Pokémon Legends: Z-A made its hands-on debut during the Pokémon World Championships 2025, giving players a 20-minute glimpse into the highly anticipated title. The demo revealed several new gameplay features, core mechanics, and Mega Evolution details that set the stage for the October 16 release.
Mega Evolutions Return in a New Way
One of the biggest highlights of the demo was the return of Mega Evolutions, now reworked with new mechanics. Players must fill a meter by collecting Mega Orbs dropped by Rogue Pokémon during battle. Once full, trainers can Mega Evolve their Pokémon for one minute of boosted power, which can be extended by gathering additional orbs. Unlike past games, Mega Evolution in Pokémon Legends: Z-A can be triggered multiple times in a single encounter. Defeating a Rogue Mega Pokémon rewards players with a corresponding Mega Stone.
Notably, only Mega-Evolved Pokémon were able to deal meaningful damage to Rogues, raising the stakes of when and how trainers choose to Mega Evolve.
Lumiose City Exploration and Map Design
According to Anthony Taormina of Game Rant, Lumiose City’s map is divided into 10 different sections, with at least 6 Wild Areas and 9 Pokémon Centers spread across the city. Caught Pokémon appear on the map when hovering over their Wild Area, giving trainers a convenient way to track encounters.
Environmental obstacles, such as rock mounds, suggest that moves like Rock Smash or other traversal abilities may be required to unlock new areas.
Streamlined Menus and Core Changes
The in-game menu revealed a number of notable adjustments:
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Pokémon do not appear to have Abilities in Z-A.
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Natures and Held Items remain a core part of team building.
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TM Moves and relearned moves can now be managed in one place.
These changes confirm earlier Pokémon Legends: Z-A leaks, suggesting the series is moving toward a streamlined yet strategic approach to team customization.
Real-Time Combat Enhancements
Combat in the demo introduced major changes:
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Moves now run on individual cooldown timers, with stronger attacks taking longer to recharge.
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Switching Pokémon mid-battle is instant, encouraging fluid strategies.
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Bag items can be used in battle by pausing the game, though this introduces a 10-second cooldown before another item can be accessed.
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Sneak attacks provide a “First Strike” damage bonus.
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Stat changes are displayed clearly under the health gauge with up or down arrows.
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Shared Experience ensures the entire party gains XP, though the Pokémon landing the final hit earns double.
Expectations Ahead of Launch
With the success of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, expectations are high for this next installment. The reveal of Mega Dragonite, along with the deeper mechanics and expanded Lumiose City exploration, has only fueled anticipation.
The Pokémon Legends: Z-A demo makes it clear that Game Freak is aiming to evolve the formula with real-time mechanics, strategic Mega Evolutions, and a more immersive city-based adventure. Fans won’t have long to wait—the game officially launches October 16, 2025, on Nintendo Switch and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.