing what it is doing xd

 

[Kurona]

The moment I saw mega Slowbro it was clear to me it was supposed to move (if at all) by using its psychich powers. Now its secondary typing finally can be related to its design.



Yay, Kurona mentioned Johto mega Starters, so that's definitely going to happen now! Would you mind making a joke about it just to make sure?

In all seriousness now, as Kurona himself has mentioned, I'd be happy if the Johto Starters just got their HA. Sheer Force Feraligatr is a mega-like upgrade when you consider it can still hold an item and Flash Fire Typhlosion wouldn't be too shabby either. But don't you guys think mega Johto starters are more likely on X2/Y2/Z? I mean, GF has showed that introducing dozens of mega evolutions mid-gen is no big deal and after the precedent they're setting with ORAS, we'd be disappointed if the third installment only brought a mega/primal/whatever Zygarde.

Well, do remember, there are three other whole generations of starters. Heck, for all we know X2Y2 could give us Mega Greninja, Chesnaught and Delphox. Honestly that wouldn't susrprise me in the slightest.

 

[Prof. Almeida]

I can totally see Slowbro's face like this: "Oh, fuck, something has bitten my tail", when he turns into mega.

 

[Codraroll]

For those complaining that Slowbro looks unbalanced (as in, unable to stand upright), I feel like reminding people that Fennekin exists. There's no way in heck that thing could move its head without facebutting the ground in some direction. Xerneas is also an example of this, with horns that are way too big for it to be able to walk without falling over.

Hm... I feel like making a "Pokémon whose design just wouldn't work" thread. Or maybe a Smog article. The alternative must be that all Pokémon have limited psychic powers helping them stay upright.

 

[gabriel]

There are a couple possible conclusions to draw. The first being that there are only 2 more megas that we are gonna get (OH CRAP! but we were just leaked 2 more! SO IS THAT EVERYTHING!?!?)

To be honest, I'd be happy if we had stopped right there at Mega Loppuny. Now that Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino have been leaked, we could stop at them too, but I'd rather they didn't exist. Why? They're just too random.

So far, every ORAS mega evolution has made some sort of sense. After the whole discussion whether new megas could be introduced mid-gen, it was nice to see that the two mega evolutions the fanbase wanted the most would indeed come true: mega Sceptile and mega Swampert, so mega Blaziken won't be the only one to get some love (ignoring speed boost...). Then mega Diancie. True, no one saw it coming, but that doesn't mean there is no logic behind it. Diancie is a fairy/rock type (mega stones were created by the power of Xerneas, the fairy-type legendary), it was able to create its own mega stone in the movie and both Diancie and its mega were a great way of promoting both said movie and ORAS. So there seems to be many links between Diancie and mega evolution, thus making it an understandable candidate to be the first Gen 6 pokémon to mega evolve.

Sableye shares some similarities with Mawile, so that many people complained it got nothing in XY and wished a mega in ORAS. Metagross, being Steven's ace (and given Steven's new role as a mega stone researcher) was the next best candidate. The first thing people said after mega Metagross was: Mega Salamence. And after they saw Altaria learns Moonblast: Why isn't this a fairy type? Mega Altaria and Mega Salamence fulfilled those expectations. Then mega Lopunny. That one was a bit random, but hey, we knew the whole time some completely unexpected pokémon would get a mega, and it's a good thing they did it to a normal type, since the only normal type mega so far is mega Kangaskhan. Weird, but not enough to set my alarm off.

But then mega Slowbro and mega Audino. Can someone try to explain WHY those megas in ORAS? If they wanted to introduce another water type mega to fit into Hoenn's tropical weather, why didn't they pick one of the thousands of water types found in Hoenn? Milotic, Kingdra, Huntail, Gorebyss, Relicanth, Walrein even Lanturn or Tentacruel would've better candidates. Good luck figuring out why they're introducing mega Audino too.

So in the end it all boils down to this: anything is likely to get a mega evolution now and all bets are off. First, we were getting megas that seemed perfect for an RSE remake (all the Gen 3 pokémon) in Gen 6 (Diancie and its links to mega evolution) and an odd one (Lopunny) that is okay since GF is unpredictable anyway. Mega Audino and Slowbro have set a precedent for a whole batch of random mega evolutions that just don't belong in Hoenn flavorwise. Before I was happy Mega Starters happened and we were even getting more megas to add to the Hoenn hype. Now I'm starting to get disgusted at the mega evolution party this is turning out to be. It would be nice if we could just pretend mega Audino and mega Slowbro never existed and just fill in those two last blanks with mega Milotic and mega Flygon, or some other mega that at least has some relation to Hoenn. And that's it.

