Group Battle

This article is about the the link battle mode in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. For battles with four trainers, two on each side, see Multi Battle.

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Group Battle is a mode in Pokémon Colosseum (known as Gang Battle in that game) and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness that allows for link battles between the core series Generation III games in 3D.

Regardless of which GameCube game is used, this battle mode can be accessed immediately from the main menu:

In Pokémon Colosseum, Gang Battle is a part of Battle Mode's Colosseum Battle menu.
In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Group Battle is a part of its VS Mode.

Battle rules

Once the mode is selected, the rules for the battle are decided by the player. In Pokémon Colosseum, the settings are decided sequentially in their own distinct menus, while in Pokémon XD, the settings are redesigned to fit one screen.

Opponents

There are four link battle options available.

GCN VS GBA: A link battle between Colosseum/XD and a GBA game
GBA VS GBA: A link battle between two GBA games
GCN + GBA VS GBA + GBA: A link Multi Battle between Colosseum/XD and three GBA games.
GBA + GBA VS GBA + GBA: A link Multi Battle between four GBA games

Story Mode save data is required for the options that involve the GameCube game participating.

Battle Style

Single Battles and Double Battles are available when two games battle.

When four games battle, this option is automatically changed to Multi Battle, and the cursor skips over it.

Arena

In Pokémon Colosseum, the arena is chosen depending on the selected battle style:

Single and Double Battles take place in Pyrite Colosseum.
Multi Battles take place in Under Colosseum.

In Pokémon XD, players can select a battle arena from one of the following:

Pyrite Colosseum: The domed Colosseum in Pyrite Town.
Realgam Colosseum: The Colosseum located atop the Realgam Tower.
Mt. Battle Colosseum: A Colosseum built in the volcanic crater atop Mt. Battle.
Rock Arena: An arena ringed by boulders.
Oasis Arena: An arena located in the middle of an oasis.
Cave Arena: An arena located inside a cave.
Random: The arena will be selected at random.

The arena used changes the effects of Nature Power, Secret Power and Camouflage but is purely cosmetic otherwise.

Rules

Many rules can be decided for the battle, ranging from a level limit for each Pokémon, to various clauses.

Both Colosseum and XD have three preset rulesets: Anything Goes, Max. Lv 50, and Max. Lv 100. There are also three "Edit Rule" slots that can be used to make custom rulesets and can also be renamed to different names in XD.

List of rules

This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: Double check (test/research) rule effects. Specifically, whether disallowed moves fail or are not allowed in a team, in both Colo and XD. Check to see if Level 50 All and Level 100 All in Colosseum also limits players into entering 3 Pokémon for singles and 4 Pokémon for doubles

Rules are ordered as they are in Pokémon XD.

