Highlights
- Gen 10 of Pokemon games should introduce cross-gen evolutions to shake up the classic formula and give older critters new upgrades and potential.
- Pokémon like Kricketune, Chatot, Spiritomb, Carnivine, and Drapion have the potential for new evolutions in Gen 10, enhancing their battle prowess and design.
- Giving these Pokémon new evolutions can address weaknesses, improve type combinations, and make them stronger opponents, offering exciting gameplay opportunities in future games.
With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet soon releasing their second DLC in the form of The Indigo Disk, and considering that the base games are fast approaching their first anniversary, it's probably going to be another two years until the next Pokemon mainline games drop. Still, with Gen 9 shaking so much of the classic Pokemon formula, Gen 10 is poised to follow suit - and a great way to break the mold would be to give older critters new cross-gen evolutions.
Not all pocket monsters are born equal in terms of battle prowess, however, and some of them could use some upgrades in future games. Other times, cross-gen evolutions in Pokemon games are used to make a given evolutionary line whole when it comes to design and untapped potential, with great examples coming from the recent Kingambit or even Gen 4's Budew and Roserade acting as the pre-evolution and evolution of Roselia, respectively. Gen 4 is also a great starting point for more cross-gen evolutions, and the next mainline games should take a closer look at it.
Kricketune
A Pokemon that has become a meme in recent years due to its cry, something that Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Alpha Kricketune even acknowledged, this Bug-type is not an amazing fighter. Bug in and of itself is often a lacking type due to how many other types resist it and how many of the better types deal supereffective damage to it, so giving a Kricketune evolution a different type combo could help immensely. Furthermore, its base stat total (BST) is considerably low, which an evolution in Gen 10 could help with.
Chatot
If Pokemon games add a new type to the mix, be it in Gen 10 or later, it should be something adjacent to sound. This would be a great opportunity to kill two birds with one stone, as Chatot's head is designed like a musical note, and the Pokemon's flavor texts reference its ability to mimic sounds and even cries of other pocket monsters. Chatot's evolution could also take its design to the next level, possibly changing its type combination and BST along the way, making it a fierce opponent in battle.
Spiritomb
Arguably one of the best Pokemon in Gen 4, and also one of the hardest to obtain, a unique creature like Spiritomb could make players' jaws drop if it's ever revealed it can evolve in a different region. Spiritomb also has one of the strongest type combinations of the series, and a cross-gen evolution for it has the potential to be a powerhouse on the battlefield.
Carnivine
Although Carnivine is not a bad Pokemon, it can feel like a half-baked one that needed more time in the oven. Its type and movepool can leave a lot to be desired, making Carnivine a cool Pokemon in terms of overall design and concept, but often an equally disappointing one in other aspects of the game. Pokemon Gen 10 games could fix this by giving it an evolution that builds on the Venus flytrap themes of the original even more.
Drapion
Drapion has one of the best Pokemon type combinations in the form of Poison and Dark, leaving it only with one x2 weakness to Ground, four resistances, and one immunity. Gen 10 games could make Drapion even stronger by giving it an evolution, and with the original Pokemon already having decent stats and moves, it could very well turn into a force to be reckoned with. This is also the ace of Sinnoh's own Elite Four member, Aaron, making it a great candidate for a callback in future Pokemon games with its evolution ending up on the team of the corresponding region's Elite Four.
