Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness

Hello, and welcome to my first Let's Play! For your viewing enjoyment, I have chosen Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness for the Nintedo GameCube. I've always enjoyed the Orre-based game, and I have a slight preference for XD because the greater variety of Shadow Pokemon makes team building easy, for me at least. Videos are planned for boss battles as log a they don't exceed YouTube's 10-minute limit; however there won't be any boss battles in this first installment since I haven't yet met a boss.

Pokemon XD Gale of Darkness is copyright Nintendo/The Pokemon Company/Genius Sonority. I claim no ownership of the game or the Pokemon franchise in general. Sprites are courtesy of Bulbapedia. Well, enough chit-chat, let's get started!



Hello, my name is Victor. I live with my mom and kid sister in Orre's Pokemon HQ Lab. My father... let's just say that because of his love affair with Ponzi schemes, he's no longer living with us. Anyway, we're living here because of my mom's employment with the HQ Lab, under the direction of a scientist named Professor Krane. He's a pretty cool guy, just don't ask him about his mother. Living in a lab's pretty cool, though I still haven't had the time to perform those "experiments" I've been meaning to get around to.

I've just completed a virtual reality training session, when my mom comes asking me to hunt down my kid sister Jovi. And before you start making jokes, no she does not listen to Bon Jovi and we are in fact not living on a prayer and I do not give love a bad name. Krane's also with her, and he tells me that he's left a gift in my room. I head there to pick it up, and it turns out to be some electronic gizmo called a P*DA. Could come in handy, as long as nobody tries to spam my email account. You wouldn't believe how many offers for car and life insurance a preteen kid gets...

Well, since finding my sis isn't one of my top priorities, I instead go outside and talk to Aferd, my Pokemon's punching bag... er... "training partner"... yeah, that's it... Anyway, after my trusty Eevee beat his Sentret to a pulp, I decide maybe it's time to begin hunting for the kid before mom starts nagging me. Searching the place high and low, I spot one of the assistants, Aidan, hiding under a table. Turns out Jovi talked him into playing ANOTHER game of hide-and-seek. That man needs to learn how to say no; maybe then we wouldn't have to take him to the chiropractor every week... Well, anyway, he tips me off that Jovi might be at the house of Dr. Kaminko.



Dr. K's this really bizarre inventor who lives in this creepy old house that needs maintenance badly. So, I head there and before I even get to the door, this chubby little man with a lab coat and weird glasses accuses me of being a burglar. Before I even have a chance to explain myself, the man, who is Dr. K's assistant Chobin, challenges me to battle.




No matter; Eevee dispatches his Sunkern in short order. A couple Tackles do the trick.

Chobin FINALLY realizes I'm just the kid from the local lab and lets me in. While there, I get Jovi, receive a message from a parts collector named Makin that some doohickey Krane ordered has arrived, and then hightail it back to the lab.

So, I arrive back at the lab, and Krane's waiting. He wants me to try out one of the lab's inventions... this cool looking glove and visor thing called a Snag Machine that supposedly lets me snatch so-called "Shadow Pokemon" from other trainers. Krane goes outside to prepare for some sort of training exercise when I hear screams. Running out to investigate, I see three guys in snazzy armor trying to kidnap the professor. One of the thugs, a dude named Naps, sics a Teddiursa on me.




The Snag Machine starts going crazy. Krane yells out to me that the reaction is because Teddiursa is one of those Shadow Pokemon, and instructs me to throw a Pokeball at it. Against everything that I've been told about reducing a Pokemon's HP and inflicting paralysis or sleep, I throw the ball straight away, and to my bewilderment the capture is successful.

Well, now the thugs are panicking, They throw the prof into this hover truck and speed off. Well, after mom and the lab staff weigh their options, they decide to proceed with their newest creation, Krane or no Krane, and send me to Gateon Port. I'm not so excited that Jovi has to tag along, but what can you do?



