Nighttime “Z-A Royale” Competition Revealed in New “Legends: Z-A” Trailer

By: Water Pokémon Master · Posted Posted onMar 27, 2025 at 8:14 AM · 17 Comments

A new trailer for Legends: Z-A just debuted during today’s Nintendo Direct!

The game will feature a nighttime competition called the “Z-A Royale” where you battle Trainers in a special battle zone in the city. According to Pokemon’s press release:

When night falls in Lumiose City, a battle zone with red borders made from cutting-edge holographic technology will appear somewhere within the city. Trainers compete in these battle zones from dusk until dawn as part of the Z-A Royale, a fierce competition where participants start at Rank Z and battle their way toward Rank A. Only the strongest will claim the top rank, and those who reach Rank A may even have one in-game wish granted. As players navigate the competition, they’ll encounter other competitors and friends who will test their skills, like either Urbain or Taunie.

During the day, Trainers can explore wild zones to catch and train Pokémon in preparation for upcoming battles at night. While the battle zone is active, timing and strategy are key, as landing surprise attacks can provide a critical advantage and escaping higher-ranked opponents may sometimes be necessary. To succeed in the Z-A Royale, players must make the most of both day and night, strengthening their teams for any challenges that await in Lumiose City.

Several screenshots were also revealed:

View thread (17 replies)
So Pokémon will be available outside wild zones too that’s very good to know. Also very cool how the wild zones turn to battle zones at night
 
The fact you can sneak attack other trainer's Pokémon at night is literally amazing. I also love the concept of the ranking system, sounds like fun!!
 
In Scarlet & Violet I often ignored nearly 75% of all of the trainers, I'm more of a collector. So this maybe a great thing or a terrible thing for players like me to be incentivized to battle more often lol.
 
"Nothing good happens after midnight. I should know. I got mugged by a taxi driver with a level 66 Krookodile."
"Huh, I got mugged by that guy in XY when I hailed his taxi and didn't realize you payed when you got off. I thought he was being generous!"
"I guess some things never change."

If Cab Driver Carter isn't in this game, I will riot.
 
mega digersby is also confirmed, look at the game play where the trainer is using digersby, it has the same mega thingi n the corner as lucario and alakazam.
 
This is actually genius. Everyone and their grandma's friend's third cousin has always known wild Pokemon and trainer battles have been historically intertwined within the same areas and time zones- you COULD NOT find a Pokemon game without them being possible in the same timeframe. So to separate them, and turn trainer battles into a ranked battle royale-style system where everyone is aiming to get to the highest rank...how had they not thought of this before? It genuinely takes trainers from the mundane monotony they've always been into the main feature of one half of a games' day/night cycle. While I still have other comcerns about ZA, this is awesome. Just a fantastic way to, again, flip the franchise's formula around. I'm so DAMN excited 😭😭😭
 
This is good, keeps the game somewhat fresh. Catch Pokémon in the day, battle trainers in the night, continue. Whatever this "wish" is might be a Jirachi thing but I doubt it.
 
jdubs4lief said:
This is good, keeps the game somewhat fresh. Catch Pokémon in the day, battle trainers in the night, continue. Whatever this "wish" is might be a Jirachi thing but I doubt it.
Click to expand...
There's a theory going around someone will get there before you and they will be the villain. There's also a few rumblings it might have to do with Hoopa (who never got anything games wise) and Zygarde stepping in to stop them. Which, coincidentally, would fit well with him potentially asking you to help him, ala Arceus in PLA.....I'm incredibly curious, if you can't tell 👉👈
 
We get Pokémon GTA before actual GTA 6 release!! That's wild! Can't wait to jump random trainers in the dark alley at night.

When I reach Rank A, my wish will be to eliminate all scalpers and "investors" from the TCG! 😃
 
LilyLopears said:
Jirachi never got anything games-wise either, it could go either way.
Click to expand...
Maybe, there was a lot of gen 5 stuff in PLA so for there to be a focus on gen 3 Pokemon in ZA wouldn't be off the table. Personally I'm just hoping they use hoopa and save jirachi for the 5th of 6th legends, by then it'll probably be around 2032-2038, thus much more justifiable to revisit Hoenn. I do like some aspects of Hoenn, but I think it would feel better in an open format. Especially....all the water...
 
Mango6156 said:
mega digersby is also confirmed, look at the game play where the trainer is using digersby, it has the same mega thingi n the corner as lucario and alakazam.
Click to expand...
Quite the opposite, it confirms Digersby will NOT have a mega. When pokémon can mega evolve the UI shows the button in the mega gauge that you can press to make them evolve, Digersby doesn't show this button
 
MadeAccToCorrectSomeone said:
Quite the opposite, it confirms Digersby will NOT have a mega. When pokémon can mega evolve the UI shows the button in the mega gauge that you can press to make them evolve, Digersby doesn't show this button
Click to expand...
This doesn't really make sense since there's also moments where other Pokemon who can mega evolve are in the players' party and the mega UI isn't there, but when diggersby is out in battle, the mega UI is- DESPITE there being an ampharos and gengar in the same party, like when mega-capable Pokemon have been beforehand. I think that specific diggersby just mega evolved and is normal again, hence why the gauge is still there - despite the button being gone. Also, another point of evidence: That Diggersby had C+ next to 3 moves.

You know...the same letter rankings EVERY mega evolved and mega evolution-capable Pokemon has been shown to have so far?

case...closed 😏
 
Bishlarp said:
This doesn't really make sense since there's also moments where other Pokemon who can mega evolve are in the players' party and the mega UI isn't there, but when diggersby is out in battle, the mega UI is- DESPITE there being an ampharos and gengar in the same party, like when mega-capable Pokemon have been beforehand. I think that specific diggersby just mega evolved and is normal again, hence why the gauge is still there - despite the button being gone. Also, another point of evidence: That Diggersby had C+ next to 3 moves.

You know...the same letter rankings EVERY mega evolved and mega evolution-capable Pokemon has been shown to have so far?

case...closed 😏
Click to expand...
Except every new mega was already leaked and Digersby is not in the list
 
You must log in or register to reply here.