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| Titles | Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness ポケモンＸＤ 闇の旋風ダーク・ルギア (Pokémon XD: Yami no Kaze Dāku Rugia) |
| Platform | Nintendo GameCube (GameCube–GBA cable for the GBA games) |
| Developer | Genius Sonority |
| Publisher | Nintendo (The Pokémon Company in Japan) |
| Director | Manabu Yamana |
| Music | Tsukasa Tawada |
| Players | 1 (Story Mode); 1–4 (Battle Mode) |
| Genre | Role-playing game |
| Shadow Pokémon | 83, led by Shadow Lugia (XD001) |
| Released | 4 August 2005 (Japan) · 3 October 2005 (North America) · 10 November 2005 (Australia) · 18 November 2005 (Europe) |
| Re-releases | Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics on Nintendo Switch 2, 17 March 2026 |
| Rating | ESRB E · PEGI 3+ · CERO All ages · OFLC G8+ |
| Predecessor | Pokémon Colosseum (2003) |
| Successor | Pokémon Battle Revolution (Wii, 2006) – the developer’s next console game |
| Sales | Over 1 million by March 2006 (Nintendo) |
Overview
It’s the second Pokémon RPG released on a home console. Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness is the sequel to Pokémon Colosseum, taking place in the same region of Orre, but with a brand-new protagonist and a new story. Just like its predecessor, it features amazing graphics and sound effects, even though it is said to have recycled animations and models from Pokémon Colosseum.
Gameplay-wise, the game tried to fill the gaps in Colosseum by introducing many new features, such as the Poké Spots, which allow the player to lure and catch wild Pokémon, and the Purify Chamber, which provides a faster purification process. The game still uses the same battle mechanics, with most battles being fought two versus two. Furthermore, the story is a little similar, with the goal of finding the Shadow Pokémon and purifying them, all while facing the evil Team Cipher.
Experience The Extra Dimension!
Using Shadow Pokémon, an evil organization has unleashed a sinister plot of world domination. With Eevee as your companion, and with the help of numerous friends along the way, you must fight against terrible foes and race against time to snag and purify the Shadow Pokémon and save the world!
- Engage in fantastic battles with your friends! By connecting with a Game Boy Advance—using a Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable—you can import and battle with your Game Boy Advance Pokémon from Pokémon Emerald, FireRed, LeafGreen, Ruby and Sapphire!
— Official description
Quick Answers
The questions people ask about Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, answered first and explained further down the page.
How many Shadow Pokémon are there in Pokémon XD?
There are 83. Seventy-eight are snagged from Cipher trainers and other villains across Orre, four Legendaries (Shadow Lugia plus Greevil’s Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres) are faced on Citadark Isle, and one, a Shadow Togepi, is handed over by Hordel at the Outskirt Stand so you can purify it for him. More →
How do you purify Shadow Lugia?
Shadow Lugia (XD001) was built to resist the usual methods, so walking, battling and the Relic Stone will not finish the job. You need the Purify Chamber with all nine sets filled and running at maximum tempo, which means four well-chosen Pokémon around each Shadow Pokémon so the type matchups keep the flow strong. More →
How do you get Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile in XD?
Clear all 100 trainers of Mt. Battle in one run with the same party, without swapping Pokémon or quitting midway. Each full clear lets you pick one of the three Johto starters at level 5, each knowing its ultimate move (Frenzy Plant, Blast Burn or Hydro Cannon). Repeat the challenge twice more to collect all three. More →
How do you evolve Eevee into Espeon or Umbreon in XD?
Orre has no day-night cycle, so XD uses items. At Gateon Port, the sailor standing in for Perr lets you choose one of five: Fire Stone, Water Stone, Thunderstone, Sun Shard or Moon Shard. With a shard in the Bag, level Eevee up with high friendship. You only get one pick per save, so choose carefully. More →
Can you catch wild Pokémon in Pokémon XD?
