Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Sofia9 OCTOBER 2025

Content

What is Pokémon Legends: Z-A?
Real-time battles and a Pokémon Battle Royale
Mega Evolutions return
Order Pokémon Legends: Z-A at MediaMarkt

Developer Game Freak surprised everyone 3 years ago with Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a game that gave the Pokémon series a new twist. With Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you return to Lumiose City – also known as Poké-Paris – but the city is larger, with battles and wild Pokémon around every corner. The game is available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, with 4K visuals and higher fps. Read all about Pokémon Legends: Z-A here.

What is Pokémon Legends: Z-A?

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

In Pokémon Legends: Z-A, you step into the shoes of a young Trainer arriving in Lumiose City, a vast metropolis inspired by Paris. Instead of climbing mountains and crossing oceans to catch every Pokémon, this time you’ll be sneaking through dark alleyways, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, and delving into the sewers. It almost evokes open-world games like GTA 5 or Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. For the first time, all battles are in real time, something which in predecessor Legends: Arceus only applied to a few boss battles. Between fights, you customise your character with a wide selection of hairstyles and clothing you can buy in stylish boutiques, because Pokémon-Paris is also a fashion capital.

Real-time battles and a Pokémon Battle Royale

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

You’re free to explore by day, but at night the Z-A Royale tournament kicks off: battle-royale-style fights across the entire city where it’s every Trainer for themselves. As a newcomer in the Z class, it’s up to you to defeat as many Trainers as possible each night, while also completing special missions such as catching a specific Pokémon and climb your way up to the A class.

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

For the first time, all battles take place in real time. You no longer take turns selecting moves; instead, you issue commands for your Pokémon to dodge, attack, or Mega Evolve on the spot. Not only your Pokémon, but you as the Trainer can take damage too, making battles extra tense. Spamming your strongest move won’t cut it anymore: this time there are cooldowns to consider. With Nintendo Switch Online, you can join 4-player battles where you and 3 other Trainers fight it out until only one remains. There’s also a competitive mode where you unlock rewards such as new Mega Stones.

Mega Evolutions return

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

Mega Evolutions make their big comeback to the Pokémon games. Whereas Pokémon Scarlet and Violet focused on the Terastal feature that crystallised your Pokémon and gave them a boost, Legends: Z-A brings back the classic Mega Evolution system fans have wanted for years. With the right Mega Stone, your Pokémon can temporarily transform into a stronger form during battles. Time your Mega Evolution right and you can quickly turn the fight to your advantage. Not only are the familiar Mega Evolutions returning, numerous Pokémon are getting a new form, including Victreebel, Dragonite and Greninja.

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 launched on 16 October 2025 for Nintendo Switch 2 and the original Nintendo Switch, and alongside Metroid Prime 4: Beyond it’s one of Nintendo’s biggest releases this autumn. Order the game now at MediaMarkt. Don’t have a Nintendo Switch 2 yet? Then order the Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle and play the new Pokémon game at a higher resolution and improved frame rates. You can also always upgrade the Switch edition of the game for the Switch 2 with an Upgrade Pack.