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By Isaac Espinosa

I remember the time well. February 27th, 2024 was an important date for Pokémon fans across the globe. Sure, it was the 28th anniversary of Pokémon Red and Green, the first two games But it was also when Pokémon would announce their newest project: Pokémon: Legends Z-A. The excitement of which roared across the fandom, as many anticipated returning to the Kalos region through the Legends series, which had been praised by many through Pokémon: Legends Arceus. 

Legends Z-A was released on both the Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 on October 16th. Was the hype of its announcement met with enthusiasm upon its release. Or did this second undertaking through the Kalos region leave people disappointed?

Before being able to speak properly on Z-A, it’s important to understand why this game was so important for Pokémon. On October 12th, 2013, Pokémon X and Y would usher in the 6th Generation of the franchise. The first 3D mainline Pokémon games brought with it Mega Evolution, where Pokémon from previous generations could tap into a hidden power through the bonds with their trainer, Fairy Types, which was the first type introduced since Generation 2. 

It was wonderful to see so many new Pokémon that would go to become some of the most popular Pokémon of all time. It was a shame, then, that X and Y would get mixed reviews for many. While some would praise them for the graphical innovations and improvements to battling through Mega Evolution and Fairy Types, others would harp on their below average stories and unremarkable landmarks for a region of Kalos’ size. No better is this mixed mentality embodied than X and Y’s third Legendary Pokémon: Zygarde. 

At a surface level, Zygarde has a lot to like about them. Incredibly unique design, serviceable battle prowess, and alternate forms that expand on its already mysterious presence. Its 10% and 100% forms are some of the most well received transformations the franchise has ever seen, even to this day. 

And yet, despite all of this, Zygarde’s presence in X and Y was next to non-existent. And unlike Pokémon such as Giratina and Kyurem, Zygarde would never receive a game to give it the story it needed. The untapped potential of the Kalos region as a whole, would be thrown to the wayside, as priorities were set on heading towards the 7th Generation. 

Upon the announcement of Z-A, this seemed to be the chance that Zygarde needed in order to get its own official title. Fans of X and Y might finally be able to bear witness to the sequel game the 6th Generation desperately deserved. It was crucial that this game was a success, or Kalos would forever remain in infamy within the Pokémon player base. 

So what about Legends Z-A? What does it have to offer? From a story standpoint, it provides a simple but compelling narrative to follow. After you arrive in Lumiose City to tour the sights of Kalos’ most popular town, you get associated with the locals pretty quickly. Whether running into Taunie or Urbain (the rival character depending on your trainer’s gender), they’ll immediately wrap you into the shenanigans of Team MZ, a group of residents at the somewhat empty Hotel-Z. 

Although fellow team members Lida and Naveen have their own goals and aspirations, Team MZ desires to promote Hotel-Z to a wider audience so they can repay the kindness of the hotel’s mysterious owner: AZ. Of course, promoting a hotel isn’t easy or cheap, so your rival character proposes the idea of joining the Z-A Royale. 

The city then transforms. By night, Battle Zones open up in Lumiose, and trainers go against each other to earn points and rise up the ranks all the way from Z to A. Once reaching Rank A, the trainers that do so will be granted one wish. Needless to say, you jump onto the opportunity, sign up, and so your life as a trainer in Lumiose begins! 

However, as you participate in the Z-A Royale, strange incidents slowly begin to occur in Lumiose City. It becomes your duty to take them head on to keep Lumiose safe. Amidst these incidents, the true purpose of the Z-A Royale slowly begins to be told. 

The greatest aspect of Z-A’s story comes through its incredibly colorful cast of characters. There are so many lively faces that not only make the game exciting through their dialogue, but also add to the world and build upon how important the Z-A Royale is to Lumiose City. 

