Pokémon Legends Z-A

Real-time battles in Pokémon? In Pokémon Legends Z-A, trainers can control their Pokémon directly in battles for the first time ever, giving them direct commands. But that's not all - there are even more new features!

When the first Pokémon games were released on the Game Boy in 1996, it was unlikely that anyone could have imagined the global gaming phenomenon that the franchise would become. Since then, millions of players have collected, battled and traded the pocket monsters, of which there are now over 1,000. We are currently in the ninth generation, and there is no sign of people losing interest, given the huge success of the main series games on the Nintendo Switch.

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield (2019) sold 26.84 million copies worldwide. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet (2022) have surpassed this figure, with sales of 27.15 million. This puts the games in sixth and seventh place among the most successful Nintendo Switch games ever. In addition, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! (2018), Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl (2021), and Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022), were also released on the console. The latter launched a new subseries. It is set in an open world with free exploration, freely roaming Pokémon, rideable Pokémon, and a new catching system that does not always involve battles. Speaking of battles, they remained turn-based but were slightly more dynamic. Pokémon Legends: Arceus was a commercial success, selling nearly 15 million copies by 31 March 2023. No more recent figures have been revealed, but this is a remarkable achievement for a game outside the main series - it was also well received by players.

The second game in the Pokémon Legends series is about to be released: Pokémon Legends: Z-A. In the new game, an RPG story unfolds in a single city with action elements and real-time battles. During battles, Trainers and their Pokémon move around in real-time, and Pokémon unleash their moves at their Trainer's command. Players must consider precise timing when swapping Pokémon or using moves, bearing in mind that moves have different ranges, areas of effect and activation times. Mega Evolution also plays an important role.

At the start, players choose one of three partner Pokémon: Chikorita, Tepig or Totodile. They then explore Illumina City together, a place that fans of the Pokémon X & Y games will already be familiar with. During the day, Trainers can explore wild zones to catch and train Pokémon in preparation for upcoming fights. When night falls, a battle zone with red borders appears somewhere within the city. Trainers compete in these zones from dusk until dawn as part of the Z-A Royale, a competition in which participants start at Rank Z and battle their way to Rank A. When a battle zone becomes active, timing and strategy are crucial, as landing a surprise attack can provide a significant advantage, and sometimes it is necessary to avoid higher-ranked opponents, at least initially.

"All kinds of encounters await the player in Lumiose City. Emma is a detective who asks the player to track down missing Pokémon, locate missing items, and occasionally take part in Pokémon battles. Trainers can also assist Mable, the acting director of the Pokémon Research Lab, who analyses Pokémon and the reasons behind their growing populations. In return, players can receive TMs and other rewards for their help. Players can also look forward to investigating Rogue Mega Evolution and discovering new Mega-Evolved Pokémon." - The Pokémon Company International

Pokémon Legends: Z-A will launch on 16 October 2025 for Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.