Pokemon Legends: Z-A Preview: Real-time battles arrive in a modern-day Pokemon world
I spent two short hands-on sessions at the Anaheim Convention Center, days before it would flood with fans for the 2025 Pokemon World Championships, checking out Pokemon Legends: Z-A. The impressions come from a total of about 20 minutes of play, split into two 10-minute demos that offered a quick glimpse at how the new game builds on Arceus while moving the series into the present day.
Battle Zones and real-time combat
The first demo dropped me into a sprawling city and a new competitive arena area called the Battle Zone as part of the Z-A Royale, a ranking-style league. I started with a four-Pokemon party featuring familiar faces like Chikorita, Mareep, and Weedle and entered a field where battles begin immediately. Enemies chip away at HP in real time, so there’s no waiting for a pause menu to strategize. Locking onto an opponent with L2 helps target a foe, and each Pokemon’s moves map to the face buttons (A, B, X, Y) with individual cooldowns—creating a fast, arcade-like rhythm that blends the TMs-and-tactics of classic Pokemon with the pace of more action-oriented games. Swapping bench Pokemon is straightforward via the D-pad, and the battle environment still lets you catch opponents by acting quickly and choosing the right option at the right moment.
Healing on the fly is a new wrinkle: you can use potions and other items between or during battles, though real-time attacks won’t pause menus, so you have to manage healing while the action continues. The Battle Zone design appears aimed at teaching the basics of Z-A Royale, with defeated trainers dropping rank-improving tickets and prize medals for wins or losses. These zones run at night, and daytime brings prize money based on medals earned or discovered around the area.
Performance and visuals on Switch 2
The demo I played ran on the Switch 2 in docked mode, and the performance was solid with no noticeable frame-rate drops. The cel-shaded visuals didn’t push the hardware hard, but there did seem to be a modest graphical upgrade to environmental textures compared with earlier Switch titles. It’s important to note this was docked play, which unlocked 4K and higher frame-rate potential (60fps, or 120fps at a lower resolution). I didn’t get to test handheld performance, so handheld outcomes remain an unanswered question for now.
Mega Evolution boss battles and a new twist
The second 10-minute segment leaned into a flashier, story-driven boss encounter centered on Mega Evolution. Arceus introduced large, powerful Pokemon in the wild; Z-A pins Mega Evolution as a core feature in longer, tougher boss fights. The demo tracked a chase after a legendary Zygarde in its 10% form to a city rooftop, where an Absol radiates Mega Power and becomes Mega Absol during the encounter. An ally Lucario joins the fight, and the battle unfolds with a new mechanic: as you whittle Mega Absol down, it drops Mega Power orbs you can collect to fill the Mega Evolution meter. When enough energy is gathered, you can Mega-Evolve your partner Pokemon, in this case Lucario, to deal greater damage.
The arena emphasized dodging and managing move cooldowns, with some moves that deal damage and others, like Protect, offering defensive utility. Finishing the boss yielded an Absolite for Mega Evolution of Absol later on, reinforcing how Mega Evolution will be a recurring strategic thread in Z-A’s battles.
What this suggests about the game
– Real-time combat is here in earnest, built into a modern-day Pokemon world with on-the-go decision-making and quick tempo battles that blend field encounters with arena-style fights.
– The Battle Zone structure appears designed to push competitive play within the open world, hinting at PvP-like rhythm and progression tied to medals and tickets rather than pure capture-and-train loops.
– Mega Evolution is integrated into both story-driven boss encounters and strategic itemization (e.g., Absolite) that expands how players customize their teams mid-game.
– The Switch 2 performance in docked mode looks strong, suggesting better handling of the game’s visuals and pacing than some earlier generations, though handheld performance remains untested in this preview.
Release context and overall impression
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is positioned to answer questions about how a present-day Pokemon saga can evolve beyond Arceus’s wild, ancient setting. The early hands-on impressions suggest a confident shift toward faster, more responsive combat with meaningful boss encounters and a new layer of strategy around Mega Evolution. While a few questions remain—such as how expansive the open world will feel beyond these initial zones and how portable play holds up—the demo indicates a promising direction for the series.
A hopeful takeaway
If Z-A delivers on its potential, fans can expect a lively, action-forward Pokemon experience that respects the franchise’s core fundamentals while embracing more dynamic battle mechanics and a modern backdrop. The blend of real-time combat, strategic itemization, and flashy Mega Evolution boss fights could offer a fresh yet recognizable path forward for the series.
Summary
Pokemon Legends: Z-A offers real-time combat in a present-day Pokémon world, with Battle Zones that emphasize quick decision-making and a new competitive rhythm. The game showcases a Mega Evolution-centric boss encounter, introduces collectible Mega Power orbs, and demonstrates strong performance on the Switch 2 in docked mode. While handheld performance remains to be seen and many questions about the full open-world scope remain, the early hands-on experience paints a hopeful picture for a fresh, fast-paced take on Pokemon Legends: Z-A, releasing October 16.
Additional notes for editors
– If possible, consider adding a short sidebar explaining how Battle Zone mechanics differ from traditional routes and Gyms, to help readers who aren’t familiar with the hands-on preview.
– A brief spoiler-free section about what to expect in later regions or battle types could be added after more hands-on sessions are available.
– A callout box highlighting Switch 2 performance details (4K, 60fps, 120fps option) would be useful for readers weighing platform experiences.