Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Season 8 has no new Mega Stones. Rather, they are all given out at each rank-up from Rank Y to Rank S, and these seasons, from here on out, are just here for those who either missed out on the Mega Stones from Seasons 1 through 7 or just like the online battling in this game. (Me, I prefer the turn-based stuff, but this was a valiant effort to try something really different.)
For this season, the only Pokémon allowed are ones that got new Mega Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It may be the smallest list of eligible Pokémon to date with 47 species allowed, but I brought in three Pokémon not found very often: Starmie, Meganium, and Golurk. I did see all three of them from other people, but not often. I selected these as I predicted Garchomp, Zygarde, and Magearna to be the most commonly selected Pokémon. All of them are Alpha Pokémon.
00:04 - Match #1
Stage: Quasartico, Inc.
Music: Ange Floette
One thing I realized while playing in this session: Meganium, as a direct attacker, is not that great. Mega Meganium, on the other hand, is an excellent attacker. (Its base Sp. Attack goes from an average 80 to an exceptional 140 when it Mega Evolves.) Hence, while I did some attacking using regular Meganium here, later on, I decided to keep Meganium in reserve until the Mega Gauge fills up.
04:03 - Match #2
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Lysandre
The red player had a tendency to be able to KO the Pokémon I was going after before my attacks landed, though I was able to eventually start scoring points. Golurk happend to be left with exactly 1 HP, and one of those green things then spawned next to me that allowed me to heal all of my Pokémon, allowing Golurk to get two more KOs.
08:02 - Match #3
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Trainer
A zugzwang is a technique found in turn-based games (Pokémon included, but originating in chess) in which the best option for the player is to pass the turn, but passing the turn is not allowed. A very rare word indeed, and admittedly, I have never actually used it for Pokémon. This is particularly so if the player who has to make a move shifts from the likely winner to likely loser. No zugzwangs happened here (they placed 3rd overall but were in the lead briefly); this game is not turn-based, but I have seen zugzwangs in the traditional turn-based Pokémon games.
An example of a zugzwang in Pokémon is if you have a physical attacker out with a Choice Band as your last remaining Pokémon without Perish Song active, and your opponent has a resilient Pokémon as their last one with Counter with Perish Song at 1. It’d be best to pass the turn and let Perish Song take its effect and win you the game, but you HAVE to attack and take the Counter damage.
11:55 - Match #4
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Mewtwo
I had predicted Garchomp would be the Pokémon I most commonly see, and based on my time playing in this season, I was right. Though there were two Garchomp present at once here, there were matches later where I saw three—though this is an interesting runner-up with two Garchomp and one Zygarde, who has the same type combination. All three of my Pokémon has a move meant to inflict large damage on Garchomp and Zygarde: Ice Beam on Starmie, Dazzling Gleam on Meganium, and Ice Punch on Golurk. In addition, Meganium resists Ground (and Zygarde’s signature moves can hit Flying-types but are still not-very-effective against Grass types), while Mega Meganium feels nothing from Dragon-type moves. One of the players became idle though albit temporarily, so I left them alone until they could start moving again. Too bad the others wouldn’t.
15:48 - Match #5
Stage: Vert Sector 6
Music: Primal Reversion
This was a very evasive bunch, able to consistently stay out of range of Earthquake, Ice Punch, Drain Punch, Surf, and even Ice Beam. While dodging Earthquake is as simple as running off, you have to make sure there isn’t someone standing in your way nor can you be occupied with something else. Perhaps I should’ve been more patient, giving chase for an extended time while watching for where the other players are so I’m not ambushed from offscreen. Nevertheless, I still got 100 points (towards ranking) for this one.
19:37 - Match #6
Stage: Vert Sector 6
Music: Hyperspace Lumiose Alpha Pokémon
That is a pretty unbalanced team the green player has though, having both Garchomp and Zygarde: the same Pokémon would be advantageous against them. Then again, the same Pokémon would be disadvantageous against them, though you won’t be seeing that many of them (not that people didn’t consider it worth trying; we did see stuff like Zeraora earlier, for instance). Their third Pokémon was…Golisopod, a Pokémon I saw a lot of I didn't predict. Makes sense in highsight though.
The species on the list I didn't see at least once were Scrafty, Chesnaught, Pyroar, Malamar, Barbaracle, Chimecho, Meowstic, and Glimmora. All others I remembered seeing.
