Summary
While a potentially major mechanic may have been revealed duringPokemon Legends: Z-A’s latest trailer, it might not be entirely new as it may have already featured first in Gen 9’sPokemon ScarletandVioletbefore the upcoming game. Though it was far from the focus of Game Freak’slong-overdue update forLegends: Z-A, the game’s recent trailer may have teased a new approach to traversal mechanics with the return of the Rotom phone. Besides the possibility of foregoing Ride Pokemon as seen inPokemon Legends: Arceus,Legends: Z-Acould be adopting mechanics previously seen inScarletandVioletand evenSwordandShield.
Following Game Freak’s decision to transitionPokemongames to an open-world design, each subsequent game in the mainline series has experimented with different approaches to in-game traversal. Yet, despite the recent use of Ride Pokemon in bothLegends: Arceus,andScarletandViolet, it seems thatPokemonLegends: Z-Ais falling back on the Rotom phone for its traversal mechanics, just as it had inSwordandShield. The potential evidence for this lies in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment fromLegends: Z-A’s trailer that features an uncannily similar animation to something more recently seen inScarletandViolet.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Could Be Expanding on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Rotom Phone
SincePokemon SunandMoonfirst reworked Rotom to serve more practical purposes like a Pokedex, Game Freak has pushed the envelope for what this formerly unique Gen 4 Pokemon can do in recent games. With theRotom phone becoming a newPokemonseries staplebetweenSwordandShieldandScarletandViolet, it seemsLegends: Z-Awill take a similar approach after it appeared in its latest trailer. However, approximately halfway through that same trailer, the player character can be seen jumping between buildings using an animation that seems eerily familiar to howScarletandVioletprevented its players from taking fall damage.
WhileLegends: Arceuswasn’t as forgiving asScarletandViolet, the previous Gen 9 games had included this small, seemingly minor feature where players would hold onto their Rotom phones right before falling to the ground from a high enough height. This animation appears nearly identical to the sequence seen inLegends: Z-A’s traileras the player character holds something close to their torso and is carried in a “floating” arc between the buildings. Though there has been no official confirmation that this is the case, it seems likely thatLegends: Z-Acould be expanding on this smallScarletandVioletfeature in a big way.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Might Be Avoiding Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Ride Pokemon
However, while it makes sense chronologically forLegends: Z-Ato use the Rotom phone, given its modern-day setting, this would put the game at odds with its predecessor,Legends: Arceus. Though considered part of the mainline series, these games still appear to be outliers, with the expectation being that they share similarities, such as bothPokemon Legendsgames sharing an intergenerational starter trioor each one featuring a single Legendary mascot Pokemon. With no Ride Pokemon shown duringLegends: Z-A’s recent trailer, the game could replace these with the Rotom phone as it distances itself fromLegends: Arceus' Ride Pokemon.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Might Even Be Falling Back To Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Rotom Phone
Yet this wouldn’t be the first time Game Freak has used the Rotom phone for in-game navigation, asSwordandShielddebuted the Rotom bike to traverse its open world, something whichLegends: Z-Acould be falling back on. With Koraidon and Miraidon playing key roles inScarletandViolet’s story, it’s possible that Game Freak needed a modern-day alternative forLegends: Z-Aand wanted to avoidLegends: Arceus' multiple Ride Pokemon. As a result,Legends: Z-Acould set a precedent for futurePokemongames, with the Rotom phone, bike, and potentially more taking over as the series' in-game traversal mechanics.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A
WHERE TO PLAY
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is an ambitious new entry to the Pokémon video game series, releasing simultaneously worldwide in 2025. A new adventure awaits within Lumiose City, where an urban redevelopment plan is underway to shape the city into a place that belongs to both people and Pokémon.
