Skip to main content

Pokémon Legends Z-A walkthrough, tips and tricks

Our Legends: Z-A walkthrough.

Image credit: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company
Lottie Lynn avatar
Guide by Lottie Lynn Guides Editor
Updated on

Pokémon Legends: Z-A for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 returns players to the Kalos region of Gen 6.

Set in Lumiose City, players move into the Hotel Z after a sightseeing trip becomes more of an extended stay. During the day, you can catch Pokémon in the Wild Zones before battling over trainers in the Battle Zones after night falls. Yet something is amiss in Lumiose City and it appears to be tied to the Rogue Mega Evolutions…

Below you'll find our Pokémon Legends: Z-A walkthrough and guides list to help you on this new adventure. Just keep in mind that there will be small spoilers. If you're still unsure whether this game is for you though, check out Eurogamer's Pokémon Legends: Z-A review.

On this page:

Pokémon Legends Z-A walkthrough

Pokémon Legends: Z-A is divided into a series of Main Missions, with additional Side Missions which unlock as you progress through the game. While the Main Missions do follow a linear path, there will be times when you're able to complete a number of them in any order you choose. This does not, however, affect the flow of the story.

Each Main Mission contains a number of goals, which you must complete in order to progress. If you ever need to check your current objective, open up the map by pressing the Plus (+) button. Then press 'X' to see your current goals and, if you want to see the location you need to visit, hold the right analogue stick. This is also where the Side Quests you've unlocked will be listed.

Below you'll find our Pokémon Legends: Z-A walkthrough, which is organised by Main Mission order. Please note that this section does contain small spoilers.

At this point, you must complete the following Main Missions in any order you like:

After completing the above Main Missions, you'll finish Main Mission 10 before continuing the game's linear flow:

You'll now need to complete the following Main Missions in any order you choose:

Once these are completed, you'll complete Main Mission 15. It's now time for more Main Missions:

It's now time to spot Rogue Mega Pokémon! Complete these any order you like:

With those complete, finish up Main Mission 20. Afterwards, it's back to the linear missions:

  • Main Mission 24 - Reaching Rank C
  • Main Mission 25 - A Showdown on the Battle Court
  • Main Mission 26 - An Invitation from the SBC

More Rogue Mega Pokémon are troubling Lumiose City, so deal with them in any order you choose:

With these Pokémon dealt with, bring Main Mission 26 to a close. Next, it's back to the regular mission flow:

  • Main Mission 30 - Reaching Rank B
  • Main Mission 31 - A Summons from Vinnie

Yet, more Rogue Mega Pokémon? What could be going on in Lumiose City. Anyways, deal with them however you like:

After you've completed these three missions, it's time to bring Main Mission 31 to an end. Next up is:

  • Main Mission 35 - Reaching Rank A
  • Main Mission 36 - Prism Tower's Dark Turn
  • Main Mission 37 - Operation Protect Lumiose

The credits will roll after you've finished Main Mission 37! Congrats - you've now entered the post game of Z-A! Yet, there's more Main Missions in the end-game, so let's take a look at what they are:

  • Main Mission 38 - The Future of Lumiose City
  • Main Mission 39 - The Infinite Z-A Royale

After winning your first Reward Match in the Infinite Z-A Royale, you'll unlock the following missions:

  • Main Mission 40 - The One That Gives
  • Main Mission 41 - The One That Takes

After finishing the above two Main Missions, you need to return to Hotel Z. Before you can enter the hotel, however, someone will stop you. At this point, you'll need to defeat Lysandre. After winning this fight, you'll need to complete this Main Mission:

Congratulations! You've now finished the post game of Legends: Z-A. You can now complete the 'Shine Bright like a Gemstone' Side Mission to add Diancie to your Pokédex. Though there will be more story to come in the Mega Dimension DLC...

Image credit: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Legends Z-A guides list: All our Legends Z-A guides listed

Below you'll find all of our Pokémon Legends Z-A guides so far:

Pokémon:

Legendary and Mythical Pokémon:

Evolutions:

Mega Evolutions:

Wild Zones:

Item locations:

Evolution Stone locations:

Rogue Mega Evolutions counters:

Z-A Royale Promotion Match counters:

Other Trainer counters:

Side Missions:

Collectibles:

Mystery Gift and early purchase bonuses:

Character customisation:

Mega Dimension DLC:

Other:

Image credit: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Legends Z-A tips and tricks

Here's some tips and tricks to offer extra assistance during your Pokémon Legends: Z-A adventure:

