Pokémon Legends: Z-A is one of the most exciting new releases for Pokémon fans, and while it’s made for the Nintendo Switch, you can actually play it on PC with full 4K resolution and smooth 60FPS performance. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up the game properly using two Switch emulators—Citron and Ryujinx—to get the best possible experience without crashes.
What You’ll Need
Before getting started, make sure you have the following files:
- Pokémon Legends: Z-A game file (dumped from your own console)
- Product keys and firmware
- Two emulators: Citron (for the first setup) and Ryujinx (for actual gameplay)
Both emulators can be downloaded from their official pages. Citron currently works best for getting past the early save screen, while Ryujinx runs the game more smoothly after that point.
How to Set Up Citron Emulator
- Install and open Citron. When you first run it, you’ll see a message about missing keys.
- Go to Tools → Install Decryption Keys and add your product keys.
- Do the same for the firmware—extract and install it through Tools → Install Firmware.
- Add the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game file to your library.
- Open Configure, and under Graphics, set the resolution to a higher level for better visuals. You can enable anti-aliasing (SMAA works well).
- Under Advanced Settings, set GPU mode based on your system: High-end PC: Aggressive, Mid or low-end PC: Conservative
- Launch the game. Play until you reach the point where you can save (usually after the intro sequence).
- Once you’ve saved, stop the emulation and open the save file location by right-clicking the game in Citron. Keep this save file for the next step.
How to Transfer to Ryujinx Emulator
- Download and open Ryujinx (Canary build).
- Go to Actions → Install Keys and Install Firmware, just like in Citron.
- Under Options → Settings, add your game directory.
- Configure your controller under Input, and make sure your region and system time are correct.
- Click Apply, then OK.
- Right-click the game, choose Open User Save Directory, and paste your Citron save file there.
For Graphics Settings, set:
- Resolution: 4K
- Anisotropic Filtering: 16x
- Anti-Aliasing: SMAA (High)
- Backend Multi-Threading: ON (this prevents crashes)
4. Launch and Optimize
Once your save file is copied, launch the game in Ryujinx. You’ll now be able to play Pokémon Legends: Z-A smoothly in 4K at 60FPS. The emulator delivers stable performance, accurate visuals, and far fewer crashes compared to other builds.
If you experience any minor issues like lighting bugs, they’re visual only and won’t affect gameplay. Avoid updating your game to version 1.0.1 for now, as it can cause compatibility problems.
That’s it—you’ve successfully set up Pokémon Legends: Z-A to run on PC using the best emulation method available in 2025. With this setup, you’ll get both stability and stunning graphics for a near-console experience. Just remember to use your own legally dumped files, and enjoy exploring Lumiose City in full 4K detail.