Pokemon Legends: Z-A is finally here and folks are excited about the series’ big debut on the Nintendo Switch 2. However, among the diehards, there is a general feeling that’s sprung up around this latest Pokemon release. In short: Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a throwback effort in every way that matters. And, that might be a little jarring for the people who played the last Nintendo Switch mainline Pokemon release, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. How you approach this Switch 2 game is largely going to reflect how you feel about “modern Pokemon” and some folks weren’t expecting that.
Thinking back to the reveal of Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it felt like a big mystery box for the Nintendo Switch 2. Folks will remember that we barely had any information about the console at that point and Game Freak keeps things notoriously close to the vest with new releases. But, once there was more information, the picture became clear: We’re headed back to Pokemon X & Y! Now, it’s been a while since 2013, and that Nintendo 3DS game was a fan-favorite because of the improved graphics and the addition of Mega Evolutions.
Nintendo’s sixth generation of Pokemon games pushed the boat out on some impressive gimmicks based on the 3DS hardware and the series’ long-held battle mechanics. The result, one of the most fondly-remembered releases on that console. (The 3DS had some absolute belters, and now carries even more nostalgia as it’s clear the distance between “handheld console” and “home console” has narrowed a ton in the years since.) But, that nostalgia carries a cost as well. While retro players might enjoy the look backward, some new players might not be so psyched.
The benefits of going “Retro”
Having Mega Evolutions back in such a big way is pretty sick. No two ways about it! Pokemon is at its best when the new releases try to find a way to surprise players. Sometimes that’s a secret map you don’t learn about until the game releases, and other times its a massive version of your favorite Pokemon that’s ungodly powerful. It’s a gas to see a whopping 76 creatures from throughout the franchise get the super size treatment. Game Freak also managed to sneak in some modern game mechanics with the new “Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokemon” too.
Having battle raids isn’t new, not even for the Pokemon series more broadly, but it is fun to have. And, if you’ve visited some of the other regions on offer in this franchise, it feels comforting. Pokemon Legends: Z-A integrates more of the series past than it’s spiritual predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus, ever did. Familiar trappings, fan-favorite starting Pokemon from the word go, and the anime-influenced story all do a ton to make veteran players feel at home.
But, could this bit of an olive branch to invite some aging fans into the future actually alienate some new players. Years ago, the original Nintendo Switch launched with one of the best titles in recent memory, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That adventure game had almost the opposite effect, where a bunch of new fans absolutely adored the modern take on Hyrule. Meanwhile, seasoned Heroes of Time wondered if this could even be classified as a Zelda game anymore?
Pokemon’s future seems split
All of this might not end up even mattering in the end. Pokemon, as a cultural institution, isn’t going anywhere. When Pokemon Scarlet & Violet released on the Nintendo Switch, the launch was plagued by an ocean of glitches, technical problems, and a bare-bones world. Not a lick of it mattered as Scarlet & Violet became the second-best selling games in the series’ history.
Young people who love Pokemon rarely care about what shape it comes with. But, for older players, this idea that the series isn’t keeping up with the times is hard to shake. Honestly, surveying the rest of the gaming landscape, it’s fair to question if that’s even a route that Game Freak, The Pokemon Company, and Nintendo should even want to take.
Unfortunately, Pokemon Legends: Z-A seems poised to make the gap between traditional Pokemon fans and the newcomers wider. We haven’t even approached people that prefer the 2D-based grid systems that the old games made their signature. Every modern franchise, be it film, gaming, or books, struggles against the weight of past installments. It’s just kind of interesting that Pokemon Legends: Z-A might have unintentionally looked a bit too far backward for modern fans. Time will tell if that ends up being the case.
(Photo Credit: Nintendo)
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