Customer Ratings & Reviews

It’s a different type of game as battles are real-time now instead of turn based. I personally prefer turn based as real-time takes some of the strategy out and makes battles go by fast but it is a good change of pace for a spinoff. Very nostalgic to visit Luminose city again in the game. The gameplay loop of battles and capturing is fun and now wild Pokemon can also attack the trainer which added another layer to worry about which is always welcome since these games are so easy. Frame rate is stable on Switch 2 and I feel like your enjoyment will be much better if you played X and Y as storylines and characters from those games carry over with a 5 year time jump into this game. It’s fun to see what has changed in this world since X and Y. The online battles are fun and are more of a free for all this time around rather than a one on one where 4 players roam the battlefield and try to take out as many players within the time limit. Not as much strategy involved as traditional battles but it’s a spinoff and trying something different. Now for the cons. The graphics are mediocre. I think Pokemon could use a graphics overhaul or at least an art style change as it’s always been pretty bland in the 3D era. At least the characters are getting more expressive compared to previous games but can still use some work. No voice acting which is weird when similar games like Fire Emblem have it. The game also plays the same exact animation and you can’t skip it when it switches from day to night or night to day which gets annoying. The game is also pretty easy but that’s been a thing since like Gen 5 so it’s probably never gonna change anymore. It also reminds me a lot of Halo Infinite in a bad way because both games have an open world but are very repetitive in their environments. At least they let you explore the rooftops here but you’re just in one repetitive area for the whole game which can get old considering Pokemon games are known for exploring entire regions. The online as mentioned before is different but does get repetitive at higher ranks as everyone uses the same Pokemon like Garchomp, Metagross, and the legendaries. Overall I got what I wanted which was a fun Pokemon story with new and different gameplay mechanics. I’ll only take a star off for the cons.

Finally, a Pokémon game that runs smoothly and without major technical issues. But is it fun to play? There are some nice gameplay improvements, ditching the traditional turn-based combat in favor of a more dynamic system. It feels closer to an MMORPG where you select a skill, target an enemy, and wait for cooldowns. It can be fun, letting you rush around collecting items, fighting wild Pokémon, and quickly moving on to the next activity, but it does get repetitive at times. Lumiose City is a densely packed area full of NPCs and Pokémon, with no more roaming adventures across the world. I don’t necessarily mind that, but it starts to feel old quickly. Many buildings are basically flat textures with only small differences, and overall the visuals seem constrained by the aging Switch hardware. The developers clearly had to compromise. You can cross the map in just a couple of minutes. There’s verticality, like jumping onto rooftops, but it doesn’t add much variety. Indoor areas look much nicer by comparison, but there are only a few, and many visible doors aren’t accessible at all (the NPCs you need are just standing outside). That feels very underwhelming compared to older entries in the series. The animations are excellent, characters look great, and the cutscenes have action. But it all falls flat when no character has any voice acting, not even a little. It’s very disappointing. Pokémon Z-A’s main strengths are its dynamic combat and more fluid gameplay. That might satisfy longtime Pokémon fans, but for newcomers this feels like a very “kiddy” game. The first few hours are slow and overly hand-holdy, as if you’ve never played a game before. I found the most fun came from looping around the city, battling Pokémon nonstop, but with a constrained map and shallow character interactions, it’s hard to recommend to anyone who isn’t already a fan. Yes, it’s better than Scarlet/Violet, but that was a low bar to clear.

It’s a gem of a game. I thought about buying this game for a long time, the reviews stirred me away from buying it but I’m having so much fun. Battle system is amazing, fun and engaging, story so far it’s great, and the smooth 60 frames in switch 2 really makes this game worth it. I’m playing this in switch 2, not sure about performance in switch 1. Loading screens are quick and transitions are smooth. The picture mode is so addicting as well. I’ve probably spent 1/3 of the game in picture mode, it’s that good! I feel like the main cons from the game is the lack of voice acting, a story like this would greatly benefit from it as there are many action and funny moments. For a pokemon game, it’s very innovative and a nice addition.

