The Nintendo Switch 2 may be new to the scene and still waiting for its first must-play exclusive RPG — but that wait might soon be over. That's because Pokémon Legends: Z-A launches on Oct. 16.

Yes, the game is technically coming to both the Switch 2 and its predecessor. But based on the hour I spent with it at a recent preview event, this could be the step forward the series has desperately needed. Longtime Pokémon developer Game Freak has made some admirable leaps in recent years, such as the open world-ification of Scarlet and Violet , but one thing remained stubbornly stuck in 1996: the combat.

The demo I played of Legends: Z-A included more than just combat, of course, but what stood out most were the changes to how fights work. As someone who has been begging for Game

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