Pokémon Legends: Z-A is shaping up as a bold pivot for the series, offering a fast-paced, real-time combat system set against a more urban, city-like backdrop. A brief hands-on preview conducted behind closed doors at this year’s Pokémon Worlds event showcased Switch 2 performance and provided a first look at how combat and exploration may evolve in the next installment.
In the preview, players control the trainer directly in battle, able to sprint and dodge as encounters unfold in real time. A move list is brought up by holding a shoulder button, allowing players to chain attacks with each move’s own wind-up and cooldown. While you can’t fully control your active Pokémon’s movement, they will follow you around the battlefield, and timing hits and dodges becomes crucial to preserving your Pokémon’s HP. The experience tilts toward quick decision-making and strategic use of abilities rather than slow, turn-based input.
The demo was split into two sections. The first placed players in a back-alley Battle Zone where stealth could give a decisive edge: sneaking up on trainers to strike first and trigger the opening advantage. This continues the stealth concepts hinted at in Legends: Arceus, expanding them into the action-focused battle flow. The session demonstrated the tension between speed, positioning, and attack timing as battles flowed in real time.
The second section featured a chase sequence with Zygarde in its canine form, culminating on rooftops where a wild Absol—capable of Mega Evolution—entered the scene. A neighboring Lucario joined the trainer and helped unlock Mega Evolution, teaching the player how to trigger it during combat. Mega Power pellets play a key role: dealing damage fills the Mega meter, and once activated, a tap of the right stick transforms the active Pokémon into its Mega-powered form. However, the encounter wasn’t a guaranteed walk, as the Absol’s projectiles and the wind-up on attacks kept the fight tense, underscoring that item use is governed by a cooldown system.
The Absol battle served as a tutorial for Mega Evolution, and players were pressed to balance offense with dodges and timing rather than relying on potions. The preview noted a cooldown on items, preventing the player from spamming healing or boosts and adding a layer of resource management to battles.
Visually, the Switch 2 version presented a noticeable step up from Legends: Arceus, with smoother performance at 60 frames per second and improved textures. Yet the setting—a dense, concrete jungle—diverged from the open vistas and sunrise-driven landscapes of Arceus, sparking some early questions about how the environment will feel over extended play. A touch of pop-in was observed during the rooftop chase, though overall performance remained steady in the session.
The design choice to lean into a city-centered environment marks a clear shift for the series. While the broader open-world cues of Arceus offered a tranquil exploration rhythm, Legends: Z-A aims to deliver a more kinetic, arcade-like experience. It may take time for players to decide whether the new urban aesthetic and real-time combat reinforce or dilute the Pokémon feel they love, but early hands-on impressions suggest a compelling path forward for those seeking a faster, more action-oriented experience.
A tease at the end points to potential future features, including a Dragonite Mega Evolution in action, which would further diversify the Mega mechanic within this new combat framework.
Travel costs for this trip were provided by Nintendo.
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