Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is the sequel to Pokémon Colosseum, released in 2005 on GameCube. Five years after Wes’s downfall, Cipher returns to Orre with a new weapon: XD001, a Shadow Lugia said to be impossible to purify.
| Original title | ポケモンXD 闇の旋風ダーク・ルギア (Pokémon XD: Whirlwind of Darkness, Dark Lugia) |
|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo GameCube |
| Genre | Role-playing game |
| Developer | Genius Sonority |
| Publisher | Nintendo (The Pokémon Company in Japan) |
| Direction | Manabu Yamana |
| Scenario | Kazunori Orio |
| Music | Tsukasa Tawada |
| Japan release | August 4, 2005 |
| North America release | October 3, 2005 |
| Europe and France release | November 18, 2005 |
| Players | 1 (adventure), 1 to 4 (battles) |
| Connectivity | GameCube–Game Boy Advance cable (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, LeafGreen) |
| Region | Orre, five years after Pokémon Colosseum |
| Shadow Pokémon | 83 |
| Re-release | Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Classics (GameCube), March 18, 2026 |
What changes compared with Colosseum
- A new hero, Michael, a young Trainer from the Pokémon HQ Lab, and a single starter Pokémon: Eevee.
- 83 Shadow Pokémon, versus 48, including the three legendary birds and XD001.
- Wild Pokémon, in the three Poké Spots.
- The Purification Chamber, which purifies at the lab, and Reverse Mode in place of Hyper Mode.
- Miror B. and his radar, to retry the Shadow Pokémon you missed.
- New modes: Holodisks, Battle Bingo, Orre Colosseum.
- Free saving, at any time, as in the Game Boy Advance games.
Compatibility
- Game Boy Advance: trades with Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen via the GameCube–Game Boy Advance cable.
- Pokémon Colosseum: no direct trading; you have to go through a Game Boy Advance cartridge.
- Fourth generation: Munchlax and Bonsly, shown for the first time, appear in the game, but cannot be caught.
Reception
The press is more reserved than with Colosseum: the average score hovers around 64 out of 100. The game is criticized for reusing many locations and graphics from its predecessor, and for Poké Spots judged too limited. Its purification system, its larger number of Shadow Pokémon and its battles are still appreciated. Our opinion: the review.
Playing it today
- On GameCube, or on a Wii compatible with GameCube games.
- On Nintendo Switch 2: since March 18, 2026, in the GameCube library of Nintendo Classics, reserved for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The Game Boy Advance link features are not available there.
