The Pokemon games try their best to make each title unique by adding special gimmicks in each mainline generation. This helps mix up the formula and keep things fresh. From special anime-like moves to growing big, these gimmicks are fun, but none can compare to Mega Evolution.
Everyone loves the Mega Evolution gimmick introduced in Gen 6, as it gives old Pokemon a new look and even makes some unusable Pokemon finally good. In thePokemon Trading Card Gameduring the XY era, Mega Pokemon EX cards were some of themost powerful around,but unfortunately, not every single Mega form got the chance to shine in card form.
9Non-Shiny Mega Gyarados
Straight From The Lake Of Rage
While a few Pokemon didn’t get a single card, Gyarados did get a Mega card in the set BreakPoint. However, this was not the regular Gyarados; instead, it was the iconic red shiny one. Considering how much love and fan-service Gen 1 was getting in the XY era, it was nice to see the red Gyarados from Gen 2 making an appearance in the TCG.
This did mean, however, that the regular Mega Gyarados never saw a card of its own, unlike others who also got two Mega cards, one shiny and one normal, such asGardevoir.This was already a late set to release such an iconic Pokemon in its Mega form, which meant there wasn’t much time to print both its regular form and its shiny, but Gyarados could have easily fit right into the final set of the era, Evolutions.
8Non-Shiny Mega Metagross
Steven Stone’s Very Own
This may be quite a shock considering how iconic Metagross is to Hoenn, but it’s a strange story that all relates to the champion of the region, Steven Stone’s ties to the Pokemon. There is one Mega Metagross card that was released as a part of a special shiny Mega Metagross EX box, which was released alongside Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire.
Before the Gen 3 remakes, Steven’s ace Metagross was always the normal color, but to celebrate the release of these titles, a shiny Beldum was given out, and its owner was Steven. Later, the anime and other media would sometimes have Steven with shiny Metagross, and the shiny form became as iconic as the base colors. Since Metagross was never given another Mega card, its base colors have yet to be printed.
7Mega Banette
Hiding In The Shadows
Banette is one of Gen 3’s best Ghost-types, and while it found success in theScarlet & Violet eraof the TCG as a powerful EX, it was robbed of a chance to shine in the XY era. With no Mega EX or even a regular form EX, despite how relevant Gen 3 was during this era, it never got more than a rare card.
When it comes to Ghost-type Megas, Gengar hogs all the spotlight, and even in the TCG, it was one of the few that got multiple cards in both its regular colors and shiny colors. This left some Pokemon to just hide in the shadow of this Gen 1 icon and with Mega Banette, despite its great design and its relevance, it was left behind like an abandoned doll.
6Mega Abomasnow
The Abominable Snowman Isn’t Real
The abominable snowman is the perfect concept for a great Pokemon and Abomasnow was such a wonderful way to make one as a forest-dwelling Grass/Ice-type that deserves more love. Surprisingly, this often-forgotten Pokemon actually got some love with a cold Mega Evolution that, while as cool as ice, brought very few fans over to the Abomasnow fan club. Even in the TCG, it rarely ever receives cards, and its Mega form still has yet to be printed.
Abomasnow is one of the few Ice-type Pokemon that got a Mega Evolution, and while Mega Glalie got a card, Abomasnow was left in the cold with only a single card throughout the entire era. Mega Abomasnow would have made for a great dual-type EX with both the Water and Grass-type, but the dual-type cards in this era were an underutilized mechanic, just like poor Abomasnow itself.
5Mega Sableye
Buried In The Darkness
This gem-hording little goblin is a Dark/Ghost-type Pokemon that was one of the best Gen 3 had to offer, but sadly, the XY era treated it with little respect. Sableye finally got some love in the games with its own Mega form, but the TCG mysteriously left it out, only giving the regular Sableye a half-art promo and little else.
The Sun & Moon era gave Mega Sableye some justice, however, as it appeared on a Tag Team GX card alongside Tyranitar in Unified Minds. Perhaps because of the giant gem that Mega Sableye holds, it would be tricky to make an EX card that fits both it and the jewel within the small space. Since there were so many other Dark-type Mega Pokemon to choose from at the time, it was likely easier to just leave Sableye to its treasures.
4Mega Medicham
Perfect Potential Missed
Fighting and Psychic types are always in an endless battle of mind versus muscle, but Medicham has the perfect balance of both. When this unique Hoenn Pokemon Mega Evolves, it becomes the master of meditation. While it’s not that popular, Medicham is a great Pokemon that often gets forgotten in favor of the Pokemon that shares its typing, Gallade.
Being both Psychic and Fighting, Mega Medicham had a lot of potential to make for a great card of either type that could have been meta-defining or even a dual type like the Shiny M Gardevoir EX was. Considering Medicham is from Gen 3, it’s upsetting that the era that had a remake of its home games did not give it love in card form in any form, instead giving multiple Mega cards to more popular Pokemon.
3Mega Latias
Which Is Which Again?
The Eon Duo are iconic to Hoenn, being a pair composed of the blue Latios and redLatias. Just like the other major legendaries in Hoenn, they both got Megas when the Gen 3 remakes rolled around. While both Latios and Latias look strikingly different but alike in their regular forms, their Mega forms look almost identical, with them losing their signature color for a purple hue that makes them almost indistinguishable.
The only reason Mega Latias may have never gotten its own card in this era was likely due to how similar both Megas look.Mega Latios got a card inRoaring Skies,but if Latias did too, it would likely be confusing for both players and collectors, as on a close-up card, the differences between the two are even more minute.Luckily, in the base set for Mega Evolution, Mega Latias is already making its debut in the TCG.
2Mega Lopunny
Fighting For A Card
Lopunny is quite a popular Pokemon, but its powerful Mega form in the games never saw the light of day in the TCG. The XY era had many Colorless Mega cards, such as M Kangaskhan EX, M Audino EX, and even M Rayquaza EX, and at the time, Lopunny was a lot less popular than it is now, meaning it was sadly left to the sidelines.
Mega Lopunny was lucky enough to get a Tag Team card with Jigglypuff in the final Sun & Moon set,Cosmic Eclipse,being a Colorless card. If Mega Lopunny ever gets its own card, it would be interesting to see it be a Fighting-type card as it gains this typing when Mega Evolving, making it more unique from other Lopunny cards.
1Mega Pinsir
It’s Still Bugging Us
Unlike its counterpart, Heracross, which got a Mega card in the set Furious Fists, Pinsir was left as a forgotten bug under the rug for the entire era. Pinsir and Heracross have been seen as rivals in the games and anime, which is why it’s so strange that Pinsir never got to battle at full strength against Heracross, with it not even getting a normal EX.
We are lucky that even Mega Heracross got a card, as both of these Pokemon tend to be forgotten despite being from Gen 1 and 2 respectively. This is even sadder for Pinsir as the XY era ended with the setEvolutions,which contained modern reprints of vintage Gen 1 cards, including some select Mega Pokemon. Evolutions would have been the perfect time for Mega Pinsir to shine with its own card, but now it rests in a cocoon ready to make its first appearance.
