Pokémon Legends: Z-A launches exclusively on Switch 1 and 2

Pokémon Legends: Z-A officially launched for Nintendo Switch 1 and 2 on Oct. 16. Prior to the release, the game was fully leaked online, resulting in various spoilers circulating the internet early. The game costs $59.99 for the Switch 1 Edition, and an additional $10 for the Switch 2 Edition. As of writing, the reviews for the game vary depending on various media outlets. 

Nintendo Life gave the newest Pokémon title a 7/10, while on Metacritic, critics ranked the game the second-best Pokémon game of the Nintendo Switch era, just behind Legends: Arceus. It currently has a 79 out of 100 on Metacritic, with 55 critics having provided input. It is worth noting that the Nintendo Life review of the game is for the Switch 2 Edition.

One of the criticisms the game has received is its restrictive map. According to Nintendo Life, the game is condensed to a single location in Lumiose City, a location that ultimately feels restrictive and limits the sense of discovery and magic that was prevalent in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. 

“Lumiose has a few lovely sights here and there, but on the whole, Legends: Z-A appears lifeless,” Nintendo Life’s reviewer Alana Hagues wrote, explaining that though the performance is consistent, the lifeless environments leave much to be desired. One such example is a window with flat textures, which has become a focal point for gamers criticizing the game’s graphics. 

In Scarlet and Violet, the windows and balconies were textured and modeled, but in Legends: Z-A, the windows appear like stickers on the building, with flowers portrayed as flat, thin images.

Gamefreak’s plans up to 2030 were supposedly leaked, with information regarding Generation 10 having been revealed. Generation 10 is referred to as Project Gaia, with social media accounts claiming there will be a Wind and Wave version. The title is supposedly scheduled for 2026 with DLC plans for 2027, and is currently referred to as Project Gaia.