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If you own Pokémon Legends: Z-A for Nintendo Switch and want its Switch 2 Edition features, buy the separately sold Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack and play it on a Nintendo Switch 2. You need the full game as well as the pack; buying a physical Switch cartridge alone does not include the upgrade.

How to upgrade from the Switch version

  1. Make sure you own the full game. The Upgrade Pack requires Pokémon Legends: Z-A. You can own the base game digitally or on a physical Nintendo Switch game card.
  2. Use a Nintendo Switch 2. The Switch 2 Edition features are for Nintendo Switch 2.
  3. Open the Nintendo eShop on Switch 2 and find Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack. Check that the listing is the upgrade pack, not the full game or the separate DLC.
  4. Purchase and download the Upgrade Pack. Follow the eShop prompts. If you own a physical copy, keep the game card available to play the base game.
  5. Start the game on Switch 2. The Switch 2 Edition features are available when playing on that system.

Nintendo says the Upgrade Pack was released October 16, 2025. The official listing identifies the full game as a requirement.

Do you need to buy the game again?

No, not if you already own the Switch game: Nintendo says existing owners can purchase the Upgrade Pack to play the Switch 2 Edition. The pack is an add-on to the full game, not a replacement copy of it. If you do not own the base game, you will need to acquire it as well as the upgrade, or buy the complete Switch 2 Edition.

Upgrade Pack or complete Switch 2 Edition?

The right option depends on whether you already own the base game. Nintendo’s US prices below were listed on October 3, 2026; prices and availability may differ by region or change over time.

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#1 Best Overall
Pokémon Legends: Z-A Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
  • Your journey will take you to all manner of sights in the streets arrayed around Prism Tower, including shops, restaurants, and places called wild zones—where Pokémon roam free.
  • As you catch, train, and battle Pokémon, there will be plenty of people to meet too—like AZ, the enigmatic owner of Hotel Z.
What you own Purchase route Nintendo US listed price
Switch version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A Buy the Switch 2 Edition Upgrade Pack $9.99 regular price
No copy of the game Buy the complete Switch 2 Edition $69.99 regular price
No copy of the game, and you want the Switch version Buy the Nintendo Switch base game; add the Upgrade Pack separately if you later want Switch 2 Edition features $59.99 regular price for the base game; $9.99 for the pack

These are Nintendo US Store prices, not universal prices. Check your local eShop listing before buying. Nintendo also sells a physical Nintendo Switch version: the cartridge is the base game, not the Switch 2 upgrade. The Nintendo Switch game listing and the Upgrade Pack listing are separate.

What does the Switch 2 upgrade improve?

Nintendo describes the Switch 2 Edition as offering improved performance, enhanced resolution, and smoother frame rates. Its official listings do not provide specific resolution or frame-rate targets or comparative benchmark figures, so those benefits should not be read as a guarantee of a particular number.

Rank #2
Pokémon Legends: Z-A – Mega Dimension DLC - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]
  • Venture into Hyperspace Lumiose in this additional story content that can be accessed after completing the main game
  • Work with the mysterious baker, Ansha, to make donuts that awaken the Mythical Pokémon Hoopa’s power and grant you and your Pokémon a variety of useful effects
  • Join Team MZ and the Mega Evolution Successor, Korrina, to investigate Hyperspace Lumiose, the otherworldly home to rare and hyper-strong Pokémon
  • Discover new Mega Evolutions such as Mega Raichu X, Mega Raichu Y, Mega Chimecho and Mega Baxcalibur
  • Claim Holo-X and Holo-Y in-game apparel items, which you can wear as soon as you are able to customize your character’s look and outfit in the main game

Can you play the Switch 2 Edition on an original Switch?

No. Nintendo UK says the additional Switch 2 Edition features are playable only on Nintendo Switch 2. If you use the game card on an original Nintendo Switch, it plays the Switch version without those additional features. The Upgrade Pack does not turn original Switch hardware into a Switch 2 Edition system.

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How much storage should you allow?

Nintendo’s US listing shows 6 GB for the Nintendo Switch version and 11.3 GB for the Switch 2 version. These are listed file sizes, not a guarantee of the precise free space a console will need during installation. Check the product page for your region and the available storage on your console before downloading.

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Rank #3
Pokemon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch)
  • Live the life of a Pokémon Trainer in the streets of Lumiose City!
  • Lumiose City a home for people and Pokémon alike. Here, thanks to an urban redevelopment plan driven by Quasartico Inc., the lush greenery of verdant parks and natural vistas intermingles with facilities made using the latest cutting-edge technology. A lot has changed here since the days of the Pokémon X and Pokémon Y games!
  • Choose Chikorita, Tepig, or Totodile as your first partner Pokémon, and then set off on a grand adventure! Your journey will take you to all manner of sights in the streets arrayed around Prism Tower, including shops, restaurants, and places called wild zones where Pokémon roam free. As you catch, train, and battle Pokémon, there will be plenty of people to meet too like AZ, the enigmatic owner of Hotel Z.
  • Catch, battle, and Mega Evolve all in real time!

Is the Upgrade Pack the same as the Mega Dimension DLC?

No. The Upgrade Pack supplies the Switch 2 Edition feature set; the Mega Dimension DLC is separate additional content. Nintendo’s US listing says the full game is required for the DLC. Buying either add-on does not make it interchangeable with the other.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 3
Pokemon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch)
Pokemon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch)
Live the life of a Pokémon Trainer in the streets of Lumiose City!; Catch, battle, and Mega Evolve all in real time!
$57.10

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.