Product ReviewsPokemon XD: Gale of Darkness (Nintendo GameCube, 2005)

Pokemon XD, fairly good pokemon game

Pokemon XD is the sequel to the famous Pokemon Colosseum for the Nintendo Gamecube. The game is a pretty good MMO RPG with the same feel as its predecessor. You begin in Pokemon HQ with a faithful Eevee and go through the game snagging Pokemon with closed hearts. There are a few pros and cons associated with the gameplay and overall game quality.

Cons:
The game is very slow moving in the beginning. This is very similar to Pokemon Colosseum. There is a theatrical beginning that is fairly quick and painless, but the beginning gameplay is pretty slow. You start out in a very simple battle in the beginning using a very awesome Pokemon, but this leaves you disappointed due to the simplicity of defeating your foe. The graphics in this game are the same as Pokemon Coloseum, nothing to write home about. However the Nintendo classic hexagonal look and feel seems to be a charming trend in Nintendo titles and I personally have no problem with them.

Pros:
The beginning is very long, but if you are unfamiliar with Pokemon game controls this is a good option to play through. You are also offered a checkpoint in Pokemon HQ that allows very full and detailed instructions on how to play through the game and how to battle efficiently. This is similar to the TV option in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl except you play through the questions you need answered. If you are a Pokemon Master there is no reason to use this option, but it is a great way the developers utilized to include even the most Poke novices to be taught the Pokemon basics required for Master status. The game also incorporates the Battle Colosseums so beloved in the predecessor title. This gives a nostalgic effect to the game and allows for your Pokemon to grow in level and earn you a little cash. The most important difference in this game is the wild Pokemon option. There are sites in which you can bait, battle, and catch wild Pokemon. This allows the game to stray from the snagging technique as your only option for catching and using Pokemon.

Overal I like the gameplay, the characters, and the Pokemon found in the game. I think it is a must try for all Pokemon veterans and a good way for Pokemon newbees to get their foot in the door to Pokemon gameplay.

Jessi De Santis
9/20/10Read full review...

Pokemon XD: A little overrated, but still fun!!

Maybe it was just me, but when I found out there was going to be a Pokemon game for nintendo gamecube, and that it was not going to be like 2 other pokemon games for non-handheld consoles (Pokemon Snap, and one I forget the name but you had to find the clips to a movie, blah blah..boring!!)I was elated! I will admit, the handheld pokemon games for Gamecube Color, and Gameboy Advanced, are awesomely addictive games! So the aspect of this type of game coming to Nintendo Gamecube was extremely exciting! I did not buy the game immediatly, because one, I am not a major video game player, I usually play when my younger cousins are visiting and we play games like super smash brothers melee. My youngest cousin has recently become a major pokemon fan (I swear his brain is a pokedex in its own). His love for pokemon brought me back to when I liked them (when they first came out) He told me he had been saving up to buy Pokemon XD and I told him if he paid at least 20 I woul buy it. Alas that is how this great game came into my hands. Now, I 1-player mode or Story, mode, is based on a young hero, who is a great and well known trainer amognst the vibrant set of charachtrs in the Pokemon HQ lab. Its known from the start that you must be the hero of Orre land by defeating Cipher, the evil thugs who higjack the S.S. Libra full of pokemon! While closing the hearts Cipher is also creating the strongest anf most evil shadow pokemon XD011 (shadow Lugia). The game is simply laid out, and while people wrote walkthrouhs and whatnot, is really isnt a very complicated game, especially if you are familar with the pokemon handheld games from gameboy advamced amd Gameboy color. While the handheld games
(Round 1: red, blue, yellow,)
(Round 2: Gold, Silver Crystal)
(Round 3: Ruby, Saphirre. Emarald)

All fo those nine games have similarites also way different, which is why i love these games so much!

Upon getting XD I found it was not exactly what I was expectimg, but it is very fun, You get the chance to own somevery cool legedary Pokemon like Lugia, Articuno, Moltres, Arcanine, and more!! Still after the Story is complete it is years later in game tme o every one you fight wil have a 40+ level.
Tham after you been Eagin's 2 Pichus, 2 p:kachu's, and Raichu's. He will tham shpw ypu the Orre collesieum. I reccomend having 1 pokemon way over level 70 (youw first challanger has level 70 pokemoon. I have not beeten the first challager as of this review to see what goes on next, but I have heard Rumors rhat after beating all of orre chalangers, other Rarer pokemon come to the 3 poke spots, bit be sure to have them fully loaded because the rarer pokemon tend to eat the faster, and when the Miror B radar does off he will eithier be at one of the Poke spots. Once he has run out of the shadow pokemon you lost, tha will run away cowardly and the radar will eventtually go off again and this time if you think you have gotten all missed shadow pokemonn rom him than go to the Gateon Port Light House, take the elevator You should find him there and you will battle again, only this time he has a dark dragonite!

VS mode, The Majror downside to tha game does not let you select what pokemon you w or unless yoy have the PC cord to transfere pokemon amd having the wireless thing is the only way for up t 4 players, In RefiarDRead full review...

