Gamefreak decided to spice things up in Generation 6 by adding Mega Evolution. Initial Reactions aside (they were mixed, like every new thing made, ever) the idea made sense in theory:
Make a pokemon stronger in battle, without adding an evolution, and making it lose a hold item as compensation! Imagine the many possibilities! Many older pokemon will become useful now More choices and a larger pool of usable pokemon! That's always good. And since most changes have managed to retroactively make older pokemon good like Abilities, New Moves, Held Items, and even the changes to the Type Chart in Gen 6, it's simple to assume that Mega Evolution would have done the same.
And then Gamefreak actually implimented it.
TL;DR version:
The Megas pander too much to Gens 1 and 3 instead of being varied, and they give too many Megas to already amazing pokemon, leaving the ones that need it in the dust.
Better, longer version:
Here's the list of all the current Mega Evolutions and a couple things will be noticable and unfortunate.
Promblem 1: WAY too pandery to specific fanbases
What's that? ALmost twice as much Mega Evolutions from Gen 1 and 3? The Gens that happen to have the most elitist fanbases? Unfortunately, it seems like they used Mega Evolution to pander to help and win back the fans from these Gens, as most people who loudly state that they stopped playing usually stopped playing at these gens. From a busniess standpoint, it makes perfect sense, and actually worked perfectly too. TONNES of older fans got back into pokemon because of this game. But for the majority of the fanbase who never left and love most/all of the games, they must feel shafted.
If you werent convinced that it's incredibly pandery, look at the only two pokemon that got 2(!) Megas. Charizard and Mewtwo. The two pokemon that constantly top (best pokemon ever!!" lists on the internet. Not to mention ALL THREE Kanto starters and the most popular Hoenn starter.
Yes, the new games are what make Gen 3 have so much Megas but they still had the second most by far without the new guys. And 12 and 9 Megas for Gens 1 and 3 vs 5, 3 and 0 for the other 3 gens is just ridiculous.
One could argue that they did this because the older pokemon are weaker on a whole and needed Megas more (which would beg the Question why Gen 2 was so unlucky) but that still wouldnt be true. Which brings me to my second point.
Problem 2: Completely wasted on already good pokemon
Wow, Mega Evolutions! Neat! Does that mean we will get some lesser pokemon stronger now? Are we gonna get Megas of Dunsparce, Corsola, Maractus, Sandslash, Smeargle, Golduck, Lanturn, Girafarig, Shftry, Torkoal, Lopunny, or other pokemon that are either bad, or could still be better? Encourage diversity?
Nope.
We get Megas for Alakazam, Heracross, Lucario, Garchomp(?!), Scizor, Mewtwo, Gengar, Blaziken, among others. Around half the Mega Evolutions were already insanely powerful pokemon that just got even more insanely powerful. Instead of encouraging diversity, it forced everyone to pick from only 6 or seven superpowers that were near untouchable (Yeah, let's give Gengar, a pokemon with high Speed and Destiny Bond, the ability to trap anyone he wants), while leaving aaaaall those pokemon that could benefit from a power up in the dust.
It's not all bad, I guess
Admittedly, a couple Mega Evolutions like what I'd have originally wanted are there, like the Megas for Ampharos, Kangaskhan, Pinser, are there, which is nice. But overal a wasted oportunity.