Yes, but only at the three Poké Spots. Leave Poké Snacks at the Rock, Oasis or Cave spot, wait for the P★DA alert, then battle and catch whatever turned up. Nine species appear in total, three per spot, and the rarest of each (Trapinch, Surskit, Wooper) can be traded to Duking. More →
Can you play Pokémon XD on Nintendo Switch?
Yes, on Nintendo Switch 2 only. It joined the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics app on 17 March 2026 for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members. The Classics version cannot connect to Pokémon HOME or the Switch release of FireRed and LeafGreen, and an April 2026 patch fixed a crash that could wipe save data. More →
Plot / Story
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness starts out with a cinematic of the S.S. Libra ship being attacked by Team Cipher’s helicopters and hijacked with the help of a Shadow Lugia. Next, the protagonist Michael finds himself in a battle simulation, conducted as a test to help Professor Krane and Lily at the Pokémon HQ Lab. The first task the player is given is to retrieve his P★DA from his room and look for his sister Jovi. Once the task is completed, Michael returns to the Pokémon HQ Lab and receives the Snag Machine, but suddenly Cipher goons show up and kidnap Professor Krane.
Michael is then sent to Gateon Port to retrieve a crucial missing part for the Purify Chamber. There, he encounters Mr. Verich, whose bodyguard Ardos protects Michael’s sister from a thug named Zook. Upon returning to the Pokémon HQ Lab, the protagonist learns about Agate Village, where Pokémon can be purified. He eventually heads there, meets the village elder Eagun and is allowed to use the Relic Stone. Michael then starts his quest to defeat the evil organisation Cipher. He defeats the first Cipher Admin, Lovrina, at the Cipher Lab and saves Professor Krane, then battles the Cipher goons that have taken over ONBS.
Later on, the protagonist hears that Cipher has also taken over Phenac City, so he heads there and defeats Snattle, the second Cipher Admin. Michael then gets a request to rescue a girl’s runaway Bonsly from the stranded S.S. Libra. He heads there, yet the Pokémon escapes, and he gets attacked by Team Snagem grunts, who knock him out and steal his Snag Machine. Eventually, the protagonist attacks the Snagem Hideout, battling a load of Snagem goons, then defeats Gonzap, their leader, and gets the Snag Machine back.
Surprisingly, Gonzap reveals he has the same goal as Michael and decides to team up with him to take out Cipher. They head to the Cipher Key Lair, where Michael defeats the third Cipher Admin, Gorigan, while successfully shutting down the Shadow Pokémon factory. Upon defeating Gorigan, Mr. Verich appears on video, revealing he’s Greevil, the boss of Cipher, who’s hiding on Citadark Isle.
Michael takes the fight to the last Cipher hideout. On Citadark Isle, he battles the three previous Cipher Admins, plus Ardos and Eldes, who also turn out to be Cipher Admins. The final challenge is then to defeat Shadow Lugia and Greevil. After the Cipher mastermind is defeated, he surrenders to the police along with Eldes, while Ardos escapes. Michael can now take part in the Orre Colosseum, where plenty of characters reappear for battle, like the five Cipher Admins, and Team Snagem with its leader Gonzap.
Who’s who
Michael
A teenager from Orre whose mother, Lily, works for Professor Krane. His partner is an Eevee entrusted to him by his late father, and he is given a Snag Machine along with an Aura Reader that lets him spot Shadow Pokémon. His name can be changed, and by stripping Greevil of his Shadow Pokémon he brings about Cipher’s collapse.
- Jovi: Michael’s younger sister, who vanishes during a game of hide-and-seek with Adon at the start of the adventure and turns up at Dr. Kaminko’s house. She tags along to Gateon Port, where she literally runs into the thug Zook, setting off the first meeting with Mr. Verich and his bodyguards.
- Professor Krane: The scientist in charge of the Pokémon HQ Lab, who developed the Purify Chamber with Michael’s father after the events of Colosseum. Cipher abducts him during a demonstration and holds him at the Cipher Lab until Michael defeats Lovrina. Before the final push, he hands Michael a Master Ball.
