About this game
Released in 2003, Pokémon Colosseum was the first full RPG adventure in the mainline Pokémon tradition on home console hardware. Set in the arid, neon-lit crime world of Orre rather than a traditional Pokémon region, it tasked players with stealing and purifying 'Shadow Pokémon' whose hearts had been artificially closed. The darker tone and double battle format set it apart from every other Pokémon game before it.
Key Features
Snagging mechanic — steal Shadow Pokémon from enemy trainers using the Snag Machine; Purification system — befriend and purify Shadow Pokémon through bonding and the Relic Stone; all battles are Double Battles; fully 3D Pokémon models for the first time in the main-series RPG tradition; Pokémon Transfer — send purified Pokémon to Game Boy Advance games via link cable.
The Story Behind
Pokémon Colosseum was the culmination of years of Pokémon fan anticipation for a console RPG experience. Genius Sonority, a studio established with investment from The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, was created specifically to develop Pokémon games for home consoles. The decision to avoid a traditional open-world region in favour of a crime-narrative structure was a significant creative risk that paid off critically, showing Pokémon could tell a darker story.
Tricks & Tales
Pokémon Colosseum includes Ho-Oh as the final legendary obtainable via purification — the only game where Ho-Oh could be obtained through gameplay without a special event distribution. Tsukasa Tawada's score deliberately incorporated jazz and electronic elements to reinforce the crime-world atmosphere, which he described as wanting to feel 'dry yet cool.' The game's e-Reader functionality was exclusive to Japan.
Collector's Guide
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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