Mobile killer app Pokémon GO will add Mega Evolutions, a temporary buff that allows some Pokémon to transform into a super-powered final form, later this year. Introduced in Pokémon X and Y, Mega Evolutions were a divisive addition to the popular RPG series and lead to years of gimmick powerups, including Pokémon Sword and Shield’s Dynamax system.
Since launching Pokémon GO in 2016, Niantic pushed out updates to make the mobile game resemble its console cousins. The company continues to take an active role in the game’s development, even after the game fell from cultural ubiquity a year after its release. In the last few months alone, Niantic added new Pokémon from multiple generations, tweaked the currency system (for better or worse), and modified the way players competed in raids to accommodate global lockdowns.
Nintendo announced Mega Evolutions in a Pokémon Presents video on the company’s Youtube channel. The brief teaser showed purple explosions of light signifying a Mega Evolution erupt across a cityscape before the screen cuts to black and the leaf-shaped Mega Evolution insignia appears on screen. Tsunekazu Ishihara, the president and CEO of the Pokémon Company, subsequently said the company intended to “deliver a new take on Mega Evolution that is enhanced by Pokémon Go’s unique gameplay.” Ishihara did not provide any additional details or clarify how exactly that "new take" would look.
The Pokémon Presents video also included updates about the annual Pokémon GO Fest and reveals for previously unannounced games. Pokémon Snap, the long-dormant photography safari game will make a return to consoles later this year, giving players the chance to observe Ponytas, Gengars, and Pikachus in their natural habitats. Nintendo showed two mobile titles as well: Pokémon Smile, a mobile app designed to help kids brush their teeth, and Pokémon Cafe Mix, a free to start puzzle game.
Mega Evolutions are a welcome update to Pokémon GO, even if they weren't high on the list of fan requests. At its best, Niantic and Nintendo’s mobile game captures the feeling of being Ash Ketchum or Misty, fearless explorers traveling strange landscapes with their cadre of adorable monsters. An ideal version of Pokémon GO would include everything from the games, shows, and movies. But that, of course, would be impossible and any small step towards that impossible ideal should suffice because it closes the gap between the fictional world of Pokémon and the real world of its fans.
Source: Nintendo/Youtube