When Pokémon Legends: Arceus launched, it shook the Pokémon world. Not only did it introduce a bold new open-world formula, but it also gave fans what they had long wanted: an adventure that respected the franchise’s roots while making them even more exciting.
With Pokémon Legends Z-A, The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Game Freak now have the chance to take another major leap forward. This time, the focus is on internal reinvention and creating what could become one of the most popular action RPGs in the entire industry.
I only played 20 minutes of Pokémon Legends Z-A, but even that short demo showed clear signs of a “perfect storm.” On one hand, it belongs to the world’s biggest entertainment franchise; on the other, it introduces fast-paced, easy-to-understand mechanics that result in a fluid, dynamic combat system.
A brand-new active battle system
The most exciting change is the completely reworked battle system. The core idea remains—you are a trainer giving commands to your Pokémon—but instead of traditional turn-based combat, moves now work on cooldowns in a real-time active system.
This seemingly small change dramatically alters the flow of battles. You can chain consecutive attacks, dodge, and react in real time, making every battle feel fast, fluid, and non-stop. There’s no room for long pauses to plan; instead, you’re constantly engaged, attacking and dodging—just like the anime battles fans grew up watching.
This feature is what might make Legends Z-A truly transcend: for the first time, players are closer than ever to the fantasy of commanding their Pokémon in real-time combat.
Mega Evolution returns, and Lumiose City gets a new edge
Another highlight is the return of Mega Evolution, one of the franchise’s most beloved mechanics.
In the demo, we faced a Mega Absol as a boss battle. As we attacked, it dropped orbs of energy that allowed our Lucario to mega evolve, granting more powerful attacks and turning the tide of battle. What made this fight unique is that the boss could also target the trainer directly, forcing us to stay mobile, reposition, and survive while commanding our Pokémon.
On top of that, battles in Lumiose City play a bigger role than ever. The demo teased an underground fight scene where different areas of the city become hostile zones. Players must sneak around, strike opponents by surprise, and prove their strength to rise through the city’s ranks and reach Rank A status.
Switching Pokémon mid-battle is seamless, and while the demo only included a basic team, the potential for synergy and strategic depth feels enormous—something no previous Pokémon game has fully achieved.
Is Pokémon Legends Z-A a true reinvention?
Maybe not a full reinvention, but it’s undeniably a bold step forward for the Pokémon series. By combining real-time combat, Mega Evolutions, and urban exploration in Lumiose City, Pokémon Legends Z-A has everything it needs to become the franchise’s next breakout hit.
Pokémon Legends Z-A releases on October 16, 2025, for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
