The Pokémon series is known for constantly adding new battle mechanics, like Mega Evolution, Dynamax, and Terastallization, which always change how competitive players approach the game. However, instead of moving the Pokémon VGC (Video Game Championships) to each new Pokémon release, the upcoming Pokémon Champions will be the standard game used for competition going forward. This shift brings up questions about how the game will incorporate all the different battle mechanics from past and future Pokémon titles.
Based on trailers and my time playing, the new game, Pokemon Champions, will focus on Mega Evolution when it’s released. This fits well with the current excitement around Mega Evolution, sparked by Pokemon Legends: Z-A and the recent Pokemon TCG products featuring it. Many players are curious if Pokemon Champions will bring back older battle mechanics and how it will approach evolutions going forward. I’ve played the game and spoken with Hoshino Masaaki, the Game Producer and Development Director, to find out more.
Pokemon Champions Will Launch with Megas (But Probably Not All Of Them)
As expected by many Pokémon fans, Mega Evolution will be a major part of Pokémon Champions when it releases. While Mega Evolution returned in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, that game featured real-time battles. This makes Pokémon Champions the first game where players can try out the new Mega Evolutions in the classic turn-based battle system. According to Hoshino Masaaki, this was a key reason for focusing on Mega Evolutions at launch – he believed fans would prefer to see them used in a traditional Pokémon battle format, and Champions provides that opportunity.
It doesn’t look like all Mega Evolutions will be available in Pokemon Champions when the game first comes out. While building my team, I noticed some of the items needed for newer Mega Evolutions weren’t in the game. This might be because I was playing a version of the game still in development, and those items could be added later. Since the game won’t have every Pokemon available at the beginning, it’s likely not all Mega Evolutions will be available right away either.
Mega Evolution in Pokemon Champions functions as you’d expect. To Mega Evolve a Pokemon during battle, it needs to hold its corresponding Mega Stone, which you equip in the Held Item slot when setting up your team. You can earn Mega Stones through gameplay using VP or by progressing through the Battle Pass. Essentially, you need to first obtain the specific Pokemon and then its Mega Stone in Pokemon Champions before you can use Mega Evolution in battle. This raises the question of how other special battle mechanics from past and future Pokemon games will be implemented.
Dynamax, Terastallization, And More Could Be in Pokemon Champions‘ Future
If Pokemon Champions becomes the standard for competitive battling, it could significantly change how battle mechanics are used in future games. Without being tied to the current game’s features, Champions could reintroduce older mechanics or even combine them—perhaps finally settling the debate of whether Mega Evolutions are better than Dynamax. This possibility was naturally brought up when Hoshino Masaaki was interviewed.
It sounds like new battle features might be added to Pokemon Champions in the future. Masaaki mentioned they’re exploring different mechanics, and even considering bringing back features from past games. These won’t be available when the game first launches, but the team plans to incorporate any new mechanics they develop, likely including those planned for the upcoming Pokemon Winds and Waves. While it’s not a formal announcement, this suggests fans can expect fresh battle gimmicks in future Pokemon games.
It’s unclear if these special battle features will ever be used together in the game, or if players will be able to battle using them simultaneously. I think we’ll probably see several different features available, and players will be able to choose which rules they want to play with in both casual and ranked matches. While it would be exciting to see Mega Evolutions and Dynamax battles happening at the same time, it would likely create balance issues that would need to be addressed.
When Pokemon Champions launches on April 8th for Switch and Switch 2, players will be able to try out new versions of Mega Evolution in turn-based battles. While the game is initially focused on Mega Evolution, the developers have hinted that more unique features will be added later, potentially letting competitive players explore old strategies in a fresh way.
What’s your favorite battle mechanic from all the Pokémon games? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!
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2026-03-27 22:11