| Pokemon Legends: Z-A | ||||
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| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Base Game Review | DLC Review |
Note: This is an in-progress review of Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension. The score and opinions below are based only on a couple of hours of gameplay. These thoughts may change as we spend more time with the full suite of additions and systems introduced in the DLC. This review will be updated accordingly, and a finalized score and verdict will be released soon.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Review Overview
What is Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension?
Pokémon Legends: Z-A's Mega Dimension DLC launched on December 10, 2025. It features new Mega Evolutions such as Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y, Mega Chimeco, and Mega Baxcalibur. Hoopa and their trainer Ansha also make an appearance, and an additional storyline about mysterious time-space distortions scattered around Lumiose City. These distortions lead to an alternate dimension known as "Hyperspace Lumiose."
Additionally, for the first time ever, the level 100 cap is lifted, allowing for Pokémon to reach over the long-standing limit. Fan favorite Pokémon such as Cubone will also be making their appearance in Lumiose City through the DLC.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension features:
⚫︎ Introduction of Hyperspace Lumiose
⚫︎ Over a Dozen New Mega Evolutions
⚫︎ Level Cap Breakthrough
⚫︎ New Story and Characters
⚫︎ A Massive Roster of Returning Pokémon
For more gameplay details, read everything we know about Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s gameplay and story.
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| $29.99 |
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Adds a Hundred Returning Pokémon, Including New Mega Evolutions Higher Difficulty and Challenging Battles Some Enjoyable Character Moments with Ansha and Korrina |
Hyerspace Lumiose is Just Lumiose But White Progression Can be Tedious Due to Repetitive Tasks No New Explorable Area for a $30 DLC |
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Story - 6/10
The story here doesn’t offer much that feels new or compelling. Most of the returning characters barely get any development, and even favorites like Corbeau and Grisham mostly just show up without adding anything meaningful. Hyperspace Lumiose is an interesting idea in theory, but in practice it’s just Lumiose City drained of color, which makes the setting feel bland and leaves the story lacking the charm and energy of the main game. The DLC does give Ansha and Korrina some moments to shine, and seeing new interactions with returning Pokémon adds a few enjoyable touches that make the story at least somewhat rewarding to follow.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Gameplay - 8/10
Mega Dimension keeps the real-time battles of the base game, but spices things up with higher difficulty, more Pokémon to catch, and new Mega Evolutions that add some fresh strategy. Most of the time, it’s a lot of fun experimenting with different teams and tackling tougher opponents, but the progression system can feel tedious, forcing you to do repetitive tasks like popping floating Poké Balls or catching Pokémon you already have just to move the story forward.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Visuals - 7/10
Like in the base game, Lumiose City still looks lived-in, even with its flat balconies and pillars. These problems are offset by the sense that it’s a real city inhabited by both Pokémon and trainers. Hyperspace Lumiose, on the other hand, strips all of that life away, leaving the pocket dimensions feeling colorless and empty. At least on the bright side, many of the new Mega Evolutions look amazing.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Audio - 9/10
Mega Dimension’s soundtracks maintain the same quality as the base game, with added tracks for Legendary Pokémon that help emphasize their region and presence. I particularly appreciate how the sound mixing shifts depending on the situation. For instance, when you crouch in tall grass to sneak up on a wild Pokémon, the track becomes muffled and subdued. When a Mega-Evolved Pokémon rages, the battle theme becomes more intense. However, the lack of voice acting remains noticeable, and it’s clear Pokémon isn’t moving toward fixing that anytime soon.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Value for Money - 6/10
For what it offers, Mega Dimension feels a bit light for a paid DLC. The new Mega Evolutions and returning Pokémon are fun, and the added challenge can be rewarding, but most of the content is just more of the base game rather than a fully new experience. Hyperspace Lumiose doesn’t feel like a real new area, and the repetitive tasks required to progress can make the DLC feel longer than it really is. It’s a DLC that those who liked the base game will enjoy, but it doesn’t fully justify the extra cost compared to simply playing the base game.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Overall Score - 72/100
Mega Dimension definitely adds more content for fans of the base game, especially with its expanded Pokémon roster and the new Mega Evolutions that give battles a fresh twist. The gameplay additions are fun and engaging, but the new areas are mostly just variations of Lumiose City, which can feel a bit repetitive. For players who loved the original, there’s plenty here to enjoy and experiment with, but if the base game didn’t grab you, this DLC isn’t likely to change that.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Review (In Progress): More Lumiose, More Mega, More Meh
On Game Freak’s Old Habits
I’ve never really bought into Game Freak’s old habit of releasing two versions of essentially the same game and then circling back with a "better" third one. I love Pokémon Emerald, and I still think Black and White 2 are the best mainline Pokémon titles, but the whole cycle always made me hesitant. Why pick up the first pair if a more complete version was just a year away? When DLC started becoming the norm in Generation 8, I thought that might finally solve the problem, but even then, the idea of locking features behind paid add-ons didn’t sit right with me. I like my Pokémon games to feel complete on their own, not like I’m buying the rest of the experience later.