NotYour Average Pokemon Game

This game follows a whole different story than what we're used to in the Pokemon series. Fighting and only being able to catch "shadow pokemon" make it a fun and unique twist. Also, as far as I know, there aren't any realy gyms or gym leaders (but I haven't really played too much of the game). I can see why it's one of the more sought after Pokemon games in the market.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: panchov0

Awesome Game :D

I bought Pokemon XD because it's the only Pokemon RPG on a console game system. XD has a great story arc for it's time and an unusual quirk in the capture system-snagging the antagonist's shadow pokemon as well as almost always fighting with two pokemon, making things interesting. Originally I bought this around the time of it's original release, only selling it to buy a game a really wanted at the time. Pokemon XD is a hard game to find, so if you can find a copy for a realistic amount, don't hesitate! If a pokemon fan, you'll enjoy this game.Read full review...

Great Game. Exellent Sequel. Improved Quality of Life Features and More.

Had Colosseum as a kid, never beat it. Purchased it a few months ago, beat it, and wanted to play the sequel. A bit more pricey, but I've had a great time playing XD so far. Would definitely recommend.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: riverseams

Pokemon XD is a cool console game.

Pokémon XD gale of Darkness is a good game, It shows that the GameCube has great graphics. The game brings a interesting story with the shadow Pokémon. The game focuses on double battles ( My favorite types of Pokémon battles.) the only down side is that you can only capture Shadow Pokémon. But this is a game that any Pokémon fan will enjoy.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: theoddcollectible

Very very good

Was searching for the sequel of one of my favorite pokemon games, Colosseum, for what feels like forever now, so glad I finally got my hands on it! The whole purchasing process was quick and easy

Amazed

I’m in shock right now, this game is in such great condition. Pokemon XD gale of Darkness really had a impact on my childhood, the fact you could catch trainers Pokémon really made it stand out from the rest, the amount of nostalgia is unreal.Read full review...

Verified purchase:  Yes | Condition: pre-owned | Sold by: alentz231

Fun. Goes well with a GBA to GC cable to get all Pokemon.

The game is fun, but be warned: If you plan on playing this on a Wii, you will need a GameCube Memory Card (GCMC). A Wii memory card and built-in memory will not work. Plan on making a purchase of a GCMC at the time of purchase of Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness.
The 3D World design is so very different from all the other Pokemon games (except Colosseum), making it feel like you are playing a completely different game at times.
I bought this game because I am currently on a nostalgic trip, and I have the desire to get as many Pokemon as I legally can.Read full review...

Upgraded from the standard Pokémon fare

Have you ever played one of the Game Boy-type Pokémon games? If you have, then you already know half of what you're getting-into with this game. Although the graphics are far better due to the GameCube's power and the world operates in three dimensions, the name of the game is still like this: Travel from place to place, figure-out problems people are having, and gather Pokémon into your PokéDex. The game has enough differences from the norm to keep die-hard fans entertained, but as a whole, the game gets more repetitive instead of getting more fun.

Pokémon XD's greatest new addition to the Pokémon mythos is the introduction of "shadow Pokémon," which represent pocket monsters which have been infused by evil trainers to be "bad." Story comments aside, it changes the entire style of the game from the traditional mode of capturing wild Pokémon for battle into (wait for it) you, the main character, using special PokéBalls to STEAL these Pokémon away from their trainers. For a while afterward, their "evilness" will remain, and your job as a "good" trainer is to battle using them enough so as to "purify" them into "good" Pokémon. It's a nice change from the norm, but the near-complete removal of the capturing of wild Pokémon whenever one wants ultimately removes a good deal of the depth and personality of the original games which could just have easily have been included in this game.

The second change worthy of note is the inclusion of double battles (two Pokémon versus two Pokémon, instead of one-on-one) as the new way of battling. Fans of the Ruby/Sapphire series of games will be familiar with the premises of cooperating in the middle of battle, but the change itself is not in double battles being included in this game, but that they constitute nearly 100% of the battles in the game. That's right--almost every battle, whether it is the player against one opponent or two, or the player and a friend against two opponents, is two-on-two. Alone, there is nothing wrong with the premise, but a bit of variety would have made the battles feel like they were "special" as they were in Ruby/Sapphire games. In Pokémon XD, double battles are just about the only kind of battles, so long-time players should be prepared for a different strategy throughout the whole game.

The graphics are solid and smooth, featuring character designs with elongated, exaggerated limbs that would make Lupin III proud, and the technology-filled land the player gets to explore is well-rendered and far more complex than the simpler GameBoy games. However, the developers apparently still have not decided that, in battles, having Pokémon animated to actually attack each other is a good thing--everything from Tackles to Night Shades still moves across the screen like a fireball--with the monsters themselves never appearing in the same screen of animation. Nevertheless, the Pokémon look better than in any previous version of the series, and animations after attacks and being-attacked are fluid and specific to the Pokémon itself, making for a very enjoyable visual experience.

Sadly, the sound in the game is not up to par with even the GameBoy games, let alone other GameCube games. Sound effects are simplistic and fit well with other games in the series, but unlike those on GameBoy, do not sound very good. The music is repetitive and annoying in most places, not the least of which is the battle music--a thirty second rotation of music being placed on a disc-based system.Read full review...