I’ve been a Pokémon fan almost as long as I can remember — starting my adventure with Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, and moving up all the way to the latest entry: Pokémon Champions, which just debuted on iOS and Android devices (and frankly it couldn’t be a better fit on smartphones).

Everyone has their favorite Pokémon entry, and Pokémon in general — mine’s Buizel — and while I have a soft spot for Pokémon Diamond (and Gen 4 as a whole), in contention for the top spot would have to be the Nintendo Switch 2 instant classic that is Pokémon Legends Z-A.

And right now it’s on sale for Amazon Prime Day — the Nintendo Switch 2 physical edition is down to $44.99 — that's a whole $25 off its list price. Just remember to run, not walk, as this is a limited-time deal — and 17% of the discounted units have already been sold at the time of writing!

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

For folks who grew up with the Pokémon anime and games, Z-A is the perfect combination of both, with its story and adapted battling mechanics; and as I said in my review, it felt like the series has finally found its way again after losing itself slightly in the 3D era.

Sure, Lumiose City can feel a little claustrophobic by the end of your adventure, but the one-city setting worked surprisingly well, and I kinda loved the scaled-back but still high-stakes adventure.

I can’t recommend this game enough, and anyone with a Switch 2 (even folks who haven’t clicked with Pokémon before) should give this title a try.

Ready to be a Champion?

Given that I’ve been playing so much of it since its mobile release, I need to talk about Pokémon Champions, and how Legends Z-A gives you the best possible head-start in that title.

You can play Champions completely on its own, collecting Pokémon through the recruitment ranch, training them up at the in-game gym, and heading out to compete in single or double battles. And you can play it completely free-to-play without too much trouble if you’re careful with your resources, complete challenges, and finish all of the tutorials.

But a big way to avoid spending in Champions is to import Pokémon from your other games via Pokémon Home. Pokémon Go is an excellent mobile-only option, but for Switch 2 owners Legends: Z-A has a major advantage.

Thanks to its mega evolution focus, all the most powerful new ‘mon can be caught and sent over to Champions. There are a couple of VGC classics who aren’t present (like the infamous Incineroar) but given Champions’ smallish pool of Pokémon, it shouldn’t take you long to find them through recruitment, especially as your resources won’t be so limited by needing to build out a whole team.

Legends: Z-A is also home to a Champions contender who can only be obtained through Z-A — it’s the only exclusive ‘mon in the battler right now, as it won’t ever appear on the ranch, no matter how many times you attempt to recruit (though we don’t know if that will change in a future update). Perhaps most annoyingly of all, this contender is arguably the best mega evolution in Champions, with raw power that requires a dedicated counter on your team in case you ever face one on the ladder.

Oh, and did I mention this exclusive is only earned deep into Legends’ post-game?

I’m, of course, referring to Mega Floette which can only be achieved by mega-evolving the special Eternal Flower form obtainable after finishing Legends: Z-A and progressing through the post-game battle competition.

Eternal Flower Floette boasts seriously lifted stats compared to its base form, which are elevated further by its mega-evolution. Its Fairy Aura ability — previously exclusive to Xerneas, a contender for the best Pokémon ever competitively speaking — then buffs fairy-type moves’ power, which in conjunction with its stats and fairy typing (lending a same-type attack bonus on top of everything else) make Mega Floette a cannon ready to eliminate almost any ‘mon that dares to stand in front of its Moonblast.

If you’re playing Champions you need an answer to Floette — popular choices are Kingambit or Sneasler — otherwise a well-supported Eternal Flower will sweep your team.

So even if you don’t care about anything other than being the very best in Pokémon’s competitive scene, for now Legends: Z-A is a game you need to play. And with this deal you can save a big chunk on its price of entry (and you can always trade-in this physical edition game for something else down the line).

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

Hamish is a Senior Staff Writer for TechRadar and you’ll see his name appearing on articles across nearly every topic on the site from smart home deals to speaker reviews to graphics card news and everything in between. He uses his broad range of knowledge to help explain the latest gadgets and if they’re a must-buy or a fad fueled by hype. Though his specialty is writing about everything going on in the world of virtual reality and augmented reality.