The first pre-order bonus gifts for Pokémon Legends: Z - A have been announced for fans who purchase the game in advance from the Pokémon Center. The announcement was scheduled to coincide with Pokémon Day, an annual celebration of the original release of Pokémon Red & Green in Japan. This year marks the 29th anniversary of the game series, with the franchise gearing up to enter the 10th generation of games soon. Before the series heads into uncharted territory, fans can revisit the sixth generation in the Pokémon Legends title.

The bonus, revealed on the Pokémon Center website, is a Pokémon Sitting Cuties plushie, randomly chosen between one of the game's three starters. Fans who pre-order the game from the website will receive either a Chikorita, Tepig, or Totodile plushie along with their game when it releases. Pre-orders aren't available yet, but fans can sign up for the newsletter to receive updates when the game becomes available for pre-purchase.

Pre-order Pokémon Legends: Z - A To Get Your Own Sitting Cutie Plush

But You Don't Get To Choose Which One

Pre-ordering from the Pokémon Center may be a great deal, as the official plushies don't run cheap. The Sitting Cuties line of plushies range in price from about $11 to $17, making them a nice extra gift for dedicated fans. This specific line of plushies is designed to sit comfortably on a flat surface and is about five to six inches in height. The plushies even have microbeads at the bottom to weigh them down and help them maintain a comfortable sitting posture.

The only real downside to this pre-purchase gift is that fans don't get to choose which plushies they want to receive. Rewards will be picked out at random, likely to prevent shortages in case any of the Pokémon prove to be more popular. The plushies aren't new to the store, but at the moment, only the Tepig Sitting Cutie is available for purchase. This might have no bearing on the pre-orders, but I suspect that more fans will be receiving the smiling little Tepig than Chikorita or Totodile.

Pokémon Sitting Cuties Plushies Is An Adorable Line Of Merch

These Cuties Make The Perfect Partners For Any Fan

The Pokémon Center has a huge selection of plushies, from life-sized huggable companions to keep you company. The Sitting Cuties line of plushies is, as the name suggests, very cute. The plushies are all positioned to keep fans company as they sit on a desk or other flat surface.

Totodile and Chikorita were added to the Sitting Cuties line in 2019, and Tepig ed more recently, in 2023.

The Sitting Cuties are described by reviewers as being of very good quality and manage to pack an impressive amount of detail into their small frames. Many, including all three Z - A starters, feature charming little smiles to add to the cute factor. These plushies are very popular and don't restock often, so this pre-order gift may be fans' only chance to get ahold of one of these adorable desk companions.

Chikorita, Tepig, And Totodile Have Been Revealed As The Official Starters For Pokémon Legends: Z - A

Two Generations' Starters Are Represented In The Legends Game

In the months leading up to the new Pokémon Legends: Z - A trailer, many rumors and leaks claimed to know what the starters for the Pokémon title would be, with the most popular guess being Snivy for its ties to . Piplup was also predicted to be ing the starters since its final evolution, Empoleon is an obvious reference to Napoleon.

The guessing is finally over, and the official Z - A starters are revealed to be:

• Chikorita: Grass-type from gen 2
• Tepig: Fire-type from gen 5
• Totodile: Water-type from gen 2

The starters for the previous Legends game, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, were likewise starters from previous generations: Oshawott (gen 5), Cyndaquil (gen 2), and Rowlet (gen 7).

Based on a survey of over 4,000 fans from 2021 reported by Nintendo Life, Totodile ranked among players' favorite starters of all time, while Chikorita and Tepig occupied the lowest tiers.

The Legends games are set to continue the trend of reusing previous generations' starters, but there doesn't seem to be any particular reason why Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile were chosen over any of the other generations. It's also surprising that two of the new starters are from the same generation, though Cyndaquil was likely left out because of its appearance in Arceus.

When Will Pokémon Legends: Z - A Be Available For Pre-order?

The Release Date Of The Game Has Not Been Announced Yet

Pokémon Legends title. Fans got a glimpse of the inner workings of Lumiose City, a sneak peek at a new battle mechanic, a reveal of the starters, and much more. What the game did not receive is a release date. Instead, Pokémon Legends: Z - A currently only has a release window of late 2025, with no word on when pre-orders will become available.

More information will probably be revealed during the April 2 Nintendo Direct, which will give fans new information about the Nintendo Switch 2 console. There's a good chance that Pokémon Legends: Z - A will appear as a launch title for the new console, explaining why a release date wasn't revealed today. Once pre-orders become available, fans will definitely want to snag themselves a cute little sitting plush of the game's freshly revealed starter Pokémon.

Source: Pokémon Center, Nintendo Life