The Pokemon community is buzzing with controversy following the announcement of Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s “Mega Dimension” DLC, and at the center of this storm is an unlikely candidate: Chimecho. While some fans celebrate the addition of new Mega Evolutions, a growing chorus of voices is expressing frustration and disappointment that Game Freak chose to give this underwhelming Psychic-type a temporary Mega Evolution rather than the permanent evolution it desperately needed. This decision represents everything wrong with how the company handles forgotten Pokemon, and here’s exactly why you should be upset about it.
The Mega Evolution Controversy Explained
When the Mega Dimension DLC trailer dropped, revealing Mega Chimecho alongside Mega Baxcalibur and new Mega Raichu forms, the initial reaction was mixed at best. While Mega Baxcalibur made sense as a powerful pseudo-legendary getting an upgrade, Chimecho’s inclusion left many scratching their heads. After all, this is a Pokemon that has languished in obscurity since its introduction in Generation III, never quite finding its place in competitive play or casual teams.
The core issue isn’t that Chimecho is getting attention—it’s that it’s getting the wrong kind of attention. Mega Evolutions, by their very nature, are temporary gimmicks tied to specific games or mechanics. They’re not permanent additions to a Pokemon’s evolutionary line, meaning once you leave Pokemon Legends: Z-A, Mega Chimecho ceases to exist. This temporary boost comes at the cost of what could have been a permanent, meaningful evolution that would have benefited Chimecho across all future Pokemon games.
Why Chimecho Desperately Needed a Real Evolution?
To understand the frustration, we need to look at Chimecho’s current state. With a base stat total (BST) of just 455, Chimecho is objectively weak by modern Pokemon standards. Its stat distribution is mediocre across the board, with no single stat standing out as particularly impressive. Even its signature ability, Levitate, which grants immunity to Ground-type attacks, isn’t enough to salvage its competitive viability.
What makes this particularly frustrating is that Chimecho has so much untapped potential. As a wind chime Pokemon, it could have evolved into a Psychic/Flying type with improved stats and a more interesting design. It could have gained access to better moves or unique abilities that would have made it relevant in battles. Instead, it’s stuck with a temporary Mega Evolution that only boosts its BST to 555—still well below competitive standards and far inferior to Pokemon like Metagross (BST 600) or its own Mega Evolution (BST 700).
The Mega Evolution Curse: Temporary Gimmicks vs. Permanent Progress
One of the most compelling arguments against giving Chimecho a Mega Evolution is the historical precedent it sets. Time and again, we’ve seen that once a Pokemon receives a Mega Evolution, it’s highly unlikely to receive additional forms or evolutions in future generations. Look at Pokemon like Mawile, Sableye, and Absol—all received Mega Evolutions in Generation VI, and none have seen permanent evolutions or significant regional variants since.
This creates what many fans call the “Mega Evolution curse.” By giving Chimecho a Mega form, Game Freak has effectively closed the door on it ever receiving a proper cross-generation evolution. This is particularly devastating for a Pokemon like Chimecho, which could have benefited so much more from a permanent evolution that would have carried forward into future games, regions, and competitive formats.
The Community’s Voice: What Fans Are Saying
Across forums, social media, and discussion boards, the sentiment is clear: Pokemon fans wanted better for Chimecho. A GameFAQs poll from years ago showed that 71% of voters believed Chimecho needed an evolution, and that sentiment hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s grown stronger as fans have seen other forgotten Pokemon receive proper evolutions while Chimecho continues to be overlooked.
As one fan put it, “Chimecho is exactly the type of Pokemon that needed a real evolution, and now it’s capped off because of mega. It has the same BST as Dusclops, and we all know how that turned out.” This sentiment echoes throughout the community, with many expressing frustration that Game Freak continues to prioritize temporary gimmicks over meaningful, permanent improvements to underpowered Pokemon.
The Design Problem: Mega Chimecho’s Missed Opportunities
Even from a design perspective, Mega Chimecho represents a missed opportunity. While the Mega Evolution’s design—combining elements of Chimecho with its pre-evolution Chingling—is interesting, it’s ultimately temporary. A proper evolution could have expanded on Chimecho’s wind chime theme in more creative ways, potentially giving it a secondary typing like Flying or Fairy, or unique abilities that would have made it stand out.
Instead, we’re left with a form that can only be used in specific circumstances, tied to a particular game’s mechanics. This is especially frustrating considering how much potential Chimecho has for growth. Imagine a permanent evolution that could have been featured in future games, potentially with regional variants or additional forms down the line. That possibility is now gone, sacrificed for a temporary power boost that most competitive players won’t even use.
The Competitive Reality: Why Mega Chimecho Won’t Change Anything
From a competitive standpoint, Mega Chimecho is unlikely to make any significant impact. With its boosted BST of 555, it still falls short of many commonly used Pokemon in competitive formats. The addition of Steel as a secondary type (making it Psychic/Steel) is interesting, but not enough to overcome its mediocre stat distribution and limited movepool.
