Pokémon Legends returns with an unexpected and risky proposal: Pokémon Legends ZA .
This new installment not only abandons the historical setting of Arceus , but throws us directly into a completely redesigned, futuristic-style Luminalia City. But a fundamental question arises here: does this game take us to the future or reveal a more technologically advanced alternate past?
A return to Kalos, a parallel universe, or a leap into the future?
The initial trailer made it clear that Legends ZA is set in Lumiose City, known for being the heart of Kalos in Pokémon X/Y . However, this time the city seems to be undergoing a profound, almost cyberpunk transformation.
Unlike Arceus Legends , which took us back to Sinnoh's ancient past (Hisui), the aesthetic here takes us back to digital structures, wireframes, and smart urban environments; although it's still unknown whether this will be a future or a parallel world.
When is Pokémon Legends ZA released?
Although Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have confirmed the official release date on October 16, 2025 on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2
Additionally, a special event in collaboration with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) has been announced in Mexico City on September 25, 2025, as part of the game's promotion.
New gameplay and combat systems
Pokémon Legends ZA introduces real-time battles, abandoning the traditional turn-based system. Trainers now move around the stage while giving active commands to their Pokémon.
Type advantages remain, but factors such as attack charge time, area of effect, and positioning have been added, bringing more strategy and dynamism to each confrontation.
Mega Evolutions back
Another aspect that excites veterans is the confirmation of the return of Mega Evolutions, a system introduced in Pokémon X and Y , absent in several recent installments.
This return connects directly with the Kalos legacy, but is expected to be integrated with new conditions adapted to combat.
Leaks suggest that some Mega Evolutions may have been redesigned or given variants, which for many reinforces the idea that we are in a future version of Kalos.
A development almost completed
Game director Haruka Togichi confirmed during the 2024 Famitsu Dengeki Awards that Pokémon Legends ZA was in its final stages of development, with only minor details left to be polished.
He also highlighted that the team had worked hard to deliver a distinct urban experience unlike Arceus Legends, focusing on exploration and gameplay within an urban environment.
In this new installment, the urban environment will play a key role in both exploration and gameplay.
Features such as security patrols, restricted areas, and mechanics that respond to the dynamism of a large technological city are expected.
A more mature Pokémon?
Another surprise has been the change in the game's age rating. While it remains recommended for ages 7 and up in Europe, in the United States it's considered unsuitable for children under 10. The reason: "fantasy violence," more intense than in previous releases.
This could suggest more raw or tense scenes, with more complex conflicts or even direct confrontations between Pokémon and humans.
A necessary evolution
Pokémon Legends ZA represents a turning point.
Combining the return of Mega Evolutions, a completely revamped combat system, and a more mature narrative, it becomes one of the most anticipated titles in the franchise.
Kalos returns like never before, and with it, gives us an opportunity to open up new narrative and gameplay horizons.
Get ready, Trainers. The future—or perhaps an untold past—awaits you in Pokémon Legends ZA .
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