Gen 6 was a weird time. Honestly, looking back at the 2013 launch of Kalos, the sheer hype surrounding Mega Evolution felt like a fever dream. But the biggest shocker? It wasn’t the new starters or the weirdly tall AZ. It was the fact that Mewtwo—the literal god-tier clone from Kanto—got two different forms. Most people flocked to the sleek, purple-tailed Y version. Yet, Pokemon X and Y Mewtwo X remains the more fascinating anomaly because it forced a psychic powerhouse into a role it was never meant to play: a physical brawler.
It’s a bit jarring. You take this iconic special attacker and suddenly, it's got bulging muscles and a Fighting subtype.
Back in the day, the community was split. You had the purists who thought giving Mewtwo a "Mega" was sacrilege. Then you had the competitive players who were salivating over a 190 Base Attack stat. If you were playing Pokemon X, you were holding the Mewtwonite X, and you were likely very confused the first time you tried to use Psystrike with those new stats.
The Identity Crisis of Pokemon X and Y Mewtwo X
Let’s be real about the design. Mewtwo X looks like it hit the gym and never left. It gains the Fighting type, which is a massive double-edged sword. On one hand, you finally have a way to smack around those pesky Dark-types that usually wall Psychic Pokemon. On the other hand, you’ve just opened yourself up to a Flying-type weakness. It’s a trade-off that defined the meta for months.
Most people forget how hard it was to actually get this thing if you weren't looking at a guide. You had to beat the Elite Four, trek back to the Unknown Dungeon (a nice little nostalgia trip to Cerulean Cave), and catch a Level 70 Mewtwo. If you were on Pokemon X, the stone was just sitting there after the battle. Simple. But using it? That was the hard part.
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Why the Physical Shift Actually Worked
Usually, a 190 Attack stat is reserved for things like Primal Groudon or Mega Rayquaza. Giving that to Mewtwo felt like a glitch in the matrix.
In Pokemon X and Y, the movepool for Mewtwo X was actually surprisingly deep. You weren't just stuck with Confusion. You had access to Low Sweep, Drain Punch, and even Zen Headbutt. This wasn't just a gimmick. It was a complete retooling of how a Legendary could function. It forced your opponent to guess. "Is he going to Thunderbolt me, or is he going to break my Snorlax's ribs with a Brick Break?" That unpredictability is what made it a terror in local wireless battles.
The ability Steadfast is... okay. It's fine. It boosts speed if you flinch. It’s not as broken as Mega Rayquaza’s Delta Stream, but in the fast-paced environment of Gen 6, a speed boost could mean the difference between a sweep and a wipe.
Comparing the X and Y Variants (Without the Boring Charts)
If you look at the community sentiment circa 2014, Mewtwo Y was the "standard" choice. It looked more like the original Mewtwo design—alien, sleek, and terrifyingly smart. It kept the Special Attack focus. People like what they know.
But Pokemon X and Y Mewtwo X was for the experimentalists. It felt like Game Freak was intentionally trolling us. "You think you know Mewtwo? Here, now he’s a kickboxer."
The stat spreads were wild. Both Megas hit a base stat total (BST) of 780. To put that in perspective, that’s higher than Arceus. The literal creator of the universe was statistically inferior to a lab experiment with a Mega Stone. That’s the kind of power creep Kalos introduced, and Mewtwo X was the poster child for it.
While Y got a massive Special Defense boost, X got a boost to both Defense and Special Defense, along with that monstrous Attack. It made Mewtwo X surprisingly tanky. You couldn't just one-shot it with a Shadow Ball as easily as you could the base form. It turned a glass cannon into a titanium tank.
The Competitive Legacy of the Fighting Type
The addition of the Fighting type wasn't just for show. In the X and Y era, the "Big Six" and various Uber-tier threats were often weak to Fighting moves. Think about Dialga, Kyurem-White, or even the ubiquitous Darkrai.
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Mewtwo X could run a set with Bulk Up. Think about that for a second. You've got a Pokemon with 130 Base Speed—which was blisteringly fast back then—and you give it the ability to boost its already insane Attack and its decent Defense simultaneously. After one Bulk Up, almost nothing in the game could switch in safely.
- Drain Punch became the cornerstone of the build. It provided sustainability that Mewtwo never had before.
- Ice Punch dealt with the dragons that dominated the sky.
- Psycho Cut made use of the high crit ratio and physical STAB.
