Every Pokemon generation gimmick ranked, from Z-Moves to Mega Evolution
Since the release of Pokemon X and Y in 2013, new games in the series have had a battle “gimmick” of some sort to keep things fresh. It all started with Mega Evolution in X and Y, which was then expanded upon in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Then we got Z-Moves in Pokemon Sun and Moon, followed by Dynamax and Gigantamax in Pokemon Sword and Shield. Then we’ve got Terastallization in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and that’s where we’re at right now. We’re almost certain to see another new gimmick introduced in the tenth generation of Pokemon, which is getting closer and closer by the day given that Scarlet and Violet released three years ago already. So today, we’re taking a look at all of these battle gimmicks and ranking them from best to least best. None of the gimmicks are outright terrible – they’re all inspired and thematically appropriate for their regions, but some are certainly better than others.
4. Z-Moves
From both a competitive standpoint and an aesthetic one, Z-Moves are perhaps the least impactful of Pokemon’s battle gimmicks. They still have an impact, for sure – if used correctly, a Z-Move can turn the tide of battle in your favor. They also make sense from a thematic standpoint, as culture in the Alola region is centered around Z-Moves and Z-Crystals. That said, Z-Moves place a great deal of emphasis on predicting your opponent. You need to give up your item slot for an attack that you can only use on a single turn, whereas with Dynamax you get three turns of powered-up moves plus doubled health. You have to give up your item slot for Mega Evolution as well, but that’s a permanent transformation that lasts until the battle ends. Z-Moves require much more commitment than other gimmicks, and some players might like them more because of that, which is understandable! But Pokemon Champions is dropping soon, and it will presumably have all of the battle gimmicks together at some point. In that case, Z-Moves will almost certainly be the weakest of them.
3. Dynamax and Gigantamax
Dynamax and Gigantamax are generally the least popular battle gimmick among Pokemon fans, but I think they’re just the slightest bit underrated. Galar’s culture is completely centered around Dynamax – the Gym Battles in particular essentially become sport stadiums with Dynamax and Gigantamax involved, and in-universe, it’s easy to believe that people from around the Pokemon world travel to Galar to watch these matches. Not to mention, the lore around Eternatus and the Darkest Day is actually quite good – but Sword and Shield themselves do a pretty bad job of explaining it. I actually think Dynamax and Gigantamax would be more well-loved if Sword and Shield tasked the player with taking down rogue Dynamax Pokemon in a way akin to Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s rogue Mega Evolutions. Unfortunately, the final game simply has Leon take care of them himself. From a competitive standpoint, Dynamax is extremely powerful in singles and still very good in doubles. Those three turns almost always change things up – your Pokemon gets doubled health, plus they gain access to Max Moves. Moves like Max Airstream boosts the Speed of the user and its allies, whereas others like Max Steelspike can be used defensively to increase Defense. Dynamax is extremely versatile overall, and provides a ton of competitive value. It would’ve been neat if Pokemon with unique Gigantamax forms had increased base stats – Pokemon like Eevee, Pikachu, Meowth, Lapras, Garbodor, and Flapple still aren’t cutting it even when Gigantamaxed. Dynamax is certainly a flawed mechanic, but it’s one with a lot of promise if done right.
2. Terastallization
Everyone always talks about the silly little hats that Terastallized Pokemon wear, and I agree that some of the tougher-looking Pokemon like Tyranitar do look kind of funny wearing a balloon hat. Get past that, though, and Terastallization is a really cool mechanic both thematically and especially competitively. Terastallization completely flips type matchups upside-down, if done correctly. If you send out a Garchomp against a Glaceon, you can Terastallize Garchomp into a Steel-type so that it now resists Ice and can hit back super-effectively. Or, you could Terastallize it into a Ground-type to further increase the strength of its Ground-type moves. There’s so much potential for moveset customization when it comes to Tera, and most competitive players seem fairly positive on it. The hats could definitely be a bit more serious, but the crystal and glowing lights aesthetic matches well with Terapagos. I think if Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched in a better state, Terastallization would generally be more liked among players. That, plus the hats being fixed.
1. Mega Evolution
To no one’s surprise, Mega Evolution is the most popular gimmick in the Pokemon series by far – so much so, that it’s now had a second run in Pokemon Legends: Z-A with a whole new wave of fresh new Mega Evolutions to discover. The idea of pushing a Pokemon beyond its normal evolution capabilities is cool as-is, and seeing them transform into awesome new appearances is always fun. It’s especially cool if you’re Mega Evolving one of your longtime partner Pokemon! Though Mega Evolutions were far and few between in Pokemon X and Y, there are now over 70 of them to choose from. My favorite Mega Evolutions are for weaker Pokemon that really need them – examples are Pinsir, Mawile, Banette, Sableye, Sharpedo, Camerupt, and Glalie, among any others. It always felt like overkill to give Mega Evolutions to Salamence, Rayquaza, Dragonite, Garchomp, Latios, and Mewtwo, though – I get that they’re there for marketing, but these are already very powerful Pokemon who didn’t really need the boost. It’s also true that Mega Evolution has a limited pool of users, whereas Z-Moves, Dynamax, and Tera can be used by any Pokemon. Still, the response to Mega Evolution was so great in 2013 that it most likely cemented Pokemon’s tendency to include new battle gimmicks.
What’s your favorite gimmick in the Pokemon games? Do you think they should take a break from battle gimmicks next generation, no matter how unlikely that may be? Feel free to let us know in the comments down below. This list is just our own opinion of Pokemon gimmicks, and definitely isn’t meant to be taken objectively in any way. Even Z-Moves, which I’ve ranked as “least best” have their fans, and that’s completely fine!
