Mega Evolution in Legends: Z-A
How Mega Evolution works in the real-time Lumiose City game, including Rogue Megas and Z Mega Evolution.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A (2025) brought Mega Evolution back with a new real-time system. The whole game is set in Lumiose City, and the story revolves around Mega Evolution going wrong. Everything here is documented for the base game and the Mega Dimension DLC as of late 2026.
A different kind of battle
Z-A does not use turns. Trainers and Pokémon move around a 3D arena. Moves use a cooldown instead of PP, you aim at specific areas, and status changes to stats are limited to one level and fade after a short time. Held items exist, but Abilities and breeding are not in the game.
Mega Evolving
The player activates Mega Evolution with a Mega Ring, but only when the Mega Gauge is full. You fill the gauge by landing moves on opponents or by collecting orbs of Mega Power dropped by wild Mega-Evolved Pokémon. Mega Evolution is no longer permanent for the battle: it has a time limit, which collected orbs extend. The Pokémon has to hold its Mega Stone.
Mega Evolved Pokémon are surrounded by a rainbow aura. Some get more than the usual 100 extra base stat points. Mawile, Medicham and Starmie gain more, to make up for Abilities that normally double Attack (Huge Power and Pure Power) being absent. Mega Zygarde only gains 70.
Rogue Mega Evolution
The central problem of the story is Rogue Mega Evolution. Wild Pokémon exposed to strong Mega Power transform on their own. They grow larger, glow with a pink aura and appear to be in pain. Battling one works like a Noble Pokémon fight in Legends: Arceus: you dodge its attacks in real time and strike to make it drop Mega Power orbs. Calming a Rogue Mega Pokémon rewards the matching Mega Stone.
Z-A Royale
The Z-A Royale is a night-time tournament in marked battle zones. Trainers start at Rank Z and win promotion matches to climb to Rank A. Team MZ, your group at Hotel Z, takes part and deals with the Rogue Mega Pokémon as well.
How many Mega forms
The base game adds 26 new Mega Evolutions. The Mega Dimension DLC (released on 10 December 2025) adds 19 more, 22 if form variations are counted, for 18 Pokémon.
Z Mega Evolution
Mega Dimension also introduced Z Mega Evolution. Mega Lucario Z, Mega Garchomp Z and Mega Absol Z all have a base Speed of 151. In Z-A, they burn Mega Power twice as fast as ordinary Mega Evolutions, but they have no wind-up time on their moves. The DLC also adds Hyperspace Lumiose, a parallel place with Pokémon of its own to explore.