Pokemon Legends: Z-A spoilers ahead. Proceed at your own risk.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a strange mainline entry in the series, as it follows up on the events from Gen 6 games after 5 years and brings back Mega Evolution as a gimmick, but it doesn't introduce new Pokemon species at all. So far, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's new Mega Evolutions have been a big part of the hype surrounding the game alongside the all-new real-time battle system. The game is still dividing fans, though, and there are many reasons for this. One of them is the fact that it does give players Zygarde with a very unique Mega Evolution attached, but the cost to pay is to wave goodbye to 5 Pokemon.

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It's always sad when Pokemon games cut some beloved critters or features. Pokemon Legends: Z-A is being review-bombed for the lack of some longtime features as well as how dull the gameplay feels to some players compared to PLA or Gen 9. However, it's worth noting that another big issue with the game is how it's not exactly accessible to all players, with some critters getting the short end of the stick. Players can get their Zygarde and Mega Zygarde at the end of Mission 37, but by the time they roll credits, they may notice that something is missing - some Pokemon can't be caught. These are:

  • Slowpoke
  • Steelix
  • Scizor
  • Slurpuff
  • Aromatisse

This is because Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Metal Coat is needed to evolve Onix and Scyther while trading, King's Rock for Slowpoke, Sachet for Spritzee, and Whipped Cream for Swirlix. Since these are all trade-only evolutions that require an item, they are not available in the wild.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A Basically Confirms All 16 DLC Mega Evolutions

Pokemon Legends: Z-A's upcoming release saw dataminers retrieve information regarding 16 new Mega Evolutions in the game's DLC.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A is The End of an Era For 5 Pokemon

Pokemon Past Paradox Forms Slowking

There are ten Pokemon that need to be traded in order to evolve in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. These are:

Trade codes in Pokemon Legends: Z-A exist to make trading more straightforward, considering there are no version-exclusive critters in the game. However, fans still need a paid Nintendo Switch Online subscription to access trading, meaning that no matter what, some Pokemon can't be caught solo.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Wild Zone 20 Spawns Explained

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A's main story addresses this by giving players Wild Zone 20 at the end of it all, but this only partly solves the issue. In fact, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Wild Zone 20 can spawn these critters at a high level and some even as Alpha Pokemon:

  • Regular Wild Zone 20 Pokemon spawns
    • Aggron
    • Scrafty
    • Garbodor
    • Bulbasaur
    • Chikorita
    • Roserade
    • Gardevoir
    • Charmander
    • Tepig
    • Hippowdon
    • Lucario
    • Squirtle
    • Totodile
    • Malamar
    • Dragalge

  • Alpha Wild Zone 20 Pokemon spawns
    • Raichu
    • Clefable
    • Alakazam (normally a trade evolution)
    • Machamp (normally a trade evolution)
    • Victreebel
    • Gengar (normally a trade evolution)
    • Kangaskhan
    • Starmie
    • Pinsir
    • Gyarados
    • Vaporeon
    • Jolteon
    • Flareon
    • Dragonite
    • Ariados
    • Heracross
    • Delibird
    • Skarmory
    • Tyranitar
    • Gardevoir
    • Sableye
    • Aggron
    • Medicham
    • Altaria
    • Absol
    • Metagross
    • Roserade
    • Garchomp
    • Lucario
    • Hippowdon
    • Leafeon
    • Glaceon
    • Gallade
    • Froslass
    • Simisage
    • Simisear
    • Simipour
    • Scolipede
    • Krookodile
    • Scrafty
    • Garbodor
    • Vanilluxe
    • Eelektross
    • Chandelure
    • Stunfisk
    • Diggersby
    • Talonflame
    • Vivillon
    • Florges
    • Gogoat
    • Pangoro
    • Furfrou
    • Aegislash
    • Malamar
    • Barbaracle
    • Dragalge
    • Heliolisk
    • Sylveon
    • Hawlucha
    • Dedenne
    • Carbink
    • Goodra
    • Klefki
    • Gourgeist (normally a trade evolution)
    • Noivern
    • Drampa
    • Falinks

Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Slurpuff, and Aromatisse are Virtually Unobtainable in Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Slurpuff In The Pokemon Anime

Since Gengar, Alakazam, and Machamp are all in Wild Zone 20, Trevenant is available as an Alpha in Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Wild Zone 13, and Gourgeist also spawns in Wild Zone 15, only 5 Pokemon in the game cannot be caught in the wild. What follows is that Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Slurpuff, and Aromatisse remain trade-exclusive evolutions with no way of catching them, even after getting Zygarde and Mega Zygarde. In fact, getting ygarde may be bittersweet, as players who don't own one of these 5 Pokemon yet will eventually realize that they have only partly beaten the game.

Zygarde in Pokemon Legends: Z-A plays a big role in the story, so it makes perfect sense to be obtainable, but Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Slurpuff, and Aromatisse being trade-only makes little sense.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A
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RPG
Adventure
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Top Critic Avg: 79 /100 Critics Rec: 66%
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Released
October 16, 2025
ESRB
Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
Developer(s)
Game Freak, Creatures Inc.
Publisher(s)
Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
RPG, Adventure