Mega Evolution is one of the best and most popular generational gimmicks ever introduced in Pokemon. With one simple click, certain Pokemon can mega evolve and transform into a better version of themselves, with fierce new designs, a considerable stat boost, and sometimes even a brand-new ability. This mechanic changed the franchise forever, and most fans hope that it will be brought back someday in the future.

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Naturally, some of the most popular Pokemon got a Mega Evolution, like Lucario, Garchomp, or Gengar. But this mechanic also blessed some of the less popular creatures in the series and truly redeemed them in the eyes of the fans by giving them interesting redesigns and/or more usability in competitive battling.

1 Mega Beedrill

The Drill That Will Pierce The Heavens

Beedrill was always seen as part of the lower tier of Bug-type Pokemon from Generation One. Not as iconic as Butterfree or as intimidating as Scyther, this was often considered a weak insect that was more of a pest than a powerful fighter. But things changed when Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire introduced its Mega Evolution out of nowhere.

Mega Beedrill looks considerably better than the regular version, mainly because of its new arms that are reminiscent of long spears. But this Pokemon was greatly benefited by its new ability: Adaptability, which powers up its STAB. Since Beedrill is a fairly weak Pokemon, this Mega Evolution was not overpowered at all and could be used in conventional competitive circles.

2 Mega Pidgeot

The Original Regional Bird Strikes Back

As iconic as it is, Pidgeot was left behind when compared to the other “Regional Birds.” Back in the day, it looked great. But nowadays, when compared to the likes of Staraptor or Talonflame, its design and stats leave a lot to be desired. That’s when Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire introduced Mega Pidgeot, and the original Regional Bird was back in the spotlight.

The long hair was always Pidgeot’s most defining feature, so the fact that its Mega Evolution gave it even longer hair was quite clever. And while it may not be the best Mega Evolution in the game, its new No Guard ability and higher Special Attack stat made it a force to be reckoned with.

3 Mega Kangaskhan

The Importance Of A Good Ability

It's quite interesting because Mega Kangaskhan didn’t change much from the original Pokemon. In this case, its baby just came out of the pouch to fight alongside its mother. With something as simple as that, this Mega Evolution became one of the most prominent creatures in the competitive scene during Generations Six and Seven, mainly due to its new ability Parental Bond.

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Kangaskhan was not the worst-designed Pokemon, but it was always one of the most forgotten ones in the Generation One Pokedex. And it never really shined in battle either. So having a Mega Evolution that altered its appearance in a simple, yet clever, way and completely enhanced its competitive viability was a game changer.

4 Mega Mawile

Two Mouths Are Better Than One

Mawile was always one of those Pokemon that felt like wasted potential. For a creature based on something as unique as the Futakuchi-onna, it mostly felt uninteresting and weak. But, with the release of Pokemon X & Y, Mawile received two major upgrades. It turned into a Steel & Fairy-type, and it got one of the best Mega Evolutions in the game.

Mega Mawile improved this Pokemon’s design by giving it a second mouth on the back of its head, which looked better and made it look more intimidating. But the best improvement was the addition of its new ability, Huge Power, which greatly boosts its Attack stat. Coupled with its incredible typing, Mega Mawile was one of the best creatures to use in the game, and most fans wished it was a permanent evolution instead of a temporary add-on that hasn’t come back in years.

5 Mega Medicham

Enhancing A Solid Concept

For being the first ever Fighting/Psychic Pokemon, Medicham was oddly forgettable. This may be because it was introduced in the same generation as solid Pokemon of the same type, like Hariyama, Breloom, or Blaziken. Or maybe because it looked weird, and its concept didn’t really resonate with fans.

Some Mega Evolutions completely change a Pokemon’s concept and appearance, but others just barely improve on what’s necessary to make them stand out more. That’s exactly what happened with Mega Medicham. The new design made its yoga and Buddhist elements more apparent, and it retained the Pure Power ability which, alongside the stat boost it received, helped it become extremely strong in battle.

6 Mega Glalie

Ugly, But Powerful

Glalie has always been one of Hoenn’s most infamous Pokemon. An odd-looking Ice-type that wasn’t easy to catch and wasn’t powerful. To make things even worse, Generation Four introduced its counterpart, Froslass, which instantly became way more used and recognizable than the Face Pokemon from Generation Three.

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But Frosslass didn’t get a Mega Evolution - Glalie did. And it was one of the most bizarre ones. With its giant broken jaw, Mega Glalie looks even weirder and, in a way, this made it stick out more since it perfectly encapsulated the concept of Mega Evolved Pokemon suffering physical damage when they power up. And thanks to its new Refrigerate ability that turned all Normal-type moves into Ice-type moves, Mega Glalie had quite a lot of use when it was introduced.

7 Mega Lopunny

An Unexpected Addition

Why did Lopunny, a Generation Four Pokemon that didn’t originally exist back in Generation Three, receive a brand-new Mega Evolution in the remakes, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire? It’s impossible to say why this happened, but most fans are glad that Mega Lopunny exists because, as unexpected as this was, it greatly improved on what used to be considered a bland Normal-type Pokemon.

Aside from its striking new design, Mega Lopunny got two incredible changes. The addition of the Fighting-type, alongside its Normal-type, and the ability Scrappy that let it hit Ghost-type Pokemon with moves of those same two types. And, since it also had incredible boosted Speed and Attack stats, Mega Lopunny was a rather strong Pokemon whose existence no one saw coming.

8 Mega Audino

The Only Mega Evolution Of Its Generation

Like most Generation Five Pokemon, Audino was the counterpart of a Generation One Pokemon. In this case, it was Chansey, as both were seen as the nurses of their respective regions. Aside from that, there wasn’t much about the Hearing Pokemon that stuck out, and most fans just saw it as a tool to farm more experience for their team.

But come Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and Mega Audino would be introduced, with a cuter design, a new Fairy-type, and the useful Healer ability. But the weirdest thing is that this is currently the only Unova Pokemon that has a Mega Evolution. That fact alone is enough to make Audino stand out, but most people are now hoping that possible Generation Five remakes will change this.

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