The Pokémon community has been desperate to get their hands on further information about Pokémon Legends Z-A since its announcement, and thanks to a Pokémon Day Presents live stream, they’ve finally got their wish—but it might not be what they were hoping for.
The Feb. 27 Pokémon Presents live stream confirmed that the community will be able to get their hands on Legends Z-A in late 2025. At the time of writing, a complete release date or further details about the release window have not been announced.
The upcoming title for the Pokémon Legends series was shown off in a rich trailer, highlighting the dynamic battle style, Mega Evolution mechanic, and beautiful Wild Zones dotted throughout the city.
The starter trio for the game was also revealed, featuring Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. This trio received a mixed reaction from the live chats on both Twitch and YouTube during the stream, with some fans being delighted and others finding them underwhelming.
Mega Evolutions were a particular focus during the trailer, featuring Mega Charizard X, Mega Ampharaos, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Absol. This beloved mechanic will play a key role in this game, with the reveal trailer referring to a Trainer’s Key Stone reacting with the Pokémon’s held Mega Stone to help them access new levels of power.
Fan-favorite critters like the Eeveelutions, Dedenne, and Lucario were also spotted in various scenes, pointing to a lively variety of Pokémon to build your team from while exploring.
The characters AZ and his Floette also appeared, with AZ being the owner of the hotel, which seems to be the player character’s home during the events of the game.
Based on the overall aesthetic, Legends Z-A appears to be set in modern times with a slightly futuristic take on the traditional Pokémon UI, featuring splashes of neon and jagged shapes. The art style looks very similar to the aesthetic in Pokémon Legends Arceus, despite this, with intricate zones and winding pathways to explore throughout Lumiose City.
Another focus shown off during the Pokémon Presents was the fresh take on battles, emphasizing distance, proximity, and area-of-effect attacks. Timing and positioning will be key during both wild battles and trainer battles in Legends Z-A, according to the teaser trailer, with your Pokémon following your lead in these new, dynamic fights.
Despite confirmation on the official release date for Z-A or further information about when players might be able to pre-order the title being currently unknown, there’s still a lot to get excited about with this upcoming title.
With the additional announcement of Pokémon Champions and the return of Mega cards to the Trading Card Game popping up during the event, it’s set to be a busy year for fans of the franchise.
Published: Feb 27, 2025 10:15 am