Pokemon Legends: Z-A recently dropped the new story content for its Mega Dimension DLC. We already knew that the expansion would add new Megas thanks to pre-release reveals, but it wasn’t clear how many new evolutions we were getting. But now that the DLC has been out for a few days, we have the sum total of every new Mega in the Mega Dimension expansion. And though I was underwhelmed by many of the initial reveals, I have to say, some of these new Mega Evolution designs are pretty solid.
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When Pokemon Legends: Z-A first released, I took it upon myself to rank all of the new Megas. Naturally, that means I must once again take on the task, as we have 19 new Megas to judge in the DLC. My ranking is based largely on vibes and the visuals for each of the new Megas, rather than on their in-game firepower. Without further ado, let’s check out every new Mega Evolution design from the Pokemon Legends: Z-A DLC, ranked worst to best. Bear in mind, if you haven’t finished the DLC content yet, there will be spoilers below.
19) Mega Darkrai
This new Mega for the Mythical Pokemon Darkrai gives its Bad Dreams moniker a whole new meaning. It somehow manages to be both ugly and terrifying at the same time. The design gives Darkrai an enlarged middle, presumably from gorging itself on the very nightmares its presence creates. And when you see this thing in motion? I don’t even want to talk about it.
18) Mega Raichu X
This was one of the first Mega reveals back when Mega Dimension was announced. And even with time to get used to it, I’m still not sold on this design. It just doesn’t feel like it meshes together as a cohesive whole. The ears and double Pikachu tails have a different vibe and coloration from its big old brown-tipped hands and feet. I get that it’s a Pikachu/Raichu blend, but I don’t think they quite pulled it off.
17) Mega Golisopod
Remember when I said that Mega Barbaracle didn’t need to add more arms? Yeah, similar vibe here. I’ll admit the recoloring on the exoskeleton armor is cool here, and those extra appendages do give some cool cannon vibes. But this Mega design is nevertheless kind of unsettling unless you really love bugs, and I’m with Misty on this one.
16) Mega Scovillain
Scovillain is one of those Pokemon I’ve never had on my team, so I had to go look up the original form to even name the differences here. The coloration stays pretty much the same, but the body and heads both get more dinosaur-esque. It does feel like a natural next step in this design’s evolution, but it’s pretty boring compared to many of the other designs. It is fun how it brings back some of the features from Capasakid, though.
15) Mega Baxcalibur
I’ve never been a big Baxcalibur fan, and this new Mega design gets a “meh” from me. It largely just makes Baxcalibur look even more dinosaur-like, though I do like the enlarged spike on its back looking like an ice sword. In all, though, this design doesn’t really have a ton to offer compared to some of the other new Megas in the Mega Dimension DLC.
14) Mega Heatran
Okay, I both respect the “open volcano lava mouth” vibes here and hate them at the same time. Yes, this is definitely a Mega design that feels like a natural next stage for Heatran. But I would prefer the Lava Dome Pokemon keep that mouth shut, it turns out. And that lava spilling over its body is a bit unsettling and oddly shaped. I do like that this design really leans into the Steel typing, though.
13) Mega Raichu Y
This one has some issues, but it’s leaps and bounds better than Mega Raichu X in my opinion. I don’t love the weird second ear/wings it’s got on its head, but other than that, the design does at least feel like it fits together as a whole. It has sort of a Pikachu meets Alolan Raichu vibe, which is interesting. But I still think they could’ve done better here.
12) Mega Crabominable
Did Crabominable need terrifying ice claw feet? No, it did not. But this new Mega Evolution sure does give it some. I have to give The Pokemon Company props for leaning into the ice typing here, as it is very on theme. However, this Mega design is the stuff of nightmares. Just not quite as much as Mega Darkrai is.
11) Mega Garchomp Z
This design is kind of just the OG Mega Garchomp, but more extreme. If that’s what every Z version was, I’d be more forgiving, but some of the others really knocked it out of the park. Mega Garchomp Z’s arm and head blades get even bigger and more menacing, and it looks even more dinosaur-like. They certainly didn’t reinvent the wheel here, but it’s a good-looking design that retains the essence of Garchomp. It also streamlines the typing, removing Ground to put Garchomp into full Dragon mode.
