In a sharp departure from its predecessor, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will have multiplayer battling but not in the way fans might expect.
While Game Freak often forgets it, multiplayer battling is a key part of the Pokemon experience. The original Red and Blue were one of the main reasons to buy a Game Boy Link Cable back in the day, and Scarlet and Violet have enjoyed a longer life than most Pokemon games on the strength of their online battling experience.
Still, the expectation regarding Legends: Z-A was that it wouldn’t have multiplayer battles. That was proven false at the 2025 Pokemon World Championship with the reveal that the game will offer a brand new PvP experience.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will have new battle royale-style multiplayer mode
Pokemon Legends: Z-A will have a new multiplayer mode that uses its unique battle system.
While Pokemon games traditionally have strict turn-based combat, Legends: Z-A changes that. The game instead uses a system that combines elements of other RPGs such as Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Chrono Trigger. While these titles didn’t have any form of competitive multiplayer, Pokemon Legends: Z-A will break the mold.
Each trainer selects one Pokemon to bring with them for a multiplayer battle. From there, it’s a four-player free-for-all with everyone looking to score as many knockouts as possible. Each knockout counts as one point, and the player with the most points at the end of the allotted time is the winner.
Players also have the ability to collect power-ups during combat in order to strengthen their Pokemon. Pokemon Legends: Z-A will allow players to mega evolve their Pokemon during multiplayer battles. The reveal trailer shows this off with one of the players scoring a comeback win with the recently revealed mega Dragonite.
Pokemon Sun and Moon also featured battle royales, but they largely worked within the game’s standard formula.
This is a significant departure from Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The first “Legends” game had turn-based combat similar to the mainline games, but with new mechanics. Central to this were “agile style” and “strong style” moves that influenced the turn order. Despite being more similar to the mainline Pokemon games, the title didn’t have any multiplayer component beyond trading.
Trainer battles set to be a major emphasis of Pokemon Legends: Z-A
The addition of multiplayer to Pokemon Legends: Z-A comes alongside a general emphasis on trainer battles.
The day-night cycle will be a major element of the game, dividing the catching and battling elements based on the time of day. During the day, players can roam around Lumiose City and capture Pokemon. Once the sun goes down, trainers come out looking for a battle. The game’s titular “Z-A” refers to the Z-A Royale, a ranking system where trainers have to work their way to becoming an A-rank battler by wiping out the competition.
Once again, this is a significant departure from Pokemon Legends: Arceus. The previous title had trainer battles, but they were quite limited in number.
Expect more information on the game, and more reveals, to come as its release date approaches.
