Summary
EveryPokemonfan remembers their first starter in a playthrough. The likelihood is that this was one of the first Pokemon this player ever saw, and it is even more likely that they took this Pokemon with them through the game and saw their final form. Many fans consider some of the individual starters to be one of their favorite Pokemon, but that doesn’t mean that the designs and battle abilities are always perfect.
It is almost a guarantee thatPokemon Legends Z-Awill feature some of these previous starter Pokemon, and the trailer confirmed that Mega Evolution is returning in this game. Therefore, the developers can use this temporary upgrade to give some of the old starter Pokemon a new update. But which ones deserve it the most?
6Serperior
Pokedex Number: 497
The trio of starters from Generation 5 followed the same formula as the previous game, with each one bearing the grass type, fire type, or water type. Unfortunately, the starters from the Unova region are not some ofthe most loved designsin the franchise. Many people believe that Tepig gets too big and ugly as it evolves, and Snivy’s middle evolution doesn’t deal with removing its legs very well. Oshawatt is the clear favorite, but it too doesn’t transition well between its first and last stage. However, this Pokemon already received a Hisuian variant form in the firstLegendsgame.
Therefore, the next Pokemon in this generation that could easily receive a Mega Evolution is the grass type, Seperior. The single grass type is a little weak, so giving this starter the dragon type as well would easily make it more competitively viable.
5Infernape
Pokedex Number: 392
Generation 4 is an odd generation to think about in terms of its starters, as the Sinnoh region from this game was already used as the location for the previousLegendsgame in the series. Sadly, none of the starters from this region were available from the beginning of this new adventure, and none of these creatures received an updated form. Some would argue that this occurred because the Sinnoh starters do not need a new variant, but the Mega Evolution feature is more than just a new form.
With these Pokemon being skipped over in the last game, perhaps the franchise could show some love to this trio by giving Infernape a Mega Evolution. This fire type has plenty of fans thanks to the anime, but its typing has caused some issues in the past. Game Freak usedthe fire/fighting typefor the final evolution in Generations 3, 4, and 5, so it would be nice if they decided to make Infernape more unique by removing its fighting type and giving it something else entirely.
4Incineroar
Pokedex Number: 727
Overall, thestarters from the Alola regionwere received well by the fans of the series. The only thing that some fans have an issue with is the fact that the fire starter, Litten, eventually ends up standing on two legs when it becomes Incineroar. The trope of turning quadraped Pokemon into bipedal ones is something that a lot of fans dislike, and many players were tired of it by the time Generation 7 rolled around.
Giving Incineroar a Mega Evolution is the perfect chance for the developers to show fans what this type of creature would look like if it stayed on all four. Plus, as a Pokemon based on a wrestler, Incineroar is one of the few fire type starters that logically should have adopted the fighting type instead of the dark type.
3Quaquaval
Pokedex Number: 914
Paldea is aPokemonregion that is based on parts of Spain and Portugal from the real world. As a result, many of the Pokemon designs from these games take inspiration from parts of this culture. There is a Pokemon in Paldea based on a spicy pepper, one based on a Flamingo, and the final stage ofthe water starteris based on a Flamenco dancer.
Quaquaval is a water/fighting type that many players find a little odd. However, leaning into the sillier aspects of this design could help this Pokemon receive some more love. Generation 9 has already made a similar choice with the new evolution for Dunsparce, Dudunsparce, so a Mega Evolution for Quaquaval doesn’t seem out of the question.
2Greninja
Pokedex Number: 658
It seems like a safe bet to assume thatthe original startersfrom Kalos will be getting a Mega Evolution inPokemon Legends: Z-A. The game is returning to this region, and these Pokemon missed out on this upgrade when it debuted at the same time as these starters. Therefore, it looks certain that these Pokemon starters will be given a Mega. At the very least, one starter is likely to.
If only one of the starters from this generation is to receive a Mega Evolution, the obvious choice is clearly Greninja. This final evolution of a starter seamlessly fit into thePokemonworld when it debuted and became even more popular when it showed up in the anime as one of Ash’s Pokemon. As such, it would be a good idea to cash in on this popularity by giving Greninja a new form.
1Meganium
Pokedex Number: 154
Of all the starter Pokemon to ever appear in the franchise, Meganium is one that is often forgotten. All three Kanto starters received a Mega Evolution in Generation 6, and so too did the three Hoenn starters. Plenty of other Johto Pokemon have been upgraded in recent years, including the fire starter from that region, Typhlosion. This has left both Feraligatr and Meganium in need of some attention in recent years.
However, Meganium is in more need of a Mega Evolution than its water type counterpart, as this Pokemon wasn’t even favored in its original generation. Meganium has a bland design, and its weak stats and single grass type meant it was outshone by other grass dual types like Jumpluff and Vileplume. As a result,Pokemon Legends: Z-Ais the perfect opportunity to redeem this starter Pokemon with a Mega Evolution.