- Lily: Michael’s mother and a member of Professor Krane’s staff at the Pokémon HQ Lab. When Cipher kidnaps Krane, whose expertise the Purify Chamber project depends on, she is the one who sends Michael off to Gateon Port to collect the missing part the machine still needs, starting his journey across Orre.
- Eagun: The village elder who looks after the Relic Stone, Agate Village’s sacred purifying stone, and a veteran of Colosseum who still battles with Pikachu. He lets Michael purify Pokémon at the stone, and once Greevil is defeated he battles Michael and then invites him to the Orre Colosseum, passing on a TM after each round.
- Zook: A hot-headed brute with a Shadow Zangoose who picks a fight at Gateon Port after Jovi bumps into him, only to be flattened by Ardos’s Alakazam. He resurfaces outside the Cipher Key Lair, but with the Snag Machine stolen at that point, Michael cannot snag his Zangoose there.
The Bad Guys
Team Cipher: An evil organisation that corrupts the hearts of Pokémon, closing them and turning them into Shadow Pokémon. Its ultimate goal is world domination. In the game, it’s based in the Cipher Lab, the Cipher Key Lair and on Citadark Isle.
Team Cipher Peons: Trainers who chose the evil path and follow the orders of the Team Cipher Admins. The player will encounter a lot of them during the game.
Cipher Admin: Lovrina
The first Cipher Admin the player encounters, at the Cipher Lab. A narcissistic and hyperactive Trainer who prefers beautiful-looking Pokémon. She runs Cipher’s research and development team, with the goal of creating the perfect Shadow Pokémon that’s immune to purification. She reappears on Citadark Isle and in the Orre Colosseum.
Team: Includes Shadow Delcatty (Lv18)
Rematch: Citadark Isle: Includes Shadow Farfetch’d (Lv36) and Shadow Altaria (Lv36). One of the three earlier admins who regroup on Citadark Isle to stop Michael. She runs off after losing to him for the second time.
Head of Cipher’s research and development team and the scientist who brags about making XD001 herself. Beating her rescues Krane and turns up the Data ROM that leads to ONBS.
Cipher Admin: Snattle
The second Cipher Admin the player will encounter, in Phenac City. An egocentric man who prefers Pokémon with celestial shapes. His goal is to grant Team Cipher political power by becoming the Governor of Orre. He reappears on Citadark Isle and in the Orre Colosseum.
Team: Includes Shadow Lunatone (Lv25)
Rematch: Citadark Isle (outside the Dome): Includes Shadow Solrock (Lv41) and Shadow Starmie (Lv41). Beating him outside the Dome switches on the elevator that runs from the base of the volcano up to the summit.
A vain schemer who has filled Phenac with Cipher Peons disguised as citizens and has been promised the post of Governor of Orre by Greevil.
Cipher Admin: Gorigan
The third Cipher Admin the player encounters, first at the wreck of the S.S. Libra and then at the Cipher Key Lair. A weird Trainer who has the appearance, moves and manners of an ape. He favours humanoid-looking Pokémon. He reappears on Citadark Isle and in the Orre Colosseum.
Team: Includes Shadow Primeape (Lv34) and Shadow Hypno (Lv34)
Rematch: Citadark Isle: Includes Shadow Poliwrath (Lv42) and Shadow Mr. Mime (Lv42). His second and final battle for Cipher, fought on Citadark Isle after Michael storms the volcano. He then reappears as the champion of the Orre Colosseum’s third round.
First seen at the stranded S.S. Libra, where he leaves Cipher Peons to fight for him. His ape-like manners hide a sharp mind and a very short temper.
Cipher Admin: Ardos
First encountered at Gateon Port, when he saves Michael’s sister. He’s one of the Cipher Admins, Eldes’s twin and Greevil’s son. He prefers fast Pokémon and has a high sense of loyalty towards Cipher – he even suggested blowing up the whole of Citadark Isle, despite the number of casualties, just so that Cipher could survive. He manages to escape at the end and reappears in the Orre Colosseum.
