Legends – Gaming Master https://gaming.vmondeika.com Get daily gaming updates with us Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:38:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 Ubisoft has no plans to delist original Rayman Legends after Rayman Legends Retold launch https://gaming.vmondeika.com/ubisoft-has-no-plans-to-delist-original-rayman-legends-after-rayman-legends-retold-launch/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/ubisoft-has-no-plans-to-delist-original-rayman-legends-after-rayman-legends-retold-launch/#respond Sat, 13 Jun 2026 16:38:50 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/ubisoft-has-no-plans-to-delist-original-rayman-legends-after-rayman-legends-retold-launch/

According to Ubisoft, the original Rayman Legends is staying put – it will not be delisted from digital storefronts.

Some fans may have been concerned that the game would be removed later this year. That’s because Ubisoft will be launching Rayman Legends Retold towards the end of 2026. This is a full remake of the original game with updated graphics, new content, and more.

Sometimes when a remaster or remake arrives, publishers will remove the original title. Thankfully though, we won’t have to worry about something similar here. Ubisoft confirmed on social media that the original Rayman Legends will still be available to purchase once we see Retold out there.

Right now you can grab Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo eShop. A physical version is available as well.

For those wondering about Rayman Legends Retold, we have the following information:

Embark on a bold reimagining of the acclaimed platformer, filled with new content and narrative twists. When a shadowy villain spreads corruption across the Glade of Dreams, journey through its charming worlds solo or in up to 4‑player couch co‑op in a fast‑paced, side‑scrolling adventure where every stumble and surprise adds to the delightful chaos.

Leap, glide, and punch your way through worlds bursting with charm and delightful surprises. Craving a change of pace? Dive into unforgettable musical stages, where every move must sync with the beat for a rhythm‑powered thrill.

Immerse yourself in a world brimming with life, reimagined with stunning visuals. A rich selection of iconic levels returns alongside a mysterious sixth realm and 4 new musical stages. Saddle up for epic dragon rides and test your skills in the Cave of Trials.

Join Rayman and his friends on their most ambitious adventure yet, facing a new foe stirring trouble from the underworld. Voiced cinematics and an expanded soundtrack by Christophe Héral and Grant Kirkhope bring the journey to life, blending original themes with new compositions.

Play the entire adventure in up to 4-player couch co-op, racing for Lums or knocking each other off to claim every last Teensy. Kung Foot also returns with improved controls, power-ups, and customizable rules for hours of frantic competition.

Rayman Legends Retold comes to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1, 2026. In case you missed it, we have hands-on impressions here and plenty of gameplay here.

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Pokemon Presents locked in for July, as Pokemon Legends Z-A finally catches a proper release date for Switch 2 and OG Switch https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-presents-locked-in-for-july-as-pokemon-legends-z-a-finally-catches-a-proper-release-date-for-switch-2-and-og-switch/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-presents-locked-in-for-july-as-pokemon-legends-z-a-finally-catches-a-proper-release-date-for-switch-2-and-og-switch/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2026 02:19:31 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-presents-locked-in-for-july-as-pokemon-legends-z-a-finally-catches-a-proper-release-date-for-switch-2-and-og-switch/

Attention all Bulbasaur plushie owners and potential future Bulbasaur plushie owners. The Pokemon Company has officially announced a Pokemon Presents showcase set to take place in July. Plus, we finally know for sure when exactly Pokemon Legends Z-A will be arriving for Switch 2 and original Switch.

This next Pokemon Presents will be taking place on Tuesday, July 22, meaning you’ve got a month and a bit to wait. You’ll be able to watch it at 6AM PST, which is 2PM BST, 9AM ET, and 3PM CEST via the official Pokemon YouTube channel.

There’ve been no further details announced as to what it’ll feature, aside from “the latest news and updates from the world of Pokemon”, which yeah, duh, Pokemon showcase. It’s worth noting that Nintendo’s Switch 2 will have been out a month and a bit by then, so it seems likely we could see some more Pokemon games aimed at that console.

One that pretty much seems like a lock unless TPC thinks it’s shared enough info already is Pokemon Legends: Z-A, which has just finally been given a full release date. Both the Switch 2 and original Switch versions will be dropping on October 16, with eShop pre-orders kicking off June 5. The game’s moody nighttime cover art has also been revealed.

“Players who purchase either the physical or digital version of Pokémon Legends: Z-A for Nintendo Switch will have the option to upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition by purchasing an upgrade pack,” TPC wrote, “Upgrade packs will be available on Nintendo eShop and My Nintendo Store.”

If you’ve forgotten what the game is here’s the synopsis: “Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a new frontier for the Pokémon video game series, blending an RPG story unfolding in a single city with action elements and a real-time battle system unlike anything seen before in the franchise Trainers can look forward to the beginning of a new adventure in Lumiose City—one woven by people and Pokémon together!”

If you’re planning on playing a bunch more Pokemon TCG Pocket while you wait for this next Presents showcase to roll around, you can consult our huge array of helpful TCG Pocket guides for expert advice on things like assembling decks based around ex Pokemon ranging from Cresselia to Yanmega.