What’s more, in a game like Pokemon Legends: Z-A, where players have access to powerful Pokemon like Metagross and its Mega Evolution, there’s little incentive to use Mega Chimecho. The competitive reality is that Mega Chimecho will likely remain a novelty—something players might try for fun but won’t seriously consider for competitive teams. This makes the decision to give it a Mega Evolution rather than a proper evolution even more puzzling.
The Bigger Picture: What This Says About Game Freak’s Priorities
The Chimecho Mega Evolution controversy is about more than just one Pokemon—it’s about Game Freak’s approach to handling underpowered and forgotten species. Rather than giving these Pokemon the permanent evolutions they need to remain relevant, the company continues to rely on temporary gimmicks that don’t address the underlying issues.
This approach suggests a worrying trend: Game Freak prioritizes flashy, marketable features over meaningful, long-term improvements to their Pokemon roster. Mega Evolutions generate excitement and discussion in the short term, but they don’t solve the fundamental problem of Pokemon like Chimecho being underpowered and underutilized. A proper evolution would have been a lasting solution that benefited both the Pokemon and its fans for years to come.
What Could Have Been: The Chimecho Evolution We Deserved
Let’s take a moment to imagine what could have been. A proper evolution for Chimecho could have been a Psychic/Flying type with improved stats across the board. It could have received unique abilities related to sound or wind, fitting its wind chime theme. Its design could have evolved (pun intended) the wind chime concept into something more majestic and powerful, while still maintaining the charm that made Chimecho appealing in the first place.
This evolution could have been featured in future games, potentially with regional variants or additional forms. It could have become a competitive staple, giving players a reason to use and appreciate a Pokemon that has been overlooked for far too long. Instead, we’re left with a temporary form that most players will forget about once they move on from Pokemon Legends: Z-A.
The Precedent Problem: What This Means for Other Forgotten Pokemon
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of this decision is the precedent it sets for other forgotten Pokemon. If Game Freak is willing to give Chimecho a Mega Evolution instead of a proper evolution, what does this mean for other underpowered Pokemon that fans have been hoping to see improved?
Pokemon like Dunsparce, Carnivine, and Lumineon have been waiting years for proper evolutions. Will they too receive temporary Mega Evolutions instead of the permanent improvements they need? This decision could signal a shift away from cross-generation evolutions entirely, which would be devastating for fans of these forgotten Pokemon and for the overall health and diversity of the Pokemon roster.
The Fan Reaction: A Community Divided
The Pokemon community is clearly divided on this issue. While some fans are happy to see Chimecho getting any attention at all, many others feel that this is a missed opportunity of epic proportions. The general consensus among competitive players and longtime fans is that Chimecho would have benefited much more from a proper evolution than from a temporary Mega form.
As one fan eloquently put it, “Mega Chimecho is peak but man I wish they would give mons like him actual evolutions that can’t be taken away when Megas aren’t implemented.” This sentiment captures the frustration perfectly—while the Mega Evolution might be interesting in the short term, it’s not the lasting solution that Chimecho and its fans deserved.
The Bottom Line: Why This Decision Hurts Pokemon Fans
At the end of the day, the decision to give Chimecho a Mega Evolution instead of a proper evolution hurts Pokemon fans in several ways. It denies us the permanent improvement that Chimecho needed, it sets a worrying precedent for other forgotten Pokemon, and it suggests that Game Freak prioritizes temporary gimmicks over meaningful, long-term improvements to their games.
For fans who have been waiting years to see Chimecho get the attention it deserves, this feels like a slap in the face. It’s not that we don’t appreciate the effort—it’s that we know Chimecho deserved better. We deserved better. And that’s why you should be upset that Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s DLC is giving Chimecho a Mega Evolution.
Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity for Real Change
The controversy surrounding Chimecho’s Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s DLC highlights a fundamental issue with how Game Freak handles underpowered Pokemon. By choosing a temporary gimmick over a permanent evolution, the company has missed an opportunity to make a meaningful, lasting improvement to a Pokemon that desperately needed it.
While Mega Chimecho might be interesting in the context of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it’s ultimately a Band-Aid solution to a problem that required surgery. Chimecho needed a proper evolution that would have benefited it across all future games, not a temporary form tied to a specific game’s mechanics. This decision not only shortchanges Chimecho but also sets a worrying precedent for how Game Freak might handle other forgotten Pokemon in the future.
As fans, we have every right to be upset about this decision. We’ve waited years for Chimecho to get the attention it deserves, and a temporary Mega Evolution simply isn’t good enough. Here’s hoping that Game Freak learns from this controversy and chooses to give forgotten Pokemon the permanent evolutions they need in future generations, rather than continuing to rely on temporary gimmicks that don’t address the underlying issues.
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