Pokémon Presents - Pokémon Day 2025 - Pokemon ZA Info & Pokemon Champions Announced

So unless I overlooked something, I think every past mega has been shown off now except (from least to most surprising):
  • The Legends: Makes sense. The primals & Ray were probably never going to be here and the Lati were kinda iffy to begin with. Mewtwo I think is in but they probably don't want to show off before release. Diancie is in the same boat, though I won't rule being saved for the DLC. I could also our Hoenn folks be in the DLC too, considering Hoopa
  • The Hoenn Starters: I did kind of think mega blaziken would be here, but I dunno. Could see the trio just being saved for DLC. But also, maybe ranked rewards? Guess it depends on if you can get any of them or not.
  • Venusaur & Blastoise: Boy it would be real weird if these two weren't here, not even just considering Charizard but considering Lumiose is where you get the goofuses in XY to begin with. If they aren't traditionally available, probably Ranked rewards later down the line. Poor guys.
  • Aerodactyl. This is THE one I most think I overlooked something, like maybe it was in a corner of a trailer or an image released or something. According to Serebii's pokemon list Aero is in the game, so I assume the mega is too. Would be a very arbitrary thing to leave out
  • Glalie & Sharpedo: ???? I could have sworn I saw a Glalie or Carvanha running around but apparently not. What an oddball pairing. I have to assume these are in the base game because like really? All the other completely normal Pokemon but not these two?
 
I have to agree with the speculation that the introduction of a new language is the primary reason behind the one-way transfer into LZ-A. It’s the only thing that makes all the work they put into having multi-way transfers be possible between SS all the way to SV make sense. A real shame for that to be such a short-lived feature.

I suppose that this is just the start of a new set of games with multi-transfer, where the games released during Gen 10 will be able to transfer to each other and back to LZ-A, but honestly they shouldn’t bother if they’re just going to have yet another cutoff at some point.

I have to wonder if all prior game data will truly be wiped entirely, though. Right now, most prior game data is still known by HOME even if the Pokémon evolves into a species that does not exist in a prior game. Perhaps things like the Gigantamax factor and Tera type will still be stored for a Pokémon in the HOME servers even after it’s been placed in LZ-A. I guess we’ll see.
 
reaverz said:
I have to wonder if all prior game data will truly be wiped entirely, though. Right now, most prior game data is still known by HOME even if the Pokémon evolves into a species that does not exist in a prior game. Perhaps things like the Gigantamax factor and Tera type will still be stored for a Pokémon in the HOME servers even after it’s been placed in LZ-A. I guess we’ll see.
Click to expand...

With Champions coming, I would think they’d still need to track things like the Gigantamax Factor and Tera Types, but I guess there is always the classic GF option of them taking the most weirdly convoluted route instead and having Champions “reassign” those in some way. 30 VP to grant the G-Max Factor to that Butterfree you caught in Z-A!
 
This is just hitting me... Slowbro isn't the only Pokemon who has a Regional Variant and can Mega Evolve any more. Is Alolan Raichu going to get some of the Raichu love? It would be awesome if Regional Variants could use the same Mega Stones as the base Pokemon because that would mean 4 different Mega Raichus, but giving Raichu 2 Megas that look like Pikachu is making me think they forgot about Alolan Raichu.


Mega Raichu X's description says they have heightened defensive capabilities. Sorry to be the barer of bad news, but Base Raichu having 60/55/80 Defensive stats means it might lose Speed to gain more Defenses. That said, it could still reach Sableye's level of bulk with just +100 Stats.

Mega Raichu Y is implied to be an offensive Mega, but I can't help but wonder if a certain other electric rodent who also needs to hold a round item to unleash its full potential would be more powerful. Mega Raichu Y would need +70 Atk and +60 SpA for Max EVs to match Light Ball Pikachu's stats. (Comparing Stats with 252 EVs, 31 IVs, and Level 100.) Mega Raichu Y is going to be faster and there's a good chance of gaining an offensive Ability, so it's probably still better than Pikachu competitively, but wouldn't it be funny is Pikachu was still more powerful than Mega Raichu? Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, would it be funnier if they gave Mega Raichu Y Deoxys-Attack style stats just so it wouldn't be weaker than the Pokemon it evolves from?
 