Rule	Effect	Available options	Anything Goes	Max. Lv 50	Max. Lv 100	Custom default
Pokémon level^Colo Each Pokémon's level^XD	Restricts the level of all Pokémon on a team.	A range from 1 to 100	Lv 001~100	Lv 001~050	Lv 001~100	Lv 001~100
Sum of Pokémon levels^Colo The combined levels of Pokémon on a team^XD	Restricts the sum of the levels of all Pokémon on a team.	Any number from 6 to 600	Lv 600 max.	Lv 300 max.	Lv 600 max.	Lv 600 max.
Time Limit (per Match)^Colo Time limit for one battle^XD	Adds a time limit to the battle.	Unlimited^Colo/None^XD, or a number of minutes from 1 to 99	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD
Move Select Time Limit^Colo Time limit for move selection^XD	Adds a time limit for when players choose what to do on their turn.	Unlimited^Colo/None^XD, or a number of seconds from 1 to 99	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD	Unlimited^Colo None^XD
Number of entry Pokémon^XD	Limits how many Pokémon can be selected during team preview. In Colosseum, this option doesn't exist, and all connected players must enter their entire party.	Open, or a number from 1 to 6	Open	Open	Open	4
Allow same Pokémon?^Colo Allow same Pokémon on a team?^XD	Determines whether multiple of the same species is allowed on a team.	Yes^Colo/Allow^XD or No^Colo/Disallow^XD	Yes^Colo Allow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	Yes^Colo Disallow^XD
Allow hold items?^Colo Allow Pokémon to hold items?^XD	Determines whether held items are allowed. Restricted allows players to disallow specific items.	Yes^Colo/Allow^XD, No^Colo/Disallow^XD, or Restricted with a list of items to allow or disallow	Yes^Colo Allow^XD	Yes^Colo Restricted, Soul Dew disallowed^XD	Yes^Colo Restricted, Soul Dew disallowed^XD	Yes^Colo Restricted, Soul Dew disallowed^XD
Allow same hold items?^Colo Allow team Pokémon to hold the same kinds of items?^XD	Determines whether duplicate held items are allowed on a team.	Yes^Colo/Allow^XD or No^Colo/Disallow^XD	Yes^Colo Allow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	Yes^Colo Disallow^XD
Disable Deoxys's camouflage ability and reveal its various forms?^XD	If enabled, reveals Deoxys's form when entering battle. This is the only way to distinguish if a FireRed or LeafGreen player with a Deoxys on their team is using Attack or Defense form. Ruby/Sapphire (Normal form) and Emerald (Speed form) can otherwise be distinguished by the sprites of Brendan and May.	"Reveal" or "Don't reveal"	Reveal	Reveal	Reveal	Reveal
Two or more can sleep?^Colo Allow two or more Pokémon to be asleep on the same team?^XD	Determines whether to allow putting more than one Pokémon to sleep on the same team. If disallowed, when a move outside of Rest would normally put a second Pokémon to sleep on the same team, it fails instead.	Yes^Colo/Allow^XD or No^Colo/Disallow^XD	No^Colo Allow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD
Allow Skill Swap?^Colo Disable Skill Swap?^XD	Determines whether Skill Swap is allowed^Colo/always fails.^XD	Yes or No	Yes (allow)^Colo No (allow)^XD	Yes (allow)^Colo No (allow)^XD	Yes (allow)^Colo No (allow)^XD	Yes (allow)^Colo No (allow)^XD
All faint from Selfdestruct or Explosion and user loses?^Colo If all Pokémon faint due to Explosion or Self-Destruct, user loses?^XD	Determines whether the user loses when their Pokémon uses Explosion or Self-Destruct and all Pokémon on the field faint to it.	Yes or No	Yes^Colo No^XD	Yes	Yes	Yes
Can last Pokémon use Perish Song or Destiny Bond?^Colo Should Perish Song and Destiny Bond fail if used by a team's final Pokémon?	Determines whether Perish Song and Destiny Bond always fail when used by a team's final Pokémon.	Yes or No	No (fails)^Colo No (doesn't fail)^XD	No (fails)^Colo Yes (fails)^XD	No (fails)^Colo Yes (fails)^XD	No (fails)^Colo Yes (fails)^XD
Two plus can freeze?^Colo Allow two or more Pokémon to be frozen on the same team?^XD	Determines whether to allow freezing more than one Pokémon on the same team. If disallowed, moves will never freeze a second Pokémon on the same team.	Yes^Colo/Allow^XD or No^Colo/Disallow^XD	No^Colo Allow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD	No^Colo Disallow^XD
Allow fixed damage moves like Dragon Rage and Sonicboom?^Colo Fixed damage moves like Dragon Rage and Sonicboom always fail?^XD	Determines whether the fixed damage moves Sonic Boom and Dragon Rage are allowed^Colo/will always fail.^XD	Yes or No	Yes (allowed)^Colo No (doesn't fail)^XD	Yes (allowed)^Colo No (doesn't fail)^XD	Yes (allowed)^Colo No (doesn't fail)^XD	Yes (allowed)^Colo No (doesn't fail)^XD

Starting the battle

In Pokémon Colosseum, as well as any core series game, the player must put the team they wish to use in their party before linking. In Pokémon XD, the player can register non-Shadow Pokémon they want to use from their party, PC and Purify Chamber.

In the core series games, each player must also save at a Pokémon Center before they can link.

The process for linking depends on how many Game Boy Advance systems are connected and chosen for linking.

For up to three GBAs, controller ports 2-4 are used as necessary.
When linking four GBAs, controller ports 2-4 are used first, then the GameCube controller is disconnected from port 1 to connect the last GBA.

When each game is linked, the game will perform a check on its party to ensure it follows the chosen rules, and does not contain Shadow Pokémon in the case of Pokémon Colosseum. If a party does not follow the chosen rules, an error message describing the rule and which Pokémon fail to follow it; the player must then disconnect their game and make the necessary changes.

Once every game is linked and every team is validated, all players must press the A button, then Player 1 must press Start. In a Multi Battle, Player 1 then decides the pairings.

Then, a team preview occurs, where all players can see each other's teams, including each Pokémon's species, nickname if any, whether it is holding an item, and either level^Colo or gender^XD. The GameCube player uses the directional pad, X, and Y to select their Pokémon, hold R while doing this to view details, and press L to cancel their last selection.

The battle begins after this. The GameCube player can press A to select a move, B to switch/check Pokémon, L to go back, and Start/Pause to give in; they can then use the C-stick, X and Y to make selections, hold R to view possible selections, and use the control stick while holding R to view details. In both team preview and the actual battle, the Game Boy Advance players make selections on their own screens.

This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.