Pokemon Legends Z-A fans torn as Kalos starter Mega Evos tied to competitive play

The new Mega Evolutions for the starter Pokémon from Generation 6 – Delphox, Chesnaught, and Greninja – were recently shown in a Nintendo Direct presentation. However, fans have mixed feelings because these evolutions will only be available within the competitive battling portion of the upcoming Pokémon Legends Z-A game.

Mega Evolutions debuted in the Pokémon X and Y games twelve years ago and rapidly became a fan-favorite battle feature. Interestingly, even though they were a key part of the games, the starting Pokémon from that region – the Kalos starters – didn’t receive Mega Evolutions.

Although we’ve seen glimpses of Mega Evolutions in some side games, Pokémon Legends Z-A is the first main-series game in over ten years to introduce brand new ones. This means the Kalos starter Pokémon are finally getting their own Mega Evolutions, letting players experience their full potential.

Kalos starter Mega Evolutions, but there’s a catch

When Mega Greninja, Delphox, and Chesnaught were first revealed, fans online were incredibly excited. However, a subsequent post on the official Pokémon Legends Z-A website quickly dampened that enthusiasm.

The announcement verified that Mega Stones are needed to achieve the new evolutions. Specifically, the Mega Stones for the Kalos starter Pokémon will be earned by playing ranked battles online. Players will have to compete in the seasonal ranked ladder of Legends Z-A to unlock each stone.

Game Freak revealed that rewards will be given out over several seasons. The first season starts on October 16th and will offer the Greninjite item, used to evolve Greninja into Mega Greninja. Delphoxite and Chesnaughtite will be available in future seasons, but the specific dates and the ranks players need to achieve to earn them haven’t been announced yet. You won’t need to win games to get points, but the exact rank needed for each stone is still unknown.

No, Gamefreak.
byu/geyserwallllll inPokemonLegendsZA

Pokemon Legends Z-A players divided by ranked rewards

Pokemon players were already concerned when they learned the upcoming Pokemon Legends Z-A DLC would cost $30 and include two Mega Evolutions that weren’t available in the base game. Adding restrictions on using Mega Stones for the starters from the Kalos region only made fans more upset.

Players expressed their disappointment on Reddit and X, particularly about not being able to use Mega Evolutions with their starter Pokémon from the Kalos region during the main game. Some also criticized the need for an internet connection to access content they felt should have been included in the original game.

Just so everyone knows, you get the Mega Stones for the Kalos starter Pokémon by participating in a promotion, but you don’t have to actually win battles to earn the points needed. We’re still waiting to find out what rank you need to achieve to get them.

— PearlEnthusiast (@palkiaorigin) September 15, 2025

Despite the criticism, some fans came to Game Freak’s defense, noting that the series has often featured rewards available for a limited time or distributed online.

The reviewers also noted that a Nintendo Online subscription is relatively inexpensive, and that even if players didn’t subscribe, they’d still need to spend around $12 to get all three Mega Stones.

Legends Z-A will feature a large number of Mega Pokémon for players to collect, including returning favorites and new forms. You won’t even need to participate in online battles to get them!

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2025-09-15 23:51