The Origins of 16 Machine Pokemon & Why Nearly Half of Them Are Among the Strongest Pokemon

A Pokemon is born and a machine is built, so machines are the hardest thing for the Pokedex to fit in. It has gears, engines, a computer program and several robots anyway. Most were built by someone and are still running.

See all 16 machine Pokemon in one list.

Here are the origins of the 16 machine Pokemon:

All 16 Machine Pokemon

#137

Porygon

Porygon, the Virtual Pokemon, is a bird or paper crane rendered in digital software, and its flat shapes resemble the polygon mesh used to create 3D computer graphics. In a 1997 interview, Satoshi Tajiri said it was made out of irony: people kept telling him he was too late to make a Game Boy game and should move to 3D polygons, so he put a Pokemon made of polygons into the sprite-based Pokemon Red and Green.

It has no discernible heartbeat and does not seem to draw breath, yet it functions without issue. Its Trace ability copies an opponent's ability upon entering battle. It stands 0.8 m tall and weighs 36.5 kg.

#376

Metagross

Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokemon, is a robot and a supercomputer, given its mechanical structure and sheer intelligence, and it is also a spider. It is reminiscent of a UFO and a lander, and its face may draw on the largest gear of the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient analog computer.

It is the result of the fusion of two Metang and defeats opponents with a supercomputer-level brain. It stands 1.6 m tall and weighs 550 kg. Its hidden ability, Light Metal, halves its weight.

#474

Porygon-Z

Porygon-Z is the same paper crane rendered in computer software, and it also resembles a balloon animal. It looks like a deformed Porygon2, evolves with a Dubious Disc and behaves unpredictably, which suggests it may be a computer virus or an unauthorized software patch that causes bugs in a program.

A curious item induced the evolution, and its offensive capabilities have greatly increased while the strangeness of its behavior has magnified in equal measure. Its Adaptability ability increases the same-type attack bonus from 1.5× to 2×.

#599

Klink

Klink, the Gear Pokemon, is based on a pair of interlocking spur, helical or herringbone gears. It also resembles the simplest concept of a perpetual motion machine, two gears that repeatedly spin each other.

It is suspected that Klink inspired ancient people's invention of the first gears. It stands 0.3 m tall and weighs 21 kg.

#600

Klang

Klang is based on interlocking gears, perhaps sun and planet gears specifically. Many companies in the Galar region choose Klang as their logo, and it is considered the symbol of industrial technology.

It stands 0.6 m tall and weighs 51 kg. Its Plus ability raises its Special Attack to 1.5× when a friendly Pokemon has Plus or Minus.

#601

Klinklang

Klinklang is based on interlocking gears, perhaps a combination of sun and planet gears, a bevel gear and an external gear. Its appearance may also be based on a balance wheel, and the red core of one wheel could reference the jewel bearings in mechanical watches, which are often made of ruby.

Its three gears spin at high speed, and its new spiked gear is not a living creature. It stands 0.6 m tall and weighs 81 kg.

#622

Golett

Golett, the Automaton Pokemon, draws on golems and perhaps on the Haniwa, funerary objects made from terracotta clay that belong to Japanese history. It may also be a cannonball, since it can tuck its limbs into a spherical body and its evolved form transforms into a cannon.

It was created from clay. It received orders from its master many thousands of years ago, and it still follows those orders to this day. Its Iron Fist ability strengthens punch-based moves to 1.2× their power. It stands 1 m tall and weighs 92 kg.

#623

Golurk

Golurk, the Automaton Pokemon, is also a golem. The crack and strap on its chest may reference the golem in the Jewish story The Golem of Prague, which was controlled by a shem, a religious parchment, and went berserk when the shem was removed. That golem was also believed to summon the spirits of the dead, which may explain Golurk's Ghost type. It can transform into a cannon and fly, so it may also come from the giant robots of mecha anime and manga.

There is a theory that a perpetual motion machine inside it produces limitless energy, but the belief has not been proven. It stands 2.8 m tall and weighs 330 kg.

#797

Celesteela

Celesteela, the Launch Pokemon, may be based on Princess Kaguya from The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, who was found as a baby inside a bamboo stalk and turned out to come from the Moon. Its design combines bamboo shoots and trunks with elements of a space shuttle, and Celesteela is exclusive to Pokemon Moon and Ultra Moon. Its body may also resemble the spacecraft SELENE, nicknamed Kaguya in Japan, which orbited the Moon between 2007 and 2009.

It is alien to this world and a danger here, but apparently a common organism in the world where it normally lives. It stands 9.2 m tall and weighs 999.9 kg. Its Beast Boost ability raises its highest stat by one stage when it faints another Pokemon.

