Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness

Experience the extra dimension

JP release: 4th August 2005
NA release: 3rd October 2005
EU release: 10th November 2005
Developer: Genius Sonority
Publisher: Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
NGC Magazine Score: 86%
Mods Used: Widescreen Code

Pokémon XD is a sequel to Colosseum, taking place in the same region five years later. Instead of playing as an interesting character with a mysterious backstory, you instead play as a nameless kid once again. His guardians are researchers and treat their kids (you and your immensely annoying sister) like workers rather than children. When the lead scientist is kidnapped by the criminal organisation from the last game, you’re sent out alone by his wife to rescue him.

Luckily, their research is about purifying shadow Pokémon, so you’re given a snag machine (to steal shadow Pokémon from other trainers) and have a visor to detect them, but that’s a rather boring way to obtain them. I found this blandness to be a constant thing in Pokémon XD.

Colosseum had a unique vibe to it, like a western frontier version of Pokémon. Even though this is set in the same region, that feeling is gone. It’s just bland and even revisiting old areas doesn’t have the same impact. I struggled to find anything interesting about the story or characters.

There are more Pokémon that you can encounter and caption than the previous game, so for people playing for the battling system will probably enjoy it, but for me this is less Pokémon XD and more Pokémon 🙁

Fine

Gale of Darkness still blows us away. The strategy and variety inherent in that tried-and-trusted Pokécombat – couples with it all looking so gorgeous – gives us goose pimples all over.
Mark Green, NGC Magazine #113

Remake or remaster?

A remastered collection of the two games would be good.

Official Ways to get the game

There’s no official way to buy Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, but it’s available on Nintendo Switch Online