There have been more than a few Pokémon remakes throughout the franchise's life cycle, and each one introduces a ton of questions about what makes a good remake versus a cheap cash-in on well-earned nostalgia. Pokémon: Legends Z-A isn't a remake, exactly, but this reintroduction of the Kalos region into the Pokémon series will raise many of the same queries dredged up by Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. What makes a Pokémon game what it is, and how can developers retain the essence of a Gen 6 game while still breathing life into a new entry?

The original Kalos games, Pokémon X and Y, featured the traditional eight-gym format as did most other mainline Pokémon games, and came out worldwide on October 12, 2013. It has a ton of unique features from roller-skating – which I will be severely disappointed if they don't bring back – to Mega Evolution, which was introduced in this generation. To really appreciate everything that Legends: Z-A will be, now is the time to dive into the games that punched our tickets to Kalos.

The Few Months Until Legends: Z-A Is Enough Time To Get To Know Kalos

X & Y's Lore Was Surprisingly Deep; Familiarize Yourself With It To Get The Most From Z-A

The plot of the original X and Y follows the protagonist and their move to the Kalos region with their mom. In their quest from Professor Sycamore to travel Kalos and learn more about Mega Evolution, they come up against Team Flare, who wish to return the region to a more "pristine" pre-human state. To do this, Team Flare and their leader Lysandre will use a mega weapon from Kalos' ancient history to destroy humanity.

As they travel, the player meets AZ, a three-thousand-year-old king who was the mega weapon's original . AZ used the weapon to end a war in Kalos' history as well as revive his beloved partner Pokémon, who was featured in the new Pokémon Z-A trailer, Floette. However, when Floette learned of the destruction he'd caused to bring it back, it left AZ behind.

Thanks to AZ's reappearance in the various Z-A trailers, it's clear that he's going to play at least a small part in the story, so having background knowledge of X and Y will allow players to more fully understand the implications of whatever occurs in Z-A. While Lysandre and his quest to remake the untouched, wild beauty of the Kalos region are long gone, echoes of his plans likely ripple still in Kalos' future.

With Any Sequel, Understanding The Source Material Is Paramount

To Know Where You're Going, Look At Where You've Been

Because Z-A is a sequel and not a remake, knowing what happened in Kalos' past will likely be integral to fully understanding and appreciating the plot of the newest entry in Kalos' story. Unlike Legends: Arceus, where knowledge of the Sinnoh region was cool, but not really relevant to the gameplay or overall story, it's likely that Legends: Z-A will incorporate much more of X and Y's story.

Though both Pokémon Legends games stand apart from the rest of the mainline Pokémon series, they connect in a few key ways to allow for more specific exploration of their region's world.

The return of both AZ and his Floette signals a few things, the primary one being that Pokémon devs aren't done with Kalos' history. Rather than being disconnected from the region in practically everything, including its name, like Legends: Arceus was (Sinnoh was known as Hisui), it's likely that players will see a deeper dive into everything that makes Kalos special. From the region that brought players the iconic Mega Evolution mechanic, there's a lot to explore.

Taking Place In Lumiose City Could Really Set Z-A Back

The Sequel Might Be Missing A Lot Of Kalos' Original Beauty

The scope of the game is, ittedly, more limited than I would have liked. Being such a fan of the original Kalos iteration, I worry that limiting player exploration to the urbanity of Lumiose City might remove the possibility of the sort of grandiosity and fantasy element that enthralled me when I first played X and Y. A unique approach to the day/night cycle in Legends: Z-A might help with the lack of environmental diversity, but I have my doubts.

In an interview with Nintendo Life, Game Freak executive Junichi Masuda explained that one of the key themes for Pokémon X and Y was beauty, which we have to thank for the game's idyllic and peaceful vistas.

So much of what makes Pokémon games feel like Pokémon games is what they throw at you in the moments in between big story beats. In Kalos' case, it was lush countryside viewed through what were, at the time, ambitious camera angles aimed at displaying the beauty of the region in a way traditional Pokémon games really hadn't before. With the primary, and perhaps only, setting of Z-A being Lumiose, I fear that there will be no need for dramatic camera angles or intentional framing that makes walking around Kalos so interesting in X and Y.

No matter how Lumiose City ends up working out in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Pokémon X and Y are still absolutely worth your time. Whether you're looking for background into the deep history of the Kalos region or are just looking for something to the time before the new game comes out, Kalos and its unique Pokémon and characters are sure to charm you just as they have millions of fans across the globe.

Source: Nintendo Life