  • Some Wild Zones have roof sections. While the majority of Wild Zones are very much one ground-level areas, there are a few that contain roof sections. These sections are reached by either finding a ladder inside the Wild Zone itself or navigating across the roofs of Lumiose City. To check whether a Wild Zone has a roof section, simply zoom in on your map and see if it overlaps with a building or two.
  • Certain Pokémon only appear at night in Wild Zones. Yes, most Pokémon fans will already know this fact but I thought it was worth pointing out as, when you first start Legends: Z-A, it may seem like this isn't the case. Yet, there are a number of Pokémon who will only appear in some Wild Zones at night. Not every Wild Zone follows this rule, so it's important to keep track of which Pokémon you have and haven't seen in a Wild Zone. Thankfully, this can be easily done by using the map.
  • Always be sneaky when catching Pokémon. While it might be easier to knock a Pokémon's health down to catch it, this is not a necessity in Legends: Z-A. Instead, there's always a chance you might catch a Pokémon if you toss out a Poké Ball before the fight starts. (There's even some Pokémon which will refuse to fight you, fleeing instead if they see you.) Due to this, it's also best to engage in a bit of stealth before attempting to catch a Pokémon!
  • Always talk to the man in blue outside of the Pokémon Centers. Accidentally thrown a Poké Ball when you didn't mean to or missed a Pokémon entirely? Don't worry! There's a specific NPC standing outside of every Pokémon Center you will return that Poké Ball to you. This is literally his job and collecting your lost Poké Balls will save you a lot of money in the long run.
  • Explore the whole of Lumiose City! You never know what you'll find… This might seem like a silly tip, but, trust me, you'll want to properly cover the whole of Lumiose City - both on ground and on roof. Not only are there items hidden everywhere, but certain Pokémon will only appear on roofs. You might even spot a Pokémon you've been looking for on an opposite roof. Just make sure you know how to get there!
Image credit: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company
  • Health items have a cooldown timer. Legends: Z-A is the first mainline Pokémon to embrace real-time battling and this has led to a few changes in the traditional battling mechanics. A major difference you need to be prepared for is that health items now have a cooldown and the number you can use depends on the battle. Typically, however, it's only one at a time. After you've used a health item, a little timer will appear at the bottom of the screen. Once that timer is filled, you'll be able to use another. Just use it wisely!
  • Z-A Royale is the best way to XP grind. Since the majority of wild Pokémon are confined to the Wild Zones, it can make using them to EXP grind quite tricky. Thankfully, the quick nature of the Z-A Royale is perfect for levelling up your Pokémon. If you know the layout of the current night's Battle Zone well, you can easily get up to 20 battles. (Maybe even more.) Just remember to take the time to heal your Pokémon!
  • Higher rank trainers typically hide on roofs during the Z-A Royale. If you really want an XP boost, then you should try fighting a trainer who's a higher rank than you in the Z-A Royale. There's always the risk that they'll be able to completely destroy your team, but the XP gained if you win is worth the risk.
  • In Promotion Matches, always Mega Evolve your chosen Pokémon before your opponent sends out their last Pokémon. From Rank F onwards, every foe you face in a Promotion Match will Mega Evolve their final Pokémon. This means you'll have to do it if you truly want a chance of defeating them. Yet, there's a second problem to this you might not notice in your first match. The cutscene of their Pokémon Mega Evolved, combined with a short line of dialogue from your foe, causes a small delay in Mega Evolving your own Pokémon. It's not very long but, depending on the match, these are vital seconds. Thankfully, this can be easily avoided by Mega Evolving your Pokémon either just before or straight after their second-to-last Pokémon faints.
Image credit: Nintendo/The Pokémon Company
  • Sell the items in your Treasure inventory slot. These items have literally no other purpose other than being sold, so there's no point in keeping them around. How else are you meant to do all of the clothes Lumiose City has for sale? It's also worth checking on this slot regularly as you'll pick up some items, especially the Tiny Mushrooms, automatically when exploring the city.
  • Unlock fast travel locations. Lumiose City is a big place, so unlocking as many fast travel spots is incredibly helpful. They come in many forms, including Wild Zones and the many cafés dotted around the city. Thankfully, unlocking them is quite easy as, for most, you just have to run past them. Just remember that you do have to enter the Wild Zones to unlock their fast travel capabilities.
  • Collect Colourful Screws! These items are the purple Poké Balls you'll often find at the top of sections of scaffolding. Once you've built up a collection, visit Racine Construction. Here you exchange your screws for a variety of Canari plushes. Each plush has its own bonus; ranging from increasing the amount of EXP your Pokémon are earning to improving your chances of catching Pokémon. Each plush also has a Level, so you can increase the bonuses you're receiving too.

Best of luck in Pokémon Legends: Z-A!

Read this next