#801

Magearna

Magearna, the Artificial Pokemon, may be based on a nursemaid: the gear around its head resembles a maid's headdress, and its body resembles a maid outfit with long, puffed sleeves. It may also borrow from the karakuri puppet, and its rabbit-like ears and yellow crescent markings may reference the moon rabbit legend. Its name resembles machine or machina, which may link it to Mahina, the Hawaiian goddess of the moon.

It was built roughly 500 years ago by a scientist, and the part called the Soul-Heart is the actual life-form. Its Soul-Heart ability raises its Special Attack by one stage every time any Pokemon faints.

#965

Varoom

Varoom, the Single-Cyl Pokemon, is based on a single-cylinder internal combustion engine, the kind used in small engine applications. An engine possessed by a Pokemon may be inspired by tsukumogami, and its look may draw on the rubber hose cartoon style that was popular from the 1920s to the late 1930s.

The steel section is its actual body, and it clings to rocks and converts the minerals within into energy. Its Overcoat ability protects it from damage from weather. It stands 1 m tall and weighs 35 kg.

#966

Revavroom

Revavroom, the Multi-Cyl Pokemon, is based on a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine, and the rocks attached to its body make it resemble an automobile. Its grill and spikes combine to form a skull, a common icon for toxic substances. It may also draw on tsukumogami and the Oboroguruma, and on the flying car trope of fantasy and science fiction. Its moves Parting Shot, Torment and Taunt may reference road rage.

It viciously threatens others with the sound of its exhaust, and it sticks its tongue out from its cylindrical mouth and sprays toxic fluids. It stands 1.8 m tall and weighs 120 kg.

#990

Iron Treads

Iron Treads, the Paradox Pokemon, is based on Donphan, and by extension possibly an elephant, as well as spherical robots and tire treads. The panels on its body resemble LED displays, and the way it curls its tread into a ring may reference monowheels, vehicles with one large wheel that seats the rider in the center.

Sightings have occurred in recent years, and it resembles a mysterious object described in an old expedition journal. Its Quark Drive ability raises its highest stat on Electric Terrain, or if it holds Booster Energy. It stands 0.9 m tall and weighs 240 kg.

#992

Iron Hands

Iron Hands is based on Hariyama. The yellow panels on its body and palms resemble LED displays, and its habit of pressing them together before attacking could be based on defibrillators, machines that deliver an electric current to someone in cardiac arrest. Hariyama's signature move, Smelling Salts, is known as "Resuscitation" in Japan.

It shares many similarities with Iron Hands, an object mentioned in a certain expedition journal. It stands 1.8 m tall and weighs 380.7 kg.

#994

Iron Moth

Iron Moth is based on Volcarona. It resembles a UFO, specifically a foo fighter, which was often described as a ball of fire, and its name may come from a corruption of the French word feu, meaning fire. Its appearance may also be based on satellites and space telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope, and its wings resemble solar panels, heat radiators or LED displays.

No records exist of this species being caught, and its traits match an object described in an old book. It stands 1.2 m tall and weighs 36 kg.

#1008

Miraidon

Miraidon may be based on a robotic serpentine dragon and on lizards such as the anole and the fan-throated lizards. Parts of its design may come from motorized vehicles: its casque resembles a motorcycle windshield, its shoulders are similar to handlebars and its legs resemble jet engines. Its ability to rearrange itself when changing forms may be inspired by transforming robots.

It seems to be the Iron Serpent mentioned in an old book, which is said to have turned the land to ash with its lightning. Its Hadron Engine ability creates an Electric Terrain when it enters battle and boosts its Special Attack while the terrain is active. It stands 3.5 m tall and weighs 240 kg.

7 of the 16 Have a Base Stat Total of 570 or More

Only 122 of all 1,025 Pokemon reach a base stat total of 570, and 7 of the 16 machines do. Metagross is the only one of the seven from before Generation VII. The other six are Celesteela, Magearna, Iron Treads, Iron Hands, Iron Moth and Miraidon, which came out in Generation VII or IX. The machines of the early generations are gears, polygons and clay, and the Klink line starts at 300, while Miraidon ends the list at 670.

Machine Pokemon FAQ

How many machine Pokemon are there?

There are 16 machine Pokemon, from Porygon in Generation I to Miraidon in Generation IX.

What is the strongest machine Pokemon?

Miraidon, with a base stat total of 670. Metagross and Magearna follow at 600.

Is Porygon a machine?

Yes. Porygon is a bird or paper crane rendered in digital software, and its flat shapes resemble the polygon mesh used for 3D computer graphics.

Is Magearna a robot?

Yes. A scientist built it roughly 500 years ago, and the part called the Soul-Heart is the actual life-form.