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Team WE’s dwindling hope, SkewMond becoming best LEC player, Cloud9’s last chance: League of Legends action leading up to MSI https://gaming.vmondeika.com/team-wes-dwindling-hope-skewmond-becoming-best-lec-player-cloud9s-last-chance-league-of-legends-action-leading-up-to-msi/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/team-wes-dwindling-hope-skewmond-becoming-best-lec-player-cloud9s-last-chance-league-of-legends-action-leading-up-to-msi/#respond Thu, 11 Jun 2026 21:59:40 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/team-wes-dwindling-hope-skewmond-becoming-best-lec-player-cloud9s-last-chance-league-of-legends-action-leading-up-to-msi/ lec stage
Image Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

Even though the Mid-Season Invitational is less than three weeks away, teams across the world are busy with their spring splits. Some leagues have crowned their champions while others are still finalizing their seeds, with four teams still to be confirmed.

This past week, Top Esports has booked its place, leaving BiliBili Gaming, Anyone’s Legend, and Team WE fighting for the second spot. G2 Esports came out on top again, beating Karmine Corp in the LEC Versus final rematch. FURIA has proven that Brazil can fight with its own talent.

In North America, LYON dominated Cloud9, with big question marks regarding its true potential. Dplus Kia’s elimination raises many questions, both inside and outside the Rift.

Here are some of the most interesting storylines leading up to MSI

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Are Team WE’s Playoff Hopes Over? Things are Getting Rough

At the start of the split, no one thought Team WE would end up fighting for a spot at MSI, yet the team made the unthinkable reality. Unfortunately, that hope is getting dimmer now after the loss against Top Esports, who have once again locked an international appearance.

TES’ 3-0 win not only ended WE’s momentum but also exposed WE’s weaknesses. The latter had shown their ability to drag their opponents into their comfort zone, which relied on chaotic skirmishes.

Top Esports understood that and did the exact opposite, using their strong fundamentals to fight on their own terms, with jungler Gao “Tian” Tian-Liang dictating the tempo of the game.

Top Esports Tian
Image Credit: Top Esports Weibo

With the loss, the scenarios for Team WE are getting complicated. BiliBili Gaming has seemingly recovered from the upset and is looking dominant, with all their players in great form, especially support Luo “ON” Wen-Jun.

“There’s not a player in the world that plays like ON right now, truly fearless in the way he approaches every play – and BLG are better for it,” said color caster Alex “Nymaera” Hapgood. A potential rematch is expected to be in BLG’s favor, unless Monki pulls off another miracle.

G2 Beat Karmine Corp, and SkewMond Takes Another Step

G2 Esports winning Europe is almost routine at this point. The 3-2 win over Karmine Corp gave the organization its 19th LEC title and will send G2 directly to MSI’s Bracket Stage. KC, after coming close to the title, will start from Play-Ins.

While it wasn’t a clean stomp, G2’s wins were spearheaded by a monstrous Rudy “SkewMond” Semaan, who went deathless in the team’s three wins. The jungler, who rightfully earned the MVP award, even pulled out a Nasus jungle, “bonking” his enemies.

His performances and importance within the team bring up the question that is starting to follow him: Is SkewMond the best European player to emerge since Caps?

g2 esports lec
Image Credit: Wojciech Wandzel/Riot Games

Even though the claim is still a bit too early, he’s on course to be that guy. The level of dominance ever since his debut last year, paired with G2’s recent strong international record, is elevating him to that status. He will need a bit more time to build his résumé, but the trend suggests that everything is lining up well for the French player.

For EU fans, G2 and KC were the best teams to send based on what they’ve shown in Spring. The French squad will be one to watch, especially given that they will have to face the LCK #2 seed to enter the top eight. While it could be a short run, it will definitely be a valuable one, especially considering KC is expected to be among the EU representatives for Worlds 2026.

Dplus KIA Needs Fixes Inside and Outside the Rift

Dplus Kia is not going to MSI. Their run ended after the loss against KT Rolster in the worst way possible. Despite leading in both Game 4 and Game 5, the team dropped both games in heated teamfights. 

Aside from the gameplay, however, a lot of DK’s attention has been outside of the game. At the end of the series, head coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho was once again caught in the eyestorm after making inappropriate comments during the post-match interview, prompting the organization to enforce higher standards for media communication.

This is just the latest controversy around DK’s head coach, following earlier criticism of his harsh coaching style. While the potential is there, as clearly shown by the team throughout the first part of the LCK season, DK needs to create a healthier environment, far away from the drama.

While missing MSI is understandable given the presence of powerhouses like T1, Hanwha Life Esports, and Gen.G, Dplus Kia will need to get into the top four if they want a shot at Worlds.

Cloud9 Has One Last Series to Avoid Another Painful Ending

Cloud9’s 0-3 loss to LYON in the LCS Spring Playoffs is giving fans deja vu from last year, when the team failed to qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational. It’s not just about the loss: the team looked lost compared to LYON, unable to match its teamfights. 

A Reddit user explained C9’s form perfectly: “They used to be the underdogs, the cluch team that could punch above their weight… Now they’re the regular season leaders who anti-clutch and find new and innovative ways to choke every time it matters.” 

cloud9 kia lol
Image Credit: Stefan Wisnoski/Riot Games

C9 has shown repeatedly to have consistency throughout the regular season but fails to level up its gameplay when it matters the most. The sweep will inevitably put a lot of pressure on C9, who will now face Team Liquid for the second MSI spot. 

