Pokémon Legends: Z-A has been holding its Mega-Evolution cards close to its chest leading up to its launch in October, but after the reveals for Dragonite and Victreebel, the floodgates seem to have opened for Game Freak to show off more of the new superpowered forms coming to the RPG. Legends: Z-A isn’t adding any new Pokémon to the Pokédex, but it is going back and giving some underappreciated monsters Mega Evolutions, and Hawlucha, the fighting/flying luchador bird Pokémon from X and Y, is the latest old ‘mon learning new tricks.
Game Freak revealed Mega Hawlucha through an animated short depicting a battle between the bird and a Machamp. The two fighting-type Pokémon meet in a ring alongside their trainers, and Hawlucha plays to the crowd like a real luchador. Then in comes Machamp, who has a dramatic wrestler entrance of its own. The two clash, and it becomes clear that Hawlucha plays up the showmanship to the detriment of its performance in the battle. After Machamp teaches it a lesson in humility, Hawlucha thinks about all the training it took to get to this match and finds the strength to get back up, apologize to its trainer, and mega evolve. Mega Hawlucha gets a new mask and cape, its feathers forming a belt around its waist. It definitely heightens the luchador theme, but it feels a bit more grounded than the mega designs of Dragonite and Victreebel, which lean more fully into a kind of goofy, exaggerated charm. Machamp is no match for Hawlucha after it mega evolves, and the match is over pretty quick. Check out the full animated short below:
Like Draqonite and Victreebel, Hawluche was on the list of leaked Mega Evolutions from back in March, so that list keeps looking more and more credible as time goes on. Pokémon Legends: Z-A is coming to Switch and Switch 2 on October 16.