Team: Shadow Swellow, Shadow Electabuzz, Shadow Snorlax (Lv43); Alakazam, Kingdra, Heracross (Lv44)
Mr. Verich’s elder bodyguard, battled only on Citadark Isle. His team leans on speed and strong attacks such as Hydro Pump, Double-Edge and Megahorn.
Cipher Admin: Eldes
Greevil’s second son and the twin of Ardos. He’s encountered first at Gateon Port, then on Mt. Battle and finally on Citadark Isle as one of Cipher’s Admins. Unlike the rest of the Admins, he isn’t evil and is troubled by Cipher’s motives. He stopped his brother and father from blowing up Citadark Isle, convinced his father to surrender to the police and went with him.
Team: Ninjask; Shadow Manectric, Shadow Marowak, Shadow Lapras (Lv44); Shadow Salamence (Lv50)
The younger bodyguard and the last admin before Greevil. His Shadow Salamence, at level 50, is one of the strongest Shadow Pokémon in the game.
Grand Master: Greevil
The Grand Master of Team Cipher and the mastermind behind all of Cipher’s plans. He’s first encountered at Gateon Port, with his bodyguards, who turn out to be his sons. He appears a second time on TV when Michael defeats Gorigan, and reveals he’s Cipher’s boss. His final appearance is on Citadark Isle, where he is defeated by Michael and has his ultimate Shadow Pokémon, Lugia, snagged. The defeat breaks him, and he listens to his son Eldes’s advice and surrenders to the police.
Team: Shadow Rhydon, Shadow Exeggutor, Shadow Tauros (Lv46); Shadow Moltres, Shadow Articuno, Shadow Zapdos (Lv50)
Any Shadow Pokémon you snag from him are replaced in later attempts by level 50 Manectric, Swellow, Starmie, Granbull, Altaria and Aerodactyl.
Team Snagem: A criminal organisation that was once allied with Cipher, using the Snag Machine to steal Pokémon from their Trainers. Team Snagem doesn’t make many appearances in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. In fact, Michael only encounters them twice: when the Snagem grunts steal his Snag Machine, and when he attacks their hideout, which seems to be their only base in this game.
- Snagem Grunts: Evil Trainers who seek to unleash terror, stealing Pokémon and doing mischievous deeds. Michael encounters three of them, named Wakin, Biden and Agrev, on the S.S. Libra, who unfortunately knock him out with Sleep Powder and steal his Snag Machine. More are battled in the Snagem Hideout.
- Gonzap: The leader of Team Snagem. A muscular man with a large moustache and scars covering his body. He’s encountered at the Snagem Hideout when the player tries to recover the Snag Machine. After his defeat, he cooperates with Michael and helps him infiltrate the Cipher Key Lair. He also reappears in the Orre Colosseum.
Can I catch ’em all?
As in Pokémon Colosseum, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness focuses on catching Pokémon in their Shadow form. Yet it also offers the new ability to catch wild ones at the Poké Spots. Within the game, the player can snag up to 83 Shadow Pokémon. Here’s how to get some of the others:
- The Johto starters can be obtained by defeating the 100 Trainers of Mt. Battle with the same party. The player gets to choose only one, and can redo the challenge to earn the other two.
- Elekid can be obtained by trading a purified Shadow Togepi to Hordel.
- Meditite, Shuckle and Larvitar are traded by Duking for rare Pokémon from the Poké Spots (Trapinch, Surskit and Wooper respectively).
- Both Munchlax and Bonsly from the next generation appear in the game, yet they cannot be kept. Bonsly is even in the game’s trailer.
- Michael’s partner Eevee can evolve into any of five Pokémon: at Gateon Port he chooses one evolution item from a Fire Stone, Water Stone, Thunderstone, Sun Shard or Moon Shard.
Notable Pokémon
XD is set in Orre, so most of its cast arrives as Shadow Pokémon: 83 of them, from a level 11 Teddiursa up to a level 55 Dragonite, with Shadow Lugia at the heart of the plot. For the first time in Orre, nine wild species can also be caught at three Poké Spots. Michael begins with an Eevee, the Johto starters are Mt. Battle prizes, and in-game trades add Elekid, Meditite, Shuckle and Larvitar. Generation IV’s Munchlax and Bonsly appear in the story but can never be kept.
