Pokémon Legends: Z-A marks the return of Mega Evolutions, and at this year’s Pokémon World Championships, a special hands-on session with the game shed a lot of light on what players can expect. The demo was only ten minutes, consisting of a single fight with a Rogue Mega Pokémon, so specifics regarding things like how many Mega Evolutions are in the game are still up in the air, but the combat itself was an absolute blast.
Much like the frenzied Noble Pokémon in Legends: Arceus, reports abound in Lumiose City about wild Pokémon being struck with surges of Mega Power, leading them to act erratically and pose a danger to the city. The reasons behind the epidemic are a mystery, but players will be tasked with battling these Rogue Mega Evolutions to help bring them back to their normal state.
Mega Power Is Key In Pokémon Legends: Z-A
The Transformation Process Has Evolved From Past Titles
My battle was against a level 25 Mega Absol, which quickly proved to be a formidable foe. Thankfully, prior to the battle, AZ offered his aid, giving me both a Mega Ring and his Lucario to use in combat. However, Pokémon can’t Mega Evolve right off the bat. Instead, players must first attack the Mega Pokémon to make it spill small orbs of Mega Power, which can be collected to fill the ring’s gauge in the bottom right corner.
The regular real-time combat of Pokémon Legends: Z-A is already very intense, but fights against Mega Evolution Pokémon take things to an entirely new level. Players must balance dashing and rolling away from the Mega’s attacks with getting up close to it to gather Mega Power orbs. Once the corner gauge is full, pressing the right analog stick will Mega Evolve the player’s Pokémon, granting bigger size and stronger attacks just as in previous games.
Mega Evolutions Are Temporary In Battle
Trainers Must Constantly Maintain Their Mega Power
Unlike previous Pokémon titles where the Mega Evolution form lasts the entirety of battle once evoked, it’s only temporary in Legends: Z-A. Players can continue picking up Mega Power as they continue to land attacks on their opponent, but in longer battles it’s almost a guarantee the gauge will empty entirely at some point.
However, in another big switch-up from past entries, there’s no limit to how many times Pokémon can Mega Evolve in Z-A. Once the Mega Ring has been filled once more, trainers can transform their fighter again – my poor Lucario went through three Mega Evolutions in the time it took to bring Absol down.
Once victory was achieved, Absol’s swelling magenta aura faded, revealing a calm, thankful Pokémon. I also obtained Absolite, the creature’s Mega Stone, which implies most of the core tenets of Mega Evolutions remain the same: Pokémon will require both a stone and the trainer’s Mega Ring in order to harness the ability. The exact number of Pokémon who will be able to do so in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is still unclear, but the Mega Evolutions themselves are a fun blend of old and new mechanics.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A will release for Nintendo Switch consoles October 16.