Veteran of the Pokémon games since gen 2. I always like the newest games despite their flaws, however, here are the quick pros and cons for you to weigh yourself. Pros: -Game runs great (on Switch 2); enhanced frame rates and updated Pokémon and character models makes the game look slick. While the buildings don't look great, the wild areas and other parts of the game do. -The new real-time battles are engaging and easy to pick up on -Unlike the game's originals, ZA actually grants you access to a good amount of Mega Evolution Pokémon before post game. You don't have to wait till you've already beaten the game to use a good amount of them. -Despite gripes of the city being "empty" there is actually a lot to do; catch them all, collect special screws (get these, they're important for upgrades), do detective work with Emma, complete side quests from NPCs for items and TMs, explore rooftops. -Characters are pretty likeable and the story is surprisingly fast-paced (once you get past the boring "tutorial phase"; more on this below) -Your Pokémon level up faster in this game than ever before it feels like. Battle Zones are fun and relatively forgiving (just keep fighting trainers until you reach the point requirement; losing isn't a big deal). Money comes easy if you need it -Game has a surprisingly big selection of new mega evolutions to try out (though whether the new designs are "good" is based on opinion) Cons: -Yes, the game only takes place in one big city. The walls do all look the same, and there is a lot of "dead space" between sections. -While there's a good selection of new Megas, the game is still lacking brand new Pokémon or regional variants. This means that you won't get that same novel experience of discovering 80+ new Pokémon like you would in a new core installment like Scarlet/Violet -The "tutorial phase" in the beginning of the game is boring and slow. You're always getting interrupted by character dialogue and you can't explore anything for the first hour+ of gameplay. -There's just one major song that plays throughout the entire city for the whole game. It might get repetitive and comes off as lazy considering Pokémon games are known for their expansive, great soundtracks. The music (when we do hear new tunes) is still good, but lacks variety. -[Worst part about the game]You can't trade mega stones to other people, so you're essentially forced to buy DLC and grind online battles (not free) if you want mega Raichu and the mega evolved Kalos starters respectively, which is definitely a bad move. I'm disappointed in these decisions more than anything else. -While some old characters (won't say who) do make a return with new designs, they could have definitely added more. Not seeing characters that everyone guessed we would have seen feels lazy; like they just couldn't be bothered to redesign them. -DLC being released Day 1 is bad. DLC should specifically be content that follows the guidelines of: "This content could only be made post-game launch, and it costs money only to recoup development costs", not "This content was ready on launch and could have been in the base game, but we want to charge more money for it".

Pokemon Legends: Arceus was one of my favorite games of all time, so my hype was pretty high for Pokemon Legends: ZA. The game delivers nearly perfectly on all fronts and is an overall great experience. Despite being entirely set in Lumiose City (seriously, you can’t leave the city) the development team clearly put a lot of time and effort into building variety into the world and made it fun and exciting to traverse. While there are “wild zones” where the wild Pokémon are concentrated, there are still plenty of wild Pokemon to encounter around the city as a whole. The game takes full advantage of the fact that it’s set in a city as well, namely by utilizing the verticality of the buildings as part of the exploration. The revamped real-time battle system is a ton of fun and makes you think a bit harder than you might expect. The story is a bit lacking, in my opinion. While it wasn’t bad by any means. In fact, I enjoyed most of it. It just didn’t have that final punch to it that I was hoping for. Despite that, the gameplay is solid and captivating and has kept me coming back over and over. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Pokemon or used to love Pokemon and thinks that a shakeup of the formula could help make them interested again. Plus, I pre-ordered it so it came with this incredible desk mat that I absolutely love.

Pokémon ZNA is an engaging fan-made entry that blends classic Pokémon gameplay with fresh mechanics and story elements. It expands on the traditional formula with creative regional forms, challenging battles, and a plot that keeps you invested from start to finish. The pacing balances exploration and progression well, and the soundtrack adds a nostalgic yet exciting atmosphere. While some sprite work and dialogue could use polish, the game overall captures the spirit of official titles while offering something new for longtime fans.

Was a really fun game to play, though there are a few things I think need work. More time and people need to be put towards these games for sure, stuff like voice acting and more time for debugging and texture improvements would be nice. Watching cutscenes with no voice acting, and not seeing who's talking at times is rough. As for the game itself, I enjoyed traveling around the city and having the real-time battle mechanics were great. While it was fun, it can definitely me improved and I look forward to what they'll do with it, although I do still hope this doesn't fully replace turn-based combat.

Despite the graphics being a bit outdated on the enviormental side, gameplay wise the legends series is the best pokemon has been in years. I do miss the open ended catching mechanics and researching from legends arceus that being said, the combat is amazing. The megas are fantastic. The pokemon is what makes this game amazing just like every other pokemon game. The story feels more mature (not as mature as arceus but still a step in the right direction) Not a perfect 5 but 4 stars is still a 8 and a half out of 10. Must play for any pokemon fan. ZA feels like an entry level shonen anime. Fun to digest and enjoy but you dont watch for the story you watch for the characters and amazing battle scenes.

If you played Arceus like me, then in the beginning it might seem like a step backwards, but long tutorial aside, the game is addicting and fun in a new way. It’s difficult at first to adapt to battles, but you’ll get the hang of it fairly quick. There’s always the danger of being snuck up on in a battle zone, and catching alphas is more exciting when you run the risk of getting pummeled by multiple mons at once. I heard people complaining about how this game might be ‘too easy’ since you can still catch mons for a few seconds once they’re knocked out, but honestly, unless they’re super low level commons, it’s a 50-50 chance, sometimes less. Having only one city might seem small to explore, but there are so many nooks and crannies in this world that 76 hours in, I haven’t gotten bored yet. One thing I do miss from Arceus is the space-time distortions, but it seems like, come December, we’ll be getting those as well. The clothes are fun too! Fashionable and modern. Lots of hairstyles to pick from too. Overall, it’s a great game. If you’re tired of the turn-base gameplay in every other Pokemon game, then this is awesome. The fights are way more realistic this way, and mega-evolutions are so cool! I can see myself putting in another 200 hours on this game. It’ll definitely keep me entertained for the next couple months. I’m holding back a star because of 3 things; One, I really think the DLC should’ve just been part of the base game instead of a whole extra 30 bucks. We had time distortions in Arceus, why isn’t it just part of ZA? Two, the ‘tutorial’ part of the game lasts WAY too long. I think there should be a setting for more experienced players who are familiar with Pokemon, but new to this particular game, to take. Three, is because we can’t ride mons anymore. Just running? I mean, maybe the dlc will prove me wrong, but why would you take such a cool mechanic away from the game?? Aside from all that, unless you absolutely MUST have turn-based gameplay, or you really love crafting your own Pokeballs/items like in Arceus, then I’d say it’s definitely worth your time!