That was the lens I brought into Pokémon Legends: Z-A. In my review of the base game, I said outright that it bothered me how much future content was clearly being reserved for DLC, but even with that, the core game still felt worth the price. It stood strong on its own. You didn’t need anything extra to have fun, and that’s how it should be.
I didn’t go into Mega Dimension expecting it to "fix" anything or rescue an incomplete package. I saw it more as a chance to spend more time in a game I already enjoyed.
Full disclosure: I’m only a couple of hours into Mega Dimension. I haven’t seen its full scope yet. Because of that this review is still very much in progress, and the score you see above is temporary. It might change when I’ve seen everything through. I don’t want to pretend otherwise.
What I can say at this point is pretty simple. If you liked the base game, this DLC feels like more of what made it fun—just more. More of that loop, that structure, just more difficult. If you didn’t enjoy the base game, nothing I’ve touched so far suggests this is going to change your mind. The new Mega Evolutions and returning Pokémon don’t matter if the foundation didn’t work for you in the first place.
Lumiose City is in Danger… Again
The Mega Dimension DLC picks up right after the events of the main game, with Team MZ calling the player back to Lumiose City to investigate sudden spatial distortions. These swirling portals appear all over the city and seem to lead to an unknown space that could threaten Lumiose City itself. It’s revealed pretty early on that these rifts connect to pocket dimensions the characters call Hyperspace Lumiose, a parallel version of the city where Mega Evolution energy is unnaturally concentrated. The cast, then, have to figure out why these rifts exist, what’s causing them to spread, and how to keep Lumiose from getting swallowed up by something it was never meant to interact with.
To deal with these anomalies, the group expands. Korrina returns, now introduced as a Mega Evolution Champion who basically acts as the DLC’s battering ram against the more dangerous encounters. She’s one of the few people who can hold her own against aggressively mega-evolved Pokémon, so she fits right in. The other addition is Ansha, a donut-making kid who partners with Hoopa, a Mythical Pokémon known for creating rings that link different places together. Because of Hoopa, she becomes tied to the mystery around Hyperspace Lumiose, and her personal goal of tracking down a Rayquaza ends up polling her deeper into the situation.
And while all of that sounds solid for the most part, the main plot doesn’t fully grab me so far. It’s not bad, but it isn’t doing anything new. It shares the same skeleton as the base game’s story—a mysterious threat involving Mega Evolution energy the cast has to investigate—but doesn’t quite capture the same charm that made the original narrative fun. A big part of what I enjoyed in the base game was the chemistry between the main cast and the city of Lumiose feeling like an actual city. That sense of personality made simple story beats feel stronger.
