Welcome to my full look at Pokémon Legends Z-A! This is the last mainline game on the base Switch; and in my and others’ honest opinion, a good one to go out on. There’s been lots of hot takes claiming otherwise, but this was something I always knew I’d rather do right than do quick. So, let’s open this up and get started.
Gameplay and Presentation- Sending Off the Switch Era in Style
Let’s talk about the gameplay first, as it has seen the most significant shakeup in the franchise’s history. Lots to unpack as we go, so let’s start with the basics. Building on the precedent set by Legends Arceus, the battle and capture system are in real time for the first time as opposed to turn-based combat. Each Pokémon move is mapped to the face buttons on your controller, and I do like how they shook up how non-damage moves work for buffing your partner and nerfing your opponents. The cooldown on each move doesn't bother me, as I always prefer rotating move combos over spamming the same attack over and over. I cannot verify the comparisons to the Xenoblade franchise as I haven’t played them and do not plan to. I can verify comparisons to Shin Megami Tensei/Persona and the works of Ryu Ga Gotoku as someone who has played those. Holographic storefronts are good with me, and we could actually have that kind of pickup within our lifetime. I just love the variety of cosmetics, which can be worn by any avatar in a series first. Visuals don’t bother me even on base Switch- again, still play lots of games that came out decades ago; lots of which were published before I was born. Not as actively clamoring for voiceovers as some people (their presence or absence is not essential to my reviews); but the music is incredible.
On top of Mega Evolution making a big return to the main games, there are other iterations on ideas from past titles- they haven't been discarded so much as reworked for the new game. This actually makes sense as it’s not just a follow up to Pokémon X and Y and Legends Arceus, it’s actually something of an antithesis to the latter that turns lots of ideas presented on their head. For starters, while Hisui and the Jubilife Village hub specifically were ancient fantasy stand-ins for Japan in the 15th century; Lumiose City is very much an urban fantasy in this game. This is further compounded by the look and feel of the game- personally had a different reaction to seeing the budget numbers in the Tera Leak. Honestly more impressed than anything they’re able to get that good a return on investment; and it actually works in favor of the arguments I hear in favor of smaller maps and more modest budgets (if the numbers are true- definitely won’t be making the same error of hubris Concord did). Far from its worst feature, the Lumiose map is one of the game’s best features.
That’s not to say there isn’t anything to discuss from that- personally, one window or building doesn’t concern me as much as the entire city. I will say the Lumiose map is at least as big as the Isle of Armor; Crown Tundra, Kitakami Village and Blueberry Academy in terms of scale (talk more next review). Smaller than the whole of Galar and Paldea obviously, but certainly bigger than when we first saw Lumiose in X and Y, which makes a good enough time to move into the next section.
Story and Characters- How to Succeed at Pokémon Horizons
I mentioned this when I talked about the Sword and Shield storyline in JN, it bears mentioning again here: much like that storyline being a more successful attempt at the “Strongest Mega Evolution,” this one takes character and story ideas from Pokémon Horizons and implements them in ways I found more effective. I will do my best to go over how I experienced them in a rough chronological order.
Let’s start with our companions, who we will be staying with at the historic Hotel Z. You would think when a game or other story starts throwing a bunch of characters you just met at you; it would be difficult to keep track of them all, let alone relate to them. Here, however, that doesn't happen due to the careful use of archetypes. A good place to start is who gives you your starter this time- rather than the professor; this time it’s the caretaker of Hotel Z, which is different depending on how you choose the style of your avatar. If you go with the female avatar, your partner is Urbain; since mine is the male avatar, my partner is Taunie. I see what you did there, folks. With that, I would call them the lancer.
After choosing your starter (I went with Totodile- haven’t really thought about nicknames this time), you recover your bag from a would-be thieving Pancham. The way you’re led to the hotel is actually a great example of intrinsic learning.
Case in point- this exploration method opens up new pathways through another key aspect of the game: on top of exploring at ground level; both the sewers and the skyline rely on the urban art of parkour for traversal. It can be tricky to time your rolls and use the Rotom Glide; but I always appreciate when games include that idea. The Mirror’s Edge titles are ones I especially like. It also fittingly calls to mind the French action film District B13 (even the American Brick Mansions is alright) and the 2006 version of Casino Royale.