Lugia#249
Eevee#133
Dragonite#149
Teddiursa#216
Togepi#175
Elekid#239
Chikorita#152
Larvitar#246
Bonsly#438
Munchlax#446
- Lugia – Shadow Lugia, Cipher’s XD001, level 50; purifies only in a full-tempo Purify Chamber.
- Eevee – Michael’s level 10 starter; one evolution item of five is on offer at Gateon Port.
- Dragonite – The highest-level Shadow Pokémon in the game, at level 55.
- Teddiursa – The first Shadow Pokémon snagged, from Naps during Krane’s kidnapping (level 11).
- Togepi – A Shadow Togepi (level 25) given by Hordel at the Outskirt Stand to be purified.
- Elekid – Hordel’s level 20 ‘Zaprong’, with Ice Punch, Fire Punch, ThunderPunch and Cross Chop, traded for the purified Togepi or a Togetic.
- Chikorita – One of the three Johto starters won at Mt. Battle, at level 5 with Frenzy Plant.
- Larvitar – Traded by Duking for a Wooper from the Cave Poké Spot.
- Bonsly – A girl’s runaway pet; returned rather than kept, but usable on the Special Battle Bingo card.
- Munchlax – The Herb Shop owner’s snack thief at the Poké Spots; cannot be caught.
Purification Techniques
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness offers two ways to purify Pokémon: the player can use either the Relic Stone or the Purify Chamber.
To purify Pokémon with the Purify Chamber, the player has to put one to four Pokémon in a circle, with the Shadow Pokémon in its centre. The Pokémon placed in the circle, and how many there are, affect the tempo of the circle and thus provide a faster purification. The player can go back to the quest, and they’ll be notified once the Shadow Pokémon is purified. Shadow Lugia can only be purified this way, with all nine of the Chamber’s sets running at full tempo.
On the other hand, purifying Pokémon with the Relic Stone takes a different process. First the player has to empty the Shadow Pokémon’s Heart Gauge, before taking it to the stone in Agate Village to purify it. Upon reaching the purification point on the Heart Gauge, the message ‘The Pokémon’s heart is about to open! Undo the final lock!’ is displayed when a Pokémon is ready to be purified.
There are several factors that can help reach the purification point of the Heart Gauge:
- Walking anywhere while having the Pokémon in the party.
- Using it in battle.
- Calling the Shadow Pokémon during battles, once it enters Reverse Mode.
- Using scents (Joy, Excite and Vivid Scent) on the Pokémon.
Purified Pokémon receive all the experience they banked while in Shadow form, whichever method is used – but the Chamber is by far the faster process.
Poké Spots
The new feature added in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, which allows the player to catch wild Pokémon. There are three different Poké Spots, at which the player can put out snacks as bait for Pokémon. Once a Pokémon takes the bait and appears, the player will be notified. Sometimes the Herb Shop owner’s Munchlax eats the snacks instead, and its owner gives the player 10 Poké Snacks as compensation. There are 9 catchable Pokémon in total at the Poké Spots: Hoppip, Phanpy, Surskit, Zubat, Aron, Wooper, Sandshrew, Gligar and Trapinch. Some of these Pokémon can be traded with Duking for rare Pokémon.
| Poké Spot | Pokémon | Duking trades |
|---|---|---|
| Rock | Sandshrew, Gligar, Trapinch | Trapinch → Meditite |
| Oasis | Hoppip, Phanpy, Surskit | Surskit → Shuckle |
| Cave | Zubat, Aron, Wooper | Wooper → Larvitar |
Battle CDs, Battle Bingo & the Orre Colosseum
XD fills Orre with things to do once the story is over – puzzle battles on disc, a bingo game played with borrowed Pokémon, the 100-Trainer climb of Mt. Battle and a seven-round Colosseum where the whole cast comes back for a rematch.
