The Pokémon Company has revealed a first look at Pokémon Legends Z-A during the Pokémon Presents 2025 showcase. During the presentation, two new videos showcased many new details for the upcoming RPG, including the starters and a new combat system in real time.
A New Step in the Legends Subseries
ThePokémonfranchise has been going since 1996, with the original release of Pokémon Red and Green for the Game Boy in Japan. The monster-catching RPG was an astounding success and later would become a popular franchise in the west as well with its multimedia project, withScarlet/Violetas the latest mainline title.
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Back in 2022, developer Game Freak releasedPokémon Legends: Arceusas a new take on the RPG formula, exploring a new concept. In it, players would walk around in the wilderness, sneakily lurking in the grass and trying to catch the creatures off guard. Battles also featured a turn-based system that allowed players to use strong or quick versions of the same moves.
Pokémon Legends Z-A continues the experimentation as the second game in this spin-off line. With what the trailers show, the game promises to be another innovative step further from the mainline games with significant changes to the battle system.
It’s Time for Real-Time Combat
The first video is a quick showcase of some gameplay elements, including exploration, gameplay, the main characters and other details. It showcases these elements in short bursts with almost two minutes of footage.
Pokémon Legends Z-A will take players to Lumiose City, the big metropolis in the Kalos region. While players have previously visited the area in Pokémon X/Y on the Nintendo 3DS, the place has been significantly revamped for the new game.
Not only is the city larger and more detailed than ever before due to the improvements in hardware, but there’s also a story reason for its many changes. Lumiose is currently undergoing an urban redevelopment plan with the goal of turning the vibrant city into a place where humans and Pokémon can coexist harmoniously.
As a young man or woman who has recently come to Lumiose, players will have the chance to pick Chikorita, Tepig or Totodile as their starter partner. Once there, it’ll be possible to explore the town and find wild areas with grass patches and other environmental elements that allow them to live as if it were their natural habitat.
When it comes to battles, they will take place in real time, a first for the series, as all mainline titles are turn-based RPGs. While moving around the areas, players will have to choose which moves to use in a command-based structure, but timing and positioning matter. It’ll be possible to dodge attacks and to use their range to take advantage in combat.
The full video also reveals characters including the returning faces of AZ and Eternal Floette. Another element from X/Y that’s making a comeback is Mega Evolutions, a temporary transformation that makes them tremendously powerful.
Check out a few screenshots from the game:
Pokémon Legends Z-A will take players to Lumiose City, the sprawling metropolis in the Kalos region.
With all the updates today, the officialNintendo eShoppage was updated with a description and the first screenshots. Pokémon Legends Z-A is coming to Nintendo Switch in late 2025, but developer Game Freak and publisher Nintendo have yet to provide a release date.
