Mini Review: Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch)

Pokémon Legends: Z-A on Switch is ‘acceptable’. For many, that will suffice. Indeed, I’m also surprised at its stability following Legends: Arceus and Scarlet & Violet, both of which had their share of performance challenges — especially the latter, which almost feels like a distinct game with the free Switch 2 update.

However, this should be a given: If you possess the newer console and desire Legends: Z-A, acquire it there. My general impressions of the entire game can be read in my review, but in terms of performance, achieving 60fps, enhanced image clarity, and improved stability renders it a significantly better experience on the Switch 2.

I genuinely anticipated this version to be disastrous, but I’m pleased to report Legends: Z-A upholds a fairly steady 30fps whether handheld or docked. The drop is indeed pronounced coming from the Switch 2 Edition, but if you’re starting fresh, it probably won’t irritate you.

What may surprise you are some notably jerky ‘cuts’. There’s significantly more camera movement in Legends: Z-A, with quick pan shots and transitions, and while docked, each of these stuttered. Zooming in on a trainer after defeating them or catching a Pokémon off-guard in the Z-A Royale, there’s a lag every single time. I didn’t observe it as much while in handheld mode, but it was still distracting.

Fortunately, battles are more reliable, even when things become somewhat chaotic. Certain moves like Brutal Swing and Gust can cause slight frame drops, especially in handheld mode, but generally, performance is satisfactory.

The graphics are one of my primary concerns with the Switch 2 version, and understandably, the same issues persist here, despite character models appearing decent. Flat textures are even poorer on Switch 1 — blades of grass appear blurry and jagged, bushes and trees are angular, and the cobblestones just look fuzzy. Additionally, shadows are terrible, pixelated and blurry, and at times, completely absent.

Pop-in was problematic on the new console too, but here, it’s even more pronounced. Occasionally, characters and Mega Crystals can be visible from a considerable distance, while at other times, they don’t materialize until you’re about 10 steps away. It’s astonishingly inconsistent and distracting. Some building textures may take roughly 6-7 seconds to load, even while you’re looking directly at them.

Extended load times and reduced image clarity are a couple of expected drawbacks of the older hardware version, but overall, despite my grievances, Legends: Z-A on Switch is…. adequate! It’s an improvement over the last two mainline titles, yet remains far from the best-looking Pokémon games.

I attribute this to the Switch 1 version. I completely understand why Z-A is on the older console; The Pokémon Company isn’t ready to forfeit that vast player base with a mainline release just yet. However, its restrictions hinder Lumiose City from reaching its full potential. What could have been a lively, diverse city instead comes with limitations, constraints, and numerous visual compromises.