Mid laner Lim “Quid” Hyeon-seung has stepped up lately, taking up more of a carry role within the team, similar to how it was when he played for 100Thieves last year. The mid-jungle will likely be the key to the match.

FURIA’s Sin Could Change How Brazil Builds Teams

FURIA earned back-to-back appearances at MSI following a strong showing throughout the second split. 

The victory, however, seems to have also changed the perspective on CBLOL teams’ roster building. The fact that FURIA won with a full Brazilian team proved that Brazil can rely on its own talents to win domestically and earn the international qualification.

This seems to be leading many organizations to follow a similar path, with many teams looking to change their import players. 

furia cblol
Image Credit: CBLOL Flickr

LOUD is reportedly looking to change both jungler Ko “YoungJae” Yeong-jae and ADC Song “Bull” Seon-gyu with Brazilian players Enzo “Sinatra” Candido Ferreira and Yudi Leonardo “NinjaKiwi” Miyashiro. V

ivo Keyd Stars will not only have a new head coach in Ludvig Erik Hugo “Smiley” Granquist but also see the departure of Korean top laner Choi “Wizer” Eui-seok and support Ling “Kaiwing” Kai Wing, who was supposed to elevate VKS to new heights. 

Brazil is moving towards more domestic talents again: “Invest in LATAM,” said a user on Reddit. “Stop looking at Korea when there’s proof local talent can go toe to toe with NA at least.”

While imports can quickly raise a team’s ceiling through strong fundamentals, Brazil’s greatest runs were built on the synergy of local talent, with unexpected playstyles and strategies. 

Last year, FURIA came close to upsetting G2 Esports in the play-in stage. With them now directly to the bracket stage, the Brazilian team will have the golden opportunity to showcase CBLOL’s potential to the world.

The post Team WE’s dwindling hope, SkewMond becoming best LEC player, Cloud9’s last chance: League of Legends action leading up to MSI appeared first on Esports Insider.



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Apex Legends Ring Consoles explained https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-ring-consoles-explained/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-ring-consoles-explained/#respond Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:16:21 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-ring-consoles-explained/

The Ring Consoles in Apex Legends are a new addition that came with the release of season 16. They are a useful item that is scattered across the map, but if you find one it can change your fate in the game. They help you to predict the future.

In Apex Legends, the Ring Consoles can let you see exactly where the next Ring will be. Therefore, you will be able to see slightly into the future to plan your next attack or to simply run before you get caught in the closing Ring.

Without further ado, we’re going to show you how to use Ring Consoles in Apex Legends, and how to find them.

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Apex Legends: Anniversary Collection Event Trailer.

How to use Ring Consoles in Apex Legends

Ring Consoles in Apex Legends work in a similar way to the Survey Beacons. Specific Legends can use them to find out the location of the next Ring, and this knowledge can be used to get your team to safety ahead of time. However, they are popular spots and often very exposed, so make sure your team is watching your back if you decide to use one.

To use the Ring Console you must be one of the Controller Class Legends:

  • Caustic
  • Wattson
  • Rampart
  • Catalyst

Then, simply walk up to the Ring Console and use the prompted control to activate it.

You’ll then be prompted to press and hold a specific control/command, and you need to hold this control down until the animated sequence of the Ring Console is complete. You will know it’s finished because your Legend will tell the others that the location has been marked on the map.

You must complete the sequence. If you stop halfway, you will not be able to see the next Ring.

Once you have completed the sequence, check your map and the next Ring location will be highlighted within the existing one:


Apex Legends, the Broken Moon map is showing the highlighted inner circle for the next Ring Location.

You can only use the Ring Console once per Ring. If you already know the location of the next Ring, then you need to wait until the existing one has closed before using the Console again.

How to find Ring Consoles in Apex Legends

The locations of the Ring Consoles are different on each map.

Also, they can change location each match. This means that it can be tricky to track them down, but Respawn have been nice enough to mark the locations on the maps for you.

However, you need to be a Controller Class Legend to see these icons. On a map, they look like small metal Mushrooms. If you have a this class of Legend on your team, you should be able to see these icons too.


Apex Legends, Broken Moon Ring Console Icon examples, the Icons are circled.
Here are a few icons on the Broken Moon map.

Remember, the Ring Consoles change each match so the image above is an example of which icons to look for.

Once you are in the area marked on the map, look around until you see something that looks like this:


Apex Legends, Weapon view of a Ring Console on the Broken Moon map.

This is the Ring Console and they are usually in the exact spot the icon marks on the map, so they’re pretty simple to find.

Now you have even more of a reason to be a Controller or to at least have one on your side!

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League of Legends action-RPG spin-off Mageseeker is official, out this “spring” https://gaming.vmondeika.com/league-of-legends-action-rpg-spin-off-mageseeker-is-official-out-this-spring/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/league-of-legends-action-rpg-spin-off-mageseeker-is-official-out-this-spring/#respond Sat, 06 Jun 2026 04:51:04 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/league-of-legends-action-rpg-spin-off-mageseeker-is-official-out-this-spring/

Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story, the latest spin-off from developer Riot Games’ Riot Forge label, has been officially revealed following its leak last month, with a release now pencilled in for “spring” 2023 on PC and unspecified consoles.

