WithPokemon’s 9th generation seemingly winding down, and likely ending withPokemon Legends: Z-A, fans have long been hoping for news about generation 10. While information about the next generation ofPokemongames hasn’t arrived yet, there are still some ways to speculate about which existing Pokemon might receive new evolutions in the next mainline games.
Lately, mega evolution has resurfaced as the most talked-about way to give new love to old Pokemon, as its return inPokemon Legends: Z-Aseems to be setting up new mega forms and a renewed importance for the mechanic. But a more everlasting way to spice up the potential of a previous generation’s creatures is through cross-generation evolutions. Ever since the second generation, Game Freak has been known to choose a few of their existing designs and add another step in the evolutionary line. Sometimes an unremarkable Pokemon gets a powered-up next form, other times a powerful contender receives a cute baby version, and yet more Pokemon have been reimagined entirely as convergent species and regional forms. Withnew rumors aboutPokemon’s 10th generation, some are wondering which existing Pokemon are most deserving of a little extra love.
Which Pokemon Most Deserve New Evolutions?
Fixing Boring Designs or Under-Powered Favorites
Some of the earliest examples of gross-generation evolution are generation 1 or 2Pokemon whose designs didn’t live up to expectations, either because they were too bland or not powerful enough. Some examples of this are Golbat’s design of an abnormally large bat being given new life as Crobat, whose extra wings and sleek design strike more fear into trainers than its previous form, or Seadra gaining the dragon type to become a better final stage as Kingdra. By far the Pokemon most deserving of this type of love isBidoof. Originally just the typical route 1 rodent, Bidoof has become a fan favorite over the years, and its final evolution as Bibarel doesn’t do it justice. Zigzagoon was given the cross-gen treatment inSword and Shield, and it’s time for Bidoof to follow suit, gaining more power and an intimidating design to match.
It’s Written in the Pokedex
From shocking science impossibilities to terrifying ghostly implications, the pokedex entries of some Pokemon hint at things players connect with. Sometimes, a few lines about a Pokemon’s origin can inspire entirely new designs and type combos down the line. Notably,Shellos and Gastrodonhave pokedex entries that may hint at future new forms for the pair. The line’s gimmick of having east and west sea forms already opens the possibility of additional designs for these two Pokemon, but theirSun and Moonpokedex entries in particular state that scientists are studying how Shellos and Gastrodon change forms, which might hint that some new changes are on the way for the underappreciated evolutionary line.
Experiments are being conducted to discover what happens when a Gastrodon is raised in a location other than the sea where it was born. - Gastrodon’s pokedex entry inPokemon Moon
The Gen 1 Bias
It’s no secret that certain fans, and seemingly certain members ofPokemon’s development team, favor the first generation of Pokemon above others. It seems that not a single new mainline game has been released that didn’t give some new form to a Pokemon from the first generation, so Gen 10 likely won’t be any different. Only a handful of gen 1 creatures haven’t been changed at all since their debut, but one that already has still needs a little extra attention.Cubone’s tragic backstory has endeared it to fans for generations, and though it already has two different forms of evolutions into different types of Marowak,a new evolution could help Cubone solve its trauma. If a new evolution were to see Cubone remove its mother’s skull and start healing, a regional evolution could become an important lesson in acceptance and resilience.
Though not every fan loves cross-gen evolutions, and some worry thatcertain Pokemon would be too powerful with more evolutions, Game Freak doesn’t seem to be slowing down on recycling some old ideas into newer ones. Although there’s still no news about the next generation ofPokemongames, fans are eagerly waiting to find out just what’s in store.
