The long-awaited Pokemon Legends: Z-A is now available and, despite some of its glaring issues, it’s already widely regarded as one of the best Pokemon games of the 3D era. Players are absolutely mesmerized by its dynamic real-time combat, its over-the-top boss fights, its surprisingly solid story and writing, and its fascinating collection of brand-new Mega Evolutions.
Pros & Cons Of Buying Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Unsure if Pokemon Legends: Z-A is for you? Take a look at these pros and cons to help decide if picking up Game Freak's latest is right for you.
It’s safe to say that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is one of the best mainline Pokemon games ever made, but is it the absolute best one? It's very hard to give a concrete answer to that question, because this franchise is filled to the brim with multiple high-quality releases. Legends: Z-A is great, but the following five Pokemon games are superior in various areas.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
A More Consistent Experience With A Novel Premise
Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Released
- January 28, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the long-awaited second game in the brand-new Legends subseries and, as such, it wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Needless to say, these two video games share a lot of similarities, but Legends: Arceus is the better of the two. For starters, it actually has more than one explorable semi-open area (five, to be precise) that are brimming with style and variety, instead of being relegated to one location like Legends: Z-A.
On top of that, Legends: Arceus is a more consistently solid adventure that focuses on Pokemon catching and researching during a time in which people and Pokemon did not get along as well. It’s a creative and novel premise that felt incredibly groundbreaking for its time and led to an intriguing story with many memorable moments. Legends: Z-A may have more exciting Pokemon battles, but its predecessor has a better atmosphere, better mechanics, and better exploration. Nevertheless, these are two excellent games that every Pokemon fan should add to their collection.
Pokemon Sun And Moon
It Broke The Mold Many Years Before The Legends Games
Pokemon Sun and Moon
- Released
- November 18, 2016
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Pokemon X and Y were the first mainline games in the series to be in full 3D, but despite all of their positive qualities, they are also two of the weakest ones. That’s precisely why Pokemon Sun and Moon felt like such a breath of fresh air because, even though they were also exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS, they really felt like they were utilizing the console’s hardware to its fullest potential.
8 Ways Pokemon Legends: Z-A Will Shape The Future Of The Franchise
There are a lot of new mechanics in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and they suggest which direction the future of this iconic franchise is headed.
Legends: Z-A and Legends: Arceus are now being praised because they broke the Pokemon formula in clever ways, but Sun and Moon did it first, mainly thanks to the introduction of Totem Pokemon, Trial Captains, and Kahunas, all of which replaced classic Gym Leader matches. Additionally, the Alola region is unique and a real joy to explore. Regional Forms are a brilliant way of breathing new life into older Pokemon, Z-Moves are very fun to use, and the story – which revolves around alternate dimensions and Ultra Beasts – is surprisingly deep and emotional. Sun and Moon’s follow-up games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, are also quite good, but they’re way too similar to their predecessors to be placed among the best entries in the franchise.
Pokemon Black And White / Pokemon Black 2 And White 2
The First Games In The Series That Had Dark And Mature Narratives
Pokemon Black and White
- Released
- March 6, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone // Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Pokemon Black 2 and White 2
- Released
- June 23, 2012
When Pokemon fans are asked which the best mainline entries in the series are, there’s a very high probability that they’ll immediately mention either of the two Generation Five games. They certainly can’t be blamed because both Pokemon Black and White and their direct sequels, Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2, are absolutely amazing experiences and the perfect send-off for the franchise’s 2D era.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A has a compelling and surprisingly mature story, but all of that would never have been possible if it weren’t for Black and White, which featured a dark and complex narrative that was revolutionary for its time and laid the foundation for every game that came after it. Unova’s geography and culture are extremely refreshing, mainly because it's mostly based on New York, meaning it was the first Pokemon region that’s based on a place outside of Japan. On top of that, the battles are fast-paced and possess solid mechanics, the new Pokemon are among some of the best in the series, and both games are jam-packed with fun content, especially Black 2 and White 2, which saw the introduction of a huge fan-favorite: the Pokemon World Tournament.
Pokemon HeartGold And SoulSilver
Its Two Explorable Regions Add Some Variety To The Gameplay
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver
- Released
- March 14, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- JRPG
Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver are the only games that can compete with Black and White and their sequels for the title of best 2D entries in the series, and for very good reasons. If anything, these are undoubtedly the best remakes in the Pokemon franchise, as they took everything that made the original Gold and Silver so special and elevated all of it with better graphics, higher-quality music, deeper mechanics, and even more content.
Pokemon Legends Z-A: Things That Make No Sense About Lumiose City
Discover the absurdities of Lumiose City in Pokemon Legends Z-A, from a nonexistent government to forced coexistence with Pokemon.
As stunning as Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s depiction of Lumiose City is, the game is being fairly criticized for taking place entirely within one location. On the other hand, HeartGold and SoulSilver are highly regarded by many fans because they feature two explorable regions in one game, since, after beating all the Johto Gym Leaders and the Elite Four, players can travel to the Kanto region and face all of its respective Gym Leaders as well. HeartGold and SoulSilver are two very long games that are jam-packed with content, and yet, they never feel like they drag on for too long, which makes them two of the most addictive titles in the entire franchise, remake or otherwise.
Pokemon Emerald
This Third Version Game Is Full Of Powerful Trainers In Every Corner
Pokemon Emerald
- Released
- May 1, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- RPG
There are many great Third Version Pokemon games out there, like Crystal, Platinum or Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, but Pokemon Emerald is definitely the best and most popular one, mainly due to the fact that it's based on two titles that were already very good (Ruby and Sapphire), but has enough interesting additions that it feels like an entirely different experience. This game is twenty years old, and it still holds up very well, to the point that most fans agree it is superior to the Generation Six Hoenn remakes, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
Emerald is a delightful experience from beginning to end, because Hoenn is a unique region with lovable characters, memorable locations, and cool-looking Pokemon, and all of this game’s brand-new elements (like all the new areas or Rayquaza’s involvement in the story) make this adventure even more compelling and entertaining than ever before. Legends: Z-A was very-well received by fans that enjoy challenging Pokemon battles, so it’s safe to say that these types of players cut their teeth on Emerald, a game that is full of skilled trainers that can be fought over and over, thanks to the Gym Leader Rematches, the PokeNav and, of course, the Battle Frontier, which made its debut here.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
- Released
- October 16, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
- Publisher(s)
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company