The Orre Colosseum, round by round
| Round | Champion | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Lovrina Follows battles against Greel, Herlam and Lestor. Beating Lovrina here is also needed to start the Lucky Egg side quest. |
Title ‘Lovrina Fan Club Member #1’; TM06 Toxic |
| Round 2 | Snattle Follows Lobel, Makel and Limar. After losing, Snattle promises to make Michael his official secretary once he becomes Governor of Orre. |
Title ‘Orre Governor’s Secretary Candidate’; TM27 Return |
| Round 3 | Gorigan Follows Navu, Pixen and Daks. Gorigan’s Colosseum line-ups lean heavily on the Intimidate Ability, with Earthquake carried by most of his Pokémon. |
Title ‘The Hexagonal Bolt of Friendship Holder’; TM48 Skill Swap |
| Round 4 | Chobin Follows Rekix, Dargs and Naono. Dr. Kaminko’s assistant Chobin enters at the controls of Robo Groudon, battling under a trainer class of that name. |
Title ‘Defeater of Chobin’; TM36 Sludge Bomb |
| Round 5 | Gonzap A Team Snagem round: grunts Biden, Jedo and Wakin come first, then their boss Gonzap, now an ally of Michael’s but still keen for a fight. |
Title ‘Honorary Team Snagem Member’; TM44 Rest |
| Round 6 | Ardos Follows Jebol, Loar and Felps. Still at large, Ardos hints that Cipher will return and names Michael its biggest threat. |
Title ‘Cipher’s Biggest Enemy’; TM47 Steel Wing |
| Round 7 | Eldes Follows Lest, Ebson and Klept. Eldes pairs Earthquake with Pokémon that are immune to it, such as the levitating Latios, Latias and Gengar. |
Title ‘Eldes’s Top Rival’; TM02 Dragon Claw |
Integration with other titles
Like the previous game, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness can be linked to the GBA games too. In fact, it can be linked to all five core GBA Pokémon games (Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen), allowing all the different Pokémon to be traded between them. Establishing links with other games also allows the use of a battle mode in which players can duel each other.
Regional Variations
Japan had XD two months before North America and three before Europe, and the names changed along the way:
- The Japanese title, Pokémon XD: Yami no Kaze Dark Lugia, translates roughly as ‘Whirlwind of Darkness: Dark Lugia’, naming the Shadow Lugia outright; the English title became Gale of Darkness.
- Nintendo e-Reader support was only offered in the Japanese version.
- In Japan the game was published by The Pokémon Company; Nintendo published it in North America, Europe and Australia.
- European titles: Le Souffle des Ténèbres (French), Der Dunkle Sturm (German), Tempesta Oscura (Italian) and Tempestad oscura (Spanish).
- The French version treats the ‘XD’ as ‘eXtra Dark’ rather than ‘eXtra Dimension’.
- Several names differ in Japanese: Greevil is Deathgold (デスゴルド), Snattle is Wazuru (ワズル), Citadark Isle is Nickeldark Island (ニケルダーク島) and the Purify Chamber is the Relive Hall (リライブホール).
- Battle CDs are renamed in Europe, becoming the Holodisk in French, Kampf-CD in German, CD Lotta in Italian and Disco de combate in Spanish.
Left in the data
- Shadow Lugia’s battle sprite sheet includes a lower half reserved for a Shiny version, filled with a copy of the normal image, even though Shadow Lugia can never be Shiny; Bonsly’s sprite is handled the same way.
- Shiny Celebi graphics are present for consistency with other games, although the only legitimate way to get one was through event distributions.
- Two unused rooms can be loaded with cheat codes: a B1 test room that resembles an S.S. Libra interior and cannot be left, and a silent copy of the Outskirt Stand jukebox room with no people, events or exit.
- An Action Replay code activates a small debug function: D-Pad Up toggles a bar of Japanese instructions, L cycles between pause, slow motion and normal speed, and Z pauses; a debug_menu.fsys file also sits on the disc.
- Ten Battle CDs numbered 51 to 60 exist in the data but cannot be obtained in normal play.
