Sales Soaring Like a Charizard on Caffeine
The Pokémon Company has declared a glorious victory! Often squabbling over who’s the mightiest of them all, the Pokémon universe has unleashed a new champ: Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Buckling up? Better grab a potion because this game has already racked up a cheeky 5.8 million copies in just the first week. And that figure includes both the physical and digital versions—talk about versatile!
Half on the Newest Console! Who Knew?
Now, hold onto your Poké Balls, because a whopping almost half of those sales came from the all-new Switch 2. Who would have guessed that wielding another console would lead to higher sales? It’s almost like introducing new gear helps sales—or wait, that’s not entirely groundbreaking, is it? In any case, users on X, like the ever-so-astute Pierre485 (not to be confused with your average Joe), have crunched the numbers. Pokémon Legends: Z-A has sprinted into the number five spot for the best week-one sales within the Pokémon franchise. Fifth place! Is there a trophy for that?
Competing Against Heavy Hitters! The Pressure!
But before Z-A gets too cocky, let’s take a stroll down memory lane to see what it’s competing against. The top four spots are occupied by none other than title-winning games that have had sales records hotter than a freshly-baked batch of cookies pulled from the oven. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet? Boom! 10 million copies sold in just three days. Pokémon Legends: Arceus struts in with 6.5 million in a similar time frame. And then there are the twin titans, Pokémon Sword & Shield and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, both flexing those 6 million sales muscles in three days. Now that’s some serious competition!
No One Said It Would be Easy
Reaching these epic heights of sales seems as daunting as defeating the Elite Four without any healing items. Not that it’s impossible, mind you! Allowing for perspective, Scarlet & Violet is still the Usain Bolt of gaming sales—it’s the fastest-selling single-format game of all time. Yikes, talk about high stakes!
The Chronicles of Z-A: A New Era
Unlike its cloud-skimming predecessor, Pokémon Legends: Arceus—which took players on a time-traveling escapade back to the Hisui region—Z-A decides to settle down in modern times, specifically Lumiose City from the iconic Pokémon X & Y. Forever the trendsetter, this game seems to understand a simple rule: nostalgia is like the secret sauce for success. Bring it on, Lumiose!
A Love Letter with Battles!
If you thought the previous installments were charming, hold onto those Poké Balls because Z-A delivers a love letter that not only flutters but also throws a punch! Not to be outdone, a certain review refers to it as “a love letter to older fans,” essentially assuring everyone that this game is not only acknowledging the old guard but actually shining up the trophy for them. Trust in the Legends series is as solid as a legendary Pokémon.
Sure, the new battle mechanics will make players feel like a kid again, minus the hours of confusion on how to catch a Mewtwo, and let’s face it, the Rogue Mega Battles have a certain flair to them. They are bombastic fun—though it might get as easy as brewing a cup of tea as players’ teams level up. Let’s just hope this series is not the fleeting fad of the year.
On the lighter side, if there’s one thing fans can agree on, it’s that Pokémon Legends: Z-A is a fantastic way to send older fans back into a whirlwind of nostalgia—complete with the best modern flair. As the dust settles, this new title may solidify its spot among the hall of fame in many fans’ hearts (and collections). Time to evolve—or just Pika please—into an era where Pokémon games stay forever fabulous!
