The Pokémon games have introduced new battle mechanics (more unofficially known as gimmicks) as a way to innovate the standard formula. We’ve had the Z-Moves of the 7th generation, the Dynamaxing/Gigantamaxing, Styles and Alpha Pokémon of the 8th generation, and now we have the Terastallizing of the 9th generation. But before all of that was the gimmick that paved the way for the rest, the 6th generation’s Mega Evolution.

Mega Evolution was a battle mechanic introduced in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, which allowed the player to temporarily “evolve” their Pokémon past their final stage. This transformation could have a number of effects, such as a boost in stats, a different ability, and even a change in typing. Most importantly, it changed their appearance. This was performed by a trainer holding a Keystone and their Pokémon holding its compatible Mega Stone. Only a select number of Pokémon species were capable of Mega Evolution, such as Charizard, Gyarados, Alakazam, and more.

Mega Evolution was so well-received that it stuck around for the next pair of games, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. New Mega Evolutions were introduced as well, such as the starters for the Hoenn region, Blaziken, Swampert, and Sceptile. In these games, Mega Evolution could be used in Pokémon Contest Spectaculars during the Talent Round, which made the Pokémon perform a Special Talent. The mechanic also appeared in the 7th generation of games, Pokémon Sun/Ultra Sun and Pokémon Moon/Ultra Moon, and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! However, no new Mega Evolutions would be added this time around. The feature would go on to be completely removed from the mainline games by the 8th generation, Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield.

While it’s been gone for a while, Mega Evolution had aspects that made it a feature to remember, and one that should definitely return. For starters (no pun intended), it was the beginning of the line for gimmicks we’d see throughout the series. As GameFreak took the leap into 3D with Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, they decided to take a leap in innovating the battle formula with Mega Evolution as well. It was a much-needed breath of fresh air for long-time enjoyers of the franchise, and it made way for all the Z-Moves, Dynamaxing, and other things we’ve become familiar with over time.

It also allowed GameFreak to push Pokémon designs to even greater heights. The Mega Evolution transformations gave the developers a reason to expand upon the concepts of Pokémon that were capable of Mega Evolving. For others, they leaned into different concepts that meshed with the original designs. This made for some of the most spectacular transformations and memorable Pokémon designs of the franchise, such as Mega Gardevoir, Mega Absol, and Mega Lucario.

Mega Evolution provided different Pokémon with proper time to shine as well. The Pokémon Company has a vast amount of Pokémon; by the end of the 6th generation, there were 721 species. There are bound to be some that received more attention than others. Despite this, Mega Evolution still gave underappreciated Pokémon some spotlight in the franchise.

With that being said, there were also a few downsides with Mega Evolution, most of which boil down to how badly it was executed. There were 46 Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution, which meant that most Pokémon had a hard time dealing with those 46, since they’d be outclassed at the push of a button. More often than not, if you wanted to win a battle, you’d need to use a Mega Evolved Pokémon.

While some of them provided clever ways to effectively use different battle strategies with one Pokémon, like Gyarados or Metagross, others provided drastic increases in stats or annoyingly effective abilities. A prime example of this is Kangaskhan; when Kangaskhan Mega Evolved, it not only got a boost to almost all of its stats, but also received a unique ability that allowed it to attack twice in a turn with almost any move. But, on the other hand, there are Pokémon like Glalie that, despite getting a significant boost in Attack, Defense and Speed, become arguably worse after Mega Evolving with an Ability called Refrigerate, which just makes its Normal-type moves into Ice-type moves.

Regardless of Mega Evolution’s shortcomings, it was still a great mechanic that deserves to return. There were only 46 Pokémon species that could Mega Evolve by the time it was taken out of the series. As of right now, there’s a total of 905, and that’s not even counting the different forms any of them could have. While all of them shouldn’t be capable of Mega Evolving, there’s still a mountain of untapped potential waiting to be explored. Imagine seeing a Mega Evolution for a Pokémon you’d never expect, like Castform or Toxapex. How about one for a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon like Celebi?

Mega Evolution also has the longevity that other gimmicks don’t. Most of the ones we’ve seen, even the new Terastallizing, are tied down to the region they originate in due to how they work. That’s not true for Mega Evolution. Thanks to the multiverse explanation in the Delta Episode of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, it can occur outside of the Kalos region, since all that’s needed is the Keystone and a Mega Stone. Some of those Mega Stones were found in the wild as well, so this makes it a possibility that undiscovered Mega Stones for Pokémon that were previously incapable of Mega Evolving can still be found.

Mega Evolution had its ups and downs in the core games, but throughout it all, it remains a concept that’s withstood the test of time. If GameFreak decided to balance out the mechanic similarly to what they did with Z-Moves and Dynamaxing, they can bring it back to the series and make something truly special.