Pokemon Colosseum is a fun game from developer Genius Sonority. While it could have included a better story and graphics, this game shows that sometimes having fun is all that really matters. As I played through the game I enjoyed the admirable attempt the developer went into creating this Pokemon game with a slightly more mature and darker tone to it than in past Pokemon games that have been released. Being the first game produced by this developer and the first Pokemon 3D RPG on the GameCube I think many will find much to like in Pokemon Colosseum.

Pokemon Colosseum includes two different gameplay modes, a battle mode and a story mode. In battle mode you can battle your Pokemon against those of your friends. You can also transfer Pokemon you have captured in the Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire GBA games into Pokemon Colosseum and watch them fight in full 3D. Battle mode will interest many players out there who will find enjoyment in battling their unique Pokemon against the Pokemon that friends bring into battle and watching the Pokemon unleash their special powers. Story mode is what interested me the most. While I thought the story could have used much more work, the story is still engaging enough for players. The story places you in the role of a character in the world of Orre where Pokemon are being corrupted by an evil organization. In order to save these Pokemon and put an end to this evil organization you must use a special device which allows you to "snag" what are referred to as Shadow Pokemon and purify them so that they will return to their former good selves. This is where the game takes a slightly different twist from other Pokemon games and where the fun begins.

In past Pokemon games you never thought about stealing the Pokemon from other trainers but in Pokemon Colosseum you will have to do just that, but you will be doing this to save Pokemon that have turned evil and have been twisted and corrupted. Snagging these Pokemon is similar to catching Pokemon in past games, the difference is that these Pokemon will not be as willing to aid you as they have been corrupted. As you take these Shadow Pokemon into battle, they will eventually start losing their evil ways and gradually gain the powers they once had before they became evil. I liked this different approach in the game because you had to constantly keep an eye on these Shadow Pokemon when they did not follow your commands and just did as they wished. There will be a character that you will meet in the game that will be able to identify Shadow Pokemon which always have a purple aura around them. Battles with other trainers in story mode is fun and you will often need to decide which of your Pokemon are better suited to dealing with the enemies Pokemon. The story does an excellent job of moving you from one location to the next and I never found myself getting tired of the game but just wanting to see what was coming up next. If only they could have spent some more time with the story I would have been much more impressed but for a Pokemon game I found I liked the story much more than I thought I would.

The graphics while not the best the system can produce where still nice to see, and had a western feel to them, with the use of more darker tones and colors than the brighter tones that other Pokemon games used in the past. The developers have commented that the inspiration for the locations where based on Arizona and you can easily see this in the look of canyons, a lone train out in a desert, a beautifully detailed water city and in so many other locations. Genius Sonority attempted to give the Pokemon world a more mature and darker look in the characters, the story, the locations and the overall atmosphere and they succeeded in doing this. This approach to Pokemon Colosseum is what I appreciated about the game, that the developer decided to break the mold of past Pokemon games and add a few different touches to attract new players to the Pokemon world.

Pokemon Colosseum is a game that previous Pokemon gamers will enjoy as well as new players that want to experience a Pokemon game for the first time. You have two interesting game play modes: a battle and a story mode set in the world of Orre with a story that should keep you playing until the very end. Could Pokemom Colosseum have been a much better game? The answer is definitely, "Yes", with the need of a better storyline, graphics and more features. Yet, I was impressed with what did make it into Pokemon Colosseum and that above all else I found myself having fun and enjoying the game. If you do not mind these flaws then you will find much to enjoy within Pokemon Colosseum. Here is hoping that Genius Sonority and publisher Nintendo will give us another Pokemon RPG in the future.

Final Grade: 82%

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