Ah, the beautiful sea. Well, this is just a quick pit stop. I get a Thunderstone that I can use to get my Eevee to evolve into Jolteon at any time in the future. You know, because Jolteon is boss. I also pick up that part I need, and battle some of the locals, snagging a couple Shadow Pokemon in the process. Oh, and I had a run in with this really ugly goon called Zook (thanks to my sister not watching where's she's going) and a really mysterious old man named Verich and his two equally mysterious bodyguards. Anyway, I return the goods to mom in the lab and receive my next destination: Agate Village, where I can supposedly purify shadow Pokemon. Thankfully, no Jovi in tow this time.



So, arriving in Agate, I take the time to smell the roses and beat up the local trainers. Then I go talk to old man Eagun, who tells me to rendezvous with him in the village's "Relic Forest". So, I head down there to find four trainers to battle, including a fellow by the unfortunate name of "Gorps." Turns out these four will battle as much as you want, so I figure, why not use them to level grind a little. So I do exactly that, evolving Eevee with my Thunderstone right before it hits Level 16 to ensure that it gets Thundershock. Then I raise it one more level, to 17, before preparing to enter the inner sanctum of the shrine.

Inside the shrine area, Eagun's waiting... Ever the impatient one, he challenges me to a battle.




Eagun's supposedy the legendary trainer, and this is the best he can muster? A single Bite from Jolteon exterminated his rodent in short order.

Afterward, the old guy tells me about how to use the Relic Stone monument to purify Pokemon. Since Teddiursa's ready, I try it out and voila! I now have a fully purified Teddiursa at level 16! Back at Eagun's place, he tells me of an acquaintance named Vander and points out his location: Mt. Battle. Looks like my next destination is set. But before I get out the door, Eagun aks for my P*DA number. Why do I have the feeling I'm gonna regret giving it to him later?



So I arrive at the base of a huge volcano and enter the building there. Once the receptionist realizes who I am, she lets me through. But apparently two of the trainers here didn't get the memo, as I have to fight through them to get to Vander. No matter, they put up little resistance. Getting to Vander, he has his student battle me. Again, no biggie. Having beaten the kid, Vander's ready to talk. He points out what is supposedly an old Cipher laboratory, but he's noticed activity about the facility. Looks like it's time to investigate...



Well, what do you know? There's a familiar hover truck parked outside. Methinks that Krane is somewhere within. One thing's for sure, though... that troupe of Cipher agents who call themselves the Hexagon Brothers who just came running out of the lab are a strange bunch... Apparently they don't know how to count off a roll call. What kinds of people are crime syndicates hiring nowadays?

Well, obviously I'll need to battle them to get inside the facility, and it just so happens that each of them holds a Shadow Pokemon. One of them, Spheal, fits nicely into my planned team. After snagging all six of them and beating the Hexagon Brothers up a bit more to completely purify a few of them (with the requisite trips back to Agate), I'm ready to tackle the lab proper.

So, I hardly get in the door when a Cipher agent drops down from above. Her name is Corla. and if anything, she's weaker than the Hexagon Brothers outside... And so it goes in the lab... Cipher Peons trying to get the jump on me, with a few Cipher R&D agents scattered about in plain sight. Along the way, I happen to overhear a conversation between Krane, Naps, and the valley girl who somehow got a leadership position here. Krane's being stubborn as usual, and head honcho Lovrina is getting more and more frustrated at his lack of cooperation.

As expected, a few of these guys have Shadow Pokemon to snag, but none are terribly difficult. After obtaining an access key, I can finally get to Krane, but of course I have to fight through Naps to do it. He has a team of four fairly good Pokemon, but no new Shadow Pokemon and they aren't too tough for my Spheal and Jolteon to get past. With Naps dispatched, Krane joins me and we hightail it to the exit when... well, I'll let the following video tell all.



(Click spoiler for video)


She's cute and all, but dang, she's annoying as all heck. With Lovrina like, so totally running off, Krane and I pick up some sort of data CD and return to the lab, where there's a big surprise waiting... the lab's big project, the Purify Chamber, is compete. I'm told this is a way to harness already purified Pokemon to mass-purify Shadow ones. So, I give it a try. It's got this cool hologram effect, so I stick a few of my newly acquired Pokemon in it and set off for my next destination...