Is Mega Flygon now possibly BACK in contention for the DLC? Surely? We get some proper “Gorochu” love in with two Mega Raichus and surely - SURELY - Mega Flygon must be amongst that unknown group of DLC mons…

Just for fun, here’s my Mega tier list for the new ones announced:

1. Mega Dragonite (like, seriously people, he’s by far and away the best one - the disdain for this SERIOUSLY squishable and huggable ’mon is beyond me)
2. Mega Raichu X
3. Mega Raichu Y
4. Mega Victreebel
5. Mega Malamar
6. Mega Delphox
7. Mega Hawlucha
8. Mega Greninja (just not feeling it, sorry)
9. Mega Chesnaught

The two Raichus went straight into the top 3 - Mega Raichu X has edged out Y for me currently - but Mega Dragonite gets the nod.

Honestly though - love the fact we are getting all of them. So hyped for PLZA. Got me buzzing properly for new Pokemon for the first time in three years.
 
Last edited:
My own ranking, for fun:
1. Mega malamar - A really fun campy take on malamar, who i've debated about but I think its one of the few megas were I truly believe is better as a mega and not an evolution or a redesign (something i know wouldn't happen ever but it does impact how i view these designs). I love the tentacles shaped into a brain, its stupid gay lights, the GREAT movement of the tentacles.
2. Mega victreebel - its funny

This would be the cutoff point where these megas I wish were just incorporated into the main designs or be regional forms or something

3. Mega delphox - Objectively, it doesnt do much, but I think it provides the movement, the posing, the personality that delphox desperately needs in its animations. I also think it just would make sense for base delphox to have a broom? its a very clear motif of "small weapon get big" that plenty of other pokemon do. Id just remove the extra flying wands really. Also the stupid beard is funny as fuck i love pokemon with beards.
4. Mega Chesnaught - Like delphox, this design just really gives the pizzaz that chesnaught needed. I think the fur on the body really helps with the complaint that the base designs body is weirdly spindly, the weapon addition really drives the knight vibes and is just an extra flavor that imo chesnaught misses. Not sure how i feel about the cape rn tho.
5. Mega Hawlucha - now i KNOW that hawluchas colors are the mexican flag. but i think mega hawluchas has a rare moment where the black does look better lol. this mega makes me conflicted because it does just look like holowear for me but its concept would have been sick as an evolution. not the best mega but i guess its inoffensive.

The ??? tier

6. Mega dragonite - I could not muster a single emotion about this design.

The STINKERS tier.

7. Mega greninja - greninja looks bad and so does this.
8. Mega raichu (both) - This is some of the ugliest designs this franchise has made in over 10 years. The fact no one in the team was like "wow we need to redo these" in any step of the way is insane. they look like ugly fandesigns you'd see a 16 year old make except that when the 16 year old does it is charming and fun because thats just a teenager who wants to make a super cool pokemon.
 
So far my favorite new megas so far have gotta be:
Mega Hawlucha=Mega Chesnaught>Mega Delphox>Mega Malamar>Mega Greninja>Mega Dragonite>>Mega Victreebel>>>>>Mega Raichu X/Y

As for whats been shown, I really hate how they are showing off 5 brand new megas, and all of them are paywalled. That's just insulting, and it really take the hype winds out of my sails when it should just be available ingame. Also, zero class gamefreak, showing off the DLC before the games are even released, real classy. :fukyu: Same with the inability to move a pokemon to another game after being in ZA especially when that's the entire purpose of Pokemon Home.

I also really don't like either Mega Raichu, it feels like they wanted to make Mega Pikachu so bad that they just made two different ones, instead of going and making one a mega 'Pikachu' and the other an actual mega Raichu. Instead we get these mishmashes, I don't like them.
 
My ranking:

1. Mega Malamar
2. Mega Hawlucha
3. Mega Victreebel

These could be straight up evolutions.

4. Mega Chesnaught
5. Mega Delphox

While these feel more like alternate forms than evolutions, their designs are good.

6. Mega Dragonite
7. Mega Greninja
8. Mega Raichu X and Y

I've never liked when megas use elements of the middle evolution and the head wings look like a cheap tera crown.

While the hanging tongue is cool, it's just upside down Greninja with pants.

They tacked on random elements to make them look like a X and a Y. At least for X they doubled its tail but for Y instead of making Raichu's ears longer or something, they added those ugly things.
 
Ironmage said:
Man, now I'm sad that we still aren't getting a follow-up to the KT pokemon game that was in a genre I played often. Would help a lot with current Fire Emblem being hit-or-miss.
Click to expand...
Oh, Conquest. I still have yet to play it.
R_N said:
I think "Hyperspace" is such a nonsense descriptor that whatever people are thinking it will be, it will probably be significantly more normal.
Probably just more technicolor, if the holes & ORAS battle arenas are anything to go by.

