If there is one word that can describe the developers of Niantic, when it comes to their constant work on their flagship mobile game Pokemon GO, it has to be 'innovative.' Since its release, the title has grown to be one of the best community environments in its genre, went on to include multiple new pokemon and regions, and has even evolved the way players battle one another!
One of the most recent updates to the game has been the inclusion of mega evolutions. Initially introduced in the Pokemon X and Y games, mega evolutions allow players to temporarily evolve their Pokemon beyond their final form for a power boost and cosmetic change. While the new mechanic is still being worked and improved, so far, it has ushered in a unique style of gameplay due to the secondary inclusion of Mega Raids.
With mega raids, Niantic made sure to let players know the changes that would be going into the battle system, which has been intriguing so far. Available now are only one, three, and five-star and Mega Raids. What that now means is that one and three-star raids will have the same difficulty but include more Pokemon and offer two and four-star raid rewards.
Speed bonuses also replace the team contribution bonus during raids, now meaning if the player defeats the boss quickly, then they can earn a Premier Ball. At the same time, the rewards for Mega Raids will be Mega Energy. There are still a lot of edges that need to be smoothed out, but these new Mega Raids seem to offer some fantastic opportunities for trainers.
As always, Niantic will continue to innovate, and with more regions left to be added to the game, who knows what else could come in the future! We would love to hear your thoughts on the update in the comments below!
Pokémon Go is a free smartphone app that combines gaming with the real world. The game uses location tracking and mapping technology to create an 'augmented reality' where players catch and train Pokémon characters in real locations.
Pokemon GO is available now for free on the App Store and Google Play!