Holy cow, this town is in sad shape... well, anyway, after witnessing a girl named Marcia sprint out of town followed by a guy with a news camera, I'm welcomed by a green-haired Rogue named Cail with - what else - a battle. Too bad Cail isn't even as strong as Naps, let alone Lovrina. Same goes for the other guys in town, though I do come across an interesting conversation between local officer Johnson and two scruffy-looking guys named Trudly and Folly.

Anyway, my real destination in town is the vending machine where I load up on 37 Lemonades the ONBS broadcasting station, which is the only building in town that isn't completely decrepit. Insie I head to the penthouse and hand the data disc from the lab over to techie Nett, who Krane said could decipher it. In the meantime Nett suggests I check out a Poke Spot, a place where wild Pokemon are supposed to be attracted to.

There, a news interview is going on between Duking, the burly, mustachioed fellow who's apparently at the forefront of wild Pokemon in Orre, and I get in on the interview, laying out some Poke Snacks that are supposed to attract wild Pokemon. Duking gives me the locations of two other Poke Spots, but I see something quite interesting at the third one...



(Click spoiler for video)


Yes, I realize the image in the divider bar above is of Colosseum's Miror B., but Bulbapedia doesn't have an equivalent image for XD Miror B. so this one will have to do.

Wow, Miror B. The dude might not be much of a battler, but his awesome dance moves completely blew me away! I hope we'll meet again. Anyway, I pick up the Miror Radar left behind by his underlings Trudly and Folly, and get an email from Nett. Apparenty he wants to talk with me back in Pyrite. But first, I think some training is in order... and there's a Shadow Delcatty and Voltorb that need purifying...

Enjoying this playthrough so far, nicely set out :)

I really liked this game, it was fun but wasn't as fun as Colosseum.

Thanks for the comment! I like the admins in Colo better, but I do like the wider selection of Pokemon in XD so I'm kinda torn about which is my favorite lol

Miror B.'s music is awesome in both though :P

Due to IRL issues, updates may be a bit slow, but be expecting another one around Thursday or Friday.

Here we go!


As I'm working on leveling and purifying Pokemon on Mt. Battle, my Poke Spot radar goes off. Score! It's a Zubat, and its evolved form Crobat will make a very nice addition to my team. I immediately begin working on leveling it up. After awhile, I decide that I probably should get moving...



So, I'm finally ready to return to ONBS to speak with Nett... uh, oh, the big guy who guards the entrance isn't there and something doesn't feel kosher... He's inside the lobby area, knocked out. The receptionist is gone too, and I have a feeling who's behind all this... Sure enough, Cipher agents once again begin dropping from the ceiling to challenge me... There a few Shadow Pokemon to be had as usual, including Duskull, another Pokemon that I want to add to my main team. So, naturally that means leaving, going back to Mt. Battle, and purifying and raising it to around Lv29. Afterwar, I return to ONBS and finish cleaning house here, including their big man for this mission, Exol. He's holding the receptionist hostage while he takes back that data disc and erases the servers to remove all traces of what was on the disc. Well, naturally I have to clean his clock as well.





After the scuffle, Nett informs me that he managed to decode a bit of Cipher's plans from their data disc. One scheme involves Phenac city, so it's probably in my best interest to head there and warn the town mayor...



Well, my stay here is cut short... this really pushy lady gives me these Battle CD things and directs me to go to Realgam Tower. Apparently I'm the millionth visitor to the city, though I have no idea hw they keep track of these things. In any event, I can't get into town with her in the way, so looks like I have no other option...



Miror B.'s underlings, Trudly and Folly are here too, and apparently they didn't realize that the Pokemon on the Battle CD simulations were exactly that - simulations. Silly Trudly and Folly. Another person hanging by the entrance says he was also told he was Phenac's one millionth visitor. Since both of us can't be the millionth visitor, I'm fairly convinced something fishy is going on. Time to check out Phenac once again...