Reaching Hotel Z, we’re introduced to the other two major partners. The first is Naveen, an aspiring fashion designer who came up with the symbol of their group: Team MZ. His relationship with both his grandmother and the signature dish of the hotel kitchen (croissant curry, in case you were wondering) is complex, but his heart and hands are pure. He is who I will call the armorer. Lastly, we have Lida- a young woman studying dance alongside her partner Staryu. That last detail will be important later on, but for now; she is who I will call the conjurer.
All three are key to the story’s main driving force: the Z-A Royale. This citywide tournament can help anyone who enters accrue fortune and glory, with the one who reaches the top rank granted a prize of their choosing. Essentially, it’s the golden ticket inside the chocolate bar.
In order to rise through the ranks, one must defeat opponents within areas that activate at night: the Battle Zones. This is a feature that crosses over with the gameplay section- once enough opponents have been defeated, you qualify for a ranking match. I especially like how many ways you can build up XP and money, especially with the Bonus cards. The variety of layouts is also greatly appreciated- it reminds me of, on top of the aforementioned games; the arcade classic Gauntlet.
As for the stealth mechanics- admittedly, the results of adapting the system from the previous game are less consistent here. Much more trial and error, and the alert system isn’t as refined as other titles I’ve tried. That said, it can be figured out. That, and with enough XP built up; you’ll have more opportunities to go in noisy if you prefer. One last thing- if your partner wanders or gets stuck, just tap down on the D-pad to recall them. I’ve been lucky enough to just see funny instances of that.
Now, here’s how the Z-A Royale ties to the story. After facing your first few ranked opponents (fittingly starting with letters starting Z through U), this storyline kicks off in earnest when you get a chance of jumping from rank T to rank G; with the opponent being Vinnie. He is second-in-command to the head of Quasartico Incorporated, Jett. Her role is overseeing the second major storyline- the Urban Redevelopment Plan in Lumiose. This ultimately ties into a third storyline resolving the remaining plot threads from Pokémon X and Y.
Through all these stories, the characters play direct roles in its resolution. There are lots to keep track, especially as they go beyond the archetypes established before. That admittedly sounds daunting to keep track of, only again; that doesn’t happen. This also extends to the new Mega Evolutions joining old favorites- the ones for the Kalos stage 2 starters especially tie into their roles playing into the classic RPG classes. Chesnaught, the Knight/Warrior, Delphox, the Mage and Greninja; the Thief.
Now, with that setup, let’s continue. At first, it seems Quasartico might not be of purely noble goals when their role in funding the Z-A Royale is shown; especially after escorting Jett away from rioting citizens unhappy with potential gentrification. This ends up not being the case, and we’ll touch on that again later.
For now, with Vinnie beaten, we move up to our next opponent to claim rank F. As another brief gameplay tie-in, this system is distinct from gathering badges and actually provides a neat challenge in its own right.
Our opponent for rank F is the gaming-obsessed streamer Canari. Alongside her grandfather Tarragon and a series of holograms, she is definitely much closer to the content creators I typically watch; especially in terms of offbeat and sometimes blue humor.
Having an in with Naveen, who is a “Canatic,” we’re walked through the trivia challenge to qualify for the promotion match. Canari is an electric-type specialist, and her grandfather Tarragon uses ground types. After winning the match, we are promoted to rank F.
Let’s talk more about Canari and Tarragon as characters. Much like Dot, Canari gets moral support from an older guardian. Her grandfather Tarragon has a supporting role in her life much like Dot’s uncle Murdoch. However, Canari also possesses a number of qualities Dot lacks- for one, Canari isn’t bothered by interacting with others; while Dot overcoming this obstacle is a major part of her progression. Between her home gym equipment and the scaffolds of Racine Construction, physical activity is also much less of an issue for Canari than for Dot. Lastly, though Dot isn’t too bothered by help from Murdoch; Canari wants to genuinely do more for herself than just rely on Tarragon (though she still offers her own when she needs to and accepts others).
Onto the next opponent and story thread- to achieve rank E, we must face fighting specialist Ivor. Before that, we must find the ghost type specialist Gwynn- his sister and webmaster of the Justice Dojo. He put so much into his strength training, he can’t use a smart device without destroying it. This is where the first step into the sewers comes in, and using her Chandelure to warp the area into a hiding place will be important later.
