On paper, Colosseum was a slam dunk for longtime fans. The result was Pokémon Colosseum (European spelling used for all versions), a 2003 GameCube title.
Game Freak has been open that they view it as a primarily portable series because of that accessibility, but they still let Genius Sonority, a studio partially funded by Nintendo and the Pokémon Company that mostly makes Pokémon spinoffs, take a crack at the idea of a Pokémon game made for home consoles. The ease of use, the friendly, unassuming design of the Game Boy, the ability to take your ‘Mons anywhere with you and trade with friends all contributed to how the series just exploded.
When discussing Pokémon ’s success, it can be easy to forget how tied it is to Nintendo’s portable gaming devices. But while Pocket Monsters ’ emerald anniversary is being celebrated with Super Bowl commercials and video game tie-ins, I’m more interested in looking into one of the series’ less reputable entries. It’s been wonderful experiencing Game Freak’s series about “catching ‘em all” go from quirky personal project to oppressive, world-spanning fad to respected staple of the industry. Today marks the twentieth year of the Pokémon franchise. Thanks to Nantendo, Push DustIn, and Soma for edits, and Soma for translation. The Forgotten, the Maligned: Pokémon Colosseum
