Pokémon Colosseum

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Pokémon Colosseum
North American cover art
Developer(s)	Genius Sonority
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Composer(s)	Tsukasa Tawada
Platform(s)	Nintendo GameCube
Release date(s)	JP November 21, 2003 NA March 22, 2004 EU May 14, 2004 AUS June 24, 2004
Genre(s)	Console role-playing game
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	CERO: All ages ESRB: E OFLC: G PEGI: 3+
Media	2 GameCube Game Disc Bonus Pokémon Box disc

Pokémon Colosseum​ (ポケモンコロシアム, Pokemon Koroshiamu^?) is the first Nintendo GameCube incarnation of the Pokémon video game franchise. It incorporates elements of both the main handheld games in the series as well as the Pokémon Stadium games. It is also notable for having a considerably darker storyline than most other Pokémon games. The game was released in Japan on November 21, 2003, in North America on March 22, 2004, in Europe on May 14, 2004, and in Australia on June 24, 2004. A sequel titled Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness was released in 2005.

Pokémon Colosseum puts significantly less importance on the non-RPG aspects of the game than Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2. For example, there are no mini-games, nor is there a Gym Leader Castle/Tower. While it is the first 3D Pokémon video game with an RPG mode, it does not allow the player to use rental Pokémon the way the Pokémon Stadium games did. This was probably done because Pokémon are obtainable in the RPG mode, thus most of the features in the game are still usable without a Game Boy Advance Pokémon game or rentals. This title features support for the Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen games.

A first in the Pokémon series, this game features a true 3D role-playing game mode that allows the player to capture Pokémon that could not be captured in the Ruby/Sapphire games, allowing them to eventually be transferred into said games. This includes Legendary Pokémon such as Ho-Oh, Entei, Raikou and Suicune. It also adds a new Pokémon status, Shadow Pokémon, which this game's main plot revolves around. These Pokémon cannot be traded to any game until they lose their Shadow status, and are effectively forbidden from use outside the Story mode until purified.

Gameplay

Colosseum features a number of distinct gameplay elements from other Pokémon games. It is the first game where the player can steal (Snag) other trainers' Pokémon without the use of cheats. Also, it is not possible to operate in the wilderness outside various towns and other landmarks, though the player can freely travel from place to place via his desert cycle. One of the most different characteristics is the lack of random battles or ability to catch wild Pokémon. Battles are only conducted between trainers and in Colosseums and always in 2-on-2 format. It also features Shadow Pokémon, whose hearts have been artificially closed. The trainer can then train with the Pokémon until its heart meter goes from completely purple (closed) to white (open). Once this is done, if the player has reached the Relic Stone that contains the power of Celebi, they can fully purify the Pokémon, at which point it can amass experience, get a nickname, and/or be traded.

Story

The game takes place in the Orre region, a land that is mostly barren desert. No wild Pokémon can be found there, so an organization named Team Snagem has developed a device called the Snag Machine that allows them to steal Pokémon from trainers. Before the storyline begins, Wes (the main character, whose name can be changed by the player) is a member of this organization.

The game begins with Wes having a change of heart, for reasons that are never specified. He blows the Team Snagem hideout up, destroying the larger of the two Snag Machines, while taking the portable one for himself. As Wes enters Phenac City, he sees two suspicious-looking men attempting to haul a bag to the mayor. They spot Wes and challenge him to a battle. After he wins, the men flee, and Wes unties the bag to reveal a girl named Rui (again, whose name can be changed by the player). Rui is happy to be released and tells Wes that she can see a dark aura around some Pokémon, which is why the two thugs attempted to kidnap her. The two of them go to the mayor, named Es Cade, who questions Rui's sightings but promises to help them out.