Season 8 has no new Mega Stones. Rather, they are all given out at each rank-up from Rank Y to Rank S, and these seasons, from here on out, are just here for those who either missed out on the Mega Stones from Seasons 1 through 7 or just like the online battling in this game. (Me, I prefer the turn-based stuff, but this was a valiant effort to try something really different.)
For this season, the only Pokémon allowed are ones that got new Mega Evolutions in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. It may be the smallest list of eligible Pokémon to date with 47 species allowed, but I brought in three Pokémon not found very often: Starmie, Meganium, and Golurk. I did see all three of them from other people, but not often. I selected these as I predicted Garchomp, Zygarde, and Magearna to be the most commonly selected Pokémon. All of them are Alpha Pokémon.
00:04 - Match #1
Stage: Quasartico, Inc.
Music: Ange Floette
One thing I realized while playing in this session: Meganium, as a direct attacker, is not that great. Mega Meganium, on the other hand, is an excellent attacker. (Its base Sp. Attack goes from an average 80 to an exceptional 140 when it Mega Evolves.) Hence, while I did some attacking using regular Meganium here, later on, I decided to keep Meganium in reserve until the Mega Gauge fills up.
04:03 - Match #2
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Lysandre
The red player had a tendency to be able to KO the Pokémon I was going after before my attacks landed, though I was able to eventually start scoring points. Golurk happend to be left with exactly 1 HP, and one of those green things then spawned next to me that allowed me to heal all of my Pokémon, allowing Golurk to get two more KOs.
08:02 - Match #3
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Trainer
A zugzwang is a technique found in turn-based games (Pokémon included, but originating in chess) in which the best option for the player is to pass the turn, but passing the turn is not allowed. A very rare word indeed, and admittedly, I have never actually used it for Pokémon. This is particularly so if the player who has to make a move shifts from the likely winner to likely loser. No zugzwangs happened here (they placed 3rd overall but were in the lead briefly); this game is not turn-based, but I have seen zugzwangs in the traditional turn-based Pokémon games.
An example of a zugzwang in Pokémon is if you have a physical attacker out with a Choice Band as your last remaining Pokémon without Perish Song active, and your opponent has a resilient Pokémon as their last one with Counter with Perish Song at 1. It’d be best to pass the turn and let Perish Song take its effect and win you the game, but you HAVE to attack and take the Counter damage.
11:55 - Match #4
Stage: Wild Zone 3
Music: Mewtwo
I had predicted Garchomp would be the Pokémon I most commonly see, and based on my time playing in this season, I was right. Though there were two Garchomp present at once here, there were matches later where I saw three—though this is an interesting runner-up with two Garchomp and one Zygarde, who has the same type combination. All three of my Pokémon has a move meant to inflict large damage on Garchomp and Zygarde: Ice Beam on Starmie, Dazzling Gleam on Meganium, and Ice Punch on Golurk. In addition, Meganium resists Ground (and Zygarde’s signature moves can hit Flying-types but are still not-very-effective against Grass types), while Mega Meganium feels nothing from Dragon-type moves. One of the players became idle though albit temporarily, so I left them alone until they could start moving again. Too bad the others wouldn’t.
15:48 - Match #5
Stage: Vert Sector 6
Music: Primal Reversion
This was a very evasive bunch, able to consistently stay out of range of Earthquake, Ice Punch, Drain Punch, Surf, and even Ice Beam. While dodging Earthquake is as simple as running off, you have to make sure there isn’t someone standing in your way nor can you be occupied with something else. Perhaps I should’ve been more patient, giving chase for an extended time while watching for where the other players are so I’m not ambushed from offscreen. Nevertheless, I still got 100 points (towards ranking) for this one.
19:37 - Match #6
Stage: Vert Sector 6
Music: Hyperspace Lumiose Alpha Pokémon
That is a pretty unbalanced team the green player has though, having both Garchomp and Zygarde: the same Pokémon would be advantageous against them. Then again, the same Pokémon would be disadvantageous against them, though you won’t be seeing that many of them (not that people didn’t consider it worth trying; we did see stuff like Zeraora earlier, for instance). Their third Pokémon was…Golisopod, a Pokémon I saw a lot of I didn't predict. Makes sense in highsight though.
The species on the list I didn't see at least once were Scrafty, Chesnaught, Pyroar, Malamar, Barbaracle, Chimecho, Meowstic, and Glimmora. All others I remembered seeing.
