Pokemon that could be linked through baby Pokemon.

[Mega_Kris]

One of my favorite Evolutions out there are alternate evolutions. Primarily the ones similar to Hitmonlee/Hitmonchans. Because you don't need to constantly level of it's baby Pokemon twice. Just once and you get either or (even hitmontop).


But as I was playing Pokemon Crystal for the 99th time, and had Pinsir and Heracross in my party....I realized.....what if they we're planned to be related through baby Pokemon in a similar fashion of Hitmontop/Lee/chan?

It makes sense to me. Neither of them have evolutions other than egas. And their both beetles.

The next one I thought of was Boufalent and Tauros. Again both null Pokemon. I was surprised Boufallent wasn't his evolution. BUT that doesn't mean baby Pokemon can't exist to connect the two.

But that's all I could think of. I couldn't think of any other. How about you? Do you think this didn't cross GF's mind when making Pokemon? Or just any other example that could work?

 

[mew_nani]

Pinsir and Heracross are based on different types of beetles, and since both are totally different in color and body structure I don't think they were ever intended to be evolutions of each other.

As for Bouffalant and Tauros, there was speculation that Bouffalant was Tauros's evolution, but they weren't really designed to be mates as Tauros is always 100% male and Bouffalant has a 50/50 chance of being either gender. There is speculation that Miltank is meant to be Tauros's counterpart as Miltank is always 100% female and is a cow, which pairs well with Tauros which is... well.. a bull. But if you breed the two they won't have a chance of producing either species as offspring, which does happen with both species of Nidoran and Volbeat and Illumise...

Interestingly though some people theorized that Venonat was meant to evolve into Butterfree instead of Venomoth early in development, and Caterpie and Metapod were meant to evolve into Venomoth instead of Butterfree. People think this because Venonat's eyes, mouth, and antennae match Butterfree's, and Venomoth's eyes match Metapod's. I for one don't really know one way or the other, but it is an interesting idea.

 

[Mega_Kris]

Well I definitely remember those. But I was more of talking about alternate evolutions. The same way polifrog is related poliwrath or how Hitmonlee/Chan are.

 

[VisualJae]

Many people thought Pinsir and Heracross would be related, but that was all the way back when there were only two generations and not a whole lot to compare against. They were both beetles (beetles that are known in our world as sexually dimorphic ones with aggressive, combative horned males) and quite literally the only other beetles in the game were Ledyba and Ledian, clearly different.

But still, one is a stag beetle while the other is based on a Hercules beetle. Very different species with very different features. Sure, the Poliwag line had Poliwrath and Politoed, but I never really understood the design philosophy behind that other than the tadpole/frog metamorphosis thing. Well, I guess Politoed does retain the swirl pattern, but it's just so drastically different it might as well be in its own standalone evolutionary line.

The same applies to Oddish resulting in Vileplume or Bellossom. Coincidentally, these odd evolutions (Politoed/Bellossom, with the final stage looking barely like or nothing like the first) were all in Generation II. In comparison to other diverging final evolutionary forms, Gardevoir and Gallade resemble each other at least. Glalie and Froslass have similarities, too. Clamperl is blue and pink, while its evolutions are Huntail (blue) and Gorebyss (pink), and both resemble eels. Gloom to Vileplume or Bellossom? What's up with that? Poliwhirl to Poliwrath or Politoed? It was like Game Freak designed the Gen. II Pokemon and thought... well, maybe let's just have something evolve into them. Who can we pick? Oh! The flower stuff from Generation I and the tadpoles! Done.

Anyway, by now it should be more or less confirmed that Pinsir and Heracross are completely different species and lines now that they each have their own Mega Evolution forms.

 

[Mega_Kris]

I don't know...look at turret. Also look at the very Pokemon that turns into an octopus.

I still find them too similar not to be related. And just because they have their own Mega evolution doesn't drop the initial theory. That there is a universal baby Pokemon that can alternately evolve to either Heracross or Pinsir. Which all they really need is a Pokemon that shares similar traits to both.

 

[VisualJae]

Also look at the very Pokemon that turns into an octopus.

Case in point, another [bizarre] Generation II evolutionary masterpiece. Other than being aquatic creatures, the only thing Remoraid and Octillery have in common is that both were designed after firearms/artillery (i.e. handgun/pistol to siege weapon). Of course, they could've picked any fish in the sea, but decided to go with an octopus. Perhaps they were being cute and were going along the lines of real life remoras and octopi. Both have suction ability and tend to latch onto objects or other living creatures.

Generation II was great. But if you want to compare evolutionary logic with the other five generations, it had the most peculiar design choices.

I made the point about Mega Evolution because the only evolutionary line that has two final forms capable of Mega Evolving is the Ralts line (both Gardevoir and Gallade can Mega Evolve). You can't do much else with that line considering it's already at three stages. The only other diverging final evolved forms that can Mega Evolve are Slowbro and Glalie. Both have counterparts (Slowking and Froslass, respectively) who have significant similarities in design.

Pinsir and Heracross do not, other than the fact that both are bugs. Can't rule out the possibility that Game Freak will eventually run out of ideas and decide to throw in a pre-evolved form for Pinsir and Heracross, but I highly doubt it due to the significant differences between the two and the fact that they already opted to Mega Evolve them instead. It's like giving Kangaskhan the same treatment. Clearly there's a baby form there, but Game Freak has not designed a pre-evolved form of Kangaskhan and opted for Mega Evolution instead.

 

[Mega_Kris]

Mega evolutions aren't that bad.

But overall I wouldn't consider pinsir and her across all that off. Their both beetles. Different types. But all it takes is one baby Pokemon that meets both halfway.