Product Description
-------------------
Follow the scent of a mysterious organization that has been
turning Pokémon into Dark Pokémon. Play in full adventure mode
with a storyline, or in tournament battle mode.
Review
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If Pokemon had been around when I was 10, I would have been that
crazy kid on your block who lived and breathed Pokemon in all its
forms. However, the days that this would have interested me have
passed, and I can only see this game for what it is: a shining
example of working just hard enough to keep a franchise alive.
The game isn't glaringly sub-standard, but there was little
effort put into innovation or moving the series forward.
Colosseum is essentially two games, a Story Mode and a Battle
Mode (which resembles the N64 Stadium titles). The plot of Story
Mode is surprisingly dark and it would have been great for a 30
minute television episode; but, it doesn't really sustain a 30
hour RPG. You control a sort of anti-hero who steals a valuable
accessory from the evil organization he is working for. It turns
out that this item allows the wearer to snag Shadow Pokemon
(which are Pokémon who have had their hearts sealed and who are
generally ornery and unpredictable) away from their masters. It's
a good thing that this thievery is encouraged, because in the
barren wasteland setting, it is impossible to go out and collect
Pokemon from the wild. Instead, you pump up your collection by
stealing other people's monsters, gradually opening their hearts,
and then having them fight by your side.
The absence of collecting in the traditional sense might come as
a shock to those accustomed to the handheld RPGs, but the Battle
Mode is as familiar as can be, with several types of matches to
fight against the computer or your friends, providing they have
Game Boy Advances. Connectivity is a big aspect of Colosseum; not
only can you hook up your GBA and import your collection from
Ruby or Sapphire, but you also need it if you want to play
multiplayer Battle Mode. If you and your friends are pumped up
about battling each other in the arena, though, odds are that you
already have GBAs and nearly unbeatable Poke battalions from the
previous games, so this requirement might not be too much of a
drawback.
What is a drawback, however, is the ridiculously low level of
challenge. Now, I understand that the game is geared toward
younger players, but I was at least five hours into it before I
got to a battle that didn't feel like it was set to "tutorial"
difficulty. For a world where practically everyone trains
Pokemon, there sure are a lot of awful trainers wandering around.
The fact that my victory was assured before the battle even
started just made me lose interest even faster.
If you're a fan, you'll love the premise, the gameplay, and the
overwhelming number of little critters to collect and bend to
your will. Even though none of these elements are so astounding
as to bring outsiders into the fold, the franchise's debut on the
GameCube (Pokemon Channel doesn't count) is a trainer's dream
come true.
Concept:
Bring the two reigning genres of Pokémon games together under a
single title
Graphics:
The environments are dull, but the creatures look as round,
bouncy, and cuddly as you ever wanted them to
Sound:
Pika Pika? [Translation: Where are the cute little noises
everything used to make?]
Playability:
Select commands from a menu. Repeat until bored
Entertainment:
Hours and hours of fun for current fans only. No others need
apply
Replay:
High
Rated: 7 out of 10
Editor: Joe Juba
Issue: March 2004
2nd Opinion:
In all honesty, Pokemon Colosseum is what fans have been asking
for at every rtunity during the last few years. The problem
is that we got what we asked for, and I for one don't like it all
too much. What was once a handheld RPG with the
gotta-catch-‘em-all hook is now a bland and (because of the Game
Boy editions) predicable trek that would look more at home on the
N64. While some attack and environmental effects are nice, others
are embarrassingly bad. The game also features a sadly mixed bag
of sound – your critters and the townsfolk offer nothing more
than beeps, but the score is painfully perky and overdone. Fans
will and should pick this up. But many old devotees will be
disappointed because, at best, Colosseum feels like a sad shell
of the franchise's glory days and at worst, a poor example in the
RPG genre.
Rated: 6.75 out of 10
Editor: Lisa Mason
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Review
- After clearing various parts of the story, you'll compete in the incredible Pokemon Colosseums in every town.
- Fight your way through a series of difficult battles, using more Pokemon and more complex strategies as you reach for the top.
- Exciting RPG-style storyline and quests for a more advanced level of gameplay.
- Upload Pokemon from Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire and battle them against friends with a GameCube.
- Join with a friend for four-player multi-battles.