Anyway, after reuniting with her brother and setting up the match; we officially face Ivor. Win against him and his Mega Falinks (love how it looks like a mecha from one of my anime and tokusatsu), and rank E is ours. He is among many characters who helps make this game a sort of family-friendly Like a Dragon game; and that’s even more apparent after with our next opponent and story thread. Before that, I will also note doing this unlocks the ability to train with the “Fists of Justice,” honing the stats and special moves of our Pokémon partners.
Our opponent for rank D is found after running into collections from the Rust Syndicate. In order to pay off the rather obscene interest (relatable), there are few options available. Pay in cash or odd jobs for them. Though it’s not outright offered, I decided to take a third option- challenge their boss to have it wiped as part of the winnings. He actually agrees to honor this as the story quickly changes after this point. His name is Corbeau, with his second in command being called Philippe (he’s been loyal to him ever since they were children). On top of putting an entertaining spin on these character types, Corbeau has been seen as a reversal of Mine Yoshitaka from Yakuza 3 (still interested in checking out the Dark Ties version) in both looks and personality. He is a man of his word, and it turns out that Corbeau was involved with none other than Lysandre!
Now, I get to talk about one of this game’s most compelling remixed aspects from X and Y. As you might know, I was not a huge fan of Team Flare even as someone who logged more time into those games than the carts could track (always find it funny it clocks 999 hours and 59 minutes as opposed to an even thousand). The class commentary wasn't as effective to me as what Plasma did before or the Skulls and Aether Foundation afterwards in their storylines. Thankfully, this game directly addresses that issue in multiple ways. Even factoring in having an idea where this story was going before the reveal; it manages to go places that remixed ideas from X and Y while improving what I had mixed feelings towards in the past.
Case in point- the fallout from Team Flare’s actions. It’s especially interesting how the game handles Zygarde; and AZ is also residing at the hotel alongside his Floette. Even before the reveal, he’s clearly looking for someone to care for his home and partner before he departs in more ways than one. Though Lysandre’s fate differed depending on whether you played X or Y, as someone who played them both; what they did here is quite compelling. As we play, we find out who this enigmatic drifter named L truly is.
Likewise, though I was skeptical about having former Flare admin Mabel as our mentor this time (Professor Sycamore is taking some much needed time off); her redemption arc and sass helped her grow on me as she gave out mission objectives. It’s similar to how Laventon gave us research tasks in Hisui; and it works in a distinctly different way. As I stated in my full look at Legends Arceus, it does a great job of exploring the role of a Pokémon researcher.
Now, let’s get back to the Z-A Royale: our opponent for rank C is a recurring character throughout this ladder. Her name is Jacinthe, with her assistant Lebanne being the top two fighters in the Society of Battle Connoisseurs (SBC for short). Their contrasting designs, personae and partner Pokémon are just wonderful. Lebanne is a more rough girl, with her maid outfit and devotion to the SBC contrasting her green hair and Mega Dragalge. Jacinthe has an ornate outfit and pretty Mega Clefable, though she also has a habit of popping in via holograms; even fighting her in her own custom “Jacinthe Zone.”
After that, we go down quite the deep Diggersby hole; as rank B gets us deep into the mystery of Team Flare Nouveau. Though much of the public is understandably not ready or willing to forgive them for nearly causing a class 3A apocalypse, this storyline is intertwined with containing an assortment of “Rogue Mega Evolutions” spawning around the city.
These battles with Rogue Mega Evolution begin once AZ hands the player a Mega Lucario (my favorite Pokémon in fact); and the first of many opponents is Absol. Both of these also get new Z-Mega Evolutions, and I especially like their designs (particularly the Anubis-like appearance of Z-Mega Lucario).
After that, a whole slew of new and returning Mega Evolutions are ours to face. In a similar vein to the classic Mega Man titles (lowkey excited for Dual Override), you have to beat them all to beat the game; but you can face them in any order you want. I will do my best to give you my order of how I faced them. I chose to go after Mega Victreebel first- I still found its design and “found footage horror” reveal amusing. Mega Camerupt and Mega Slowbro also proved to be ample challenges with their return after a long absence (in that order).
