Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Julia12 OCTOBER 2025

Content

What’s new in Pokémon Legends: Z-A?
Pokémon Battle Royale and real-time battles
Mega Evolutions
Order Pokémon Legends: Z-A at MediaMarkt

3 years ago, developer Game Freak surprised everyone with Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a Pokémon game with new gameplay elements. In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you return to a larger version of Lumiose City – aka Poké-Paris – packed with battles and wild Pokémon. The game launches on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 and offers 4K visuals and higher frame rates. Here’s everything you need to know about Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

What’s new in Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

City centre by day, main character stands among people, Pokémon and modern buildings, a tall tower is in the background.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A offers a completely different experience to most Pokémon games. Instead of exploring natural areas to catch Pokémon, Legends: Z-A is set mainly in a large city inspired by Paris: Lumiose City. You’ll explore dark alleyways, traverse rooftops, and even the sewers aren’t off-limits. It gives you the feel of an open-world game like Assassin’s Creed Shadows or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. All battles are in real time, just like some boss battles in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. You can also customise your look extensively: in Pokémon-Paris you can shop to your heart’s content in countless clothing stores and choose from various hairstyles. Had enough of shopping? Take a break with your Pokémon in a café or snap a few photos.

Pokémon Battle Royale and real-time battles

Player faces a luminous green gate with Pokémon shapes and the number “1”, set in an urban environment, sunny atmosphere.

During the day, you’re free to explore the city and you can catch Pokémon in special wild zones. You catch Pokémon by throwing a Poké Ball, but there’s a chance they’ll fight back. At night, you can even be attacked by Pokémon. And that’s not all: the night revolves around the Z-A Royale tournament. Your goal is to defeat as many trainers as possible, complete special missions, and climb from rank Z to A.

Rooftop battle, Chikorita fights Flaaffy. Player's interface displays health bars and attack info, with the city in the background.

Battles in Pokémon Legends: Z-A are no longer turn-based, but real-time. You must react immediately to what your opponent does and make smart use of moves. In addition to attacking, you can dodge and Mega Evolve. There are cooldowns to manage, and you’ll need to ensure you and your Pokémon take as little damage as possible, so play tactically! You can also battle online in 4-player matches where it’s every player for themselves. In the competitive mode, you’ll earn rewards such as Mega Stones. Note that you’ll need Nintendo Switch Online for this.

Mega Evolutions

Mega Ampharos stands on a paved path near a stone wall, its white mane flowing with red orbs, glowing in the sunlight.

In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the Terastal feature played an important role in battles, crystallising your Pokémon and giving you a boost. A key feature in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is that Pokémon can Mega Evolve. Thanks to Mega Stones, Pokémon can temporarily take on a different, stronger form. This gives a significant advantage in battle. Various Pokémon are also getting new forms, such as Dragonite, Greninja, and Victreebel.

Order Pokémon Legends: Z-A at MediaMarkt

Close-up of the trainer performing an action, surrounded by magical coloured beams of light, with a determined expression.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A was released on October 16, 2025. The game is released to the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. Do you have a Nintendo Switch but plan to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 in the future? Then you can upgrade Pokémon Legends: Z-A to the Switch 2.