Glitches, exploits and oddities
A save-wiping crash on Switch 2, a hidden Battle CD and other oddities:
Nintendo Classics save-wiping crash
When XD arrived on the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics app for Nintendo Switch 2 in March 2026, the release carried a fault that could crash the game and erase the player’s save data, a serious risk in a game built around a long Shadow Pokémon collection and many hours of purifying. No exact trigger was publicly documented. Nintendo patched the problem on 14 April 2026, four weeks after the game was added to the service.
Hidden Battle CD 00
The game data includes a Battle CD numbered 00, a copy of the Salamence versus Metagross simulation that opens the story. It never appears in the normal CD list, but rearranging files in the game’s data can make it show up. Trying to play it does not work: the game freezes on a black screen. It sits alongside ten further unobtainable discs, numbered 51 to 60, the last five of which share content with the first five tutorial sims at the Pokémon HQ Lab.
Purify Chamber tutorial oddities
The Purify Chamber tutorial demonstrates its system with a Shadow Loudred, even though no trainer in either Colosseum or XD owns a Shadow Loudred, so the Pokémon on screen can never actually be snagged. The same tutorial shows a Shadow Carvanha at level 25, yet the Shadow Carvanha players really meet in the story is caught at level 15, so the example does not match the game it is teaching.
Battle Mode’s leaky Shadow check
Battle Mode is meant to keep Shadow Pokémon out of multiplayer, but the restriction only blocks Pokémon flagged as Shadow Pokémon. A normal Pokémon that has been given Shadow moves with a cheat device is let straight through, and so is a Bonsly hacked into a team, even though neither can exist in normal play. The loophole only affects modified saves, but it means Shadow moves can technically be used in a link battle.
Videos & media
Check out these videos relating to Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, including the trailer, a TV commercial and a record-setting speedrun.
The official trailer for Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.
A Japanese TV commercial for Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.
A Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness speedrun by Ry Guy, a former world-record run.
Trivia & facts
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XD001, the Shadow Lugia. The highest-level snaggable Pokémon in the game is Dragonite (level 55), while Lugia shares second place at level 50 with Greevil’s Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres and Eldes’s Salamence – despite it being so important to the storyline.
- Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness are the only Pokémon RPGs since Pokémon Crystal’s release that don’t allow the player to choose their gender.
- Pokémon brought into XD from the GBA games show ‘met in a distant land’, and Pokémon from Pokémon Colosseum often show the wrong place too, despite the fact that both games take place in the same region, Orre.
- Before its release, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness was said to be a whole different game and not a sequel to Pokémon Colosseum, yet it was quite the opposite.
- The only side-series Pokémon game to have a box mascot – Shadow Lugia.
- Some fans believed that the last evil boss in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness was meant to be Wes from Pokémon Colosseum, and that this was changed because it gave a dark aspect to both games.
- The ‘XD’ in the game’s title actually means Extra Dimension. It’s also thought to be a reference to XD001, the Shadow Lugia.
Further trivia
- XD was the last Pokémon game released for the Nintendo GameCube.
- Greevil’s English name blends ‘greedy’ and ‘evil’; in Japan he is called Deathgold.
- Exol, who leads Cipher’s raid on ONBS and holds Nett’s sister Megg hostage, is the only character in the series with the ‘Cipher Cmdr’ trainer class. He is not one of the admins.
- Thanks to Battle Bingo, Bonsly is the only Pokémon the player can actually use in the generation before its official debut; its card’s tagline reads “Bonsly makes its battle debut!”
- Pokémon XD’s box art was designed by James Turner.
- Almost half of the game’s Shadow Pokémon are found on Citadark Isle, the volcanic island off Orre that can only be reached aboard Robo Kyogre.
- Wild Pokémon cannot be fled from in Orre: the Run command is replaced by Call, and only Teleport, Roar or Whirlwind end a Poké Spot battle early.
Legacy
What came after
- Japanese launch on Nintendo GameCube – 4 August 2005. Published in Japan by The Pokémon Company.
- North American launch – 3 October 2005. Published by Nintendo.
