Mega Evolution Is Returning to Pokémon TCG For The First Time Since XY And Sun & Moon, With New Pokémon ex Cards

Mega Evolution is returning to the Pokémon Trading Card Game later this year, as confirmed during 2025's Pokémon Presents. With the pending release of Pokémon Legends: Z - A and the return of Mega Evolution, it was widely assumed that the Pokémon TCG would also bring back Mega Evolution in some way. However, some major questions remained about how the Pokémon TCG would implement the mechanic, as the game has moved away from powerful Pokémon EX cards that utilized the Mega Evolution gimmick as a sort of evolution replacement.

Today, the Pokémon TCG confirmed the return of Mega Evolution in a future 2025 set, with new Pokémon ex cards. As explained in the video description of the The Official Pokemon YouTube Channel's trailer:

While Mega Evolution was previously tied to Pokémon EX cards, which could be played as Basic Pokémon, these new Mega Evolved Pokémon are Pokémon ex cards and are tied to the normal evolution. Basically, if a player is using a Mega Lucario ex, they can evolve it directly from a Riolu instead of needing to play it on top of a Lucario ex. No further details were announced about the set's release, but given Pokémon Legends: Z - A's "late 2025" release window, Mega Evolution cards will likely appear in a set released around the same time.

How Mega Evolution Will Rock The Pokémon TCG

This Is Not The Previous Mega Evolution Gimmick

While Pokémon EX and Pokémon ex cards sound like they might be similar, they are fundamentally different in terms of the Pokémon TCG. Pokémon EX cards are Basic Pokémon cards that can be played straight onto the board, while Pokémon ex cards follow the standard Evolution sequence within the Pokémon TCG. For instance, Lucario is a Stage 1 Pokémon in the Pokémon TCG. Lucario EX can be played as a Basic Pokémon without needing Riolu, but Lucario ex needs Riolu on the board in order to be put into play.

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Because Mega Lucario ex and other Mega Evolved Pokémon are replacements for their non-Mega Evolved forms, they have to follow the evolution sequence in Pokémon TCG. However, this also means that it can be much more powerful than an M Pokémon EX card, as there are additional steps to follow. Mega Lucario ex has 340 HP, which is higher than Lucario ex's HP. It also has significantly more powerful attacks than both other variants, but still costs only 2 Prizes when knocked out. These are little changes, but should have interesting consequences in the Pokémon TCG.

Our Take: A Real Game Changer For Pokémon TCG

One To Look Forward To

Based on a cursory look at two of the Mega Evolved Pokémon ex cards, there's a lot of design room for the new card gimmick. While Mega Lucario ex seems a bit underpowered on its own, it's still a straight upgrade over Lucario ex. Meanwhile, Mega Gardevoir ex could see some play in conjunction with Gardevoir ex, giving it the ability to hit for a ton of damage.

There's going to be some very powerful card combos coming into the Pokémon TCG, and I'm sure more surprises are on the way.