Is Pokemon Legends Z-A Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive? 

No, Pokemon Legends Z-A is not a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. The game is coming to both the original Switch and the Switch 2, but it will feature a dedicated Switch 2 Edition that utilizes the new console’s upgraded hardware. That means better graphics, smoother performance, and a higher price tag, while the core game itself will be the same across both systems.

Read on to learn more about it.

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Pokemon Legends Z-A: Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch 2 differences

Glimpse from Pokemon Z-A on Nintendo Switch (Image via TPC)

When Pokemon Legends: Z-A was first revealed in 2024, it was announced as a standard Switch release. That made sense as the Nintendo Switch 2 hadn’t even been officially announced yet. But things changed with April’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in 2025, where Game Freak confirmed that Z-A would also ship with a native Switch 2 Edition.

Z-A will be released globally on October 16, 2025, on both platforms, putting it right in the heart of two generations. Longtime fans of Pokemon will appreciate that Z-A is also a rare cross-gen title, as one version is made for the old hardware and the other is better tailored to the new system.

What’s different on the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition?

The Pokemon Legends Z-A Switch 2 Edition does not add new gameplay or change the storyline, but it does improve the experience in these important matters:

• Higher resolution: A sharper, cleaner presentation overall, especially while in handheld mode.
• Better frame rates: You will have smoother animation and movement compared to the original Switch's 30 FPS cap.
• Higher price: $69.99 for a Switch 2 Edition versus $59.99 for the base Nintendo Switch version.

This sounds familiar to anyone who played Scarlet and Violet. On the original Switch, frame rate drops and glitches were common, with the game sometimes dipping below 20 FPS. In contrast, the Switch 2 hardware has already shown it can run those same games at a steady 60 FPS with denser spawns. Z-A seems set to benefit in the same way.

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Gameplay won’t be different

For anyone worried about missing content, the two versions of Pokemon Legends Z-A are identical in terms of gameplay. Both include the return of Mega Evolutions and the Kalos setting, deliver the same story, and feature the same mechanics. Unlike older dual-version Pokemon releases (Scarlet/Violet, Sword/Shield), Z-A is a single release split across hardware generations, not a split-content strategy.

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Pricing and upgrade path

Catching a Pokemon (Image via TPC)

Nintendo has outlined a clear upgrade path:

• Switch 1 Edition – $59.99
• Switch 2 Edition – $69.99
• Upgrade – $9.99 if you already own the Switch 1 version and move to Switch 2 later

So, if you start on the original Switch and eventually buy the new console, you don’t have to re-purchase the game.

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What we’ve seen so far

In the April 2025 Direct, pre-alpha footage surfaced of Pokemon Legends Z-A running on Switch 2, and while it was limited, you could still notice the upgrade. It already had a much sharper resolution, the animations seemed smoother, and the footage had to be recorded in a higher resolution to show the improvement.

Nonetheless, the footage itself didn't emphasize new gameplay reveals; rather, it was more of a "proof of concept" moment of how the new console enhanced the game. Expect extended periods of gameplay demoed closer to release time, which will likely take place in various June showcases.

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