Standard Edition
StandardIn the box
- GameCube game disc
- Case with cover art
GameCube
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is a role-playing video game in the Pokémon series developed by Genius Sonority and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. It was released for the GameCube on August 4, 2005, in Japan; October 3, 2005, in North America; November 10, 2005, in Australia; and November 18, 2005, in Europe.
Role-playing (RPG)Adventure
- Update patch
- No patch
- Time to beat
- about 27.6 hours
- Plays offline
- Yes
Overview
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is a role-playing video game in the Pokémon series developed by Genius Sonority and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. It was released for the GameCube on August 4, 2005, in Japan; October 3, 2005, in North America; November 10, 2005, in Australia; and November 18, 2005, in Europe. Pokémon XD is the successor to the GameCube title Pokémon Colosseum and takes place in Orre, the setting of Pokémon Colosseum's adventure mode. All of the Game Boy Advance Pokémon games can connect to this game through trading and Battle Mode.
Pokémon XD was first announced in March 2005 as a new GameCube game and not a sequel to Colosseum, though later developments as well as two promotional demo versions confirmed the game would be similar to its predecessor. Shadow Pokémon, first introduced in Colosseum, are a major gameplay element, and a Shadow Lugia is featured on the game's box art. Munchlax and Bonsly, two Pokémon from the fourth generation of main Pokémon games, make debut appearances in Pokémon XD.
The game garnered mixed reviews among critics, with common criticisms being directed at similarities to and re-used assets from Colosseum. Commercially Pokémon XD was a success, selling more than 1 million copies since its release. Pokémon XD was released on the Nintendo Switch 2 through the Nintendo Classics service on March 18, 2026.
Official trailer
Trailer. Watch on YouTube
Gameplay
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness - Full Game Playthrough / Walkthrough - GameCube, Retro Longplays. Watch on YouTube
Screenshots
Game details
- Genres
- Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Series
- Pokémon Stadium
- Platforms
- Nintendo GameCube
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Modes
- Single player
- Yes
- Local multiplayer
- No
- Online multiplayer
- No
- Co op
- No
- Age ratings
- PEGI
- 3
- USK
- 0
- CERO
- A
- ACB
- G
- ESRB
- E
Release dates
| Platform | Region | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Nintendo GameCube | Japan | 2005-08-04 |
| Nintendo GameCube | North America | 2005-10-03 |
| Nintendo GameCube | Australia | 2005-10-10 |
| Nintendo GameCube | Europe / PAL | 2005-11-18 |
Editions
Space and patches
Update patchNo patch
DLC
No DLC. GameCube games had no downloadable content.
Playable today
Playable offline todayYes
No online features. The disc runs on a GameCube or a Wii with GameCube ports, and the game is on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on Switch 2.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Ever released on disc | Yes, on GameCube disc |
| Ever released in the store | Yes, 18 March 2026 In the GameCube library of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, on Nintendo Switch 2 only. |
| In the store to buy today | No Not sold on its own. Playable with a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership on Nintendo Switch 2. |
| Can be downloaded again if you already bought it | Yes With an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. |
| Disc runs with no patch | Yes |
| Disc runs with the final patch | Does not exist No patch was ever released. |
| Has online features | No |
| Online servers running today | Does not exist |
| Playable offline today: campaign | Yes |
| Playable offline today: local multiplayer | Yes Multiplayer Battle Mode on one GameCube, with teams from Game Boy Advance Pokemon games over the link cable. |
| Playable offline today: online multiplayer | Does not exist No online play. |
| Playable offline today: DLC | Does not exist No DLC. |
Online
Plays offlineYes
Reception
- Aggregates
Outlet Platform Score Scale Metacritic GameCube 64 100 GameRankings GameCube 66.91 100 - Critics
Outlet Score Scale NGC Magazine 86 100 Nintendo Power 85 100 GameSpot 6.9 10 IGN 6.8 10 GamesRadar 3.5 5 GameSpy 3 5 G4 3 5 Game Informer 58 100
Staff and cast
- Staff
Role Name Developer Genius Sonority Publisher Nintendo (The Pokemon Company in Japan) Director Manabu Yamana Producers Gakuji Nomoto, Hiroyuki Jinnai, Hiroaki Tsuru Designers Sui Hotate, Ryota Aomi, Koji Ono, Koichi Iwata, Kuniko Kobashi, Chiharu Sugaya Programmers Teruhito Yamaki, Akihiro Yoshida Artist Shinichi Hiromoto Writer Kazunori Orio Composer Tsukasa Tawada
Notes for collectors
- The sequel to Pokemon Colosseum, set in the same Orre region, with Shadow Lugia on the cover.
- Adds Battle SIMs and Battle Bingo alongside the story.
- Sold over 1 million copies by March 2006.
- Added to the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library on Switch 2 on 18 March 2026.
Credits
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Developer
- Genius Sonority
- Director
- Manabu Yamana
- Released
- 2005-10-03
- Age rating
- ESRB E
- Region
- US
- Time to beat
- about 27.6 hours
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