5 Pokemon Games Better Than Legends Z-A

by

After a long wait, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is here, and despite a few flaws, it’s quickly becoming known as one of the best 3D Pokemon games ever made. Players are loving the fast-paced, real-time battles, epic boss fights, surprisingly good story, and the exciting new Mega Evolutions it introduces.

As a huge Pokémon fan, I think Pokémon Legends: Z-A is easily one of the best core Pokémon games we’ve ever gotten. But is it the best? That’s tough to say! There are just so many great Pokémon games out there. Legends: Z-A is fantastic, no doubt, but here are five Pokémon games I personally think are even better in different ways.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

A More Consistent Experience With A Novel Premise

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the second game in the new Legends series, building directly on the success of Pokemon Legends: Arceus. While the two games are similar, Arceus is generally considered the stronger title. A key difference is that Arceus features five distinct and visually interesting areas to explore, while Z-A is limited to a single location.

Beyond that, Legends: Arceus offers a consistently strong adventure centered around catching and studying Pokémon in a time when humans and Pokémon weren’t as friendly. This unique idea felt truly innovative when it was released and resulted in a captivating story filled with memorable experiences. While Legends Z-A boasts more thrilling battles, Arceus excels in its atmosphere, gameplay, and how you explore the world. Both games are fantastic, and any Pokémon fan should definitely consider adding them to their collection.

Pokemon Sun And Moon

It Broke The Mold Many Years Before The Legends Games

While Pokémon X and Y were groundbreaking as the first core games in the series with full 3D graphics, they aren’t considered among the strongest entries. This made Pokémon Sun and Moon feel like a welcome change, as they truly showcased the capabilities of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, despite also being a 3DS exclusive.

While many are now celebrating Legends: Z-A and Legends: Arceus for their innovative changes to the Pokémon formula, Sun and Moon actually pioneered many of these ideas. They introduced Totem Pokémon, Trial Captains, and Kahunas, which were a fresh alternative to traditional Gym battles. The Alola region itself is beautifully designed and a pleasure to explore. The game also cleverly reimagined older Pokémon with unique Regional Forms, added exciting Z-Moves, and presented a surprisingly compelling story about alternate dimensions and mysterious Ultra Beasts. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, the follow-up games, are enjoyable, but don’t offer enough new content to stand out as top-tier Pokémon titles.

Pokemon Black And White / Pokemon Black 2 And White 2

The First Games In The Series That Had Dark And Mature Narratives

If you ask Pokémon fans which games are the best, chances are they’ll say either Pokémon Black and White, or their sequels, Black 2 and White 2. It’s easy to see why – both sets of games are fantastic and represent a brilliant conclusion to the series’ time with 2D graphics.

While Pokemon Legends: Z-A tells a captivating and surprisingly thoughtful story, it builds upon the groundwork laid by Black and White. Those earlier games were groundbreaking for their time with a dark and intricate narrative, and they influenced every Pokemon game since. The region of Unova, inspired by New York City, felt fresh and new – it was the first Pokemon world not based on Japan. Beyond the story and setting, Black and White offered exciting, fast-paced battles with strong gameplay mechanics, introduced some of the most beloved Pokemon in the series, and were full of content. Black 2 and White 2 expanded on this even further, most notably by adding the incredibly popular Pokemon World Tournament.

Pokemon HeartGold And SoulSilver

Its Two Explorable Regions Add Some Variety To The Gameplay

As a huge Pokémon fan, I think HeartGold and SoulSilver are right up there with Black and White as some of the best 2D Pokémon games ever made, and it’s easy to see why. Honestly, I think they’re the best remakes the series has ever seen. They took the original Gold and Silver, which I already loved, and just made everything better – the graphics are gorgeous, the music is amazing, the gameplay is deeper, and there’s so much more to do!

While Pokemon Legends: Z-A has a beautiful version of Lumiose City, some players feel it’s limited by being set in only one area. In contrast, HeartGold and SoulSilver are fan favorites because they let you explore two full regions. After becoming champion in the Johto region, you can travel to Kanto and challenge its Gym Leaders too. Despite being very long and full of things to do, HeartGold and SoulSilver manage to stay engaging and addictive, making them standouts in the entire Pokemon series, including remakes.

Pokemon Emerald

This Third Version Game Is Full Of Powerful Trainers In Every Corner

While there are several fantastic third-generation Pokemon games, including Crystal, Platinum, and Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Pokemon Emerald is widely considered the best and most beloved. This is largely because it builds upon the already strong foundation of Ruby and Sapphire, adding enough new content to feel like a completely fresh experience. Even after twenty years, Emerald remains highly regarded, with many fans believing it’s better than the later remakes, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

As a huge Pokémon fan, I can honestly say Emerald is just a fantastic game from start to finish. Hoenn is such a special region, filled with characters I really connected with, places I loved exploring, and some seriously cool Pokémon designs. Everything felt fresh and new, especially with things like the new areas and Rayquaza’s role in the story – it all made the adventure so much more engaging. And speaking of engaging, Legends: Z-A proved that fans love a tough Pokémon battle, and I think a lot of us got our start with that in Emerald. The Gym Leader rematches, the PokeNav, and especially the Battle Frontier – which first appeared in this game – gave you endless opportunities to test your skills against really strong trainers. It’s a game you can keep coming back to over and over!

Read More

2025-10-26 03:05