Summary
The announcement ofPokemon Legends: Z-Awas most certainly a surprise for fans. WhilePokemon Legends: Arceuswent on to become one of the best-received franchise entries in years,ScarletandVioletsuffered from poor performance issues at launch, leading many to be concerned thatPokemon Legends: Z-Awould be rushed as a result of Game Freak struggling to meet a difficult production schedule. However, the game is slated for 2025 with some rumors suggesting a release as late as Q3 of that year, which has fans reasonably optimistic thatScarletandViolet’s flaws may help shapePokemon Legends: Z-Ainto a much better experience.
That isn’t the only intriguing thing aboutPokemon Legends: Z-A, though, as the title very much implies that the game willdeal with Zygarde in a way many fans expected a ‘Pokemon Z’ gameto do around 2013. While Generation 5 was the first time the series changed its formula of having three core games each generation, fans still expectedPokemon Zonly to end up without it, so this game is particularly exciting for longtime fans. And while there’s still plenty of room for surprises fromPokemon Legends: Z-A, this approach also leaves two similar futureLegendsgames on the table if Game Freak decides to pursue them.
Two Rumored and Unreleased ‘Third Version’ Pokemon Games Could Make Great Pokemon Legends Titles
Pokemon Delta Emerald and Pokemon Stars Are in the Same Boat as Pokemon Z
It’s understandable why fans set themselves up for aPokemon Z, as even though Generation 5 was unique in releasingPokemon Black 2andWhite 2, the third versions of the core games hadn’t exactly been fully off the table yet.Pokemon Zwas very highly anticipatedasPokemon XandYwould sound completeif a ‘Z’ were to follow them, and Zygarde hardly got any attention in the first games of Generation 6, which made a third game seem even more likely. Despite how much it felt all but confirmed by many fans, though, noPokemon Zever came. Nor did any prominent announcement that third versions weren’t happening anymore, so expectations didn’t change for some time.
Despite howPokemonremakes never followed the third version trend, Nintendo trademarked ‘Delta Emerald’ presumably just in case, and fans hoped for anEmerald Versionremake only forthe Delta Episode inOmega RubyandAlpha Sapphireto be the closest thing to it. Later on, aPokemon Stars Versionwas rumored to be the third version forSunandMoon, released as an early launch title for the Nintendo Switch. According to Eurogamer,Pokemon Starswas scrappeddue to how Mario and Zelda carried the launch themselves as well as a push from Nintendo to keep the 3DS supported for a little while longer. Neither of these games were as anticipated as much asPokemon Z, but they could still live on through in theLegendsseries.
How Pokemon Legends: Z-A Seems to Break Expectations
With a title likePokemon Legends, it’s reasonable to think that all of its games might deal with the past afterArceusdid just that. However,Pokemon Legends: Z-Amay challenge that, as all that’s known so far is that it deals with an urban redevelopment plan for Lumiose City. Some fans believe that means thatLegends: Z-Amay focus on several time periods in Lumiose city’s history, or even a full focus on the future afterPokemon XandY. Either way,Legends: Z-A’s trailer seems to suggest that things won’t always have to take place in the time before the other titles. This leaves plenty of room for aLegendsgames based onPokemon StarsandPokemon Delta Emeraldto have creative freedom to live up to old expectations. Maybe someday, if Game Freak decides to use the opportunity thePokemon Legendsseries gives in this regard, fans will get to see whatStarsandDelta Emeraldcould be like without the limits of the main series.
Pokemon Legends Z-A
The sequel to Pokemon Legends: Arceus, Pokemon Legends: Z-A takes Pokemon trainers back to the Kalos region’s Lumiose City.
