Fangames are coming thick and fast throughout 2026 so far, and I couldn't be happier about it. Undoubtedly, Pokémon's 30th Anniversary is getting everyone in the creative spirit, with budding game devs taking us back to the Pokémon games of their youth and paying homage to their favourite gens.
Pokémon Dark Horizons comes to us from creator NikDie. According to the game's official description, it's been developed using RPG Maker XP with the Pokémon Essentials V21.1 starter kit and MKXP. If you've been gazing longingly at the featured image above and the gameplay shot below, you'll already recognise that the sprites and general design of the game are based on Gen 4 titles from the DS. Think Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver.
Dark Horizons transports players to the new region of Aurelia and, as I mentioned in the title, sits between the events of the two GameCube Pokémon offerings - Pokémon Colosseum, and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, the latter of which has just arrived on Nintendo Switch Online. It's set two years after Cipher's downfall and acts as a bridge in the storyline, a little like the Clone Wars cartoon fills the gap between Star Wars Episode 2 and 3. Aurelia is near the Orre region too in the game's narrative, so it all ties together nicely.
Pokémon Dark Horizon v1.0.5 is out NOW! 🌫️
— Pokémon Fangame News (@PokeFangameNews) March 9, 2026
A game that takes place between Colosseum and XD.
Features:
- All Pokémon from gens 1-4
- Double battles only
- Shadow Pokemon
- Trainer Skill Tree
- Following Pokemon
- Different modes
-More
⏬ Check it out ⏬https://t.co/Fc4q2uB9tG pic.twitter.com/6IjRXOpw4d
You'll be able to capture all of the Pokémon from the first four generations in Dark Horizons, with NikDie claiming that there is over 35 hours of gameplay for you to sink your Zubat fangs into. You'll take two partner Pokémon out into the world, putting the skills you've garnered from the Pokémon Colosseums to stop Cipher's return and to free Shadow Pokémon from their imprisonment.
Graphically, it looks superb, and the storyline is perfect for a GameCube Poké fan like me. There are some great features too like utilising double battles, a trainer skill tree, adjusted movepools, and a postgame that will really put your skills to the test. And if that's not enough for you, there's also a Nuzlocke Mode to really give you a hard time!
Head to the project's page on Eevee Expo for more information!
And don't forget to check out Pokémon PureRGB while you're here, the remastered versions of Red, Blue, and Green that we all deserve!
