Nintendo's former leads don't think Pokemon Z-A looks too great either

The Pokémon franchise has attempted to branch into 3D gaming experiences over the last few years, led by developers Game Freak. However, the results have been shaky, with previous titles like Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon: Scarlet & Violet criticized for lackluster visuals and uninspired gameplay.

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Credit: Game Freak

Pokémon Legends: Z-A appears to continue that trend, with the most recent gameplay trailer showcasing visuals that, as fans have pointed out, seem more reminiscent of the GameCube or PS2 era than a 2025 first-party title. Nintendo's former leads aren't impressed either.

As reported by TheGamer, Nintendo's former director of marketing and content, Kit Ellis, commented, "It doesn't look great. It's not high-end, pushing the performance of the Switch." Nintendo's former senior manager of creator relations, Krysta Yang, shared this sentiment, stating, "It looks pretty rough. Environments look pretty rough."

"I understand what people are saying when they're frustrated with this game because it looks very flat. There's not a lot of detail," Ellis said.

While the pair agrees there's a lack of visual fidelity, they differ on the PS2 and GameCube comparison. Yang felt that calling it a PS2 title was "overly dramatic." However, Ellis reiterated that, although HD wasn't a thing back then, games were still pushing fidelity in ways comparable to Pokémon Legends: Z-A's current presentation.

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Gran Turismo 4 (2004) on PS2, Credit: Sony

Ellis raised a notable comparison to another title arriving this month - Xenoblade Chronicles X. Originally released in 2015 on the Wii U and now adapted for the Switch, he highlights the visual discrepancy between the two titles.

"People have pointed out we're getting a game this month - Xenoblade Chronicles X - that looks incredible. And guess what? That's actually a ten-year-old game that was on Wii U, so it makes the comparison even more jarring," Ellis said.

Pokemon Legends Z-A is set to arrive in late 2025 on the Nintendo Switch, along with a possible Switch 2 launch when the new hardware arrives this year. You can check out the full discussion with Ellis and Yang on YouTube.

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