The lady by the entrance doesn't notice me, so I head to the Mayor's House. After procuring a music CD to distract the housekeeper who's just as pushy as the entrance lady, I make my way upstairs and find a note written by the mayor to someone named Justy. Cipher is trying to take over town by disguising their agents as townfolk. I barely finish the letter when the housekeeper confronts me, reveals herself as a Cipher peon, and attacks. Not that she (Exinn) is much of a threat. Nor is her partner who confronts me downstairs, but both do have Shadow Pokemon for me to claim.

After dealing with those two, I head out of the mayor's house only to see... six guys who look identical leave a building in the town center? They call themselves "Team Justy" but where have I seen this routine before? I do the logical thing... head into the building they just came out of and battle those within. Fostin, the third Peon within, has a Shadow Meowth that I definitely want to put on my main team (one time I saw this really cute girl on TV battle with a Persian and I was impressed). From here, I clean up town, battling fake townspeople and fake Justys alike, and using Meowth as much as possible to purify it. Once that's taken care of, I head into the city's stadium, where more Cipher riffraff awaits.

Well, well, well, if it isn't the young lady and the guy with the camera that I first spotted in Pyrite... along with this really bizarre looking guy dressed in purple and silver. Looks like they're doing a news story and Mr. Wierdo doesn't want to be captured on film. Once he realizes I've decided to crash the party, he sics his minion on me. After I take care of his pal Egrog, Snattle himself decides it's up to him to finish me off. Too bad he doesn't realize who he's up against...





After being defeated, captured for posterity on film, and running off in comical fashion, Snattle drops the key to free everyone from the basement of the Pre Gym. There I meet Justy, Mayor Trest, and other Phenac citizens.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, XD is good aswell as the wider selection of Pokémon, I just found that Colosseum had more of a fun storyline than XD :)

Time for the next installment! Enjoy!


Justy tells me that there's been sighting of suspicious characters in and about a seemingly random spot in the desert. Before I leave to investigate, I drop by the Mayor's house for a very nice gift... the Exp. Share. It's about to come in handy, as my Spot Monitor goes off before I hit the road... and this time it's the final member of my team... a Lv16 Trapinch! I catch the little guy, give it the Exp. hare, and finally head to the desert location. And... I get stuck... and head back to Phenac. There, I get an email from Nett, summoning me back to ONBS and the hellhole called Pyrite.

Okay, so after talking with an old man and his little girl about some random missing Pokemon (why can't Sherles and Johnson take care of this minor crap so I can focus on Cipher?) I actually (GASP!) get a useful lead. Makan back at Gateon Port can help with my little transportation conundrum!



Back at the Parts shop, Perr's there but not Makan. And there's a news broadcast of me laying the smackdown on Snattle. Cool. But the main issue is, Makan's back hanging out with Kaminko again, so... I have a feeling someone's not gonna recognize me there...

Heading out, though, someone does recognize me... old man Verich and his two bodyguards. The one in red stares at me for a couple moments, which is kinda unnerving... no matter, though. Onto Kaminko's place!



Well, as I suspected, Chobin thinks I'm a burglar again, so I have to battle him. Simple enough, but then Dr. K comes out to unleash his latest project and weapon to use against burglars (or people he suspects of being burglars) - the Robo Groudon. Well, apparently this thing is driven by Chobin and I have a feeling the real Groudon would not be impressed.



Video of battle under spoiler tag.


Robo Groudon obviously wasn't the awesome machine of doom that Dr. K thought it would be, so he gives Robo Groudon to Chobin and has Makan take the remains of a Robo Kyogre machine... Speaking of which...

I head to the basement of Chobin's house and have a word with Makan. He agrees to help out with a hover conversion kit and we head back to Gateon Port to equip it. Time to head into the desert!



Well, here's something you don't see every day... a ruined ship in the desert... I make my way to the deck and run into more Cipher agents... a big gorilla-like dude named Gorigan, a Peon who spouts off random numbers and statistics, and a second Peon who sticks around to get creamed by me. An annoying and boring set of box-moving puzzles and an encounter with that ugly lost Pokemon follows. At least I get the Flamethrower TM in the process. I'm finally ready to leave this blasted place when I'm ambushed by these bald guys in black and red who call themselves Team Snagem. Too cowardly to fight me fairly, Wakin has his Gloom put me to sleep. I awaken in the ship with my Snag Machine stolen... well, this can't be good...

