Pokemon Legends: Z-A: quick links
Pokemon Legends: Z-A – Release Date and Platforms
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is set to launch on 16 October 2025.
It’ll be a cross-generation release for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with both versions arriving simultaneously on the same date.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A – Latest Trailer
Check out the latest trailer below.
This reveals more of the game’s overarching story, and spotlights new and returning features, like Mega Evolution. You can also check out the following trailers for more details about the upcoming game:
- Z-A Royale Champion Trailer
- Mega Victreebel Reveal
- Release Date Trailer
- Overview Trailer
- Extended Look Trailer
What’s the story in Pokemon Legends: Z-A?
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will see players entering Lumiose City, choosing their very first Pokemon companion, and then embarking on various challenges, while learning what it means to live in an arena where people and Pokemon belong together.
During the day, players will venture around Lumiose City’s Wild Zones, where Pokemon roam freely, and by night, players will able to enter the Z-A Royale, where trainers can challenge each other in Pokemon battles. It appears players will need to work their way from Rank Z to Rank A over the course of the story, with this quest leading them down all sorts of roads, uncovering strange secrets along the way.
What are the starter Pokemon in Legends: Z-A?
When you start your journey through Z-A, you’ll have to choose from the following starters: Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile.
Notably, Chikorita and Totodile hail from the Silver / Gold generation, and Tepig is from Black / White. None of these starters actually originate from the X & Y games, which appear to be pretty important to the overarching Z-A story.
How Pokemon Legends: Z-A connects to other Pokemon games
It’s worth noting the primary setting of Z-A, Lumiose City, first appeared in the Nintendo 3DS-exclusive games, Pokemon X & Pokemon Y. There’s likely to be strong narrative links between the two games, so you should be familiar with them.
For one example, there is a certain character named AZ, a mysterious giant man, who first appeared in X & Y, who will return in Z-A. His story will likely be detailed in the game, so you shouldn’t strictly need to play X & Y, but knowing his background will provide added context.
New features and modes in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
As revealed in various trailers over the last few months, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will feature a fresh take on Pokemon catching and battling. Within the bounds of Lumiose City, players will be able to travel freely and explore a peaceful world. Then, they’ll be able to enter unique Wild Zones to hunt and catch Pokemon, learning more about their unique biology along the way. In separate Battle Zones, players will be able to fight trainers and take part in the Z-A Royale, which features ranked battles.
The game also boasts another novel feature: the return of Mega Evolution.
Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
After years away, Mega Evolution will return in Z-A, with trainers able to Mega Evolve a range of new Pokemon, this go around. For those unfamiliar, this system is essentially an extra evolution for certain Pokemon – although, it’s only temporary.
In certain tough battles (or just as a flex), trainers are able to temporarily Mega Evolve their Pokemon, allowing them to unleash more powerful attacks. So far, we know a range of Pokemon will have access to Mega Evolution, including Victreebel, Dragonite, Gyarados, Altaria, Gardevoir, Sableye, Salamence, Gengar, Charizard, and more.
What Pokemon are in Pokemon Legends: Z-A?
As an added note, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is set entirely within Lumiose City, so you can expect Pokemon from the Kalos region to feature prominently. That said, there are a range of Pokemon from other regions that appear in this game. In early trailers, we’ve spotted Pokemon including: Eevee and its Eevelutions, Pikachu, Dragonair, Pancham, Sandile, Mareep, Gogoat, Larvitar, Pidgey, Swirlix, Dedenne, Inkay, Malamar, Patrat, Watchhog, Absol, Hippopotas, and so many more.
We expect the full game will include a mix of Pokemon, with Lumiose City serving as a hub for Pokemon and their companions to live, laugh, and battle together.