 

[Mario With Lasers]

Either way I think this grid does have some important meaning.

It has zero meaning. Before the Sableye/Diancie/etc reveals, that grid had only two rows. There is no reason for them to have a massive grid full of missing features, they will only expand it when they need to.

But then mega Slowbro and mega Audino. Can someone try to explain WHY those megas in ORAS?

Yes. Popularity, game balance, character design. They felt MegaAudino and MegaSlowbro would fit at least one of those three characteristics, and decided to add them.

Come on, 2014 and you're still trying to find binding rules to Game Freak's "patterns" ?__? It's their game, they do what they want, there is zero reason NOT to add more MegaEvos.

For those complaining that Slowbro looks unbalanced (as in, unable to stand upright), I feel like reminding people that Fennekin exists. There's no way in heck that thing could move its head without facebutting the ground in some direction. Xerneas is also an example of this, with horns that are way too big for it to be able to walk without falling over.

Fennekin is a fire fox pokémon, its head is full of fammable gas so it can use Fire-type moves from the get-go*. It's actually really light, just like Blissey looks fast but is just a blob of fur and happiness.


*source: my ass

 

[Throbulator36]

To be honest, I'd be happy if we had stopped right there at Mega Loppuny. Now that Mega Slowbro and Mega Audino have been leaked, we could stop at them too, but I'd rather they didn't exist. Why? They're just too random.

So far, every ORAS mega evolution has made some sort of sense. After the whole discussion whether new megas could be introduced mid-gen, it was nice to see that the two mega evolutions the fanbase wanted the most would indeed come true: mega Sceptile and mega Swampert, so mega Blaziken won't be the only one to get some love (ignoring speed boost...). Then mega Diancie. True, no one saw it coming, but that doesn't mean there is no logic behind it. Diancie is a fairy/rock type (mega stones were created by the power of Xerneas, the fairy-type legendary), it was able to create its own mega stone in the movie and both Diancie and its mega were a great way of promoting both said movie and ORAS. So there seems to be many links between Diancie and mega evolution, thus making it an understandable candidate to be the first Gen 6 pokémon to mega evolve.

Sableye shares some similarities with Mawile, so that many people complained it got nothing in XY and wished a mega in ORAS. Metagross, being Steven's ace (and given Steven's new role as a mega stone researcher) was the next best candidate. The first thing people said after mega Metagross was: Mega Salamence. And after they saw Altaria learns Moonblast: Why isn't this a fairy type? Mega Altaria and Mega Salamence fulfilled those expectations. Then mega Lopunny. That one was a bit random, but hey, we knew the whole time some completely unexpected pokémon would get a mega, and it's a good thing they did it to a normal type, since the only normal type mega so far is mega Kangaskhan. Weird, but not enough to set my alarm off.

But then mega Slowbro and mega Audino. Can someone try to explain WHY those megas in ORAS? If they wanted to introduce another water type mega to fit into Hoenn's tropical weather, why didn't they pick one of the thousands of water types found in Hoenn? Milotic, Kingdra, Huntail, Gorebyss, Relicanth, Walrein even Lanturn or Tentacruel would've better candidates. Good luck figuring out why they're introducing mega Audino too.

So in the end it all boils down to this: anything is likely to get a mega evolution now and all bets are off. First, we were getting megas that seemed perfect for an RSE remake (all the Gen 3 pokémon) in Gen 6 (Diancie and its links to mega evolution) and an odd one (Lopunny) that is okay since GF is unpredictable anyway. Mega Audino and Slowbro have set a precedent for a whole batch of random mega evolutions that just don't belong in Hoenn flavorwise. Before I was happy Mega Starters happened and we were even getting more megas to add to the Hoenn hype. Now I'm starting to get disgusted at the mega evolution party this is turning out to be. It would be nice if we could just pretend mega Audino and mega Slowbro never existed and just fill in those two last blanks with mega Milotic and mega Flygon, or some other mega that at least has some relation to Hoenn. And that's it.

Slowpoke day happened recently in japan as has been mentioned already in this thread. Audino got a mega because ppl were complaining about no gen5 megas(though admittedly audino is an odd choice for first gen5 mega)

 

[Codraroll]

Speaking of Audino... I think we should take its Megavailability as a sign that it will be catchable in ORAS at some point. Quiestion is... will this be during the story, or after?