You have characters like Corbeau, the leader of a mobster group named the Rust Syndicate. He puts your Team MZ into debt because of your rival character’s continuous loan repayment problem. Then you have characters like Canari, an energetic streamer girl that spends her time playing video games on stream, but wishes to expand and open her own tournaments to the public. T

he biggest benefit of the Z-A Royale from a story perspective is how it allows for trainers like Corbeau and Canari to have their own dreams and aspirations. It means that each important trainer you face wishes to win and rise up just as much as you do, making this take on Lumiose feel that much more real. 

All of this, of course, wouldn’t mean much if the gameplay wasn’t just as well thought out. And in terms of its gameplay loop, Legends Z-A is pure excellence. For the first time ever in a mainline Pokémon game, the battles aren’t turn based. Rather, they play out in real-time. 

This excellent ability adds a completely different layer to Pokémon battles that was never present before. With each move now on a cooldown timer instead of having accuracy, you need to be wary of which moves will lead you to victory. Do you go for powerful attacks that may take longer to recover from? Or do you use weaker moves that have faster cooldowns and have more combo potential with other attacks? 

In addition, moves that have repositioning effects like Dragon Rush, Heat Crash, or Fly, have the added benefit of avoiding the oncoming attack if you time it right! Combine this with the bombastic return of Mega Evolution, and that’s an entirely different layer of play to add onto battles. This game redefines how to play Pokémon in such a unique and interesting way, it’s unironically some of the most refined gameplay that the franchise has ever seen. And during the fraught sparkle nighttime, when you have the opportunity to face off against numerous trainers, the Z-A Royale experience never grows boring or tiring. 

That isn’t all there is to do though. During the day time, when Battle Zones are deactivated, it’s the perfect chance to explore Lumiose City and take in the sights! This includes doing any of the numerous side quests in Lumiose, all of which offer plentiful rewards and build upon the world. Entering the city’s numerous Wild Zones open up more and more as the game progresses. They act as habitats for many wild Pokémon for you to catch and befriend. 

Or maybe you could use that time to complete some research tasks given to you by Mable, the director of the Pokémon Research Lab. These research tasks include things like battling, catching Pokémon of a certain type, or filling up your Pokedex more and more. And the benefits you receive from completing them range from new moves to teach your Pokémon, to candies that’ll make your Pokémon stronger. That’s the biggest boon for Legends Z-A and its flow of gameplay: everything coincides and melds together to make the journey even more exciting. 

That doesn’t mean it is without flaw. First, there’s the lack of voice acting. While it didn’t bother my playthrough, I cannot deny that it is getting tiring not hearing the characters’ voices, or at the very least giving some sort of speech to indicate they’re talking. This is especially present during cutscenes that have some emotional resonance, where the characters are clearly saying something moving, But they have no voices. It feels unnatural, but it is little more than a nuisance in the grand scheme of things. 

This sentiment cannot be kept for the game’s performance. While I believe that Legends Z-A is incredibly impressive for the franchise, running a crisp 60 FPS consistently throughout, this was primarily on the Switch 2. Legends Z-A does have a Switch 1 version, and unfortunately, it’s locked to 30 FPS with consistent drops throughout. This means for the best experience possible, playing on the Switch 2 is the way to go, and that’s a shame for anyone that isn’t necessarily desiring to upgrade. 

The perception of Pokémon nowadays has become very skewed in the negative direction. Throughout social media, you’ll see numerous posts and threads about how the franchise has reached an all-time low, and how The Pokémon Company has become soulless. 

But I don’t believe this is even close to the full picture. Pokémon: Legends ZA feels absolutely incredible to me, and in many ways, this divergence from the formula evolves the franchise to new heights. I hope it continues to innovate even more in further installments. Through channeling that untapped potential of the Kalos region, I believe that Pokémon has created a game that not only did that region immense justice, but can hopefully rebuild the reputation of this beloved Nintendo juggernaut.

Bronx native Isaac Espinosa is a Member of the New York Videogame Critics Circle. Along with being named the Circle’s first assistant Mentor, Isaac also coaches students for CEI Esports.

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