It’s honestly kind of funny that the best way to play the smartest Pokemon in the world was basically "hit it really hard until it stops moving."
Why Discovery and Search Still Care About This
People are still searching for Pokemon X and Y Mewtwo X because of the recent legends circulating about Pokemon Legends: Z-A. Everyone is looking back at Kalos. We are all wondering if these forms will return or if they'll be tweaked.
There's a nostalgia factor here that hits differently. For many, Pokemon X and Y were the first 3D entries. Seeing Mewtwo transform in full 3D for the first time was a core memory. The purple DNA strands swirling around, the roar—it was peak handheld gaming.
The fact that the Mewtwonite X is version-exclusive also drives a lot of the search intent. People want to know if they can get it in Y. (You can't, unless you trade). It created a playground economy. You’d see kids on the GTS (Global Trade Station) offering up shiny legendaries just for that specific rock.
The Problem With Psystrike
Here is a weird nuance: Psystrike is Mewtwo’s signature move. It deals physical damage but calculates based on Special Attack.
This created a massive trap for new players using Mewtwo X. You’d think, "Oh, it does physical damage, it’ll be great on my physical Mewtwo X!" Nope. Since it scales off the Special Attack stat—which actually stays the same (154) when Mewtwo Mega Evolves into X—you aren't actually gaining any benefit from that 190 Attack stat.
If you were running Mewtwo X, you actually had to ditch its signature move for something like Zen Headbutt. It felt wrong. It felt like a betrayal of the character's lore. But that’s the reality of competitive optimization.
How to Maximize Mewtwo X Today (If You're Revisiting Kalos)
If you're dusting off your 3DS or running an emulation of Pokemon X, don't play Mewtwo X like a standard Psychic type. You'll lose.
You need to lean into the "Bruiser" role.
First, look at the nature. You want Jolly. Don't bother with Adamant. At the Ubers level, speed is everything. You need to outrun the base 120s and 125s. If you aren't moving first, your Fighting type weaknesses will be exploited before you can land a punch.
Second, the movepool needs to be strictly physical.
- Low Kick is actually better than Drain Punch in many legendary match-ups because most Legendaries are heavy. It hits like a truck.
- Taunt is an underrated fourth move. It stops Chansey or Lugia from stalling you out with recovery moves.
Third, understand your threats. Aegislash was the king of Kalos for a reason. King's Shield would drop your Mewtwo X’s Attack by two stages on contact. It was the ultimate hard counter. If you see a floating sword, switch out. Don't be a hero.
The Cultural Impact
We can’t talk about Pokemon X and Y Mewtwo X without mentioning the Mega Evolution special in the anime. Seeing the transformation animated gave a sense of scale that the 3DS sprites couldn't quite capture. It looked heavy. It looked like it had physical weight.
It changed the way Game Freak approached Legendaries afterward. Before Gen 6, Legendaries just had "modes" (like Deoxys) or "forms" (like Giratina). Mega Evolution introduced a temporary, mid-battle power spike that required a held item. This trade-off—giving up a Life Orb or Leftovers for a massive stat boost—started with Mewtwo.
It’s arguably the most iconic Mega in the game, purely because of who it is. Charizard might be the fan favorite, but Mewtwo is the gold standard for power.
Actionable Steps for Kalos Trainers
If you are currently playing through the game or planning a replay, here is how you actually make the most of this specific Pokemon.
- Don't Use Your Master Ball Early: Save it for Mewtwo. The catch rate is notoriously low, and you'll want to soft-reset for a decent Nature (Jolly or Naive).
- Invest in EVs Properly: Go 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP. Don't try to balance it. Mewtwo X is meant to be an apex predator.
- Check Your Move Tutors: Some of the best moves for Mewtwo X aren't learned by leveling up. You'll need to hit up the move relearner in Dendemille Town.
- Pair It With a Fairy Killer: Since Mewtwo X is part Fighting, Fairies like Sylveon or Gardevoir will ruin your day. Bring a Steel or Poison type to clear the way.
The era of Mega Evolution might be in the past for the current Switch titles (for now), but the impact of Mewtwo X remains. It was a bold, weird experiment that turned a psychic genius into a physical titan. Whether you loved the design or hated the change, there's no denying that it made the Kalos region a lot more interesting. Grab your Mega Ring, head to the Unknown Dungeon, and see for yourself why that 190 Attack stat still commands respect.