In the next string of missions, I chose to pursue Mega Hawlucha as my main target. The moment I found out one of my favorites of Generation VI was getting a Mega Evolution that cranked the wrestler motifs to maximum; I jumped at it, shouting “Woo” to “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” like Ric Flair. Once I did that, Mega Beedrill and Mega Banette were no trouble at all.
Of course, the further you go; the tougher the opponents become. Your allies in Team MZ become invaluable as the game continues. My Pokémon partners also were vital against the returning Mega Mawile and Ampharos, and Mega Evolution newcomer Barbaracle. Additionally, I enjoy the return of Mega Altaria and Mega Venusaur alongside newcomer Mega Frosslass- that last one goes great with Mega Glalie.
Surprisingly, I didn’t have much trouble with the returning Mega Tyranitar or the all-new Mega Dragonite. It was Mega Starmie that proved much tougher than I envisioned. That being the case, Lida was a vital aid in battle; raising her Staryu into a Starmie for this fight. I was expecting Patrick Star, and I got Adam Smasher.
Now, with the Rogue Mega Evolution gauntlet done; back to the story of Team Flare Nouveau and rank B. There’s a whole slew of former grunts under the command of their two admins- Griselle and Grisham. Their business, the Nouveau Cafe even makes a habit of not charging underprivileged patrons. The original Lysandre Cafe is their base of operations, and it’s full of even more secrets. We’ll touch on the biggest one in a moment. For now, winning against Griselle and Grisham gets us to rank B.
First, after facing him in battle; it turns out L is really Lysandre all along! It’s actually a neat way of splitting the difference of versions- after the Ultimate Weapon collapsed; he was officially categorized as missing, presumed dead. He might have looked familiar; but his hair turning white and having his once ornate outfit in tatters was effective in throwing off the trail. Even his left eye ended up as a red herring for a Mega Keystone.
Second, the reason we are given Floette is because AZ is dying; with the Hotel as his resting place. Not only that, Floette can Mega Evolve, something that can usually only be done with fully-evolved Pokémon. Lastly, it turns out the Ultimate Weapon had a sibling in Lumiose known as “Ange.” With Mega Floette and Mega Zygarde, it’s time to save the city!
This is the real reason behind Quasartico revamping the city and Prism Tower with the Urban Redevelopment - as Ange is active; we must use all we have learned and every major opponent we’ve faced to help stop the weapon before it turns Lumiose into a crater! I especially like this bit of Corbeau acting as a human ladder alongside several Rust Syndicate grunts before they all fall over- don’t worry, they’re fine. Honestly, it’s a great way of making all the stories in the main game come together- not exactly the same as the finale of Legends Arceus; but it works in a different way. Once we navigate the obstacles, we face off against Ange. With our combined strength, the city is saved!
The main story closes on AZ being laid to rest, finally at peace after thousands of years. It’s a very effective bittersweet ending, and it’s honestly what cemented this as my favorite game of its year. Honestly, best wake scene in a game for me since Snake Eater.
As of this writing, the game has sold a respectable 12 million copies combined across all versions. Even with all the discourse surrounding this title, I guarantee you those numbers don’t happen if absolutely no one liked it.
I know we all have our own ideas about where the franchise should go next, but if we keep arguing over details as inconsequential as window balconies on buildings; we’re never going to reach a consensus on where that is or how to get there. I’ve mentioned this before, and it bears mentioning again- this idea that the game was born from laziness is utter nonsense and I encourage others to retire that hyperbole. The rollout and development for Winds and Waves suggests the opposite is true.
To summarize, “Pokémon Legends Z-A” is a remix of the ideas presented over the last few decades of games and especially 2022’s “Pokémon Legends Arceus;” not an abandonment of them. I will touch on this again in my look at the expansion, but it’s honestly a worthy sequel to X and Y and a game I have no regrets placing as my favorite game of 2025.
I know lots of the discourse around the franchise and its future can be intimidating, but it’s also immensely fascinating. Far from “fading,” my enthusiasm has been the strongest it has in ages. Honestly like the prospect of more Legends games going forward (love the idea of the proposed Galar title).
This also just happens to mark my 800th post here. Whatever comes for the series going forward, I will be around for it no matter what. Hope you all enjoyed this, that is all for now. Take care, and seek out all Pokémon.
