Nintendo Switch Online is adding Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness in March 2026. The RPG is on course to become the ninth GameCube title to join the Nintendo Switch Online library.
GameCube titles have been part of Nintendo Switch Online since June 2025. They are exclusive to the Switch 2, having consistently been positioned as one of the main selling points of Nintendo’s latest and greatest console. Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness was confirmed to be coming to Nintendo Switch Online all the way back in April 2025, when the GameCube Classics initiative was first announced. However, it wasn’t until the latest Pokemon Presents that the Switch 2 version of the 2005 game was finally given a release window.
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Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness Coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in March 2026
The February 27 Pokemon Presents saw Nintendo commit to bringing Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness to the NSO library in March 2026. No firm release date has been announced, but based on the company’s track record, a launch in the first half of the month appears more likely than in the second half. Like all the other GameCube titles available to Switch 2 owners, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness will require a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which starts at $49.99 per year for solo accounts and $79.99 annually for family memberships.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Why Gale of Darkness Is a Big Win for Nintendo Switch Online
While all eight GameCube titles added to NSO so far are widely regarded as classics, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness could prove a particularly welcome addition for several reasons. As a GameCube exclusive, many Pokemon fans have not had an opportunity to play it, leading some to consider it underrated. The title has also become increasingly expensive on the secondary GameCube market, with copies regularly selling for around $200 on eBay. Its addition to NSO allows millions of subscribers to access it for a comparatively modest monthly fee.
Although Gale of Darkness is a sequel to Pokemon Colosseum, its predecessor has yet to join Nintendo’s subscription service. That’s in spite of the fact that its NSO version was already showcased back in April 2025. It is presently unclear whether Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness will offer any kind of interconnectivity with the newly released Switch versions of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. The original game occupied a very specific role within the Generation 3 ecosystem, serving as a sort of feeder title used for exporting mons to Pokemon FireRed or LeafGreen on the Game Boy Advance.
Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Games
|
Game |
Original NA Release |
NSO Release |
|---|---|---|
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker |
Mar 24, 2003 |
Jun 5, 2025 |
|
F-Zero GX |
Aug 25, 2003 |
Jun 5, 2025 |
|
SoulCalibur 2 |
Aug 26, 2003 |
Jun 5, 2025 |
|
Super Mario Strikers |
Dec 5, 2005 |
Jul 3, 2025 |
|
Chibi-Robo! |
Feb 8, 2006 |
Aug 21, 2025 |
|
Luigi’s Mansion |
Nov 18, 2001 |
Oct 30, 2025 |
|
Wario World |
Jun 23, 2003 |
Dec 11, 2025 |
|
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance |
Oct 17, 2005 |
Jan 9, 2026 |
|
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness |
Oct 3, 2005 |
Mar 2026 |
After completing the main story, Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness players could use a proprietary Link Cable to send Pokemon on a one-way trip to FireRed or LeafGreen. The asymmetrical setup reflected Nintendo’s intent at the time: TV console Pokemon titles were meant to supplement the core handheld experience by offering access to rare species, alternate encounters, and unique mechanics such as Shadow Pokemon purification. Now that Nintendo’s TV and handheld console gaming ecosystems are one and the same, the logic behind such one-way, hardware-dependent transfers is harder to replicate, making the absence of any confirmed connectivity between the modern versions of these games a notable departure from how Pokemon once bridged platforms.
- Released
-
October 3, 2005
- ESRB
-
e
- Publisher(s)
-
Nintendo
