US Edition
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Hands-On Preview: New Mega-Evolutions and Real-Time Battles
Pokémon Legends: Z-A features a new real-time combat system and revives Mega Evolutions to enhance gameplay in the modern-day Lumiose City, the Kalos region’s urban hub.
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A launched on October 16, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, set entirely in modern-day Lumiose City from the Kalos region.
- The game follows Pokémon Legends: Arceus but shifts from an open-world past setting to a bustling contemporary city with a new real-time combat system.
- Players battle in real time using new mechanics like cooldowns and collecting Mega Power orbs, facing challenges such as rogue Mega Evolutions including a boss fight with Mega Absol.
- A demo session lasting 20 minutes featured battling rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon with AZ lending a Lucario and Mega Ring, while players climb ranks via the Z-A Royale tournament.
- The game’s fresh approach to battle and setting suggests a major evolution for the series, though some players have mixed feelings and many questions remain until its full release.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Pokémon Legends: Z-A preview – Mega Evolution is so back
Almost three years since the launch of Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and even longer since the surprisingly fun and inventive Legends: Arceus, the upcoming Pokémon Legends: Z-A has a lot of excitement built around it as the next dedicated RPG adventure title in the classic series. It’s not only expanding on innovations brought on Legends: Arceus, but also mixing in mechanics from Pokémon games past with the returned focus on X and Y’s Mega Evolution…
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Battle System First Impressions
Pokémon Legends: Z-A didn’t feel like a full action game to me, but kind of more like an MMO, with its casting times, cooldowns, and behind-the-scenes math happening. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I do hope Legends: Z-A gets challenging enough to make me more intentionally dish out commands and think about switching Pokémon at just the right moment.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
