Pokémon Legends Z-A has me somewhat worried. There's the fact that Game Freak has prioritized mechanical innovation rather than improving upon the core formula it already had, a move seemingly inspired by a willingness to evolve the series in addition to perhaps a misguided fear that turn-based battles are a thing of the past. More importantly, Legends Z-A, by still running on the original Switch, feels as if it will be hampered by its hardware and lackluster in its ambition as a result.

However, while there's a lot that Pokémon Legends Z-A may do wrong, I also feel like there are a few features that have me intrigued. It is clear that a number of RPGs have inspired Legends Z-A, including everything from Xenoblade Chronicles to Final Fantasy. However, one feature feels inspired not by RPGs, but in fact a vastly different genre altogether. Nevertheless, while its inclusion seems a tad baffling at first, it may be the series' best innovation in a very long time.

Pokémon Legends Z-A's Many Changes Could Ruin It

Everything From Combat To Setting

It is undeniable that Pokémon Legends Z-A is the least Pokémon-feeling title in the entire series. While it certainly has all the typical trademark features, like the titular Pokémon themselves, a familiar location in the form of Lumiose City, and graphics that look like they belong in a past console generation, it lacks everything that makes up the series' core DNA, at least when it comes to its gameplay loop. Legends Z-A ditched turn-based battles in favor of real-time ones and has abandoned its one-region setting for a singular city.

Individually, these changes aren't the end of the world, especially when done within the Legends subseries. After all, it feels like it was designed to allow Game Freak to think a bit outside of the box and experiment with some truly out-there ideas, at least for the Pokémon franchise. However, when combined, it feels as if all of these changes have robbed the series of its core identity when what it needed more than anything was a strengthening of its existing one. Frankly, for even long-term fans, it feels like one should skip Legends Z-A.

Of course, it all remains to be seen just how these changes turn out. While I'm certainly an advocate for turn-based battles in general, and feel that the genre still deserves a chance, I can see how a Xenoblade Chronicles-style combat system would work for Pokémon and have even suggested it in the past. I also accept that not all of Pokémon Legends Z-A's ideas are bad, as there is even one that I feel like is a genuinely good addition that fixes a major Pokémon game issue that the series has suffered from for quite some time.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Battle Royale Mode Is Interesting

It Adds A Unique Feature To The Series

Pokémon Legends Z-A is introducing a battle royale mode. When it was first announced during a Nintendo Direct, I felt it was a strange addition, one chasing a trend that has seemingly long died out in a format that it doesn't work within. However, the more I've ruminated on it, the more I actually believe it is a fantastic idea and a genuine breath of fresh air for the series. The battle royale mechanic is Legends Z-A's way of introducing trainer battles to the game's single city location while also giving players something to look forward to when night strikes.

Essentially, the player starts at rank Z and must work their way to A. To do so, they need to complete challenges, such as beating an opponent in a certain way, and earn points for doing so. Once they've accrued enough points, they'll get to challenge the toughest trainer in their rank, and, if they win, will move up to the next one. It all sounds incredibly interesting, especially considering it massively improves Pokémon's lackluster NPCs by hopefully giving them more personality and, at the very least, making trainer battles more meaningful.

While it remains to be seen just how many of these battles you'll have to do - if you really have to do every rank, you'll need to do at least 26 trainer battles, not including the ones required to earn the requisite points - as I suspect you may skip a rank or two, it is still a novel addition that actually adds a lot of importance to combat beyond simply being a fun thing to do. Considering that battles will play a huge role in Pokémon Legends Z-A, I suspect the battle royale mode will serve as a tentpole feature of the entire experience, and I'm absolutely okay with that.

Legends Z-A's Battle Royale Mode Turns It Into An Anime

It Is Essentially Pokémon's Tournament Arc

While Legends Z-A's battle royale mode has proven to be somewhat controversial among fans, the aspect about it I am personally most looking forward to is how it ostensibly makes the game feel more akin to the anime than perhaps ever before. Adding a battle royale mode that more or less mimics the tournament arc trope from an abundance of anime, Pokémon included, is rather exciting and an ingenious way to bridge the gap between the two. I've always felt there's too much of a disconnect between the games and the anime, but I suspect this will finally remedy that.

Even beyond serving as a way of getting those who enjoy the games to check out the anime, I imagine that the various quirky NPCs and their signature Pokémon that you'll meet will serve as a more enjoyable narrative experience than even the main story. It gives Game Freak a chance to really stretch its creative writing muscles and introduce a suite of interesting and well-designed characters for us to become bitter rivals of and eventually defeat. We've had a few memorable characters recently, like Scarlet's gym leader Larry, so I have a feeling we're in for even more.

There is also every chance that this feels like a disappointing, tacked-on, grindfest that is more or less an excuse for Game Freak to add battles beyond Legends Z-A's nonsensical Wild Zones. I sincerely hope that isn't the case, especially as I feel like this could be a mechanic that should be carried over to future mainline titles, if handled correctly. While Game Freak does have a tendency to underdeliver on interesting ideas, I suspect that Pokémon Legends Z-A will, at the very least, offer an entertaining tournament arc-style battle royale mechanic.