Upon finding out that Wes is an expert at snagging Pokémon, Rui asks Wes to join forces with her in tracking down and rescuing these suspicious Pokémon. They get involved in countless battles, many of which include the mysterious creatures. From picking up a set of items known as the Ein Files, they learn that Shadow Pokémon are Pokémon whose hearts have been artificially closed. Often when Wes enters battle, Rui spots the Shadow Pokémon and alerts Wes, who can then use his Snag Machine to capture them. Along the way, they meet a number of admins, who hail from a criminal syndicate called Cipher. Most notable among them is Miror B., a dance-happy character with a towering afro dyed to resemble a Poké ball. Wes and Rui defeat the administrators and trace the syndicate back to the head boss.

Finally, after a long journey through Orre, Wes and Rui arrive at Realgam Tower. After facing the four admins once again, Wes obtains the key cards to reach the top of the tower. There, he is greeted by a large crowd, and a man named Nascour who then tells Wes that he will have to repay all of the debt that he had inflicted on them. After Wes defeats all of the trainers and then Nascour, Nascour attempts to save face, only to be interrupted by Es Cade. Es Cade reveals himself to be Evice, the secret head of the Cipher organization, and battles Wes. When Wes defeats him, Evice attempts to escape by helicopter, but the legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh swoops in and blasts it out of the sky. Evice is captured.

Battle mode

In the non-RPG portion of the game, players can fight in tournaments against AI trainers, or battle each other. Notably, all Battle Mode tournaments forbid the registration of Pokémon who have not been purified, in the case of Story Mode Pokémon, and who are carrying either Mail or the Enigma Berry in the case of GBA transferred Pokémon.

Solo mode

• Colosseum Battle: Similar to Pokémon Stadium, players battle with a registered team either from Story mode or transferred from a GBA cartridge. Unlike Pokémon Stadium, Colosseum battle is divided by Colosseums instead of cups. There are four colosseums of rising difficulty for Level 50 Pokémon, and two for Level 100 Pokémon. Additionally, each Colosseum is playable in Single Battle or Double Battle mode. Victory (after 8 battles) is rewarded with PokéCoupons.
• Mt. Battle VS 100: Similar to the one in Story Mode, this mode pits the player against 100 trainers of increasing difficulty. Every 10 battles there is a rest stop where the player is awarded some PokéCoupons and is given the option to take the coupons and end the game. The challenge is that the PokéCoupons are only awarded if the player chooses to end the game at a rest stop or beats all 100 trainers. Mt. Battle is also playable in Single or Double Battle modes. This mode is also the only way to obtain Ho-Oh in the game, and one of the few legitimate ways to obtain Ho-Oh in the 3rd and 4th Generation games.
• PokéCoupon Exchange: This mode allows a player to exchange the PokéCoupons earned in the other modes for items, some of which can only be obtained this way.

Gang battle

This mode allows up to four players to fight against each other. The first player can either use the Story Mode team or their own from a GBA, but each additional player must have their own GBA to play. Custom rules are available. Two-player battles occur in Pyrite Colosseum, while four-player battles occur in The Under Colosseum.

Marketing

Pre-order

Pre-orders for the game started on February 9, 2004. Players who pre-ordered the game received a special bonus disk that contains the normally unobtainable Pokémon Jirachi (a similar promotion in Japan contained the similar Pokémon Celebi), as well as trailers for the game and the Pokémon: Jirachi Wish Maker movie. It also provides a fix for the "berry glitch" in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. This offer was only for North America, however people living in Europe and Australia could still obtain Jirachi by completing Pokémon Channel. The game came with a free Nintendo GameCube Memory Card 59 in Europe.

Manga

There have been two manga released in Japan based on this game. The first was a one-chapter strategy guide, while the other was more than just a strategy guide and ran in the Netkun Grade 2 magazine in the January, February, and March editions for a total of three short chapters.

External links

• Pokémon Colosseum at Nintendo.com (archives of the original at the Internet Archive)
• Pokémon Colosseum at GameFAQs
• Pokémon-Games.com special
• Official Website

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