Mageseeker will be the third release in Riot Forge’s A League of Legends Story spin-off series – arriving after Airship Syndicate’s acclaimed RPG Ruined King and BIT.TRIP creator Choice Provisions’ puzzler Hextech Mayhem – and it’s something entirely different again, this time moving into the realm of gritty “2D hi-bit pixel action-RPG”.

Set in Demacia – a mighty kingdom that seeks to curtail what it considers to be forbidden magic – Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story casts players as Sylas, an escaped mage “whose quest for vengeance will shatter Demacia’s deceptive peace”. It’s described as an “action-packed fantasy gameplay experience” framed by a story of “power, identity, and justice”.

Mageseeker: A League of Legends Story announcement trailer.Watch on YouTube

And that’s all Riot Games is saying about Mageseeker at the moment, but the developer has also offered an update on two of its other A League of Legends Story titles, both of which were announced toward the tail-end of 2021.

Double Stallion Games’ time-manipulating action-platformer Convergence: A League of Legends Story is now due to arrive this summer, while single-player adventure Song of Nunu: A League of Legends Story (from Rime developer Tequila Softworks) is pencilled in for an autumn release. Both will launch for Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

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Here’s A Look At Some Rayman Legends Retold Gameplay & Those All-Important Switch 2 Specs https://gaming.vmondeika.com/heres-a-look-at-some-rayman-legends-retold-gameplay-those-all-important-switch-2-specs/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/heres-a-look-at-some-rayman-legends-retold-gameplay-those-all-important-switch-2-specs/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:59:03 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/heres-a-look-at-some-rayman-legends-retold-gameplay-those-all-important-switch-2-specs/

That’s right, folks, Rayman Legends is back again in an all-new package. Rayman Legends Retold was just announced for the Switch 2, and we have already been lucky enough to play it.

Above, we have shared a closer look at some gameplay footage, showcasing the detailed new visuals across some of the early levels. All of the above is taken from the PC build of the game (the only version we were able to go hands-on with), though we did get the chance to see the Switch 2 build in action and ask about the all-important specs.

“I think we are pushing [Switch 2] to its fullest,” Ubisoft Brand Producer Loic Gougnon told us with a laugh when we asked what he makes of the system so far, but it seems to be holding up pretty well, nonetheless — thanks to a returning collaboration with Ubisoft’s German team that worked on the Switch 2 port of Star Wars Outlaws.

The game is still in development, though Tech Director Thibaut Assandri assured us that the team is aiming for 60fps on all platforms. We only saw a brief section of the first level running on Switch 2, but noticed no drops from this target in my short time, which bodes well.

Of course, the resolution has been dropped in handheld mode to make this smoothness possible. “By reducing the resolution, we’re able to reach [frame rate] numbers that work better — not as good as expected, but much better,” Assandri told us. “To reach the remaining numbers, we needed to tweak the level of detail of the environment or the characters”.

Fortunately, the team is still aiming for 4K resolution in docked mode, with DLSS coming into play to upscale the resolution accordingly.

Admittedly, this is all target talk for the time being, though there’s still plenty of time to tweak things before the full release date on 1st October, so our fingers are crossed.

You’ll find our full thoughts on Rayman Legends Retold so far (and more dev interviews) in the deep dive feature below.

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Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event, challenges and rewards explained https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-anniversary-collection-event-challenges-and-rewards-explained/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-anniversary-collection-event-challenges-and-rewards-explained/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:38:03 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/apex-legends-anniversary-collection-event-challenges-and-rewards-explained/

The Anniversary Collection Event in Apex Legends has arrived to celebrate the fourth birthday of Apex. First launched in 2019, the brutal but always entertaining Apex Games have graced our consoles with free-to-play Battle Royale combat alongside various other modes.

The Anniversary Collection Event is truly a celebratory event in Apex Legends as there are a lot of goodies for you to get your hands on, including 12 Skins made by the Apex community.

Without further ado, we’re going to explain all of the challenges and rewards for this event, as well as the Anniversary Collection end date. Let’s get the party started!

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Watch on YouTube

Apex Legends: Anniversary Collection Event Trailer.

Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event items list

There are 24 Anniversary Collection Event items for you to collect.

You can either be rewarded these items from an Anniversary Collection pack, or you can choose to purchase them by using Apex Coins and Crafting Metals.


Apex Legends, official Respawn art of Seer, Catalyst and Bloodhound in their Anniversary Collection Event skins for 2023.
Credit: Respawn Entertainment. | Image credit: Respawn Entertainment.

The two reward tiers across the 24 different items are Legendary and Epic, we’ve noted down the costs for each tier below:

  • Epic – Any Epic rewards will cost 1,000 Apex Coins or 800 Crafting Metals.
  • Legendary – Any Legendary rewards will cost 1,800 Coins or 2,400 Crafting Metals.

Legend Skins

Weapon Skins

Holosprays and Banner Frames

Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event Challenges, Points, and rewards

Throughout the Apex Legends Anniversary Collection event, you can collect points for completing event-specific challenges each day. You can earn up to 1,600 points every day, so it’s not impossible to get all of the rewards on the points tracker.


