Pokémon Legends Z-A has a lot riding on it. It is likely to be the last Pokémon game on the original Nintendo Switch, so there's a lot of desire for it to be a strong send-off for the console and that era of Pokémon in general. It is also the first mainline Pokémon game to include real-time combat, something that a lot of fans have wanted for a while and that purists really hate. As a result, both factions want it to be great as it'll appease fans and reassure those who prefer the old-school turn-based combat model.

However, for any of this to work, it is evident that Game Freak needs to look beyond its own repertoire. While the developer was great at making Pokémon games before the jump to the Nintendo Switch, the games have largely dropped in quality since, and it's hurting the series. As a result, it is prudent to turn to other great RPGs, especially the best RPGs from 2024, as many of them not only contain mechanics that would work in a Pokémon game but also show how the genre has innovated and how far behind Pokémon truly is.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Needs To Feel Like An RPG

It Lacks Immersive RPG Elements

Pokémon's general lack of RPG elements has made games like Scarlet and Violet so outdated. Technically, Pokémon falls within the broad and often ambiguous JRPG banner, adopting its most basic elements like leveling, turn-based combat, and, in later games, character customization. Of course, not all of those features are exclusive to JRPGs, nor do JRPGs need those features in order to be considered a part of the genre. However, for the most part, these core features are what have earned Pokémon a place alongside the likes of Final Fantasy 7 and Dragon Quest.

I am of the firm belief that it is high time Pokémon adopted more JRPG features, namely decent side content, companions that follow you, diverse and unique worldbuilding, stronger, cinematic narratives, and better characters. Again, a lot of these features aren't exclusive to JRPGs, but are what define some of the best, like Xenoblade Chronicles 2, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and Fire Emblem: Three Houses. They're also not completely out of the realms of possibility in a Pokémon game, as several entries throughout the series have used one or more of these features.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's ending, which I maintain is the greatest part of any Pokémon game ever, is a good insight into what a more JRPG-focused Pokémon experience could look like, with the player having companions that actually follow them, a twist-laden, cutscene-driven conclusion that's as epic as it is entertainingly over-the-top, and a focus on Pokémon being enemies, rather than things to collect. Not every Pokémon game needs to be like the ending of Scarlet and Violet, but if any entry in the series were to entertain more JRPG elements, it would be a Legends game.

Pokémon Legends Z-A has the perfect opportunity to do something drastically different with the franchise. Of course, most notably, it is switching up Pokémon's combat, something that purists are a little divided on, but I've largely come to accept as a positive move. However, it should also begin to adopt some of those aforementioned defining JRPG features to not only ingratiate itself better into the genre but also make the overall experience more interesting. There is no better JRPG to look to for inspiration than the very best of 2024.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Should Copy FF7 Rebirth

It Needs Its Open-World Content

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is not only one of the greatest JRPGs ever made, but also the perfect blueprint for how Pokémon Legends Z-A should approach its side content and become a better JRPG as a result. FF7 Rebirth's amazing side content is by far a highlight of the overall package, making its open-world exploration an infinitely more engrossing experience, giving players something to look forward to in each region, and unique ways of building off narratives established both in Remake and in earlier sections of Rebirth.

Pokémon games, especially the more recent Nintendo Switch entries, have featured some form of side content for players to complete, but are often satisfied with the draw of its well-trodden catch 'em all concept. This means that, beyond the main story and the drive to complete every gym or its equivalent, Pokémon games have little to do for those keen to poke and prod around their region's every crevice. That isn't really enough now, especially if Pokémon costs $80 on the Switch 2, as every region ends up both feeling the same and not nearly interesting enough.

If players had objectives to complete in Lumiose City beyond merely battling certain trainers or catching every Pokémon, the experience of exploring would not only be more memorable but also substantially more entertaining.

Of course, it isn't that Pokémon needs an abundance of side quests to complete for random NPCs like in some JRPGs, including Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Rather, Rebirth's mini-game-focused side content could make exploring Lumiose City more enjoyable. If players had objectives to complete in Lumiose City beyond merely battling certain trainers or catching every Pokémon, the experience of exploring would not only be more memorable but also substantially more entertaining.

Rebirth's style of side content is relatively easy to complete, something that would work well with the relatively younger-skewing audience of Pokémon. They would also be somewhat easy to incorporate into an urban setting, and fit well with the litany of mini-game-focused Pokémon spin-offs, like Pokémon Cafe, GO, and the lesser-known yet still excellent PokéPark. Naturally, they shouldn't be translated one-to-one, but their broader, simple appeal and style would definitely work within the context of a Legends game.

Legends Z-A Needs Good Side Content

The Core Loop Often Isn't Enough

I've felt for a long while now that Pokémon is seriously lagging behind not just others in its broader genre, but also in the more immediate creature collecting genre. Indies are suring it in almost every regard, and that's largely because, for whatever reason, Pokémon refuses to evolve. It is trapped in the formula that worked in a 2D, linear format back on 90s handheld hardware, but hasn't really translated well to both modern hardware and the expectations of contemporary players.

Adding side quests or content akin to something like Rebirth feels like a very basic addition, one that should have been a part of the Pokémon franchise for some time. For clarity, I'm aware that Pokémon games have had minigames for a long time. I spent a long time playing the slot machines in Veilstone Game Corner, attempting to complete the Battle Subway with my sibling, and even making pointless sandwiches in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. However, the longer the series has gone on, the less frequent these minigames become and the less importance is placed upon them.

Rebirth substantially ties its minigames into the core experience in a way that doesn't trivialize them or make them feel like a minor addition to the overall package. Pokémon contests being relegated to one city and absent from the majority of entries, cooking food for minor buffs, making Poffins, or even playing the slot machines aren't substantial additions to the Pokémon series that will captivate players in the same way that dedicated side content like Rebirth's amazing Protorelic quests will.

It is crucial that Pokémon starts to pull its weight when it comes to offering meaty and entertaining experiences, especially with the substantially rising costs of video games making every purchase an extremely considered one. Whether Pokémon Legends Z-A adopts Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's style of open-world side content or not, it absolutely must begin to incorporate some meaningful gameplay additions beyond simply completing the Pokédex, otherwise it risks becoming yet another uninspired entry in a series that's felt outdated for over a decade.