Here, a lot of that texture is missing. Characters I wanted to take on bigger roles, like Corbeau and Mabel, get pushed to the sidelines. They show up, they say a few lines, and then they move out of the way. I kept waiting for moments that would make me feel like I was peeling back new layers of Lumiose or its residents, but the DLC keeps things surprisingly restrained. There are still some good character moments here and there, but they’re scattered and not as impactful.
Because of that, Ansha and Korrina end up carrying most of the narrative. Ansha at least has a clear motivation and some emotional grounding, even if it’s simple. Her scenes with Hoopa give the story a bit of warmth, and her excitement in relation to Hoopa gives the plot some direction. Korrina’s role is more functional than anything else. She shows up, helps fight off threats, and hints at knowing more about AZ, but the story hasn’t pushed any of that very far yet.
I haven’t finished the DLC, so there’s still room for the story to build up to something stronger. I’m not expecting anything similar to the ending of the base game, but I do hope that by the time the new story content wraps up, it can at least offer that same sense of closure and satisfaction.
Right now, the foundation is fine, but it hasn’t given me much reason to care beyond the basics. I’m hoping the later chapters can change that.
Why is Hyperspace Lumiose so White?
It doesn’t help that, for the most part, the DLC doesn’t bother to introduce an entirely new area to explore. That’s something I found a little disappointing. Past Pokémon DLCs like Sword and Shield’s Isle of Armor and Crown Tundra or Scarlet and Violet’s expansions gave players large new areas to explore. Mega Dimension doesn’t do that.
The "new area," if you can even call it that, Hyperspace Lumiose, is essentially Lumiose City again, just altered and drained of color. It functions like the Space-Time Distortions from Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which makes it feel more like a challenge zone. That’s fine to a degree, but it does make the setting feel bland compared to what you might expect from a paid expansion.
Legends: Arceus’ Daybreak update also didn’t add a new area, but at least that was a free update, not something you have to pay extra for.
Accessing Hyperspace Lumiose is a bit unusual. You need a donut baked by Ansha, which you feed to Hoopa, and the quality of the donut determines how long you can stay in the zone. There are multiple types of Hyperspace Zones: some are wild zones where you encounter three different species of Pokémon at once, others are battle zones similar to the city’s Battle Zones, some are for fighting Rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon, and a few are tied to side missions. The zones all follow the same basic structure, so in terms of exploration, it doesn’t feel like you’re seeing something completely new. It’s more like revisiting a familiar city with added danger and a strict time limit.
This leads into the biggest change the DLC makes to the gameplay: difficulty. Pokémon here can exceed the usual level cap of 100, with some random encounters reaching level 150 or even 200. I actually enjoy this addition. Increasing difficulty in Pokémon is tricky because, back then, being overleveled trivialized the post-game, so the easiest way to make it challenging is to increase the stats and levels of the Pokémon you fight.
The donut system partially addresses this by boosting your own Pokémon’s levels when you enter a zone, making the battles feel more balanced, even against rogue Mega Evolved Pokémon. Having said that, even when your Pokémon are at the right level, the fights are still tough. I’ve lost more than a few times before realizing I needed better donuts or a stronger team.
But the system isn’t without its flaws. The constant backtracking to make new donuts and then returning to the zones can feel tedious. Inside the zones, you’re racing against a time limit. Because the zones only last for a set period, I’ve had moments where I was chasing a new Pokémon to complete my Pokédex only to run out of time before finding it. You can technically save-scum to get around this, but that’s not really a solution.
Even Rogue Mega Evolution battles are affected by the timer, and since these Pokémon are massive damage sponges, it’s easy to fail simply because the clock ran out. Some of this is on me (skill issue, I know), but it just goes to show how the difficulty sometimes hinges more on speed, which isn’t always the enjoyable approach.
