One of the more recent inclusions to the Pokémon series, specifically for the Gamecube games, is the addition of Shadow Pokémon. In the two Gamecube games, which are known as Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD, the main character is equipped with a device that allows you to steal these Shadow Pokémon from their trainers to use for your own deeds. Having said that, it’s much more of a focus to catch Pokémon in these games than any other with this mechanic, because there are no actual wild Pokémon. Also, all shadow Pokémon behave differently in terms of growth, move development, and loyalty. This guide outlines all of the things about the sort-of elusive Shadow Pokémon.

First comes how to get these Pokémon. I’ll repeat that these Pokémon only exist in the Gamecube games. Meaning, they cannot be traded and do not exist in the Gameboy Advance games. When you enter a battle in the Gamecube adventures, these Pokémon will make themselves apparent to you by either being shown to you by the female sidekick in Colosseum, or using the scanning device in XD. One of the main focuses in the games are to catch these Pokémon, so the tactic to catch these Pokémon is generally the same as the Pokémon in the other games. If you don’t know it… it’s where you lower the opponents HP, and add a status effect, then throw a type of ball. If it stays in long enough, then you caught the Pokémon. Hopefully you knew that. If you’re looking for the lists of Pokémon that have this Shadow aura about them, look in the respective sections for the lists.

So then you catch it. What do you do with it? Well if you get into a battle with any Pokémon with it, you’ll see that it only starts off with the shadow moves that it can learn which, in Colosseum, is limited to one move: Shadow Rush. If used, this move will have a chance to put the Shadow Pokémon into "Hyper Mode", in which the Pokémon will often score a critical hit with shadow attacks, but not really listen to any other command besides that. While XD has various other moves in which you could use instead of a suicidal Struggle” attack (which you can find by clicking here), you will probably want to get rid of the move for better moves. You won’t be able to learn TM moves either while it’s afflicted with the shadow status. On a side note, the Shadow moves in Colosseum will not be affected by Weaknesses or Resistances while in XD, the Shadow Type is Super Effective against all other types.

So how is it possible to get rid of the Shadow status of these Pokémon? If you look in the Pokémon’s description, you’ll see a purple bar divided into five sections. If you get the bar as low as possible, you get the option to rid the Pokémon of its Shadow status. Six ways are available.

1. Simply having the Pokémon in your party will shrink the bar over the period that you walk.
2. Sending it out into battle.
3. Calling the Pokémon out of Hyper Mode.
4. Putting the Pokémon in the Day Care.
5. Using a Time Flute. Use them sparingly since there’s only three in Colosseum.
6. In XD, use the Purify Chamber that works by placing a Shadow Pokémon in the Middle then Purified or Regular Pokémon around it and the speed and amount of purification depends on the amount of Pokémon and their types. With different combinations you can get the Purification done quicker and thus when the Heart Guage is empty, there will be a Purification Ceremony

Certain things happen when you lessen the bar enough. When you are 1/5 the way there, another move will be available for you to use besides the shadow move. After 2/5, you are able to see what nature the Pokémon has. After 3/5, another move becomes available. After 4/5, the third move is able to be used.

Now, to be able to purify the Pokémon completely in Colosseum, you need to bring the Pokémon to Celebi’s Shrine in Agate Town. Simply talk to the shrine, select a Pokémon that can have the "door to its heart unlocked", and it will get rid the Pokémon of its shadow status and it will become a normal Pokémon once more. Another effect of purifying is that it rids the Pokémon of the Shadow move that it has and replaces it with a fourth move for the Pokémon. Once it has been purified, the Pokémon will gain all the experience & effort points it earned from it's battles as a Shadow Pokémon and rise in level accordingly, maybe even evolve!

That’s pretty much everything.