KT do have their hands in a lot of pies, but yeah they do trend towards action and RPGs these days. Maybe there'll be more of an RPG or action component than the first trailer lets on?
Click to expand...
Also could be. Guess we'll see in due time.
 
Kitsunine said:
They’ve already confirmed through the gameplay previews that Megas are the only Pokemon that can do any sizable damage to Rogue Megas as well. Standard Pokémon’s damage is reduced against them.
(hence you being handed a Mega Lucario to do the first boss fight).

Considering that gameplay dynamic against the boss system, I wouldn’t be surprised if GameFreak is assuming that’s enough to make them feel powerful in a special way. They’re notoriously bad at game balance after all.
Click to expand...
I have played through Shield multiple times and have never clicked the Dynamax button outside of raids/Eternatus. I've done runs of all the gen 6 games without Megas, I've played through Sun and UltraMoon without Z moves...If they want to force me to mega, I will find a way to kill via spikes and I mean it.
Valoo said:
Also in the Japanese trailer there’s a clip on an underground/sewer area which is great to see. Was getting bored of the basic city streets we’d been seeing so far.
Click to expand...
YES. Catacombs confirmed and I will not be listening to negativity on this.

Personally I'm meh on the Kalos starter designs, which is good since apparently I'm never going to be able to use them. Greninja is cool enough, and keeping it permanently upside-down is funny, but Chesnaught is basically just spikier and Delphox doesn't correct the error that is making Fenniken humanoid, so I don't care.

2 mega-Raichu? Why. And also meh, these do not excite me.
 
Yung Dramps said:
maximum transcendant hypercope: the mega kalos starters are (the equivalent of) distrib-only for now because they're gonna reveal calem & serena got trapped in hyperspace lumiose and being their aces will serve as their "proper" in-game introduction
Click to expand...
This was obviously a joke but after how much fanfare Punished Ingo got I would be surprised if they didn't do something like this for a returning XY character not in the base game. If there are, like, Diantha missing posters around Lumiose visibly weathered by age...
 
I do wonder what the logic was for the DLC announcement cause that was... well announcing DLC like that early is never really something someone likes to see. I mean yeah, I know it doesn't affect development on the main game, and since the delays, they probably got a head start on it while the rest of the game is polished up, but still. Only thing I can think of is because of the leaks. A sort of "you don't know all the secrets we've got" thing. Still, it feels weird and probably a bad move.
 
Mad Ram said:
I do wonder what the logic was for the DLC announcement cause that was... well announcing DLC like that early is never really something someone likes to see. I mean yeah, I know it doesn't affect development on the main game, and since the delays, they probably got a head start on it while the rest of the game is polished up, but still. Only thing I can think of is because of the leaks. A sort of "you don't know all the secrets we've got" thing. Still, it feels weird and probably a bad move.
Click to expand...
After thinking on it earlier I think it comes down to they wanted to announce it before Pokemon day, where they want to focus on Gen 10 as the big announcement. And they also didn't want to just do a mini-presents or press release (god forbid...)

in which case the last big direct of the year is the best spot to do so, even if it's awkward to do so along the final trailer a month before the game's even out.
 
Hugin said:
I have played through Shield multiple times and have never clicked the Dynamax button outside of raids/Eternatus. I've done runs of all the gen 6 games without Megas, I've played through Sun and UltraMoon without Z moves...If they want to force me to mega, I will find a way to kill via spikes and I mean it.
Click to expand...
Here's a heads up on what I tried on SV's Starmobiles. If Z-A has any Mega Bosses like those, it's going to suck to be you.

The Starmobiles are vulnerable to Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Sandstrom. If Megas are more like Raid Bosses with their Shields up, just assume everything that targets them fails. Status Moves that would have drained their HP like Will-O-Wisp, Toxic, or Leech Seed didn't work against Starmobiles. Also, Perish Song only affected my own Pokemon. Stalling until Struggle would a be good last resort because it almost always works, but Starmobiles have infinite PP and I don't think Z-A has PP anyway.

That said, different game with different mechanics, so this might all be useless. Good luck to you and anyone else who wants to not use Mega Evolutions.
 
delphox becoming the coolest looking wizard
chesnaught becoming a king with a hammer (theres so much fanart of it already as robert baratheon or godfrey from elden ring)

greninja is just battle bond but upside down, lol
 
Copping to a bit of ignorance on my part, but although I thought I was pretty familiar with DLC discourse, I didn’t actually know before today that announcing DLC before a game is out is considered to be such a taboo. Personally I can’t say I’m too bothered by it, but then, I was almost certainly going to buy whatever DLC there ended up being anyway.