Audino was almost everywhere in B/W, providing an easy EXP grind mill wherever you needed it. For it to function in this role, it needs to be everywhere. There's a limit to how long you can backtrack to that lvl.-12-to-15-grass to battle the Audino there and get easy EXP. With Audino conveniently residing everywhere, the game will be super-easy (Then again, I suppose Audino-grinding is a matter of choice, just like turning on/off the Exp. Share). On the other hand, though, putting Audino in every patch of grass in Hoenn will seem really contrived.

If it's available in only one area in ORAS, it will make that place an awesome place to power level. However, it will only help you for a limited time, such as before a major battle/story event (if, for instance, Audino is found near a gym or outside the evil team's hideout). Audino will make the next few bits of storyline a cakewalk if it's not super-rare. Eventually, though, other foes will out-experience(?) it further down the story. Either way, the difficulty/relative level curve will take a major dip when you reach an area with easy Audino access, unless compensated for in some way.

In order to keep the level curve smooth and fine, without cramming Audino into every grassy patch in Hoenn, I think Audino will be catchable only during the postgame. Its residence will be a great place to grind, just as Audino did to the Giant Chasm in B/W. Though, I hope other postgame areas turn out just as great for this, since it'd be kind of annoying if beating wild Pokémon rewarded you better than beating the Elite Four.


Or, GameFreak could live up to its nickname and make Audino Safari Zone exclusive.

 

[KingHeracrossTheBug]

If they don't add Mega-Flygon I'll be so mad I'll jump to the GF HQ and punch everyone in the stomach.

 

[gabriel]

Slowpoke day happened recently in japan as has been mentioned already in this thread. Audino got a mega because ppl were complaining about no gen5 megas(though admittedly audino is an odd choice for first gen5 mega)

Well, if Slowpoke is that charismatic to have its own day, then I guess it should indeed get a mega? But why in ORAS and not XY or holding it off until Z? Answer below.

Yes. Popularity, game balance, character design. They felt MegaAudino and MegaSlowbro would fit at least one of those three characteristics, and decided to add them.

Come on, 2014 and you're still trying to find binding rules to Game Freak's "patterns" ?__? It's their game, they do what they want, there is zero reason NOT to add more MegaEvos.

Answer to the question above: because they want. You're right, Mario With Lasers. So let me reformulate my point. A couple of random megas (like Diancie and Lopunny) have always been expected, as we can't really grasp GF's decision making process. But with mega Audino (no Gen 5 has gotten a mega evolution so far, it was thought to be somehting special) and mega Slowbro (plus the batch of unexpected megas that might be coming with them) I feel like they're starting to cross a line. Most people were thrilled about mega Swampert, Sableye and Altaria and that's because they were highly anticipated and ORAS seemed like the perfect occasion for introducing them. The same can't be said for stuff like Slowbro and Audino: I remember when I got a message about them from a friend: "Oh come on, mega Slowbro and mega Audino? They've gotta be kidding!" Someone in this thread posted something like: "by now I'd be surprised if something didn't get a mega evolution".

If they were just introducing mega pokémon somewhat related to Hoenn, they would be forced to give out fewer mega evolutions (or making half of the Hoenn-pokedex mega evolve lol) and if people complained about the new megas, they could understand it was just to add hype to the remakes. But by giving mega to stuff completely unrelated to Hoenn, they open the doors to pretty much everybody and their mothers getting mega evolutions, so it stops being something special for the remakes and becomes something cheap and repetitive.

So, in fact, the question really isn't WHY they're introducing stuff like mega Slowbro and mega Audino in ORAS, rather SHOULD they be doing that? True, they can do whatever they want and we'll always be happy when a pokémon we like gets a mega, but when we look at the big picture, we see they might be overexploiting the mechanic and thus ruining it.

 

[Gabe]

I am thrilled about Slowbro having a mega. Slowbro has always been a great pokemon, & its mega will add more to it.

One thing you have to keep in mind about internet hate is that it tends to come from a vocal minority.

 

[9 Tales of Ninetales]

Well, if Slowpoke is that charismatic to have its own day, then I guess it should indeed get a mega? But why in ORAS and not XY or holding it off until Z? Answer below.



