Mega Malamar Revealed for Pokémon Legends: Z-A

The Pokémon world has just been shaken by a massive announcement. Mega Malamar has been officially revealed as the 52nd Mega Evolution and is set to make its debut in Pokémon Legends: Z-A on October 16th, 2025. This reveal has taken the community by storm, not only because of the unexpected choice but also due to the sinister and powerful design that makes Mega Malamar stand out from every other Mega Evolution shown so far.

A Mind-bending Transformation

Mega Malamar is unlike anything trainers have seen before. When Malamar undergoes Mega Evolution, its brain becomes massively enlarged, and its body emits a vivid glow of overflowing psychic energy. This radiant energy is not just for show. It boosts its already terrifying hypnotic powers, granting it the ability to overwrite personalities and even erase memories. Victims of its power can be made to act like completely different people, as if their minds had been rewritten from the ground up.

Its glowing, undulating tendrils are more than decorative. These tendrils are sensitive to emotions, allowing Mega Malamar to detect the feelings of those nearby. This ability gives it a cold, calculating edge in battle. It does not fight with raw emotion or reckless power. Instead, it analyzes the battlefield with incredible intelligence, striking with ruthless precision.

Even more unsettling is how it views the world. Mega Malamar does not see partners, friends, or even trainers. It sees pawns. If it dislikes an order from its trainer, it will not hesitate to hypnotize them and bend them to its will. This makes Mega Malamar not only one of the strongest but also one of the most dangerous Pokémon to command.

Category: Overturning Pokémon
Type: Dark/Psychic
Height: 9′6″ (2.9 m)
Weight: 153.9 lbs. (69.8 kg)

Hypnotic Power Brought to Life

What makes Mega Malamar so chilling is how perfectly it fits the original Malamar’s reputation. Even before its Mega Evolution, Malamar was known in Pokédex entries for wielding the most compelling hypnotic powers of any Pokémon. Trainers were warned that it could force others to do whatever it wanted. This new Mega form takes that concept to its absolute extreme.

The glowing light from its body is more than just a sign of energy. It acts like a psychic beacon, pulling in the minds of anyone nearby. Witnesses describe it as beautiful but unsettling, like staring into deep ocean currents that twist and pull your thoughts. This makes it one of the most psychologically intimidating Pokémon ever introduced.

Fans have already started debating how such a powerful ability might affect gameplay in competitive battles. If Mega Malamar’s abilities reflect its lore, it could introduce new strategies that involve confusing or disabling opponents, forcing them to lose control of their actions. While exact card details have not yet been revealed, the potential has the community buzzing.

The "My Friend Malamar" Campaign

To build up excitement for this reveal, Pokémon’s official pages launched a strange and playful campaign titled "My Friend Malamar". The campaign made it look as if the staff had fallen under Malamar’s mind control. They published an article ranking the top five Pokémon cards of all time, and every single slot was filled by Malamar.

Fans across social media joined in on the fun, posting their own praise and memes about Malamar as if they were also hypnotized. Many jokingly declared it the greatest Pokémon of all time. It was a clever marketing move that fit perfectly with Malamar’s eerie theme and reputation. By the time Mega Malamar was officially revealed, players already felt like they were part of the strange takeover, making the announcement even more impactful.

More Mega Evolutions join the roster

Mega Malamar is the fourth new Mega Evolution to be revealed this year, showing that Mega Evolutions are making a full comeback. The previous three were revealed in completely different and creative ways.

Mega Dragonite was shown through a traditional reveal trailer and later appeared in the Pokémon Horizons anime. This gave fans a first look at its power and personality before they could even battle with it.
Mega Victreebel was revealed in a spooky horror-themed video set in an abandoned building, leaning into its carnivorous plant design and surprising everyone with its creepy atmosphere.
Mega Hawlucha starred in a high-energy animated short where it defeated Machamp in an intense wrestling-style battle, showing off its agility and new techniques.

With Mega Malamar now joining their ranks, fans are wondering how many more Mega Evolutions are still waiting to be revealed before the launch of Legends: Z-A.

What this could mean for the TCG

The announcement of Mega Malamar has huge implications for the Pokémon Trading Card Game. New Mega Evolutions usually come with powerful cards that reshape the competitive scene, and Mega Malamar’s theme suggests it could focus on disruption, control, and mind games.

Collectors are already getting ready for a rush. Whenever a new Mega is revealed, the earliest cards featuring it tend to spike in price. Players have noted that cards of regular Malamar are already seeing more attention as fans prepare to build decks around its Mega form once it becomes available.

This kind of excitement is exactly what makes the TCG community so vibrant. The return of Mega Evolutions has been a long time coming, and Mega Malamar feels like the perfect way to reignite that hype.

Who’s Next?

Mega Malamar’s reveal has set the stage for what could be the most exciting wave of Mega Evolutions yet. Fans are buzzing with theories about which Pokémon might get a Mega form next. Will it be a fan-favorite starter, a legendary powerhouse, or a completely unexpected underdog?

Each reveal so far has used a totally different style, from horror to action to classic trailers. That variety has made every announcement feel fresh and unpredictable. If that trend continues, the next reveal could surprise everyone again.