Whereas I am very disappointed by the temporary, staggered, and paywalled distribution of the Kalos starters’ Mega Stones. Megas for these three have been anticipated ever since they got snubbed for consideration in their own debut game, and now they finally get a cool reveal to showcase these new forms, only to have the wind taken immediately out of their sails. I guess I could see them being available normally in the DLC, but that doesn’t really feel much better.

Like, at the very least, if GF feel they absolutely must be event/DLC-exclusive, why not have a Wi-Fi download gift for the three stones during the early adoption period, and then turn them into occasional PVP rewards?

Oh, and as far as ranking Megas goes, well, I (very boringly) don’t truly dislike any Pokémon design, so being on the bottom here isn’t really an issue, but:

1. Mega Malamar - Pretty easily the coolest and most clever design of the new bunch.

2. Mega Chesnaught - I already like Chesnaught but this really brings its whole bulky knight concept home.

3. Mega Raichu (both) - I’m a little surprised by just how much I like these. Making them literally shaped like an X and a Y is a bit silly on paper, but the way they did it makes it feel just organic enough to me for it to work. I also like how they sort of mix their respective mission statements; according to the website, Raichu X is supposed to more closely resemble Raichu, while Raichu Y is supposed to more closely resemble Pikachu, and I think that’s basically true in terms of their bodies and expressions, but then their tails go in the complete opposite direction, with Raichu X’s having the thick, jagged lightning bolt shape of Pikachu’s tail, while Raichu Y’s is a little more sleek and thin and swooshy like Raichu’s own tail and ear tips.

4. Mega Delphox - I could probably do without the floating wands at its sides as they feel just a tad extra to me, but in general this is a great extension of Delphox’s design. The purple color adds an even more mystical feeling, and I like that the wizard-like “beard” makes it a bit more gender-ambiguous.

5. Mega Victreebel - Just a very fun, silly design that expands on Victreebel’s concept in a distinct way that feels appropriate for what Mega Evolution is.

6. Mega Dragonite - I do feel like there’s maybe something missing here that keeps it from feeling entirely complete, but overall it’s cute, big, and fluffy. What’s not to love?

7. Mega Hawlucha - It’s cool I suppose, but I still haven’t really gotten over the “It’s basically a Unite skin” observation.

8. Mega Greninja - I think the animations will probably help sell this one a little better, but at its core it really is just Greninja upside-down, and I find something about that to be not just underwhelming, but also slightly off-putting, since being upside-down isn’t exactly a pleasant sensation.
 
Ah, a single Mega Raichu could have gone far harder; oh well, hoping this means regular Raichu gets some love, both Smash and Unite only had the Alolan one, and Raichu has been one of my faves for over 25 years:

1757728944969.png
 
I'm personally hoping they will distribute the starter Mega Stones in the DLC at least. Would be really akward for them to be exclusive to PvP forever (specially considering we know for a fact Gen 10 is approaching - feels like it would be countrproductive to keep competitive rewards for Legends after Gen 10's competitive scene becomes the focus). I'm sure we'd be able to use them in Champions for free regardless but it'd be upsetting to lose thme in their home region's game

On a different note, I feel like the two Mega Raichu look a lot better with their tails swapped. I think its kinda cute how both of them kinda call back to Pikachu but i think they look a little clunky with thir design elements (namely the double tail and how the ear fluff clases with the actual pikachu-like ears)

1757729506090.png
1757729560974.png
 
Yung Dramps said:
I'm weirdly kinda glad that Mega Greninja is the most off-kilter and relatively lukewarmly received of the trio: Delphox and especially my king Chesnaught needed a catch-up opportunity in terms of acclaim
Click to expand...
I think Mega Greninja (and probably Mega Flygon) has the same problem the eeveelutions have, after decades of fans' designs it's hard to create something that wasn't made by fans before. So that's the reason for Greninja stealing Malamar gimmick because it was a concept not explored by anyone.
 
Blue glass said:
I think Mega Greninja (and probably Mega Flygon) has the same problem the eeveelutions have, after decades of fans' designs it's hard to create something that wasn't made by fans before. So that's the reason for Greninja stealing Malamar gimmick because it was a concept not explored by anyone.
Click to expand...
Especially because they couldn't really take Ash Greninja as a base for a mega without it just being called a recolour of Ash Greninja. So we ended up with the mega we got
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top