Apex Legends, official Respawn image of Lifeline, Gibraltar, and Pathfinder in special Anniversary Event skins.
Credit: Respawn Entertainment. | Image credit: Respawn Entertainment.

How to find the Anniversary Collection Event reward tracker

To find the points tracker for this event, you need to be on the main screen of Apex Legends. Then, head over to the right side of your screen where your daily and weekly challenge tracker is.

During the event, you will see an extra page here that contains all Anniversary challenges for that day. You can see how many points you can earn from completing the challenges and how close you are to completing them.

Then, click on the ‘View Prize Tracker’ banner at the bottom of this section.


Apex Legends, the 2023 anniversary collection event reward tracker.
Credit: Respawn Entertainment. | Image credit: Respawn Entertainment.

This will bring up your points and progress tracker for this event. On here, you’ll be able to see how many points you have, how close you are to your next reward, and what your next reward will be.

All of the Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event challenge rewards

Item Name Tier Point Requirement
Year 4 Anniversary (Banner Badge) Epic 250
Year 4 Anniversary – _miyann (Transition) Rare 500
Apex Pack Rare 500
Surf’s Up (Universal Frame) Epic 750
Apex Pack Rare 750
Daemon Hunter (Car Skin) Epic 1,000
4th Anniversary (Holo) Epic 1,000
Gone Fishing (Universal Frame) Epic 1,250
Apex Pack Rare 1,250
Here Comes The Party Epic 1,500
50 Crafting Metals N/A 1,500
Reality Eradicator (Wingman Skin) Epic 2,000
50 Crafting Metals N/A 2,000
Storm Point Sunset (Universal Frame) Epic 2,500
Arctic Fusion (Fuse Skin) Epic 2,500
Year 4 Anniversary – GOrlassar (Transition) Rare 3,000
Apex Pack Rare 3,000
City Celebration (Universal Frame) Epic 3,500
Anniversary Collection Pack Epic 3,500
Static Specter (Wattson Skin) Epic 4,000
Apex Pack Rare 4,000
Anniversary Collection Pack Epic 5,000

Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event Shop

There’s a special Anniversary shop throughout the event too. Here, you can grab limited-time bundles and items throughout the event. However, some items are only there for a very short period of time, so it’s worth checking each day to see what you can get.


Apex Legends, official Respawn art of Newcastle, Bangalore, and Wraith in their Cosmic Skins for the Fourth Anniversary of Apex.
Credit: Respawn Entertainment. | Image credit: Respawn Entertainment.

Here, we’ve listed everything that you can currently get from the event shop and when they’re due to leave the store:

Item/Bundle Name Contents Price End Date
Cosmic Protector Bundle Cosmic Protector (Legendary Newcastle Skin) and 7 Anniversary Packs. 5,000 Apex Coins (Was 6,700) 28/02/23
Freestyle Bundle Freestyle (Legendary Lifeline Skin) and 3 Anniversary Packs. 2,500 Apex Coins (Was 3,900) 28/02/23
Red Carpet Red Carpet (Legendary Mirage Skin) 1,250 Apex Coins 28/02/23
Blood Ritual Blood Ritual (Legendary Revenant Skin) 1,250 Apex Coins 28/02/23
Cloud Marauder Bundle Cloud Marauder (Legendary Valkyrie Skin), Cerulean Blues (Legendary Wingman Skin), and 3 Apex Packs 2,500 Apex Coins 28/02/23
Skate or Fly Skate or Fly (Epic Seer Skydive Emote) 1,000 Apex Coins 28/02/23
Wraith’s Wrath Bundle Wraith’s Wrath (Epic Wraith Skin), and Dragon’s Wing (Epic Wingman Skin) 500 Apex Coins 28/02/23

Apex Legends Anniversary Collection Event end time and date

The Apex Legends Anniversary Collection event is due to end on Tuesday, 28th February.


Apex Legends, official Respawn Anniversary Collection event artwork of Ash, Octane, and Horizon in event skins.
Credit: Respawn Entertainment. | Image credit: Respawn Entertainment.

Now you know everything that’s on offer throughout this event, it’s time to get the party started!

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Pokemon Legends Z-A’s new structure and battles have the power to make a Pikachu terrifying – hands-on https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-as-new-structure-and-battles-have-the-power-to-make-a-pikachu-terrifying-hands-on/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-as-new-structure-and-battles-have-the-power-to-make-a-pikachu-terrifying-hands-on/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:04:21 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-as-new-structure-and-battles-have-the-power-to-make-a-pikachu-terrifying-hands-on/

Even after a little under an hour of hands-on play, it’s clear that Pokemon Legends: Z-A is the most interesting and unique Pokemon title since, er… the last one of these, when Game Freak and The Pokemon Company put out 2022’s Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Now established as what looks like a permanent secondary strand of the ‘main line’ Pokemon titles, Z-A continues with the more bold and experimental development philosophy of Arceus – though this time, I expect further temerity of design – and with it, perhaps a more mixed measure of success.

Back when Legends: Arceus was released, we at VG247 were positively frothing with excitement at the thought of where this series could go. Seeing Z-A, we clearly approached this differently to Pokemon’s developer stewards. We envisioned ‘Legends’ coming to mean Pokemon stories set in the past – Galar as Victorian England, Unova’s Poke-New York in the roaring 20s, or Kalos in the grip of a less bloodless version of the French Revolution where the people and nobility settled matters with Pokemon battles.