Great game, interesting story, loved the new mega evolutions. Look past the graphics and you got a enjoyable game.

Fun gameplay loop, great characters, new Mega Evolutions are awesome. Game made me appreciate Pokemon X and Y more than I used to. I totally recommend. Also probably the best performing Pokemon game in the series for a long time at least, but I played on Switch 2 so I didn't experience any performance issues, but there might be on the Switch 1 version.

I’ve been playing Pokémon Legends: ZA, and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it! The new battle mechanics are a blast—they add a refreshing twist to the gameplay and keep even routine encounters exciting. While the game primarily takes place in a single city, it’s so expansive and full of secrets that it never feels small. There’s always something new to discover, and exploring it has been genuinely fun. I’ve seen some people online complain about the lack of voice acting, but personally, I don’t mind reading the dialogue at all. The storytelling still works, and I’ve been fully immersed in the experience. I’m not sure why that’s become such a big talking point, because for me, the game shines in all the ways that matter. Even after finishing the main missions, I’m still having fun exploring, battling, and completing side content. Pokémon Legends: ZA is an engaging and enjoyable adventure from start to finish, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone curious about diving in.

Probably one of the best installments in the pokemon series. Story is by far one of the best, characters are all good, I’d say it’s one of the top 3 soundtracks in the entire Pokemon franchise. The only thing really holding it back is lackluster graphics for a 2025 game and no voice acting, but that’s not really that much of an issue

I've been having a great time with this game. It runs well and has a lot of charm to it. The character dialgoue feels a lot more alive then in previous titles, as does the world around it. It pays a lot of respect - plot wise, to other games in the series and as a long time player: this game feels like a love letter to those who have stuck around since the inception of the prequel games (Pokemon X&Y) from a decade ago. Fans and new players alike will likely enjoy this game if they are even remotely interested in the series as it offers a pretty rewarding and personal gameplay loop with the ability to customize your player character through various shops and salons. My quick and honest takeaway is: If you're curious, you likely won'be disappointed - so long as you can manage the slightly higher price of entry.

Its DEFINITELY not the best, far from it, so far that you could touch the moon, high five Jupiter, and say "sup" to pluto, then have enough extra distance to go to paris. But it is a fun game, the battle mechanics are refreshing and the story isnt terrible for a pokemon game. Also i got to have my first real mega pokemon.

Super fun game! love the new take on the classic pokemon formula. I wish the game was longer, I feel like I beat the main storyline much more quickly than I did scarlet/violet. But gameplay was super fun, and performance on switch2 was snappy and responsive.

Very fun game, the new battle system is amazing and the story is great too. People complain about the flat building textures, which while present, are not noticeable at all during normal gameplay. My only real gripe is lack of voice acting

Legends: Z-A on the Switch 2 is everything longtime fans have been waiting for a perfect blend of nostalgia and innovation. From the moment you start, it feels like stepping back into the world of the original anime’s first episode Pokémon aren’t just passive creatures anymore; they react, chase, and even attack you in the wild, adding a thrilling edge to every encounter. The new battle mechanics bring a fresh layer of strategy while staying true to the series’ roots, making each fight feel both familiar and excitingly new. The enhanced visuals and smooth performance on the Switch 2 bring the world to life like never before. Whether you grew up with Ash and Pikachu like many of us did or you’re just starting your first Pokémon journey, Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a heartfelt and electrifying experience that rekindles that childhood spark with modern brilliance.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a fantastic addition to the series and feels like a bold step forward. The gameplay is engaging and fresh while still staying true to what makes Pokémon so enjoyable. Exploring the world is immersive, the visuals run smoothly on the Switch 2, and the new mechanics add depth without feeling overwhelming. It’s clear a lot of care went into this title, and it’s been a joy to play from start to finish. A must-have for Pokémon fans and a great showcase for the Switch 2.

Honestly a really fun game. I hear the complaints of a lot of people and, tbh they’re kind of ruining it for themselves. Like, do you really care of building facades aren’t super textured? Is it going to ruin your gameplay? Yeah this company has a lot of money, but I’m pretty sure their focus was on making a game fun with memorable experiences. There are plenty of high graphics games that suck, and plenty of low graphics ones that are all time greats. It’s a good, fun game with a colorful cast of characters. And this is what I wanted Pokémon games to be way back when I first started watching the original series decades ago. I had a great time