Pokemon Legends: ZA It's finally out, and some people are (understandably) cautious about whether or not they should buy it when it launches. Despite their immense popularity, they certainly can't be blamed. pokemon IPs are some of the most recent. Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl and Scarlet & Violet—received a fairly polarized reception.
Gamers (especially for a long time) pokemon There are high expectations from fans. Pokemon Legends: ZALet's hope that the unusually extensive development period allows Game Freak to create something truly special and, most importantly, stylish. While the game itself isn't without flaws, it certainly has a lot of positive qualities that make it worth the price of admission. For those who still have trouble making a decision Purchase or not Legendary: ZA or not, Here are some pros and cons about the game to help you make your final decision.
Pros: A new style of Pokémon battles
The real-time battle system is very refreshing.
One of the biggest selling points of Pokemon Legends: ZA Is this new? battle systemTrainers can move around the battlefield and reposition their Pokémon to avoid attacks or attempt powerful moves. Naturally, some fans had reservations about this drastic change in gameplay, but now that the game is out, it's safe to say that it's working very well.
To tell the truth, Legendary: ZA It has one of the best combat systems in all of the mainline. pokemon game. The combat is faster, more thrilling, and more chaotic than ever before. If players want to win, they'll need to hone both their decision-making skills and quick reflexes, rather than just clicking the most powerful moves from the menu without worrying about timers. long time pokemon Fans have been asking for a dynamic, real-time combat system like this for decades. Legendary: ZA In that respect, I am not disappointed.
Pro: Mega Evolution is back!
This beloved mechanic takes center stage
Introduction to the 6th generation mega evolutionA new battle mechanic that allows certain fully evolved Pokémon to unlock temporary new forms that make them extremely strong and durable in battle. Surprisingly, Mega Evolutions quickly became very popular among people. pokemon That's why fans were outraged when the mechanic was completely removed in Generation 8.
Fortunately for them Pokemon Legends: ZA This reprise of Mega Evolution marks the first mainline entry in the series in seven years. The best part is that this beloved mechanic wasn't added by accident, as he's actually the star of the show. yes Legendary: ZA While introducing Mega Evolution (such as Mega Dragonite or Mega Hawlucha, etc.), players must unlock this beloved mechanic by searching for and defeating powerful Mega Evolved wild Pokémon that have been driven berserk by a mysterious phenomenon known as Rogue Mega Evolution. It must be fully integrated into the game world.
Pros: Return of the legendary formula
This is a worthy follow-up to one of the best games in the franchise.
Early 2023, Pokemon Legends: Arceus It was highly praised for being a semi-open world adventure that primarily focuses on catching, researching, and creating a Pokédex while also ditching random encounters and unnecessary battles with trainers. It was a much-needed overhaul of the franchise's signature formula, and the result left some people a little disappointed when the next game in the series came out. scarlet and violetA return to the classic gameplay style (with some substantial changes).
As the title suggests, Pokemon Legends: ZA Bring back the formula introduced in . Legendary: Arceusso Players who liked that game will definitely like this one. Trainers can instantly catch a Pokémon by throwing a Poké Ball at the Pokémon during battle, and if a wild Pokémon spots it first, they must roll and jump to avoid its attacks. Even epic, challenging encounters with Rogue Mega Evolved Pokemon feel like a natural evolution of boss fights with Noble Pokemon. Legendary: Arceus.
Pros: Continuation of the Kalos storyline.
This underrated area is finally getting the love it deserves.
Pokemon and why It's not a bad game per se, but it definitely lacks the appeal of its predecessor. At the time, it quickly became clear that Game Freak had spent most of its resources translating this franchise into a 3D gaming world instead of building a compelling, challenging, and interesting experience. But it wasn't a big deal because there were a lot of other people there. pokemon Even the generation before that game had poor first entries, e.g. red & blue or diamond & pearl) after the third version (yellow or platinum, respectively), and are therefore certainly hypothetical. Pokemon Z will fix most of it X and YFix issues and add new content to improve the overall experience.
