Since the firstPokémongame was released in 1996, the franchise has followed more or less the same formula. The series has evolved a new, more modern style, more intricate storylines, and more Pokémon, growing from the original 151 to over 1,000. Throughout this multi-decade journey, the games may have changed, but the main gameplay loop has remained the same: Collect gym badges until the ultimate showdown with the region’s best Pokémon trainers.
This tried-and-true formula was shaken up in 2022, when thePokémoncompany released the first entry in a new spinoff series,Pokémon Legends: Arceus. For the first time in the series' history,the game did not introduce a brand-new region or a full generation of new Pokémon.WithPokémon Legends: Z - Ascheduled to release in late 2025, it’s become clearer than ever what, exactly, aLegendsgame really is.
Pokémon Legends Starters And World Are From Previous Generations
There Are New Pokémon But Most Are From Previous Generations
Unlike previous Pokémon games, the worlds ofPokémon Legendsdon’t feature a brand-new region of the world for adventurers to explore. Instead,the games bring fans to locations they’d visited in previous titles of the mainland series. For instance,Pokémon Legends: Arceustakes place in the distant past of generation 4 from theDiamond & Pearlgames, in the region of Hisui that would eventually become Sinnoh.Pokémon Legends: Z - Atakes players to the future, instead, revisiting the city of Lumiose in the Kalos region ofX and Yat a particularly exciting time.
Pokémon Legends: Z - A’s Mega Evolutions Don’t Have To Be A Gimmick This Time
Every Pokemon game has its own battle gimmick, something that makes it unique. Here’s how Pokemon Legends: Z-A can shake up Kalos' old mechanic.
The three Pokémon players can choose from inLegendsgames are also not new Pokémon, instead dipping into previous generations. The starters inPokémon Legendstitles are acollection of starters from various previous mainPokémontitles.TheArceusstarters, for instance, were Oshawatt (Gen 5), Cyndaquil (Gen 2), and Rowlet (Gen 7), while the starters forZ - Awere revealed to be Chikorita (Gen 2), Tepig (Gen 5), and Totodile (Gen 2).
Finally, while there are ahandful of new Pokémon introducedin eachLegendsgame (Arceushad seven),the majority of new Pokémon are regional variations(there were 17 inArceus). FutureLegendsgames will presumably follow the same pattern, choosing starting Pokémon from previous games to act as starters, revisiting a past generation, and adding only a handful of new entries to the Pokédex.
Pokémon Legends Creates A Cozier Experience With Pokémon
The Two Legends Games Emphasize Humans And Pokémon Coexisting
The stories ofPokémongames are often grand and expansive, featuringconflicts against evil organizationsand worldwide repercussions.Pokémon Legendsgames tend tohave a more narrow scope, hyper-focusing on smaller sections of existing worldsto explore some more nuanced elements of the region.Z - A,for instance, will take place within the confines of a single city, according to the latest trailer, allowing the game to really focus on the smaller details.
BothLegendsgames explore society from the perspective of Pokémon and humans coexisting. InArceus,players get to see a time before humans and the creatures around them learned to trust one another and live together in harmony.Z - Alooks set to explore a similar theme of coexistence as the city creates a space that can accommodate both humanity and nature. Although that might just be true for the first two titles in the series, the relationship between Pokémon and people will likely be a running theme throughout theLegendstitles.
The Pokémon Legends Games Are More Experimental Than Mainline Titles
The Games Try New Things With Structure, Gameplay, And Even Time
When ThePokémon Company releases a new game, fans have some very specific expectations. This makes it difficult to change anything about the games, which can cause them to stagnate and lack fresh modern takes on the series.ThePokémon Legendsgames are a safe way for the company to experiment with new featuresthat it may want to use in future mainline games.
Every Pokémon Confirmed For Pokémon Legends Z-A (So Far)
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will be set in the Kalos region & is sure to have many of the familiar friends from the X & Y games. Here’s all confirmed so far.
For starters, there are no gym badges to gather inLegendsgames, which has been an integral part of the Pokémon experience since the first games. Some other elements that the games have tried that aren’t present in the main games yet, but might be someday:
Both games also play a lot with time, sending players into the past or future of the different generations. This may be something that futureLegendsgames continue to explore, showing fans the regions they’ve come to know and love from a whole new perspective.
Pokémon Legends: ArceusandPokémon Legends: Z - Apave the way for future generations ofPokémongames, trying new things and adding unique elements that might be incorporated into future mainline games. Maybe one day we’ll return to the very first region from the games that started it all, letting fans revisit the familiar and well-trodden routes of the Kanto region.
