Announced at last year’s International Pokemon Day, the role-playing game Pokemon Legends: Z-A received a gameplay demonstration and a release date update as part of the latest episode of the Pokemon Presents show.
Image Source: The Pokemon Company
Recall that at a presentation last February, developers from the Japanese studio Game Freak announced that they plan to release Pokemon Legends: Z-A for “Nintendo Switch family systems” during 2025.
As revealed by the first gameplay trailer, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will go on sale by the end of 2025. Despite the January announcement of the Nintendo Switch 2, the list of target platforms still only includes the original console.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes place in the familiar city of Lumiose City in the sixth generation Kalos region, which is being redeveloped into a place suitable for both humans and Pokemon.
At launch, players will be able to choose from Chikorita (grass Pokémon), Totodile (water) and Tepig (fire). Pokémon will be caught within the city (there will be special “wild zones” for this).
According to the preview trailer, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will feature real-time combat (with dodgeable attacks) rather than turn-based combat for the first time in the main series. The game will also mark the return of the mega-evolution mechanic.
Judging by the comments, the new gameplay options excite fans of the series, but the graphics leave much to be desired. “Maybe it’s just me not playing Pokemon, but it looks like complete crap,” Dust from the ResetEra forum is surprised.