Pokémon Legends: Z-A has been confirmed for a late 2025 release, promising a trip back to the Kalos region’s Lumiose City. With the implementation of Wild Zones and a hotel run by none other than AZ, let’s hope the city’s redevelopment project points to the re-expansion of character customization options.
We first explored Lumiose and the surrounding region in the Gen VI titles Pokémon X and Y, which introduced character customization to the franchise at long last. In a literal sense, this was a game-changer. From head to toe, you could personalize virtually every aspect of your Trainer’s outfit as well as their hairstyle and hair color, something that hadn’t been possible in previous titles and added necessary depth to the game series. I mean, we all want to emulate the style of Gym Leaders, right?
Lumiose, once the largest regional city in the series, was the place to go if you were in the market for a new look in X and Y, though you could find clothing stores in cities and towns throughout Kalos. You just had to visit a nearby shop or salon for a touch-up. Aside from Gen VI’s Pokémon Amie feature, this is probably where I racked up the most play time, as it gave Trainers access to seemingly endless clothing combinations that have since been made nigh impossible in recent titles.
While Sun and Moon, their sequels, and Sword and Shield all offered a similar customization feature with plenty of clothing and hairstyle options to choose from, each mainline release has seen a noticeable downgrade in the clothing department compared to the last, including Legends: Arceus.
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Don’t get me wrong; some of the recent fits are fire, but we’ve steadily received fewer and fewer options, with Scarlet and Violet offering just four seasonal school uniforms in the base games. Yeah, you can get a variety of shoes and accessories to add personal touches, but it feels wrong to see Pokémon Trainers stuck in uniforms, for some reason. And don’t get me started on all the hats you can’t wear with certain hairstyles. (Seriously, what does Game Freak have against curls?)
The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC for Scarlet and Violet answered some of these complaints with new clothing sets and colorways, plus a short selection of new hairstyles. Still, this just doesn’t cut it.
With the first real trailer for Pokémon Legends: Z-A since last year, it looks like there’s at least some room to hope for a return to form. On top of revealing some of the coolest base Trainer designs yet, The Pokémon Company has also given us a closer look at parts of Lumiose not seen in the trailer released on Pokémon Day. This includes shots of the city’s signature cobblestone streets, rooftops, and (drum roll!) clothing shops.
There are at least two visible storefronts in the screenshots released by The Pokémon Company, which appear to be inside a shopping mall. Not only does this seem to promise a wider selection of clothing to choose from, but it all but confirms Lumiose fashion is about to make a comeback in a big way. In X and Y, the mannequins on display in shop windows gave you an idea of what was on sale inside the store. If Legends: Z-A takes a page from Gen VI’s book, then it looks like Lumiose style hasn’t changed much — and that’s a good thing.
The game’s male and female base Trainers are already looking good, both sporting Key Stones for Mega Evolution and somehow quite stylish fedoras. I’m a big fan of our heroine’s belted wide-leg jeans and sneakers done up with adorable bows, but something tells me there’s a lot more where these closet must-haves came from, and I’m excited to see what Legends: Z-A has in store. Literally.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A is slated for release in late 2025.
Published: Mar 2, 2025 1:00 PM UTC