Anyway, the dude who's set up residence aboard the ship directs me to another location where both Cipher and Snagem were apparently headed to. If I want to get back to my mission, I'd better follow suit.



Well, this is interesting... a steel pyramid. And it looks like ugly man Zook from Gateon is standing watch here... After seeing him cream Team Snagem member Biden (any relation to the US Vice Prez?) and sending them packing, I'm forced into battle with the clown. He has a Shadow Zangoose. Damn, I can't Snag it without my Snag machine. And it hits pretty hard too. But no matter, there's no way I'm losing to someone that ugly. After Zook's defeat I still can't get into the compound proper. Well, I do get another ONBS email so maybe they know something that'll be helpful.

Back at ONBS, Secc gives me the lowdown on who these Team Snagem guys are (one time Cipher allies who were left for dead but somehow persevered) and points out a posible contact person I should get in touch with.



Wow, gas stations here are really run down. But more importantly my Miror B. radar goes off. Sure enough, Folly and Trudly emerge from the building. After some surprisingly philosophical (for those two at least) dicussion, the man himself comes out. Finally! I've been waiting for my chance to boogie down with Miror B. again!



Video of battle under spoiler tag.


Yes, I realize the image in the divider bar above is of Colosseum's Miror B., but Bulbapedia doesn't have an equivalent image for XD Miror B. so this one will have to do.

After getting my groove on, I figure I ought to talk to the contact person inside, a guy named Hordel. He reveals that the big pyramid is the Shadow Pokemon production center, and he's a former Cipher member who grew to hate his job and went in hiding. He managed to secret away a Shadow Togepi. Since Togepi is hardly a battle-worthy Pokemon, it's off to the Purify Chamber with it!

Another email from Secc, but at least this time I don't have to return to Pyrite. This time, I get directions to Team Snagem's hideout, so I can take the fight to them and reclaim my Snag Machine. But first...

Rider Willie wants to challenge me. Well, I'm never one to turn down easy experience, so I decide to take him on. Not satisfied yet, I decide it's time to head to Mt. Battle for a bit more training...

Somehow this place is a bigger hellhole than Pyrite... Anyway, as soon as I enter I'm welcomed by Agrev with a battle of course. Not that he's any match for my seriously leveled up Pokemon. Next up is Jedo, who apparently was the third Snagem member (besides Biden and Wakin) who greeted me back at the S.S. Libra. Time to repay the favor. From there on I just continue wasting Snagem members and collecting items, and apparently I also end up disrupting a Snagem recruitment interview.

On the way to leader Gonzap's office, I run into Biden again, though he doesn't recognize me at first. No matter, a quick battle seems to jog his memory. And more importantly, it opens the path to the big man himself. And I do mean big. So big, in fact, the Snag Machine doesn't even fit him. Gonzap orders Wakin to battle me first. As for how it went, let's just say Wakin should stick to the Sleep Powder tactic. Afterward, and after refusing an offer by Gonzap to join Team Snagem, he agrees to give me the Snag Machine back... if I can defeat him, that is!





Surprisingly, Gonzap is a man of his word, and I get the Snag Machine back. Now I can go clear out the Cipher Key Lair... but first I need t make sure I'm ready... and I know just the guy who can help me out...



Being at level 43, I was able to tke care of Justy's team fairly easily, with Persian's Faint Attack coming in handy for cleaning up Pokemon that didn't go down in one hit. Fortunately Double Team didn't prove as annoying as it can be sometimes...

After that, I do a few rounds at the Realgam Colosseum and the next couple areas of Mt. Battle before proceeding onto the Key Lair.



Rematch time with ugly man Zook, but at least this time his Zangoose is mine! Let's just hope he keeps good on his promise to go off somewhere and never come back... The bodybuilders guarding the door are back, but... Team Snagem to the rescue? Gonzap and Wakin show up, and Wakin goes back to what he does best... putting people to sleep with Gloom. Well, since Gonzap was nice enough to make an opening for me, best not to let him down. Time to shut down the Key Lair!