- Australian launch – 10 November 2005. Released in Australia eight days before Europe.
- European launch – 18 November 2005. The last Pokémon game released for the GameCube.
- Named a million-seller in Nintendo’s annual results – 25 May 2006. Nintendo’s results for the year to 31 March 2006 listed XD among titles that had sold over a million units.
- Pokémon Battle Revolution (Wii) – 14 December 2006. Genius Sonority’s next home-console Pokémon game, a battle-focused title with no Orre story.
- Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics (Nintendo Switch 2) – 17 March 2026. Added for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack members worldwide, including South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan; no link to Pokémon HOME.
- Nintendo Classics patch – 14 April 2026. Fixed a crash that could erase save data.
Where to play it today
As of October 2026 the easiest legal way to play XD is the Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics app on Nintendo Switch 2, which needs a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership; it is not offered on the original Switch. That version cannot connect to Pokémon HOME or to the Switch release of FireRed and LeafGreen. For trading and battling with the Game Boy Advance games, an original disc on a GameCube, or an early backwards-compatible Wii, is still needed.
How it was made
XD was developed by Genius Sonority, the studio behind Pokémon Colosseum, with Manabu Yamana directing, Gakuji Nomoto, Hiroyuki Jinnai and Hiroaki Tsuru producing, Tsukasa Tawada composing and Kazunori Orio writing. When Nintendo of America’s Reggie Fils-Aimé first spoke about it in March 2005, he described a brand-new GameCube title rather than a Colosseum sequel, with play closer to Ruby and Sapphire. Screenshots in Famitsu and CoroCoro Comic soon told a different story: Colosseum-style 3D visuals, the return of Shadow Pokémon and snagging, and a black Shadow Lugia at the centre of the plot. A playable demo toured North America with the Pokémon Rocks America event. The box art was designed by James Turner, and the game launched in Japan on 4 August 2005 as the last Pokémon release for the GameCube.
Pokémon XD elsewhere
Sales & reviews
Sales figures
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness turned out to be quite a commercial success, selling an estimated 1.27 million copies: about 0.79 million in North America, 0.19 million in Europe, 0.31 million in Japan and 0.03 million in the rest of the world.
That regional split is a third-party estimate. Nintendo’s own figure is that XD had sold over a million units by 31 March 2006, which put it on the list of million-sellers in the company’s annual results.
- 1m+by March 2006 (Nintendo)
- 83Shadow Pokémon
- 64Metacritic
- 2026on Nintendo Classics
Review scores
Despite some criticism of the large amount of recycled animations and features from the previous game, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness was fairly well received, getting decent scores on major review sites. Let’s take a look at those scores:
- Greg Mueller of GameSpot reviewed the game and scored it 6.9/10, which equates to ‘Fair’ on the GameSpot scale.
- Craig Harris from IGN liked the game but was disappointed with how much it copied from the previous one. He scored it 6.8/10, the equivalent of ‘Okay’ on their scale, while stating: “This GameCube sequel isn’t all that much different to Pokemon Colosseum apart from a couple of minor tweaks and additions to the graphics and gameplay.”
- The game also reached 66.91% on GameRankings (which closed in 2019) and 64 on Metacritic, a fair score.
Critics were split, with most scores landing between six and seven out of ten. Reviewers liked the long story, which GameSpot put at roughly 20 hours, and welcomed the Purify Chamber for taking the grind out of purification. Nintendo-focused outlets were the warmest, with Nintendo Power and NGC Magazine both scoring it in the mid-80s. The main complaint was familiarity: the graphics, much of the engine and several locations came straight from Colosseum, so the game felt more like an expansion than a true sequel. Some found the late-game battles drawn out and the challenge low, and the three Poké Spots seemed a thin substitute for the open wild-Pokémon hunting of the handheld games. Fans of Colosseum got more of the same; newcomers were given few reasons to convert.
Media & artwork
- Official artwork gallery from Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Box art from Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, including numerous regional variations and editions
- Screenshots from Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
Further reading
More GameCube and Orre links on the site: