Summary
It may seem too soon forPokemon Legends: Z-Ato get a huge number of leaks about its features and Pokemon roster, considering the release window is for late 2025. Yet, this week, there were monumentalleaks regardingPokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Evolution roster, which is allegedly adding a total of 26 new Megas for existing critters ranging from Gen 1 to Gen 8, with some exceptions. These leaks are to be taken with a pinch of salt, but if they are true, they spell both exciting and underwhelming news at the same time for the game’s starter trio of Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile.
Pokemon Legends: Z-Aarguably offers one of the strangest, if not the, lineups of starter critters in the series, and that’s because it features both Chikorita and Totodile from Gen 2, and then Tepig from Gen 5.PLAhad a more diverse approach, picking Cyndaquil, Oshawott, and Rowlet, so it seemed natural that the spiritual sequel would do the same. Considering thatPokemon Legends: Arceusalso featured regional forms for its starters, it seemed only natural thatPLZAwould attempt to achieve something similar, but the new leaks paint a different picture. In fact, it seems that the game will include no new Pokemon at all, be it new species altogether or simply new forms.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A Starter Leaks Are a Blessing and a Curse
Pokemon regional forms are one of the most successful gimmicks in the series, possibly alongside Mega Evolutions themselves, as they essentially give players a new take on existing critters over entirely new species. Not featuringregional forms inPokemon Legends: Z-Acan be disappointing in its own right, but it’s quite sad considering the current state of critters like Meganium in the series. The starters inPLZAare not some of the best in terms of combat or typing, so it would have made sense to give them regional forms to more permanently change their place in competitive battles.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s starter Mega Evolutionshave been detailed over the past week. If true, the leaks state they will have the following type combinations:
WhileMeganium being Grass/Fairy inPLZAis not bad news, and while the same holds true for Feraligatr’s new type combo, Emboar is allegedly still stuck as Fire/Fighting. With Megas being so popular, it’s great to see one for each of the starters, but this is a gimmick that likely won’t return in mainline games - hence why it would have been arguably better to see regional forms for the starters.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A is Shooting Itself in the Foot by Skipping Regional Forms for Starters
Pokemon Championswill be all about battlesfrom what was shown on Pokemon Day, and even if details about this game are currently scarce, it’s already clear it will feature Mega Evolutions. However, this gimmick is unlikely to return in future mainline games, considering its connection to Kalos and the fact that each generation tends to focus on a new battle mechanic. As such, it can be of little value to have Mega Evolutions forPokemon Legends: Z-Astarters over a more “permanent” addition to the franchise, like regional forms.
Potential regional forms forMeganium, Emboar, and Feraligatrmay have seen use in battles in future games, too, thanks toPokemon Home, possibly having a go at VGC with Gen 10 games. Gen 9 featured a lot of competitive action for past regional forms, so having this gimmick for thePLZAstarters may have benefited them more in the long run over the short-term benefit of Mega Evolutions. The leaked Mega Evolutions forPLZAdon’t change the type combinations a lot, doing this only for Meganium, Feraligatr, and three more critters, so a regional form for Meganium and Feraligatr may have had the same characteristics, but it may also have breathed new life into Emboar, for example. Fans will have to wait and see if this is true, but the sources seem reliable so far.