Answer to the question above: because they want. You're right, Mario With Lasers. So let me reformulate my point. A couple of random megas (like Diancie and Lopunny) have always been expected, as we can't really grasp GF's decision making process. But with mega Audino (no Gen 5 has gotten a mega evolution so far, it was thought to be somehting special) and mega Slowbro (plus the batch of unexpected megas that might be coming with them) I feel like they're starting to cross a line. Most people were thrilled about mega Swampert, Sableye and Altaria and that's because they were highly anticipated and ORAS seemed like the perfect occasion for introducing them. The same can't be said for stuff like Slowbro and Audino: I remember when I got a message about them from a friend: "Oh come on, mega Slowbro and mega Audino? They've gotta be kidding!" Someone in this thread posted something like: "by now I'd be surprised if something didn't get a mega evolution".

If they were just introducing mega pokémon somewhat related to Hoenn, they would be forced to give out fewer mega evolutions (or making half of the Hoenn-pokedex mega evolve lol) and if people complained about the new megas, they could understand it was just to add hype to the remakes. But by giving mega to stuff completely unrelated to Hoenn, they open the doors to pretty much everybody and their mothers getting mega evolutions, so it stops being something special for the remakes and becomes something cheap and repetitive.

So, in fact, the question really isn't WHY they're introducing stuff like mega Slowbro and mega Audino in ORAS, rather SHOULD they be doing that? True, they can do whatever they want and we'll always be happy when a pokémon we like gets a mega, but when we look at the big picture, we see they might be overexploiting the mechanic and thus ruining it.

I think you're putting too much thought into this the same way I put too much thought into M-Slowbro moving. There was seriously no rhyme or reason to 70% of them megas from X and Y either. I'm pretty sure most everyone who cares about Pokemon thinks they "should" have more. No one thinks it's ruining the game that more poeple now get a mega form for their own favorite. Even though they seem random unlikely picks, there are plenty of people who are big fans of Audino who had their day totally made. I don't like Audino, it's prolly in the bottom 15% of Pokemon I care about but I don't think it's mega detracts from the games in anyway and I certainly wouldn't want to take it away form people who love it. Every single mega adds something and it's cool that some of these additions come out of no where and leave us totally dumbfounded. No one thought Loppuny was seriously getting a mega anymore than say Sudowoodo. That just made it all the more exciting for Noel Lopunny and all the other Loppuny fans who thought it wasn't happening. Same goes for Sudowoodo fans when and if it gets a Mega. I'm glad there's no easy discernible pattern to what we're getting because it makes each new release that much more exciting. I feel the only thing we can truly bank on is starters and pseudo-lengendaries, and even then we don't know when they're coming.

It has zero meaning. Before the Sableye/Diancie/etc reveals, that grid had only two rows. There is no reason for them to have a massive grid full of missing features, they will only expand it when they need to.

Hmmm, I never saw the gird until after M-Sabaleye's reveal. M-Diancie was revealed at the same time as the other two starters. So that means it would have been 2 rows with 2 blank spaces? and M-Blazekin was on it before the 3rd row was added? I'm not saying you're wrong I just wish there was a way to verify that the gird used to have 2 rows. If it did then the meaning isn't necessarily super strict... except that if they add a row again it means we would be getting another 8 (total 10) official reveals before game release... which seem like way too much. So it still would seem like 2 more reveals is what we're gonna get.

 

[Flare Blitzle]

We've had a bunch of badass Megas (Metagross, Salamence, starters) and we've had the more beautiful/elegant Megas (Diancie, Altaria, Audino), so now we have Mega Slowbro which is really neither badass nor beautiful (though the latter is debatable imo).

It's fun and silly because badass cool and beautifully elegant need a bit of silliness to balance it all out. Everything doesn't have to be super serious. Children like goofy stuff, lots of adults like goofy stuff too. And let's be honest, Slowbro itself wasn't the pinnacle of Pokemon designs was it? It was silly-looking and goofy and Mega Slowbro only continues that.

The reason why Mega Slowbro is the way it is, is to be fun and silly while continuing the theme of the shell eating it. It doesn't make sense standing on its tail... and? It's supposed to look ridiculously dumb. If you're legitimately getting mad about its design you're just taking it way too seriously - the Slowpoke line was never meant to be serious and the designers obviously show that with Mega Slowbro.

And fwiw I love Mega Slowbro, its design feels like a breath of fresh air amongst ALL the Megas we've gotten since XY (barring maybe Mega Ampharos which has aspects of silliness). Not that I dislike the older Megas, I don't, I love a lot of them, but Mega Slowbro shows they aren't afraid of making silly-looking Megas, rather than trying to appeal to 11 year old boys/girls with every one revealed. Which is nice.

