Gaming Review | Pokémon Legends: Z-A

"For many veterans, it may well be the best Pokémon title in years..."

For this reviewer, this is the 10th Pokemom game that I've played and its certainly up there with the most enjoyable.

Author | Liam C

This game is definitely worth a play. Very enjoyable! youtu.be/6cbD1nPMJ8U?...

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— Super News Affiliate (@eurosuperfootball.bsky.social) 18 October 2025 at 08:37

Every new Pokémon game is someone’s first. The series continues to thrive on a steady stream of new, younger players, drawn in by fresh creatures, inventive mechanics and vibrant worlds. Ask fans of any generation, and they’ll insist that the games they grew up with remain unmatched.

For long-time players, however, it can feel as though the franchise has spent most of its 30-year history catering primarily to newcomers. That is why the arrival of the Legends spin-off series has been such a welcome development among the more dedicated fans.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A, the second entry in the series, is both a loving homage to Pokémon X & Y and a bold step forward. It experiments confidently with new systems, introduces characters destined to become fan favourites, and delivers a tightly constructed 30-hour adventure contained entirely within a single setting. For many veterans, it may well be the best Pokémon title in years.

The game unfolds entirely in Lumiose City, the Paris-inspired metropolis first seen in the 3DS era. Whereas the original games confined wild encounters to the countryside, this version reimagines the city as a living ecosystem, where humans and Pokémon coexist in dynamic “Wild Zones” developed by Quasartico Inc. Players arrive in this reimagined city and are swiftly pulled into a layered mystery surrounding the new Z-A Royale tournament and the return of Mega Evolution.

These pictures don't do the game justice...

Crucially, Pokémon Legends: Z-A offers a more mature story than the series has typically dared to tell, one that assumes its audience no longer needs hand-holding. It is also genuinely funny, with side quests that reveal flashes of wit and warmth. The wealth of optional content adds richness to the world, offering rare glimpses into what everyday life looks like when humans and Pokémon share the same city streets.

Summary 

The game finally manages to capture the sense of wonder that defined Ash and his friends’ early adventures as they arrived in new cities and watched people and Pokémon live side by side. If Pokémon Legends: Z-A establishes any lasting precedent for the series, the idea of wild Pokémon coexisting within towns should be near the top of the list.

As with any Pokémon title that takes bold creative risks, there are some missteps. While it runs smoothly at 60fps on the Nintendo Switch 2 and looks bright and well animated, it remains at heart a Switch-era game with an upgrade. Lumiose City, for all its charm and scale, often feels under-detailed, with repeated textures that suggest the world was scaled back to accommodate Nintendo’s older hardware, which is a shame for a game so ambitious.

Final words

After playing for around the game and given its faults, we'd give this game seven out of ten.

If there were any updates or even a slight price reduction, we'd probably be prepared to give it an eight. 

Ultimately, this is definitely worth your attention. Whether you're a veteran of the wider series or a complete newbie.