In the end we did get Pokemon’s version of France, but not during the revolution. Z-A is once again set in Pokemon’s version of ‘today’, but this time it has a unique twist: the entire game is set in one enormous city, leveraging the status of Paris (in Pokemon’s world known as Lumiose City) as a major built-up area to provide a network of buildings, backstreets, tiny city parks and the like as a new sort of Pokemon world. In this, the spirit of Legends: Arceus is alive but in a mirror image – that game was sparse, full of rolling fields and the like where you’d crawl through long grass to try to surprise an unsuspecting critter or trainer. Z-A is dense, and while things like stealth still exist you’ll instead be hiding around the corner of buildings or behind a parked car.

There is a structural difference to the design of the world, then – but the real significant change comes in combat. For the first time in such a prominent Pokemon release, Z-A shifts to real-time battles. This is still absolutely a role-playing game – but battles now have an extra shot of action-like feeling to them.


Some Pokemon in Pokemon Legends Z-A.
Starter for 10-year-olds. | Image credit: Pokemon/Nintendo

Moves are no longer limited by ‘PP’ which drains with each use, for instance – they’re now on a cooldown. New alongside this shift is the fact that battle placement matters – if a Pokemon isn’t physically in the way of a move, that attack will simply whiff. Those previously-mentioned narrow city streets make tactical battlegrounds; a parked taxi is suddenly not just set dressing, but something you as a trainer or your Pokemon can duck behind to avoid incoming attacks.

The act of moment-to-moment play feels a little more segmented, too. The city is a civilized place, so battles can’t happen just anywhere. ‘Wild Zones’ are designated areas where untamed Pokemon roam free, and this is where you’ll be able to enter to catch and battle unaccompanied Pokemon.

Once night falls, trainers can head to the similarly-defined Battle Zones for fights. This is where the titular Z-A Royale takes place: the protagonist tasked with battling their way up from Rank Z through to Rank A. Gym showdowns are replaced with ‘promotion matches’ – gather enough points by defeating opponents in Battle Zones and you’ll gain a ticket that can then be used to go and fight a specific challenger in order to rank up.

The structural change is relatively fascinating and feels like it’ll satisfy. Such regimented segmentation always has the risk of feeling suffocating, but in this hands-on it all tracks and makes sense – and within each zone, some delightful moments await.


A trainer battles with real-time mechanics in Pokemon Legends ZA.
Gotta match em all up. | Image credit: Nintendo

I enjoyed, for instance, how perilous the Wild Zone I got to test could feel. The majority of Pokemon there were breezy to battle and acquire, and catching in particular feels more kind in this game because you get a shot (though no guarantee) at catching any defeated wild Pokemon even if you deplete all of their HP. This leads to a generally chill time that channels tooling around the world of Legends: Arceus chain-catching stuff looking for shinies. But then when exploring I clamber atop a rooftop and discover a high-level ‘Alpha’ Pikachu. Its eyes glow red, and it’s absolutely feral.

I try to fight it, expecting the usual Pokemon stuff – being relatively able to cheese through such a fight with healing items and the like. My notes tell a different story. Scrawled hurriedly in my notepad is the following, with grammar tidied and one word not suitable for a preview of a game for children replaced with a bit of blasphemy: “Terrifying level 40 Pikachu. Careful strength and weakness use gives you a chance. Actually, it’s too hard. Oh god, it followed me off the rooftop.”

It’s in this moment, jumping off a rooftop to what I think is safety only to be followed by this hulking, evil Pikachu, that Z-A most thoroughly clicks. Though it feels like tradition with Pokemon, such emotions do inevitably come with caveats.

For one, let’s talk about those environments. They shine in the battle zones, where those tight city streets lend themselves well to light-touch stealth encounters. Back in 1996, Pokemon introduced the concept of line-of-sight between Pokemon trainers initiating battle. If you meet gazes, you fight. Here, in an action RPG, with seamless fights, that concept comes to a pretty glorious natural conclusion. The tall grass stalking of the last game is a foundation; you add to that an urban labyrinth and you’re crouching behind a parked vehicle, or a conveniently-placed crate, waiting for a trainer to turn their back in order to land a sneak attack. Missions given to you in Battle Zones encourage you to engage in such tactics, too. In exploration, the fact you’re using such moves in real time out in the world means the act of using classic Pokemon skills to open up new areas and such feels much more organic than ever before.

But then there’s the flip side: in battle, these things are as much a frustrating obstacle as they are a tactical boon. I watched as a breathtakingly thick Pokemon took my orders to directly attack the enemy as one to stand behind a parked vehicle and whiff its key attack into it, because the enemy was on the other side. The world oscillates in that sense; the brilliance of simple stealth, but then frustration in combat. How static and dead it can often feel, but then a real sense of explorative joy when you stand high on a rooftop and see a distant collectible elsewhere in the city’s sprawl.


A Pokemon trainer begins a combat encounter on the roof of a building in Lumiose City.
Hippos on the roof!? | Image credit: Nintendo

I guess what I’m saying is that it feels like Pokemon, right? These games have long felt like a jumble of strange and fascinating contradictions; of boons and trade-offs. Legends: Z-A feels like it too will strike that balance; sometimes brilliant, sometimes frustrating, but always strangely gripping.

