Pokémon Legends Z-A: One Year Later

Hey everyone- if you’re seeing this, it has been one year since the release of Pokémon Legends Z-A. As I continue work on my other projects, I thought it would be good to check in with the game (especially as the 2027 release of Winds and Waves means I am among many who will be playing it a bit longer). Let’s open it up once again.

Courtesy: Nintendo/Game Freak/The Pokémon Company

Though I only have a little left to complete the Pokédex in the Mega Dimension expansion, I did complete the Pokédex in the main game. I stand by my choice of it being my favorite game of 2025. I am particularly proud of getting Volcanion, and I finally found where I need to challenge Genesect as well.

Having gotten a Switch 2 and the upgrade for the game earlier this year,  I can now address that version in earnest. It is not just a mere framerate upgrade either- the resolution is also higher than the base Switch port; and it’s a title that I have spent a sizable amount of time with on the new system. I am not as bothered by the presentation as others, as I play lots of retro games on my system along with newer titles such as Mario Kart World, Sonic Racing Cross Worlds and Splatoon Raiders. Also looking forward to this year’s Zelda remake and Toy Story retro compilation. As for an associate of mine (believe their name was Sterling) likening Z-A to a Bethesda title, I don’t buy that comparison at all when that company allowed the Switch 2 ports of both Fallout 4 Anniversary and Skyrim to be released in a far less stable condition (I’m well aware they’re not known for nailing their launches, and things have been fixed a lot since then).

The gameplay still remains an entertaining remix of the formula, much like Pokémon Legends Arceus before it. I am glad that Game Freak are willing to continue to iterate on the catching and battle systems over time, while retaining what made the idea appealing to begin with. I maintain the biggest advantage this franchise has over similar monster tamer RPGs is the emphasis on the bond between trainer and partner. Over thirty years, that has naturally grown into a bond between the games and their players. Even as yet more games will see release over the next year, I will enjoy this one for years to come.

Having logged around 250 hours into the game as of this writing, I can honestly say I’m glad to hear there will be more Legends titles from Generation X onwards (Galar, for example- not sure about the ancient past; but I think a steampunk adventure in Motostoke or Hammerlocke during the 19th century industrial revolution would be cool). With well over 14 million copies sold across all versions since launch (there’s even a new all-in-one pack arriving just in time for December), I am here for it. That is all for now, take care.