Last month, during the Pokemon Day presentation, we finally got a new look at Pokemon Legends Z-A. In many ways, it was the “first look” at the game because it had been “in hiding” for about a year, and The Pokemon Company was fine with keeping it under wraps until then. The catch, no pun intended, was that the trailer was rather divisive amongst the fanbase. It didn’t really reveal too much that would get fans excited, and thus, they wanted more. Thankfully, during today’s Nintendo Direct, they did reveal new information via a new trailer, and it’s definitely something to talk about.
For example, we got to see a map of the new version of Lumiose City, highlighting just how big the place has gotten and how much there will be to do there. They reaffirmed the notion of the “wild zones” where you can go in and catch Pokemon, including being able to capture them without battling them, just like in the previous entry in this spinoff series.
However, the big reveal for the Pokemon Legends Z-A trailer was that of the “Z-A Royale!” In this twist on the battle style from past games, Lumiose City will have a vibrant nightlife of battles. You’ll go into “battle zones” and find other trainers to combat. If you lock eyes with a trainer, you’re locked into a battle. But you can get the upper hand by sneaking up behind them and landing the first blow!
Every trainer in the competition will start out with the rank “Z,” and then, as they win battles, they’ll slowly make their way to Rank “A!” This gives new meaning to the game’s name, and we still don’t have any true information on Zygarde yet!
One thing to note is a tease at the end of the Z-A Royale section, where the top trainer in the tournament will apparently get a wish granted for them. Undoubtedly, that wish will be a key part of the game’s story. Only time will tell how exactly it’ll play out, though.
Regardless, this does give new life to the game in a unique way. The day/night system isn’t new to the franchise, but using it in this way will encourage players to use both parts of the day to their advantage! Plus, there are likely a few more twists in how the tournament will work, how much of the city you can explore, and the various “parties” that might try to trip you up.
You can watch the new trailer below.
