Nintendo Switch Online is adding Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness In March 2026. The RPG is set to become the ninth GameCube title to join the Nintendo Switch Online Library.
GameCube titles have been part of Nintendo Switch Online since 2025. They are exclusive to the Switch 2 as it continues to be one of the main selling points of Nintendo's latest and greatest console. Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness It was confirmed to be coming to Nintendo Switch Online in April 2025, when the GameCube Classic initiative was first announced. However, it wasn't until the latest Pokemon was introduced that the Switch 2 version of the 2005 game was finally given a release window.
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are $20 a pop, but that hasn't stopped them from dominating the sales charts.
Despite their price causing some pushback from the fandom, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have dominated the eShop sales charts even before their release.
Pokemon XD: Gal of Darkness is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in March 2026
The February 27 Pokémon unveiling saw Nintendo commit to bringing Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness March 2026 at the NSO Library. No firm release date has been announced, but based on the company's track record, a launch in the first half of the month seems more likely than the second half. Like all other GameCube titles available to switch 2 owners, Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness Requires a subscription to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, which starts at $49.99 per year for single accounts and $79.99 per year for family subscriptions.
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Why Gale of Darkness is a huge win for Nintendo Switch Online
While all eight GameCube titles added to NSO so far are widely regarded as classics, Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness It may prove a particularly welcome addition for several reasons. A GameCube specifically, a lot Pokemon Fans haven't had the opportunity to play it, which is why some 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 access to millions of customers for a relatively modest monthly fee.
However A storm of darkness is a sequel to Pokemon ColosseumIts predecessor has yet to join Nintendo's subscription service. This is despite the fact that its NSO version was already performed back in April 2025. This is currently unclear. Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness offers any kind of interconnection with the recently released Switch versions of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. The original game occupies a very specific role within the Generation 3 ecosystem, serving as a sort of feeder title used to export mons. Pokemon FireRed or Leaf green Game boy in advance.
Nintendo Switch Online GameCube Games
|
the game |
Original NA release |
NSO release |
|---|---|---|
|
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker |
24 March 2003 |
June 5, 2025 |
|
F-Zero GX |
August 25, 2003 |
June 5, 2025 |
|
Soul Caliber 2 |
August 26, 2003 |
June 5, 2025 |
|
Super Mario Strikers |
December 5, 2005 |
July 3, 2025 |
|
Chibi-Robo! |
February 8, 2006 |
August 21, 2025 |
|
Luigi's Mansion |
November 18, 2001 |
October 30, 2025 |
|
Wario World |
June 23, 2003 |
December 11, 2025 |
|
Fire Symbol: The Path of Shining |
October 17, 2005 |
January 9, 2026 |
|
Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness |
October 3, 2005 |
March 2026 |
After completing the main story, Pokemon XD: Storm of Darkness Players could use a proprietary link cable to send Pokémon on one-way trips fire red or Leaf green. The asymmetrical setup reflected Nintendo's intent at the time: a TV console Pokemon The titles were meant to complement the core handheld experience by providing access to unique mechanics such as rare species, optional encounters, and purification of Shadow Pokémon. Now that Nintendo's TV and handheld console gaming ecosystems are the same, it's hard to replicate the logic behind such one-way, hardware-dependent transfers, which makes the lack of any confirmed connection between the modern versions of these games a notable departure from how Pokémon bridged platforms.
- issued
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October 3, 2005
- ESRB
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e
- publisher(s)
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Nintendo
