When it was first introduced in Pokémon X & Y, Mega Evolutions allowed players to amp up their Pokemon through the use of special stones. Now that Pokémon GO has Mega Evolutions, it works a little differently. Change is to be expected in the mobile AR game, which shakes up the typical Pokémon formula in a number of ways.
In Pokémon GO, Mega Evolving Pokémon remains fairly similar to how it's done in the mainline games. It's still a temporary evolution that boosts stats, and only one Pokémon can Mega Evolve at a time. However, Mega Evolutions in Pokémon GO need a new item called Mega Energy.
Like candy in Pokémon GO, Mega Energy is specific to individual monsters. Once a Pokémon Mega Evolves, the amount of Mega Energy to Mega Evolve it again will decrease. To Mega Evolve a starter Pokémon, for example, it will cost 200 Mega Energy, but then only 40 Mega Energy for subsequent Mega Evolutions. This is one of the most recent quality of life changes that Niantic implemented only a few days ago after fans were angered by the way Mega Evolutions work in the game. But it's not the only changes Niantic made to how Mega Energy works.
Mega Energy can be obtained through a number of ways in Pokémon GO thanks to the game's latest improvements. Mega Energy is still mostly obtained through Mega Raids. The faster Mega Raids are won, the more Mega Energy drops. However, there are now a couple of other ways to get Mega Energy. The first is through research tasks, such as the "A Mega Discovery" questline. Through this Special Research quest, players can even obtain a Mega Beedrill by completing challenges.
The second way players can now acquire Mega Energy is by walking with their chosen Pokémon buddy. This works in a manner similar to getting candy drops. By walking with a Pokémon, players can earn Mega Energy. It may not be the fastest way to obtain Mega Energy, but it provides another alternative. Niantic has announced it's working on other ways for people to obtain Mega Energy in Pokémon GO, such as getting Mega Energy drops by catching a Pokémon that's the same type as one players have already Mega Evolved. So, people can expect more adjustments to Mega Energy and Mega Evolutions to come soon.
Introducing Mega Evolutions has had a bumpy start in Pokémon GO, but it looks like Niantic is trying to quickly fix those mistakes. For now, obtaining Mega Energy is quite a bit easier, and it looks like it will get even easier as more improvements are made. Events in September are focused on Mega Evolution, and are occurring throughout the entire month.
