It’s only a couple of days more before Trainers all around the world can dive into the open world of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Are you ready to build your Pokedex throughout Lumiose City? Then, here are 10 things you need to know before you hit the purchase button and add Pokémon Legends: Z-A to your Nintendo Switch library.
1. Two Different Nintendo Switch Versions
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be available on both the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with a few differences. Firstly, the original Nintendo Switch version is priced at $59.99 and can be played on both consoles, but will run at a fixed 30fps. On the other hand, the Switch 2 version is priced at $69.99 and will run at locked 60fps with improved visuals.
Players who purchase the original Switch version in hopes of upgrading to the Switch 2 version later can do so via the Upgrade Pack that’s priced at $9.99. Both editions are available on Nintendo’s official website, and you can get them digitally as well as physically, whichever edition you prefer.
2. Lumiose City Is Your Sole Playground
Unlike previous Pokémon titles that span across multiple regions, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is confirmed to take place in one big open-world in Lumiose City of the Kalos region. Lumiose feels more alive than ever before, with secrets to uncover, challenges to undertake, and Pokémon to find. The game might be limited to one large city, but the variety it offers is unparalleled.
New areas known as Wild Zones are scattered throughout the entirety of Lumiose in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, indicated by green borders where a variety of wild Pokémon spawn for aspiring Trainers to collect. Explore, battle, and catch them all in a city undergoing construction, where its rebuilding process has been implemented with core gameplay features, encouraging players to explore more.
3. A Campaign With Fresh and Familiar Faces
Pokémon Legends: Z-A features a campaign with Team MZ, a crew tasked with keeping Luimose City peaceful from Rogue Mega Evolution – a strange phenomenon, leading wild Pokémon to Mega Evolve on their own and start a rampage on the city. In this campaign, you’ll meet fresh faces such as Naveen, an aspiring fashion designer, and Lida, who wants to become a professional dancer.
Familiar faces are hidden in the campaign as well, as part of Hotel Z, where you’ll meet either Urbain or Taunie, your friend for your travels. However, which of them you’ll meet depends on the way you customize your character at the beginning of Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Work together with the crew, bring your best Pokémon, and fight the villainous group, the Rust Syndicate, to tame the Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon.
4. Z-A Royale Changes Lumiose City at Night
Z-A Royale is Lumoise City’s biggest event that takes place at night and turns the city into a competitive ground in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Every night, the city gets segregated into battle zones, marked by red holograms, and all Trainers battle to climb the ranks from Rank Z to Rank A and prove their worth.
To make things more dynamic, stealth plays an important part during Z-A Royale in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. If you can sneak up on another trainer, you get the first strike and start with a massive advantage in the battle, while if others spot you first, a battle begins instantly with them having the first strike. Grind during the day, collect and train your Pokémon to fare well at night when Z-A Royale begins.
5. Gameplay Heavily Combat-Focused
Previous Pokémon titles were focused on exploration and discovery, but Pokémon Legends: Z-A shakes up the formula with more focus on combat and battles, tying them directly to your progression in Lumiose City. Duels, clashes, cafe battles, the game’s fundamentals are focused on battling other Trainers and opponents across every district of the city.
It’s also why Lumiose turns into a competitive and intense battleground at night with Z-A Royale, where everyone is out to battle each other with their coterie of Pokémon. Combat is more fluid, quick, and every corner is home to one battle after another. You have to be on your toes at all times and train, upgrading your Pokémon to stand up against the best of the best.
6. Traditional Pokémon Battle System Overhaul
For the first time, Pokémon Legends: Z-A features real-time combat mechanics, overhauling the traditional mainline Pokémon battle system to be more immersive, fast-paced, intense, and dynamic than ever before. Players can now move freely during combat, dodge. reposition and strategize their movement when faced with single or multiple enemies at once.
Tougher enemies, such as the Alpha Pokemon, the huge Pokemon with red glowing eyes, are where the new battle system will shine, offering more strategy and flexibility while taking them down. They’re dangerous and unpredictable, but once they’re caught, they can be a solid addition to your team, making you more strengthened for future challenges.
7. Rogue Mega Pokémon Enhances Battle Elements
Since Pokémon Legends: Z-A is more battle and combat-focused, the introduction of Rogue Mega Pokémon enhances the battle elements, providing cinematic boss fights with high stakes that yield high rewards. Due to Lumiose’s restructuring and the Rogue Mega Evolution phenomenon, wild Pokémon throughout the city are Mega Evolving without the need for a Mega Stone.
These Rogue Mega Pokémon are tougher and deadlier than Alpha Pokémon, and Team MZ’s job is to take them down throughout the city when they appear, mysteriously Mega-Evolved. Coordinate with Team MZ members during Rogue Mega Pokémon boss fights, and obtain the Mega Stones, which will offer insight into the mystery of the phenomenon. Players looking for more battles are bound to be satisfied with the Rogue Mega Pokémon in Lumiose.
8. Z-A Battle Club Is Your Online Play Domain
If you’re looking to spar or duel with your friends or other players from around the world in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, then Z-A Battle Club has you covered. All you need is the game’s latest version and a Nintendo Switch Online membership to battle over the internet. Z-A Battle Club offers quick, four-player link battles that let you battle Trainers from all over the world.
During battles, you respawn after defeat to get back into the action and climb your way up from Rank Z to Rank A, similar to Z-A Royale in Lumiose City. For players who want to play this game mode casually, join a private server and invite your friends for more relaxed and friendly duels. However, if you’re looking for a challenge, take on Trainers from all over the world in Z-A Battle Club.
9. Lumiose’s City Life Offers Customization and Personalization
While combat takes the centre stage in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, exploration also yields rewards that offer more customization. Express yourself in Lumiose City by customizing your Trainer’s appearance, from hairstyle to eyebrows to outfits. There’s a variety of customization options available throughout the entirety of Lumiose, and you can step into every battle looking elegant and stylish.
Not only that, Lumiose feels more alive and lived-in with the option to capture photos through your in-game mobile, offering a Photo Mode of sorts. In the Photo Mode, you can click pictures of yourself and your Pokémon anywhere, even in Wild Zones, and pose with them through benches, cafes, and more, giving you more options to be yourself in the vibrant city of Lumiose in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
10. Mega Dimensions DLC Confirmed After Launch
Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s first major DLC, Mega Dimensions, is already confirmed for release after launch, priced at $29.99 for both Nintendo Switch versions. The release will take place in two parts: the Holo-X and Holo-Y Apparel Items will be available with the launch of the base game on October 16, 2025. On the other hand, the Mega Dimensions Story Content will come sometime later after the base game’s launch, most likely in 2026.
Players who have pre-ordered Pokémon Legends: Z-A and the Mega Dimensions DLC will receive the Holo-X and Holo-Y cosmetics on October 16. To access the DLC, you need to purchase the base game first, regardless of the edition. After the global launch of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, players can look forward to the Mega Dimensions Story Content, coming soon.
What are you most excited to try out when you boot up Pokémon Legends: Z-A on your Nintendo Switch? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