All of this is said, of course, from the standpoint of an extremely short hands-on experience. These games run to as much as 40x longer than what I played; and so it is too early to judge. What I see, in the end, is Pokemon’s caretakers taking a characteristically large swing – with equally characteristic restraint. The result seems to me to be most likely more reminiscent of Legends: Arceus than not – and for my money, that was the best Pokemon game in 20 years. It perhaps is therefore no surprise that I’m eagerly awaiting its release next month – when I can judge the complete package in full.

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Pokémon Legends: Z-A review | VG247 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-a-review-vg247/ https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-a-review-vg247/#respond Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:02:46 +0000 https://gaming.vmondeika.com/pokemon-legends-z-a-review-vg247/

The first thing I thought upon arriving in Lumiose City in Pokémon Legends: Z-A was, ‘Yes. This definitely looks like a modern Pokémon game.’ Bright colours, basic textures and oddly flat buildings. Seriously – realising that the balconies and window shutters lack any depth, instead being pasted onto the buildings like stickers, made my brain go strange for a bit. Yet despite this, Lumiose City feels far more rich in life compared to Paldea and the desolate Hisui.

People and Pokémon fill the streets, there’s a café on nearly every corner and the largest amount of clothes shops any Pokémon game has ever seen. The true adventure doesn’t lie on the streets though, it’s found high in the sky. Climb up the right ladder and you’ll find yourself running across the city’s rooftops. Navigating from roof to roof, building to building and sometimes even across streets is a lot of fun. Mostly because it adds a navigation element Pokémon games have been sorely missing for a while (thankfully, it’s not as complicated as the Seafoam Islands.) It’s easy to get distracted by spotting a new Pokémon or item on an opposite rooftop and decide reaching that is your new mission.


This isn’t Pokémon Cafe Mix, is it?

Sadly, you can’t spend all your time running about the Lumiose City rooftops. Mysterious events are afoot. For some reason, wild Pokémon are Mega Evolving – an act that typically requires a trainer and Mega Stone – and this threatens the city’s redevelopment plan. Lumiose can’t really become a city where people and Pokémon live in harmony if it’s been burned down by a Rogue Mega Charizard X. Thankfully, Team MZ is on the case and you’ll join their ranks for, as always, only children and teenagers can save the day in the Pokémon universe.

Z-A’s plot honestly feels like it could be from a Pokémon movie and that’s not a bad thing! It’s a nice change from the typical ‘Become the Pokémon Champion and complete the Pokédex while you’re at it’ affair the mainline games typically follow. Though the tutorial does drag, the storyline benefits from being well paced and not being afraid to introduce a wide cast. The writing also embraces the fact that the Pokémon universe is, quite often, ridiculous, giving the game quite a good sense of humour. It actually made me laugh out loud a couple of times, which I can’t say any Pokémon game has done before. A nice added touch are certain returning elements from Pokémon X and Y. While I won’t go into the details to avoid spoilers, if you’ve played either of these games then you might pick up on similar themes and remember Emma.


Park life.

Best of all, however, is how neatly the story is interwoven with the gameplay; keeping you invested so no overwhelming sense of repetition ever sinks in as you flow from trainer battle to Rogue Mega Evolution outbreak. It helps too that Lumiose City is teeming with side missions and Pokémon to catch. While there are some living on the rooftops, wild Pokémon mainly make their homes in the Wild Zones – small pockets of the city where they’re able to live peacefully. (And get beaten up by the local trainer community.) At times, a Wild Zone’s small size can make venturing inside quite chaotic though – I had a near death experience with an Alpha Krookodile and mob of upset Ground-types…

The mention of Alpha Pokémon probably already reveals that the catch mechanics in Z-A are basically the same as Legends: Arceus. You can still sneak up on Pokémon, still catch them without engaging in battle, and still avoid Alpha Pokémon unless you’re prepared for a tough fight. There’s no need to catch the same Pokémon over and over again to complete the Pokédex though – we’re back to the tried and tested ‘One and done’ Dex method here. While I personally loved the Arceus’ Research Tasks, it’s a change that makes sense. For, if Arceus was a game about catching Pokémon, Z-A is a game about battling and this is showcased best in its new innovation – real-time battles.


It looks better than Violet and Scarlet, right?

Well I say innovation, but you can still feel the roots of the traditional Pokémon battle mechanics holding firm at times. Moves and healing items may have cooldown timers, but it’s often no different than having to simply wait for your turn. (Especially in the case of the latter.) The trick is to find the right moveset combination which ensures you’re always – or close to – able to attack your opponent. Buckling them under the weight of your Pokémon’s power! The main difference is the freedom you’re given to move both yourself and your Pokémon as, unless preparing for an attack, they will always follow in your footsteps. It’s a very useful feature for avoiding area-of-effect attacks like Whirlpool, because you can simply walk your Pokémon out of the damage zone. At times, you can even avoid attacks all together by running away or dodging behind scenery.