Wow, compared to Mt. Battle and Realgam, these guys are cake. Unfortunately, that also meant a few Shadow Pokemon KO's but I'm sure I can recover them later. More of the sliding box puzzles in here, but at least they aren't nearly as frustrating as they were on that ship... Toward the top I have a run-in with my old statistic-spewing buddy, Snidle! Let's see... there's a 95% chance that he'll go running off in defeat and an 87% chance that I'll gain a Shadow Magneton in the process... whoops, make that 100% for both!

On the roof, a scientist named Acrod conveniently tells me how to shut down the factory. All I have to do is cream him, turn up the generator voltage with the handy lever he absentmindedly left in his office, and voila! Of course Smarton from back on the boat just has to investigate, but hey, if he wants to lose a battle and his shadow Arbok, that's his choice. Afterward, I enter the penthouse office where my reception is less than welcoming...





Revelations galore after beating Gorigan! Old man Verich is otherwise known as Grand Master Greevil, and he's based in Citadark Isle! Now, how to get out there... I'm sure the legendary Pokemon Kyogre would have no problem with the vicious waves surrounding the island and... wait, what if...



Bingo! Makan and Perr have completed Dr. K's Robo Kyore, and this craft looks seaworthy enough to make it out to the island! But first, I need to speak with Krane for something very important. He leads me into a basement office of the lab and gives me a Master Ball. Since I'm about to face the head honcho of Cipher, this could definitely come in handy...

I ride Robo Kyogre out to Citadark Isle and catch a glimpse of Greevil, his two bodyguards, and a ton of Peons. But it looks like I'm not getting into the compound without dealing with Navigator Abson first... with him out of the way, I make my way into the facility and thump a few crooks only to be like totally confronted by Lovrina again. And she is like so cross with me and so wants a rematch! Far be it from me to withhold it from her...



(Click spoiler for video)




With Lovrina so defeated and totally angry, I move on. I learn that the nasty waves surrounding Citadark are man-made to keep anybody not a part of Cipher off the island... too bad they didn't plan on a Robo Kyogre... In the next few areas I push boxes to stop lava flow, meet a gaggle of Cipher Peons, and add quite a few Shadow Pokemon to my collection... as well as receive several SPAM emails from Eagun. See, I said that I'd probably regret giving him my email address... not to mention having to leave the facility twice for Miror B. matches, during which I also took the time to gain a couple levels.

After dealing with a couple of toughs named Karbon and Petro, and a Peon named Gromlet with no Shadow Pokemon but some pretty high leveled Pokemon, I make it to a room with multiple cranes. After dealing with a final few Peons there, I finally reach the top of the volcano when I'm ambushed by my old purple lipstick-and-shades-wearing buddy. Seems he really wants this governor position badly. Since I don't want someone as freaky-looking as him as MY governor, I guess it's up to me to humble him once more.



(click spoiler for video)


With Snattle out of the picture, I take the elevator down to the ground level, cream another Cipher thug, and head back to Gateon for healing and such. Upon my return I head to the giant dome where bodyguard Ardos is waiting for me. Looks like he means business.



(click spoiler for video)

The second to last installment!


With Ardos defeated and regretting te fact he didn't eliminate me back when I had level 11 Pokemon and he could have easily done so, I head in to the large steel dome. Greevil addresses me and puts up a glass barrier. Heading outside again, I have a close encounter with Gorigan, who seems different... and more desperate than last time...




Click spoiler for video of battle


Having dispatched of Gorigan, I need a way in. The elevator and glass catwalk that Gorigan used to reach me will work just fine. After creaming one last Cipher Peon and snatching his Dugtrio, I interrupt Greevil once again. Now angry, he leaves me up to his other bodyguard, Eldes. The guy says some philosophical stuff about battling without meaning or something like that, then engages in battle against me.




Click spoiler for videos of battle


After the battle, Eldes steps aside and tells me that. having got this far, that I should go all the way and face Greevil. But he also warns me of his boss's incredible power. Well, no use turning back now. I prepare my team for the final showdown and proceed to take the elevator to Greevil's chamber.