10) Mega Glimmora
This Mega design takes the whole “big flower” vibe of Glimmora and asks, “what if even bigger flower?” I respect it. Its cone-shaped head also gets pointier, which makes it more menacing than its non-Mega counterpart. This one’s solid, but not really anything super special compared to some of the other designs, so it gets a solid middle-of-the-road ranking from me.
9) Mega Magearna
This artificial Mythical Pokemon has 2 different forms, and so does its Mega form. Both have a pretty similar design, with different coloration, which honors the original differences for Magearn and Original Color Magerna. The design is pretty straightforward, with the Pokemon’s big skirt basically going into battle mode and turning into giant floating gears because of reasons? The logic of it doesn’t quite fit, but it is a fun design concept. She looks like she’s getting ready for business, which is fitting for how Mega Evolution typically functions in-game.
8) Mega Tatsugiri
Tatsugiri is such an unserious Pokemon, and I do in fact love it. This Gen 9 Pokemon is, essentially, sushi. And its Mega form is a bigger plate of sushi, which I respect. I love that its different forms basically just swap out which of the Tatsugiri trio is in the center. But the coloration of this design feels a bit off, and I’m not sure why it’s floating on a rainbow puddle. It looks like the fish are lining up for a Rainbow Road Mario Kart race, which is fun but doesn’t quite fit the right vibe.
7) Mega Chimecho
On its own, Chimecho can be a bit underwhelming. I can’t count the times I’ve missed it entirely on the map in Pokemon Go. But this new design is very fun, really leaning into the windchime vibes by adding all those extra copies to flutter in the breeze. It’s also a nice touch that adding that metal ring also causes Chimecho to gain the Steel type when it Mega Evolves. We love the attention to detail.
6) Mega Golurk
Golurk is, in essence, just a giant Construct. And this Mega design leans into that in a fun way, making its armor even more impressive. I really like the purple ghost wing things they added here, which lean into its Ghost typing a bit more than the standard Golurk design does. This is one of those Megas that just feels like a natural next step for the Pokemon, and I like it a little bit more the longer I look at it.
5) Mega Zeraora
Maybe this is a hot take, but I prefer Mega Zeraora’s design to the original. It does a color scheme swap, with the blue and black becoming more prominent than the yellow. It kind of looks like a blend of Zeraora and Luxray, and I’m not mad at it. It retains the original bipedal cat vibe while mixing it up enough to feel interesting.
4) Mega Lucario Z
Initially, I wasn’t sure about this one when it was revealed prior to the Mega Dimension DLC release. But seeing its in-game reveal, it kind of fit perfectly, actually. This design looks quite different from Mega Lucario, while still embracing a similar vibe. I like that it keeps a more similar color scheme to the original Lucario, and the pop princess Fighting type vibes have grown on me.
3) Mega Meowstic
I think my top Mega designs from the Pokemon Legends: Z-A have a theme, and that theme is emo bangs. But honestly, it’s just so cool to see a Mega form for Meowstic, which is one of my favorite more recent-gen Pokemon. And this design is a fun blend of both its male and female forms, with coloration and features that blend both. I also like that it makes itself taller by standing on its tail. A vibe.
2) Mega Staraptor
Another Mega that feels like a natural progression, but in the best way. Mega Staraptor keeps the excellent feather bang swoop but adds some details that make it even more raptor-esque. The longer, banded tail feathers and slightly lighter coloration are a nice change that fit its change to Fighting/Flying type. I wanted to add this one to my team the moment I saw it, and only partly because I love a raptor.
1) Mega Absol Z
This is the first new Mega design you’ll encounter in the DLC, and it is an emo-coded icon. You just know this Absol Mega Evolution listened to My Chemical Romance and Panic at the Disco! back in the day. The addition of the Ghost typing is fun here, and the look is a spot-on ghost-coded version of the original Mega Absol design. They’ve got a devil and angel vibe going on together, and I am here for it.
Which new Mega design from the Pokemon Legends: Z-A DLC is your favorite? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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