Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Launch Date, Starter Choices, and What to Expect

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is the highly anticipated follow-up to Legends: Arceus and the second game to carry the Legends name. Officially announced during the February 2024 Pokémon Presents, this new title promises to take the franchise in a bold new direction with a modern setting, real-time battles, and a return to Kalos.

As we get closer to its late 2025 release, here’s a comprehensive breakdown of everything we know so far—from its release window and starter Pokémon to gameplay mechanics, setting, and more.

Quick Links

1. Overview & Release Details
2. Setting – Lumiose City
3. Story and Characters
4. Gameplay Features & Mechanics
5. Mega Evolutions
6. New & Returning Pokémon
7. Pokémon Legends: Z-A FAQs

Overview & Release Date

Pokémon Legends: Z-A launches worldwide in late 2025 for both the Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Switch 2. The Switch 2 version will offer enhanced visuals, performance, and potentially exclusive features.

Setting – A Reimagined Lumiose City

One of the most exciting elements of Z-A is its setting: a revamped Lumiose City, the central location from Pokémon X & Y. Unlike the sprawling natural regions in most mainline titles or the historical landscapes of Arceus, Z-A focuses on an urban environment with a unique narrative theme—urban redevelopment.

The story revolves around a futuristic plan to transform Lumiose City into a harmonious space where humans and Pokémon live side by side. You’ll see this visually represented throughout the game:

• Pokémon roaming grassy areas and parks
• Water features and eco-friendly zones
• Digital gates that segment the city into Wild Zones
• Familiar landmarks like Prism Tower still intact

These Wild Zones are where most of your exploration and Pokémon-catching will occur. From what we’ve seen in trailers, encounters feel dynamic—Pokémon show up in alleyways, on rooftops, or even lounging in plazas.

This isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing ecosystem with a strong emphasis on exploration and interaction.

Images: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Story

You arrive in Lumiose City as a visitor, checking into the mysterious Hotel Z, which is run by none other than AZ—yes, the same immortal figure from Pokémon X & Y, now seemingly reformed and running a quaint hotel.

Your role quickly expands as you become involved in the city’s Urban Redevelopment Plan, spearheaded by Quasartico Inc., a tech-forward company led by the enigmatic Jett.

The goal? To deepen bonds between humans and Pokémon in a high-tech, co-living environment

Gameplay & Mechanics: Real-Time Battles, Z-A Royale, & More

Pokémon Legends: Z-A builds on the real-time exploration and catching mechanics introduced in Arceus, but turns the dial up with brand-new gameplay innovations.

Real-Time Battles

Combat is no longer confined to turn-based sequences. In Z-A, battles unfold in real-time, and both the trainer and Pokémon can move freely in the battle arena. This changes the strategy completely:

• Environmental use may become a key feature (though not yet confirmed)
• Rollout now travels in a straight line—aim and timing matter
• Area-of-effect moves allow for dodging or tactical positioning

Pokémon Catching

Like Arceus, you’ll be able to catch Pokémon without battling by sneaking up and tossing Poké Balls—though some tougher opponents may still require combat.

Z-A Royale Tournament

A new gameplay mode, the Z-A Royale, is a night-time tournament where you battle other trainers in ranked matches:

• Earn Challenger Tickets by sneaking up and defeating rivals
• Climb from Rank Z to Rank A
• Expect strong RPG elements with progression and challenges

This adds a competitive edge and narrative arc to gameplay that goes beyond just catching Pokémon.

Traversal & Mounts

We’ve seen glimpses of what might be Ride Pokémon returning. One clip shows the player leaping off a building, suggesting vertical traversal or advanced movement systems. Could Gogoat or other Kalos Pokémon serve as new mounts? It’s likely.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Characters

A handful of new, and returning, characters will be appearing in this new take on Lumiose City.

First of all, your “rival” — or, really, your friend who works at Hotel Z. Depending on which trainer you pick, your friend will be that of a different genre — Urbain of you pick the female appearance, and Taunie if you pick the male one.

Images: The Pokémon Company

The owner of Hotel Z is a face familiar to X & Y fans — AZ is back. The 3,000+ year old man still towers at nine-feet-tall, but he is a determined man and seems much more settled than his last appearance. Floette is also accompanying him, of course.

