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Ever since the franchise's jump to 3D, mainline Pokemon games always sport some type of battle gimmick, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are no exception to this trend. Starting with Mega Evolution in the sixth generation, battle gimmicks have been a staple in modern eras of the franchise, with many fans always looking forward to what comes next.
However, each new gimmick has failed to stay relevant for more than one generation, with the exception of Mega Evolution, which spanned the sixth and seventh generations. This brings us to the latest battle gimmick to be introduced in the franchise: Terastilization.
With another new gimmick entering the franchise, a lot of players have started wondering if Terastilization will ever return or if it will be scrapped when the next set of games rolls around. Since Terastilization is practically the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take on Mega Evolution, would there be any merit in comparing the two?
Mega Evolution versus Terastilization: Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's battle of the gimmicks
Right off the bat, Mega Evolution created a very tight metagame for the franchise. Since not every creature in the franchise got a Mega Evolution when the gimmick was initially rolled out, this left a very limited selection for players looking to use Mega Evolution in competitive play. This led to the list of viable creatures becoming very small, making competitive battles much less fun to play.
Comparing the gimmick to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's new Terastilization, this feature is much more inclusive and customizable, as every creature has a Tera Type, and the element of said Tera Type can be changed freely at the cost of a few easily grindable items. This makes the battle gimmick of the generation bear no pressure on the types of monsters that are viable competitively, with many even seeing a resurgence in their popularity thanks to the gimmick.
Undoubtedly, Mega Evolution is a much flashier and more visually appealing battle gimmick than Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Terastilization, as well as gimmicks of past generations. However, this truly is the only aspect where Mega Evolution pulls ahead due to these forms being notoriously unbalanced and restrictive.
Terastilization is simply not a very pleasant form to look at. Giving a creature a comically simple and oversized hat and holographic foil does very little to improve on its design and ultimately ends up just making any Pokemon using it look goofy. This is a similar complaint to the Z-Move and Dynamax gimmicks.
While Mega Evolutions are much more beloved and memorable, Terastilization pulls ahead in terms of its practicality. Giving players the choice to change a creature's elemental typing adds a certain level of control that offers an extra layer of depth to Scarlet and Violet's battles that players have been craving for a long time.
In conclusion, while Mega Evolution is highly cherished, and many fans would love to see it return, the reality is that the gimmick was not particularly practical. It served as an intriguing proof of concept and helped transition the franchise into the realm of 3D, but players must come to terms with the possibility that it may never make a comeback.
