Pokemon Colosseum

"Colosseum's Good"

Nintendo has done it yet again. Pokemon Colosseum is, basically, a game to die for! After the news of this game spread, millions of right-on Pokemon fans waited impatiently for this game to arrive on the Game-Cube. After much anticipation, it finally arrived, knocking people right into the stores. Several copies were sold, including one bought by my brother. After several others played, I thought it was my time to try. After my brother completed this game, I finally asked him if I would play the game. After being glued to this game for hours, I finally decided to make a review for this awesome Pokemon game. This game was good, in every area possible, and here is what I mean by ' every area. '

Story-10/10

The story for this game was incredibly original, and more different than the other games than I had thought. Basically, you are a member of Team Snagem, and one day, you break into your own base, stealing a Snag Machine, and driving off with your two loyal Pokemon, Umbreon and Espeon, two evolve forms of Eevee. You then stop at a stand, and get supplies, then encounter your first battle, and continue on. When you arrive at your next destination, you are met by your partner, who is the only person capable of seeing a mysterious breed of Pokemon known as Shadow Pokemon, who's hearts were sealed by a dark omen. You and your friend then continue your journeys together, finding the Shadow Pokemon who's sealed hearts can only be purified with the help of your Snag Machine and a mysterious relic in a far off place.

Game-play-10/10

The game-play was also above what I was expecting. Sure, it's just like a normal battle, but there are several twists to it. For example, during a battle, you may encounter a Shadow Pokemon. You can use a device called a Poke-Ball to snag these creatures, then gradually battle with it to eventually open its heart, and return it back to a normal Pokemon. There is also a "Call" option when you're battling, which will either relieve a Shadow Pokemon of Hyper Mode, or boost the stats of a Pokemon in battle. You also continue on a journey, going to fight the Cipher group's dastardly plans. This game has quite a unique game-play, which was far beyond what I expected.

Graphics-10/10

The graphics were amazingly good, and astonishingly detailed compared to the Nintendo 64 Pokemon game. The moves aren't blocky, and the scenes are fit to perfection. There are no difficulties seeing the moves and writing, and the Pokemon are way more detailed than most would expect. There are different trainers throughout, and the construction sites and underground lairs look like they are what a real-life version of them look like. The Pokemon look like they actually took damage when hit, and spring back into action when ready instead of blinking like in the other Pokemon games. There are absolutely no flaws in the graphics of this game, and there are hardly any blurs at all.

Sound-10/10

The sound was at an above-average level. The sound around the cities is, unlike the other Pokemon games, different from each other. You can actually listen to a variety of music in this game. Not only that, but the battle music gets you into the mood, and the sound effects match each movement and attack. You can tell when there is a good mood, and when there is a bad mood in the game as well, for the music is slower in a lively place, and quick and aggressive in a bad situation. The music also shuts off when you're in a very tough situation where you need concentration, therefore relaxing the player, and taking away pressure while completing the area. Not only that, but the music not only suits the game, but is catchy, and fun to download and listen to on CDs and I-Pods.

Controls-10/10

The controls are basic, and easy to learn. Just like in other Pokemon games, use the control stick of control pad to move around in the game, and use the A button to talk and select. The B button is to cancel, and the start button is to pause the game. During battle, use the A button to select the option, and A again to select the desired move. The controls aren't difficult, so the player doesn't have to take an additional half-hour trying to figure out which button does what. There shouldn't be any difficulty playing this game with controls this easy.

Difficulty-10;10

Whoa, what is this? There is finally a Pokemon game that was challenging to me! This game starts it off kind of easy, but it doesn't give you enough time to get one of your Pokemon to level 100 to beat the boss the easy way. This prevents any cheaters and sore losers from playing this game. Not only that, but you have to stop for awhile to get the desired Shadow Pokemon in this game, for this game doesn't let you off easy. The Shadow Pokemon are just as hard as catching them in the regular Pokemon games. You really have to train your party Pokemon wisely, and use all you know to beat the final bosses at the end.

Re-playability-10/10

Unlike the other Pokemon games, this game is the Orre region, so there is no easy way out of re-playing this game. The game still has the same people, the same characters, and the same difficulty as the first time. The bosses are just as hard to beat, as well as catching all the Shadow Pokemon and successfully snagging all the legendary Pokemon. There aren't really any upgrades, and the time it takes to purify all the Shadow Pokemon is just as long as the first time. This game is capable of being played over and over again, and would be very popular with people looking for a game they could play for hours.

Overall-10/10

In conclusion, there are absolutely no mistakes in this game. The Pokemon Company and the Game-Cube really took their time in finding out what should be done with this game, and how it should be done. The story was great, the game-play was simple, and the graphics and sound were phenomenal. The controls were also easy, but I am amazed and impressed on how hard this game actually turned out to be. If you want the mystical and colorful Pokemon Ho-Oh, it'll take you awhile before you can actually get it. This wait turned out to be worth it for this game, and I am looking forward to more versions of this game to come out in the future.

Rent Or Buy?

I definitely recommend you buy this game. This game is flawless, and has potential to become one of the greatest games on the Game-Cube ever. There are no mistakes, and I'd definitely get this game for the reason of difficulty. Even if you aren't a Pokemon fan, I'd recommend you rent this game, and see if this will change your mind about the amazing world of Pokemon, where you can let your imagination run wild!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/06/06