Yet, how fun or annoying the real-time battles are all depends on whether you’re being affected by the mechanic’s quirks. At times, you’ll be having a great time unleashing attacks and dodging behind a car to avoid an enemy attack perfectly. During others, you’ll be frantically button mashing because the target function has randomly disconnected again and it’s impossible to attack without targeting an enemy. Worse of all, a move could be blocked by a piece of scenery you swear isn’t in the way or because you don’t have the height advantage on a small set of steps. (I swear, stairs are the true villain of Z-A.) The end result is a mechanic with a lovely crust, but, once you bite into it, you realise it was taken out of the oven too soon. What is baked to perfection, however, is Z-A’s approach to Mega Evolution.


Street figthing ‘mon.

I’ve always been a little hit and miss when it comes to the ways Game Freak has tried to spice up the franchise’s battle mechanics. Tera Types were my favourite part of Scarlet and Violet thanks to how they could completely flip the odds of a battle, but I never really used Mega Evolution in any of the games it appeared in. Outside of an initial experimentation in Pokémon Y, I never felt the need. Z-A has changed that. Not just because the expanded range of Mega Evolutions are great to play with, but due to how it’s crucial for some battles. Namely the Rogue Mega Evolutions – the closest Pokémon will most likely ever get to a Soulslike.

Imagine it: Mega Victreebel towers above you. Its goofy smile may give its face a harmless look, but its bloated belly bulges as it bounces. You can’t help but wonder what this sentient pitcher plant is digesting. Could you be next? The unwanted thought is cut off by Victreebel unleashing Bullet Seed. Each seed is the size of your body. You run, daring to hope your Pokémon is keeping pace, feeling the hard casing of a seed graze your back.

Thankfully, your Pokémon remains unharmed. They’re your companion, your only weapon, and so tiny compared to Victreebel’s weight. There’s only one option: attack. To chip away at Victreebel’s health and pray to Arceus it drops some Mega Power. Only that will allow you to Mega Evolve your own Pokémon, but to obtain it you must put yourself in Victreebel’s path. Take too many hits and you’ll faint just like the weakest of Pidgeys. Though, without Mega Evolution, how else will you bring a fiery end to this glorious monstrosity?


I don’t hear no bell.

Rogue Mega Evolution battles are fast paced and intense. So much in fact, I occasionally found it a little hard to keep up with what was happening. This doesn’t stop them from being my favourite part of Z-A despite the flaws in the real-time battle mechanics. Each one is a solid improvement over the Legends: Arceus’ boss fights and, unlike Scarlet and Violet’s Tera Raids, it’s a battle I’d actually play online.

Z-A’s focus on battling is also portrayed in the Z-A Battle Royale where the majority of the game’s trainer battles take place. Every night a portion of the city will be cornered off and, within these fences, you’ll sneak up on your opponents. While you can just rush in, a little stealth is far more rewarding as you’ll be granted not only the first but an extra hit. Be seen? Well that useful bonus goes to your foe. After winning enough battles, you’ll unlock a Promotional Match. These are essentially Z-A’s Gym Leader battles and, as is tradition, each one is more difficult than the last. Eventually, you’ll reach the point where your opponent also uses Mega Evolution.


A little sheepish?

It’s here, however, that a nasty little command delay slips in. You see, certain trainers will Mega Evolve their last Pokémon the moment it enters the field. This, of course, leads to an unskippable cutscene which is followed by an equally unskippable line of dialogue about how your opponent is about to thrash you. The problem? If your own Pokemon is currently not Mega Evolved and you wish to change this fact, then there will be a delay in your ability to execute this command. During these few vital seconds, your opponent has the chance to get at least one free hit in. I experienced the odd moment of lag when playing Z-A on the Nintendo Switch 2 – the occasional frame rate drop here, stuttered Fletchling wing flapping here – but none had a more damaging impact on my experience than this. It’s a shame modern Pokémon games are still experiencing these small, but frustrating, technical issues.

Outside of this, the Z-A Royale offers a nice shake up to the traditional ‘Walk down Route’ aspect of Pokémon battling. Sadly, even the location changing on a nightly basis doesn’t prevent it from becoming slightly repetitive at times though. This is in part because it’s the best way to EXP grind – so you’ll be doing it a lot – alongside both the locations and trainers repeating. I swear I’ve fought the same ‘Only Magikarp for some reason’ guy five times. No hate on Magikarp, but, like, evolve one dude. Come on.. Did you spend £500 on these carps?

The Legends series appears to be turning into Game Freak’s way of experimenting with the Pokémon franchise. In this way Z-A is mostly a success in how it brings Mega Evolution to the forefront again, returns longtime players to an old region and almost achieves its goal of changing up the battle mechanics. What lets it down is the Achilles’ heel of all modern Pokémon games, the graphics and performance. The cracks are present even in the Switch 2 version and, for a franchise entering its thirtieth year in 2026, you’d expect Z-A to be far more polished. It undercuts the obvious effort put into development, especially when it comes to the Rogue Mega Evolution fights. Thankfully, these flaws don’t stop Z-A from being an incredibly fun game with a great atmosphere Pokémon fans will enjoy sinking into.

Hopefully Game Freak will continue using the Legends series as a playground (maybe a return to pixel graphics, just a suggestion), but, for now, Lumiose City has been a treat to revisit.


This review was written based on the Switch 2 version of the game, and code was provided by Nintnedo.

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