Pokémon Legends: Z-A continues its slow-drip reveal of new monsters with Mega Hawlucha, and I’m calling it now, folks: This is the best mega evolution the spin-off RPG has unveiled thus far, at least in terms of design. To mega evolve, the flying/fighting fowl changes up its feathers to look like it’s wearing a fancier Mexican wrestling mask. Better yet, The Pokémon Company revealed the upgrade in a dramatic animation where Hawlucha is in an actual ring against Machamp, the heel of the match.
The brave bird is pushed to the ropes, and is nearly knocked out. That’s when the tear-jerking training montage begins and Hawlucha draws upon the power of love to stand back up. Hawlucha mega evolves and slaps Machamp back down to win the gold. Hell yeah. Mega Hawlucha knows it’s got the juice, too: a third of the flashbacks show the Pokémon just aura farming like a top-tier wrestler would.
Compared to the goofy mega Dragonite, or the weird mega Victreebel, mega Hawlucha is the coolest addition to the roster yet. To The Pokémon Company’s credit, though, they’ve been doing a great job of introducing these new creatures. Victreebel might not be my cup of tea, but announcing its arrival through found footage horror is an inspired choice.
Here’s the official description:
Bulked up by Mega Evolution, it uses its muscles to take hit after hit from opponents’ moves and flex its own strength. After luring its opponent into attacking, it retaliates to make them flinch before diving at them using its signature move, Flying Press, to aim for victory
I can’t wait to look back on this in a couple of weeks and realize Hawlucha’s beefed-up muscles are actually quietly killing it or something, given the messed-up nature of mega evolutions thus far. For now, though, I’ll merely bask in the avian’s supremacy until Oct. 16, when the game releases.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be available for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 on Oct. 16, 2025.