Lastly, we’ve met the CEO and the administrator of Quasartico Inc. — Jett, a woman who wants people and Pokémon to come together, and Binnie, a secretary who is an extremely fast worker. He’s sporting some very interesting head pieces, too.

Images: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – New Pokémon

Currently, no new Pokémon have been revealed for Legends: Z-A. However, we’re fairly sure we’ll be getting some new ‘mons in the upcoming Pokémon game.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus introduced us to new Pokémon forms known as Hisuian forms, so we reckon we’ll be getting some new additions akin to that.

We have had a glimpse at what looks to be a new form of Floette — Eternal Flower Floette. This is AZ’s companion, so it may not be a catchable form, but it’s a new one nonetheless.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Starter Pokémon

We’ve got our three confirmed starter Pokémon who will accompany you during your time in Lumiose City.

Confirmed in the Pokémon Presents February 2025 trailer, you’ll be able to choose from Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. Three very adorable picks, if we say so.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Returning Pokémon

So far, trailers have confirmed a wide range of returning Pokémon, many from Kalos but others from different regions. Spotted species include:

• Litleo, Fletchling, Espurr, Klefki, Gogoat
• Absol, Magikarp, Flabébé, Sylveon, Aegislash
• Furfrou, Hawlucha, Sandile, and others

Plus, we’ve caught a glimpse of Eternal Flower Floette, which may hint at new forms or legendaries

Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Evolutions

Back by popular demand, Mega Evolutions are officially making a comeback in Z-A! First introduced in X & Y, the mechanic fits perfectly with the Kalos theme.

Confirmed Mega Evolutions:

• Mega Charizard X & Y
• Mega Gardevoir
• Mega Lucario
• Mega Ampharos
• Mega Absol
• Mega Altaria
• Mega Kangaskhan
• Mega Gyarados
• Mega Sableye

Activation seems consistent with past games: Key Stone + Mega Stone.

When does Pokémon Legends: Z-A release?

The Pokémon Company is launching Pokémon Legends: Z-A in Late 2025 on the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

The game will be getting a simultaneous worldwide release, which has been the case for Pokémon games for a while now.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A FAQs

What is Pokémon Legends?

Pokémon Legends is a new-ish take on the Pokémon formula that was introduced to the world in 2022 with Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Legends: A-Z is the second game in the Legends series.

These are still RPGs which involve you capturing Pokémon, but they change up the basic formula. Legends: Arceus lets you roam around in open zones, and you could catch Pokémon just by throwing a Poké Ball at a wild ‘mon, rather than engage in battle. There was also more story and more traditional RPG side quests.

Legends: Z-A takes place in a single city rather than open-world environments, and focuses on an “Urban Redevelopment Plan” You’ll be catching ‘mons inside Zones within the city, and likely helping out with Lumiose’s redevelopment plan.

Why is it called Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

We have a few different theories, but going by the latest trailer at the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, we have a feeling the Z-A name is in part inspired by the Z-A Royale Tournament.

The aim of this tournament is to reach the top of the ranks — you start at rank Z, and are aiming to get all the way to rank A. See what they did there?

It’s also a reference to other parts of Kalos lore from X & Y. Z is the first letter of the name of the “third” legendary Pokémon in Kalos, Zygarde. The colour scheme on the letters, plus the hexagonal scales on the Z, means that Zygarde will likely be a key Pokémon in the story.

Another idea is that long, long ago, a rumoured third X & Y game was supposed to be called Pokémon Z. This could be a call-back to that — a new take on a “third” game. Just many years down the line.

Lastly, remember the character AZ? He was a key figure in Pokémon X & Y who created the ultimate weapon that was at the centre of the story of Gen VI. He created this to revive his beloved partner Pokémon, Floette, but out of grief, he used it as a weapon of destruction.

Well, he’s back in Z-A, and he’s the owner of the hotel that you’ll be staying at. Surely he’ll be extremely relevant…

Is Pokémon Legends: Z-A releasing on Switch 2?

Yep, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is getting its own Nintendo Switch 2 Edition alongside the standard Nintendo Switch version.

What that means is that technically, Z-A is a Switch game, but if you have a Switch 2, you’ll be able to purchase an enhanced version of the game which will come with better visuals, stability, and frame rate — and other things that likely haven’t been confirmed. You can either buy the Switch 2 version physically or digitally, or buy the Switch 1 version and then pay for the upgrade pack separately.

Take a look at our guide on what exactly Nintendo Switch 2 Edition means.