Pokemon Legends: Z-A Already Has Me Mourning Scarlet and Violet

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It’s been three years since a new Pokemon game, and Pokemon Legends: Z-A has really captured my attention with its fast-paced battles and the chance to explore Lumiose City, plus the introduction of new Mega Evolutions. I was excited for Z-A to be a step up from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, hoping it would recapture the magic of Pokemon Legends: Arceus after being somewhat disappointed with my time in Paldea. But after playing for 20 hours, I surprisingly find myself wishing I was back in Scarlet and Violet.

Look, let’s be real, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet had a really rocky start. The game was full of bugs, glitches, and just didn’t run very well when it first came out in 2022. But going back to the Paldea region with the improvements on the Switch 2 actually made me enjoy it a lot more. And now that I’ve played Legends: Z-A, I’m actually getting that itch to jump back into Scarlet and Violet and start shiny hunting all over again!

Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Shiny Hunting Makes Me Miss Scarlet and Violet

I’m really enjoying shiny hunting in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and there are definitely some great improvements. Having the shiny sound effect back from Legends: Arceus is a big help, and it’s fantastic that shinies don’t disappear when you leave an area or close the game – that makes it much easier to actually catch them. However, actually making a shiny Pokemon appear is a bit harder this time around, because of how often they spawn and the relatively small size of the Wild Zones.

Shiny Hunting isn’t Hitting the Same for Me in Legends: Z-A

Even though Pokemon Legends: Z-A lets you find shiny Pokemon while mostly playing on your own, I wanted to try and catch a shiny Litwick. Chandelure is my favorite Pokemon, and I especially love its shiny color. But trying to find a shiny Litwick in the Lumiose Sewers was really annoying, and my plan basically involved:

  • Run to room where Litwick spawns
  • Check if there are any shinies
  • Fast travel back to the entrance
  • Exit and re-enter to reset the spawns
  • Run back to see if a shiny Litwick has spawned and repeat

What makes this spot tricky is that only two Litwick appear at once, and there are a lot of Patrat around, making it harder to find them. I spent a few hours trying this method, but didn’t find a shiny Pokemon. It felt much less effective than the best shiny hunting techniques in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Why I Like Scarlet and Violet Shiny Hunting More Than Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Shiny hunting felt much easier in Scarlet and Violet. You could make sandwiches that boosted both the chance of any shiny Pokémon appearing and the chances of finding a specific type. This really narrowed down the search. Pokémon Legends: Z-A, however, is more luck-based. There’s no reliable way to target specific Pokémon for shinies beyond repeatedly resetting the areas they spawn in and hoping for the best.

In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, you can improve your chances of finding a shiny Pokémon by using the Shiny Charm, but you’ll need to complete the highest tier of Mabel’s Research to unlock it.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Makes Scarlet and Violet the Best Games to Shiny Hunt In

Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is out, I’ve found that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are the best games for finding shiny Pokémon. The new Switch 2 is more powerful, which means there are more Pokémon appearing in each area, making it much easier to find a shiny one. Places like Area Zero, which already have a lot of Pokémon, make the process even simpler.

Shiny hunting Litwick in Legends: Z-A is frustrating because only two appear at a time, forcing constant resets of the location. I’d much prefer exploring the Oni Mountain area of Kitakami and casually looking for a shiny Litwick, rather than repeatedly running through the Lumiose Sewers with a tiny chance of finding one of the two that spawn.

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2025-10-21 23:53