Pokemon Fan Gives Mega Dragonite a Gen 5 Style Makeover

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In a fantastic redesign, a dedicated fan has given Mega Dragonite, the inaugural Mega-Evolved Pokemon revealed for Pokemon Legends: Z-A, a stunning pixelated makeover that echoes the style of Generation 5. While not every fan of the Pokemon series has been enthused about Dragonite’s recent unveiling in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, many others have warmed up to it, as this creative design demonstrates.

26 additional Mega Evolutions are set to debut in the upcoming action-RPG, titled Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which serves as a sequel to last year’s Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Scheduled for release on October 16, this game is set in the Kalos region, home to both the Mega Evolution mechanic and the popular games Pokemon X and Y. The Mega Evolution system, introduced in these games, has since sparked a series of engaging and transformative features in subsequent generations of Pokemon games.

One fan has creatively adapted Dragonite’s latest form into a tribute to a hypothetical “Pokemon Legends” game based in the Unova region, emulating the 15-year-old Gen 5 graphics style of the Nintendo DS. Reddit user R3dd1t_D4v1d has refurbished old sprites, enhancing the Mega Dragonite sprite with details that align with its appearance in “Pokemon Legends: Z-A”. The most striking changes include the addition of angelic wings sprouting from either side of the Dragon-type Pokemon’s head, but the pixel artist has not overlooked minor details. They have also incorporated smaller pairs of wings on the shoulders and ankles, the orb at the end of its tail, and a tiny new unicorn-like white horn atop its forehead.

Pokemon Fan Recreates Mega Dragonite with Unova-Style Pixels

Despite a divided fan base following Mega Dragonite’s design unveil at the July 22 Pokemon Presents event, there appears to be widespread agreement among fans regarding their affection for the retro pixel graphics that were phased out after the series transitioned to the Nintendo 3DS in 2013. Games like Pokemon Black and White might not rank as the most popular mainline titles in the franchise’s nearly 30-year history, but they evoke fond memories of the Nintendo DS era, where classic pixel graphics blended seamlessly with the modern animation style now common in the games.

Even after more than a decade since the transition of Pokemon to 3D models, there remains ongoing debate about it, and Mega Dragonite has once again fueled this discussion through a fresh controversy. It appears that a significant number of fans dislike the design of Mega Dragonite, prompting those with artistic talents to come up with and share their own alternative ideas for its appearance. Some of these concepts aim to add a more distinct touch to the fully evolved Dragon-type Pokemon, while also paying homage to its pre-evolution roots.

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2025-07-25 00:35