For the last few years I've been gradually coming to terms with the fact I may not be a Pokemon fan but just a Classic Pokemon fan – and now Pokemon Legends: Z-A has arrived to throw my reflection into turmoil yet again. Ostensibly not part of the main series (but you'll get your wrist slapped if you call it a spin-off), what's won me over to Pokemon Legends: Z-A after bouncing off of Pokemon Sword and Shield and the rest of the 3D series is that it's so different. It's not a modernization of Pokemon mechanics as much as it is a reimagining.
The last Pokemon entry I saw credits for was Pokemon Black and White on the Nintendo DS, and – shaking as I look up what year that was – that was 15 years ago. Since then, I've yearned for a monster catching RPG that can give me the same thrill as those pixel art classics. I enjoyed what I played of Pokemon Sun and Moon but dropped off close to the end. Whereas with Pokemon Sword and Shield, I found the 3D graphics too off-putting blown up on the big TV, the RPG combat incredibly slow-moving, and the wild zones empty – though the slap bass in a lot of the music was incredibly iconic.