Sadly, Pokemon Z It has not been realized for over 10 years. kalos the only one left pokemon This is an area that can be explored in a pair of games. That's why Pokemon Legends: ZA This is a very important event for fans as it feels like Game Freak is finally giving this beautiful French-inspired region the love and care it always deserves. Exploring Lumiose City with modern HD graphics is not only breathtaking; Legendary: ZA It also works as a direct sequel to . X and Y This takes place five years after the events of that game, meaning that many returning characters appear in this new game and play important roles in the story.
Pros: Looks great and runs very well.
No need to worry about technical or graphical issues.
pokemon scarlet and violet Although a solid game, it was heavily criticized for numerous graphical and technical issues, including low frame rates, missing textures, sudden pop-ups, and severe visual glitches. This was undeniable evidence that The Pokémon Company and Game Freak were rushing to develop these games, and naturally, fans were worried. Pokemon Legends: ZA You will meet the same fate.
Fortunately for anyone who had doubts about buying this game out of fear that it would look and play as bad as this. scarlet and violet did, Legendary: ZA almost none Technical or graphical issues Upon release. It's not the prettiest game, but at least the art style is attractive, the frame rate is consistent, and there are few to no serious bugs or glitches. It obviously runs flawlessly on the Nintendo Switch 2, but fans will be surprised and relieved to know that it also runs smoothly on the original Nintendo Switch.
Cons: Repetitive environment
It takes place entirely within Lumiose City.
one of many reasons Pokemon Legends: Arceus The variety of environments was very well received, as it took place in an ancient version of Sinnoh known as Hisui. The semi-open world map is divided into five sections, each with its own unique geography, climate, flora and fauna. Of course, when the fact was announced Pokemon Legends: ZA will focus heavily Lumiose City And with the city's development plans in place, fans were hoping that the entire game wouldn't just take place in the city, but could also visit other parts of Kalos. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
The new version of Lumiose City is truly huge. Although very alive and full of things to do, the urban environment is Legendary: ZA In the end, you can watch it over and over again. The Wild Zone adds some much-needed variety, but it's not big or interesting enough to make up for the fact that the rest of the game takes place entirely within the same city. hopefully, coming mega dimension The DLC will allow players to visit other regions, especially other iconic locations in the Kalos region.
Cons: Not a true open world game
It follows a linear, mission-based structure.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus The long awaited moment: pokemon The franchise has dipped its toes. open world formula. then, pokemon scarlet and violet We have finally made our way into open world games. Despite all of its technical and graphical shortcomings, the Generation Nine games were praised for their open-ended structure, which allowed players to explore any part of the Paldea map and complete missions in any order they wanted. This change in gameplay felt like a breath of fresh air. pokemon The franchise was moving in an exciting new direction.
Any fan who was looking forward to playing Pokemon Legends: ZA And hopes it will follow in the footsteps of: Legendary: Arceus and scarlet and violet You should know right now that this game is much more linear than its predecessor. Yes, you are free to explore sections of Lumiose City from time to time, but the main campaign follows a strict mission-based formula and players cannot complete main story missions in any order they wish. The formula still works wonders for this type of game, and while the main campaign is admittedly very interesting, it's clear that it won't be all that interesting for fans of the franchise's open-world diversion.
Cons: Catching Pokemon isn't that important
The game is more about combat than research.
in Pokemon Legends: ArceusExploring the natural environment while catching wild Pokémon to help Professor Laventon with his research was incredibly fun, relaxing, and refreshing. Especially for players who don't care much for intensity. pokemon battle. As mentioned earlier, Pokemon Legends: ZA It brings back the formula that its predecessor introduced, but strangely enough, this time the priorities have shifted.
Of course, catching Pokémon is still a big part of the game. Legendary: ZA Thanks to Professor Mable, who rewards players with TMs and other items when they complete special research missions. Nonetheless, Pokémon battles are the main focus. Legend: ZA, Players spend most of their time fighting Rogue Mega Evolved Pokemon or other human trainers in ZA Royale competitions. Needless to say, this style of gameplay is a lot of fun. The new real-time combat system really carries the load here. However, gamers looking for a more leisurely game will likely be disappointed by these changes.
- released
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October 16, 2025
- ESRB
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Anyone over 10 years old / fantasy violence, in-game purchases