 

[pres1017]

I wonder if GameFreak has a hat that contains little paper slips with fully-evolved pokemon on them. I hope so.

On a more serious note, I like Mega Audino's design. I think it really looks like nurse, so it fits the cleric-role design-wise in my mind. I don't even mind the stethoscope that some people have been hating on. Plus, it looks so soft and huggable...

 

[ShadesOfSolomon]

Well, if Slowpoke is that charismatic to have its own day, then I guess it should indeed get a mega? But why in ORAS and not XY or holding it off until Z? Answer below.



Answer to the question above: because they want. You're right, Mario With Lasers. So let me reformulate my point. A couple of random megas (like Diancie and Lopunny) have always been expected, as we can't really grasp GF's decision making process. But with mega Audino (no Gen 5 has gotten a mega evolution so far, it was thought to be somehting special) and mega Slowbro (plus the batch of unexpected megas that might be coming with them) I feel like they're starting to cross a line. Most people were thrilled about mega Swampert, Sableye and Altaria and that's because they were highly anticipated and ORAS seemed like the perfect occasion for introducing them. The same can't be said for stuff like Slowbro and Audino: I remember when I got a message about them from a friend: "Oh come on, mega Slowbro and mega Audino? They've gotta be kidding!" Someone in this thread posted something like: "by now I'd be surprised if something didn't get a mega evolution".

If they were just introducing mega pokémon somewhat related to Hoenn, they would be forced to give out fewer mega evolutions (or making half of the Hoenn-pokedex mega evolve lol) and if people complained about the new megas, they could understand it was just to add hype to the remakes. But by giving mega to stuff completely unrelated to Hoenn, they open the doors to pretty much everybody and their mothers getting mega evolutions, so it stops being something special for the remakes and becomes something cheap and repetitive.

So, in fact, the question really isn't WHY they're introducing stuff like mega Slowbro and mega Audino in ORAS, rather SHOULD they be doing that? True, they can do whatever they want and we'll always be happy when a pokémon we like gets a mega, but when we look at the big picture, we see they might be overexploiting the mechanic and thus ruining it.

I really don't understand this logic. Why shouldn't 'everyone and their mothers' get mega evolved forms? The cap placed on the system means that an overabundance cannot harm the competitive scene (if anything, a small handful of overpowered megas is a lot more overcentralising than a large number of them), and from a sales perspective, it drums up interest and hype. From a promoter's perspective, you -want- fans to maintain the belief that anyone and their mother could get a mega evolution, because it means that no matter how unlovable, unpopular, or nonsensical it would be for your favorite Pokemon to get a mega evolution, it might still be on the cards.

I think that can only be a good thing. After all, if the beating heart of the franchise is its immense roster of aesthetically diverse creatures, who the games encourage you to form attachments to and bonds with, I can only feel it is a positive thing if any single one of them can end up being the ace card or linchpin of a team.

 

[antemortem]

On a more serious note, I like Mega Audino's design. I think it really looks like nurse, so it fits the cleric-role design-wise in my mind. I don't even mind the stethoscope that some people have been hating on. Plus, it looks so soft and huggable...

I also really adore the "stethoscope." It seems to me like something the anime creators will use to enact some of its attacks, reminiscent to Sylveon's use of its... ear flags, or whatever those are. In any case I think Mega Audino is gorgeous and Mega Slowbro is badass.

 

[Flare Blitzle]

Mega Audino's design is perfect imo. Audino itself is pretty forgettable and bland to me, but the Mega actually looks good and I'm interested in it. Also making it a Fairy helps, as I'm surprised Audino itself wasn't a Fairy to begin with, it was definitely fitting enough.

 

[antemortem]

Mega Audino's design is perfect imo. Audino itself is pretty forgettable and bland to me, but the Mega actually looks good and I'm interested in it. Also making it a Fairy helps, as I'm surprised Audino itself wasn't a Fairy to begin with, it was definitely fitting enough.

Except it kind of loses a niche in lower tiers of having one weakness, and now has two. A couple of new resistances, yes, but debatable on if those balance out or not.

 

[Flare Blitzle]

The ability is more of a problem that its typing. It has two immunities and two resistances now, that balances out only having two weaknesses. I'll just stress only two weaknesses again on what is going to be a very bulky mon. Do you think Normal with one weakness, one immunity and zero resistances is better? It's really not a bad typing by any means, it's only disappointing in that it's a Fairy neutral to Fighting, but that's no biggie. And another Mega that takes crap-all from Knock Off with a movepool as huge as Audino's is fine with me. Sure, the ability sucks, but it'll manage to work without one.