Old Favorites with New Mega Forms
The main draw of Mega Dimension is, without a doubt, the Pokémon themselves. The game brings back over a hundred returning Pokémon from across the series, so it gives you a chance to mix and match favorites from different generations in ways you couldn’t in the base game. Over a hundred returning Pokémon appear here, and a notable chunk of them have new Mega Evolution forms. Some of these are the familiar evolutions you’d expect (Mega Staraptor now looks more emo than before), but the real novelty comes from what the game calls Z Mega Evolutions, which are new forms introduced for only, at the moment, three Pokémon: Lucario, Garchomp, and Absol. These Z Mega forms have shorter cooldowns than standard Mega Evolutions, but they also don’t last as long in battle.
What’s fun about these new Mega Evolutions isn’t just the stats, though that’s certainly part of it. Even if you aren’t into competitive Pokémon, it’s interesting to see how some of these changes could shake up the meta. New stats and typing tweaks give these Pokémon different roles in battle and encourage experimentation. I don’t know much about high-level competitive play, but I can appreciate that these changes open up new ways to approach battles.
I also just really like the designs. I’ll admit, when Mega Lucario Z was first announced, I was a little on the fence. It seemed… weird. But once I saw it in action, I completely changed my mind. This new form is faster and hits harder as a special attacker, sacrificing some defense and physical attack in exchange. It’s aggressive and fun to use, and it makes Lucario feel fresh to use.
Another favorite of mine is Mega Golurk. The original design always gave me that ancient-automaton vibe, which I liked, but the Mega Evolution gives it more presence. Clouds of energy erupt from its shoulders and chest to show more of its Ghost typing.
I’m not sure yet of what to feel about Golisopod’s Mega Evolution. It honestly reminds me of a droideka from Star Wars. I don’t particularly like the design, but I bet there are plenty of players out there who are completely losing their minds over it.
On top of the Pokémon themselves, the DLC is fun simply for the freedom to mix older and newer generations together. I can have a team with Dondozo and Golisopod side by side, a combination that wouldn’t be possible unless you trade from one game to another.
Is Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Worth It?
Yes, If You Like the Base Game; No, If You Don’t
How you feel about Mega Dimension really comes down to how you felt about the base game. I’m right in that middle ground myself. I liked the base game, so the DLC feels worth checking out, at least if you’re looking to extend your time in Lumiose and try out some new Pokémon and Mega Evolutions. For players who enjoyed the story, the world, and the combat of Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Mega Dimension adds a fair bit of extra content that can easily double your playtime. The returning Pokémon, the new Z Mega Evolutions, and the higher difficulty all make for some interesting challenges, and it’s fun to experiment with teams you couldn’t quite build in the base game.
On the other hand, if the base game didn’t work for you, there’s not much here that’s going to change your mind. The story doesn’t really go anywhere new, Hyperspace Lumiose is just Lumiose but white, and aside from the Pokémon themselves, most of the content is just more of what the base game already offered. The DLC costs $30 on top of the $70 base game, which feels steep for content that could have easily been included as a free post-game update. I still think the base game is worth the full price on its own; you’ll get plenty of hours of enjoyment without ever touching Mega Dimension.
Mega Dimension is solid for people who already love Pokémon Legends: Z-A. However, so far, I don’t feel like it’s an essential purchase. Your $30 might be better spent on a full game instead, like some of the year’s best releases such as Silksong or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
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| eShop |
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| $29.99 |
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension FAQ
How to Catch Mega Darkrai in Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension?
Darkrai is encountered as a part of the DLC’s main story. After defeating it, you will gain the opportunity to catch it. Defeating it also rewards you with the Darkranite, its Mega Evolution stone. For more information on how to catch Mega Darkrai, check out our article below!
Game8 Reviews
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Similar Games
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Mega Dimension Product Information
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| Title | POKÉMON LEGENDS: Z-A MEGA DIMENSION |
|---|---|
| Release Date | December 10, 2025 |
| Developer | Game Freak |
| Publisher | Nintendo The Pokémon Company |
| Supported Platforms | Nintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch |
| Genre | Adventure, RPG, Strategy |
| Number of Players | 1-4 |
| ESRB Rating | ESRB E - Everyone |
| Official Website | Pokémon Legends: Z-A Website |
