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Pokémon Legends Z-A Game's Trailer Reveals Late 2025 Launch, Real-Time Battles

The Pokémon Presents stream on Thursday unveiled a new trailer for the Pokémon Legends Z-A game, and it reveals that the game will launch in late 2025. The video previews the starter Pokémon, Wild Zones, real-time battles, characters, and world (footage starts at about 13:39 in video below):

The game takes place in Lumiose City, located in the Kalos region from the Pokémon X/Y games for Nintendo 3DS. The city is going through an urban development plan, "a vision of beautiful coexistence between people and Pokémon."

There are Wild Zones throughout Lumiose where wild Pokémon live. Catching Pokémon works similarly to Pokémon Legends: Arceus game, and players throw Pokéballs at Pokémon in the field to capture them. However, unlike the previous Legends game, battles play out in real-time. Pokémon can move to avoid attacks and reposition themselves during battles. Different moves have varying reach and area of effect. Mega Evolutions, a powerful temporary power-up for a fully-evolved Pokémon, return from Pokémon X/Y.

Starter Pokémon include Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile. The Tepig is from the fifth generation Pokémon Black/White, while the other two starters hail from the second generation Pokémon Gold/Silver.

Characters include the new ally Urbain/Taunie. AZ, from Pokémon X/Y, runs the player's hotel. Jett is the CEO of Quasartico Inc., which is in charge of the urban development. Her secretary is Vinnie.

The end of the video teases a "Promotion Match" announcement.

The colors in the "Z-A" portion of Pokémon Legends Z-A's logo match that of a legendary Pokémon from the series' sixth generation Zygarde. The 10% forme, resembling a canine, is featured in the game's second trailer. Similarly to how the previous Pokémon Legends: Arceus game featured the history of Pokémon Diamond/Pearl's Sinnoh region, Pokémon Legends Z-A explores the past of Pokémon X/Y's Kalos region.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus launched worldwide for Switch in January 2022. The game takes place in the Hisui region, the past version of the Sinnoh region from the Pokémon Diamond/Pearl games. Players join the Galaxy Expedition Team's Survey Corps in Jubilife Village to embark on survey outings and research Pokémon. Players can ride Pokémon and craft items, but are vulnerable to Pokémon attacks while out in the field. The game also features photography and trainer customization.

Pokémon X/Y shipped for Nintendo 3DS worldwide in October 2013. Unlike most mainline games in the series, Pokémon X/Y never got a third version or direct sequel.

The Pokémon Scarlet and Violet games launched on Switch worldwide in November 2022.

Source: Pokémon Presents stream