Nintendo's classic Pokemon franchise may not be as popular as it was several years ago, but it still has legions of fans that have been waiting with bated breath for a GameCube incarnation. Pokemon Channel was a little addictive tease because it was merely a glimpse at what could be. Not wanting its fans to suffer, Nintendo finally released a true Pokemon game on the Cube with Pokemon Colosseum, a welcome addition to the series that's much more than a simple battle monster game.

PC's main attraction is its Story Mode. An evil organization has been capturing Pokemon and turning them into Shadow Pokemon, creatures that have had their hearts closed and don't think twice about attacking humans. As a young teenage boy, you possess the ability to snag the Shadow Pokemon from other trainers and use them in battle. At first they only have one attack, but the more you use them the more powers they regain, and after their hearts are reopened (Through Purification.) they return back to their normal selves.

While the Story Mode isn't an incredible experience, it's a welcome change of pace to the N64 Stadium games that were all about battles. In PC, you can visit various locales on a world map and meet new people, collect items and battle other trainers (And of course, steal their Shadow Pokemon.). To aid you on your quest, you're in possession of a P*DA (Pokemon Digital Assistant.) that allows you to check the stats of the Pokemon, see the Shadow Pokemon being purified, and receive email. You save your game using PCs (Pokemon Centers.) in the game, which allow you to store items as well as Pokemon (Up to 90.).

The battles in Story Mode can pretty much take place anywhere. While there's plenty of coliseum fights, you may also run into trainers on the street that challenge you. Each trainer can use two Pokemon at a time (Double Battles.), so Ruby and Sapphire players should feel right at home. You begin with the creatures, Espeon and Umbreon, though you'll soon gain more Pokemon, so if your first two are defeated, you have the option of throwing more Poke balls into the fray. All in all, the Story Mode (Which should take you between 10-20 hours to complete.) is fun to play. I was disappointed that there weren't wild Pokemon to catch (You primarily build your stable by stealing from other trainers.), but there are tons of items and Pokemon-related gear to buy and collect, and the battles themselves are very well done and fun to watch.

Those of you looking for a solid multiplayer experience will be pleased to know that PC is just as satisfying as the N64 Stadium games that preceded it. If you'd like to go solo, there are a couple of options where you have to defeat several trainers in a row (In MT. Battle it's 100!). If friends come over, two or four players can battle, and, in addition to using your Pokemon from Colosseum, you can also upload your team from Ruby and/or Sapphire and use them to crush your opponents.

There's no question about it: PC is the best-looking game in the series. The creatures are animated well and the special effects look fantastic. The particle effects during battles are superb, and overall, the game just has a very smooth look to it, but at the same time I couldn't help but feel that the GameCube's capable of more. Nintendo could've definitely kicked it up a notch instead of playing it safe. Sooner or later, I'm going to expect a fur shaded Pikachu.

I was also disappointed at the lack of voices. While Nintendo's notorious for simply using subtitles in its games (And most times it's bearable.), the absence of voice acting really hurt Colosseum because the battles are nowhere near as intense as they are in the cartoon, and by now, they should be. The technology certainly allows for it, and not having certain Pokemon speak (Even if all they say is their own names.) is extremely disappointing and it's unacceptable given the powerful system the game's played on. Also, (As with most games in the genre.) PC tends to become boring once you beat it, especially if you don't have any human opponents to battle against. Lastly, there's no intro movie! You're just automatically whisked to the title screen!

Shortcomings aside, PC is a solid and welcome addition to the Pokemon universe and it should satisfy fans that have been yearning for a GameCube incarnation of the series. The Story Mode, Colosseum Battles, and the scores of items and Pokemon to find should give gamers plenty to busy themselves with. It feels very similar to other games in the franchise, but for those of you who've stuck with this series for the past several years, you know what you like, and I'm happy to say that Nintendo delivered.