When discussions were had about the coming year of gaming, a name that continued to come up as one of the most anticipated was Pokémon Legends Z-A. Legends Arceus was loved by pretty much everyone in the Pokémon fan community, which cemented this side series as being a must play for Pokémaniacs. Other than a tiny teaser trailer though, there hadn’t been much shown of the next game in the series. At least that was the case until Pokémon Day came around.
Everyone was pretty certain that on Pokémon day they’d show more of this upcoming monster collecting game, so although not a huge surprise there was a lot shown we hadn’t seen yet. For me the most exciting part was the reveal of the starter Pokémon, which will all likely get new forms. Chikorita, Totodile and Tepig are firm favourites of mine, and who knows what new abilities and types they could end up getting if this follows the Arceus formula.
As well as revealing the starters, the Pokémon Legends Z-A trailer also showed off the main location – Lumiose City. This sprawling town from X and Y looks more explorable than ever thanks to movement abilities, and is chock full of Pokémon to catch. More was revealed on the official website after the show too, which has firmly sent the hype of Pokémon fans into overload.
“The story is set in Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon. Compared to Lumiose City as it appeared in the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games, released in 2013, more greenery now adorns the city, alongside facilities with a cutting-edge feel.
In Lumiose City, spaces frequented by people—such as shopping arcades, cafés, and restaurants—coexist with more natural areas, such as waterfronts and verdant parks. At the center of Lumiose stands Prism Tower, the very symbol of the city.
As part of Lumiose’s urban redevelopment plan, driven by a large corporation called Quasartico Inc., the city has been outfitted with “wild zones” in an effort to help humans and Pokémon share the city. These areas are constructed using cutting-edge technology to give Pokémon places to live. Within wild zones, you can battle Pokémon and catch them by throwing Poké Balls.”
Pokémon Legends Z-A is coming late 2025 for Nintendo Switch.
