Z-A just hint at Spiderman-esque parkour in new trailer?
After months of impatience, you’ve made it: Pokémon Legends: Z-A drops this month. We’ve had a trickle of information steadily coming in about the new game over the past few months, including leaks of various Mega evolutions, but now we finally get to see a more detailed overview of what gameplay will be like with the new trailer. But after having viewed it, I’m left with more questions. Do the first few seconds of the trailer really hint at parkour?
It certainly seems so. Within five seconds of the trailer starting, a trainer appears to drop off a rooftop before hovering in mid-air and seemingly recovering to reach the next rooftop. But why is he even up there in the first place? The question isn’t answered by the rest of the trailer, which demonstrates a number of standard features that you’d expect to see in a Pokémon game. Pokéball throwing, battles, a well-designed city layout with thought as to specific modes for in-game day and night. The trailer boasts a whole bunch of friends and quests, a PVP multiplayer battling mode, as well as an interactive city with cafes, clothes stores, and more.
Hotel Z is the base from which you’ll operate in Pokémon Legends Z-A, and is where you meet Urbaine or Taunie, depending on the gender of your character. Lida and Naveen will additionally be around, with the four of you becoming Team MZ, a group that faces off against some of the trickier foes in the game. Hotel owner and very tall legend AZ will also be there to give you a guiding hand, as will Emma, the city’s detective – the two of them are likely to be useful allies when investigating the city’s disturbances in the questline.
The real-time battles look to be a challenge, particularly in the Z-A Royale tournament, where opponents can sneak up on you. As a trainer, you begin at rank Z and must climb your way up to rank A, explaining the game’s title and more about its mechanics. This is a fun way to track your progression and hone your skills in promotion matches against the strongest of your rank. I’m excited to see attempts to speedrun from rank Z to A in as short a time as possible. I also think it provides another fun competitive element among friends, as you can compare very easily how much skill you have and how much effort you’ve put in.
The trailer ends with a warning to buy the right version of the game for your Switch console, so be sure to check that when you pre-order Pokémon Legends Z-A. And, of course, look out for that Spiderman-style parkour mechanic – are there mysteries to be found in all kinds of places? Be sure to check out other upcoming Switch games for more fun, and see if you agree with our guide to the best Pokémon games of all time.