 

[9 Tales of Ninetales]

We've had a bunch of badass Megas (Metagross, Salamence, starters) and we've had the more beautiful/elegant Megas (Diancie, Altaria, Audino), so now we have Mega Slowbro which is really neither badass nor beautiful (though the latter is debatable imo).

It's fun and silly because badass cool and beautifully elegant need a bit of silliness to balance it all out. Everything doesn't have to be super serious. Children like goofy stuff, lots of adults like goofy stuff too. And let's be honest, Slowbro itself wasn't the pinnacle of Pokemon designs was it? It was silly-looking and goofy and Mega Slowbro only continues that.

The reason why Mega Slowbro is the way it is, is to be fun and silly while continuing the theme of the shell eating it. It doesn't make sense standing on its tail... and? It's supposed to look ridiculously dumb. If you're legitimately getting mad about its design you're just taking it way too seriously - the Slowpoke line was never meant to be serious and the designers obviously show that with Mega Slowbro.

And fwiw I love Mega Slowbro, its design feels like a breath of fresh air amongst ALL the Megas we've gotten since XY (barring maybe Mega Ampharos which has aspects of silliness). Not that I dislike the older Megas, I don't, I love a lot of them, but Mega Slowbro shows they aren't afraid of making silly-looking Megas, rather than trying to appeal to 11 year old boys/girls with every one revealed. Which is nice.

I know I said I wasn't gonna talk anymore about Slowbro's design, but even though it wasn't singling me out I felt a little attacked by this and I just want to defend myself.
To pretext this I wanna say that I'm happy a lot of people are standing up for M-Slowbro, 'cause tbh if enough people find value and joy in new things then that serves as enough proof that it's not really flawed. I still have reasons that I'm not really that into it, but I do mean it when I say that having so many people defend the design actually does make me feel a little better about it. And I can enjoy the reasons you guys enjoy it.

But I mostly just wanna say one last time. That the personal issues I have with the design do not have anything to do with me needing everything to be super cool or beautiful. I enjoy the goofy, funny, dopey stuff too *pause to look sideways at a Stunfisk* and I do like that M-Slowbro embodies that. My issue is that Slowbro itself was already a goofy dopey kind of guy but in his own super unique way. And I feel like M-Slowbro actually takes away most of the enjoyable unique elements of original Slowbro. And even though it does replace them with some of it's own silly stuff, I just like it when evolution maintain the essential identity of their base forms. Otherwise they may as well just we their own separate entities. (For instance I never really felt like Scizor or Politoed should actually be parts of the evolutionary families they belong to because they don't really maintain what's makes the rest of the family unique) M-Slowbro is ridiculous and funny and I like that about it. I just don't like that it lost a lot of the goofy traits that make Slowbro Slowbro, like being... slow....

Sorry, to everyone who just had to read long repetitive posts on my opinions for the last 3 pages. I really will shut up now, lol

 

[Flare Blitzle]

I know I said I wasn't gonna talk anymore about Slowbro's design, but even though it wasn't singling me out I felt a little attacked by this and I just want to defend myself.

Well my intention wasn't to attack anyone (if it came across that way it definitely wasn't meant to), I was just giving my opinion on its design, why I like it, why it makes sense and why I can't understand how people are getting legitimately mad over something like this. I don't really see how any of that could make you feel attacked.

And I feel like M-Slowbro actually takes away most of the enjoyable unique elements of original Slowbro.

For what it's worth, I'm not saying people can't dislike Mega Slowbro in my post. I just think a lot of people are getting unnecessarily upset because it looks too silly (not saying you, again, I wasn't singling out or attacking anyone). Ultimately, people can dislike whatever they want, I don't really care, that's their taste and opinions. But saying that, I don't understand what exactly it's taking away from regular Slowbro? What enjoyable and unique elements have been removed? That it doesn't stand on two legs anymore? I don't see how that's enjoyable or unique personally. It only makes it less unique than standing on the tip of its tail does. The derpy face being removed maybe, but the new expression tells a different story about Slowbro and still fits with its original personality they presented.

I just don't like that it lost a lot of the goofy traits that make Slowbro Slowbro, like being... slow....

It's still going to be slow, they haven't taken that away. And the fact that it's taken until the shell has consumed 90% of its body before it's finally realised it has a parasite taking over it is still representing how slow it is. I'd be sad if a creature latched onto me and took over the majority of my body and I didn't realise until it was too late.