There are two specific aspects of Pikmin 4 that I like that say a lot about what Nintendo is capable of like no other company in the industry. The first is its very existence. A game so particular that in its proposal it could be considered niche, like a happy idea of the genius Shigeru Miyamoto. A concept that seemed exploited, perhaps best exploited, with the wonderful Pikmin 3 of ten years ago. And while fans, possibly in greater numbers, are demanding the return of more commercial and popular franchises such as F-Zero (racing) or Star Fox (ships), Nintendo decides to put more resources than ever into this very special game, featuring this chilled-out miniature adventure small plants and a lighting strategy to offer its followers what we believe is feasible: an even more complete and beautiful delivery.
The second thing has to do with “supplying his followers.” Yes, it’s the fourth installment in a series that, by the way, can already be played in full on Switch, but Nintendo always pays attention to accessibility so that each game can be the first for many users. And he does it masterfully, like something that comes naturally to him. Pikmin 4 is a fantastic example of this: it knows how to introduce all the elements with sympathy and good rhythm, serving as a reminder without disturbing those of us who have been with the series since 2002! but it allows the uninitiated to understand it to learn and Experts are free to let go as much as they want While this effort leads to one of Pikmin 4’s few criticisms (difficulty management), it always deserves credit for executing it so well.
And you, which group are you from? Pikmin 4 takes all the elements of its predecessors and adds some new ideas to the content offering and its variety. Not Too Many: Don’t expect radical novelty, just make yourself at home and find plenty of ways to enjoy the particular mechanic.
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If you’re new: This is all about piloting a small humanoid astronaut (which you can now customize) in natural and now artificial earth environments. Everything is too big for you because you’re barely a few inches tall, and to survive and advance in your exploration and rescue mission you’ll need an army of Pikmins, adorable plant creatures that are even smaller but all are hard workers they drive the car. Squad and send them to fight, collect items, dig or build.
As you have seen, throughout your adventure you can take up to 100 and up to three different types: Red, Yellow, Blue, White, Purple, icyrocky, winged and bright. Each type has its particularity related to the elements (fire, electricity, water, ice) or other factors (strength, resistance, flight, ethereal form). You will lose many Pikmin on your adventures to danger or creatures that are as deadly as they are inquisitive. But you will also germinate dozens and hundreds of them and try to get them to take their flower form, which is more vigorous and faster, based on nectar.
As in the previous parts, the main objectives in Pikmin 4 are to collect hidden or buried treasures on the stage and also the dead bugs that result from your fights. This time the juicy fruits, which look even more delicious, are also treasures, because instead of making juice for the crew, it’s about processing Lustronio to improve the main ship and its range.
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These are the premises that might sound very familiar to you, but commendable work has been done in Pikmin 4 in terms of structure, progression and content to make everything even more varied and interesting.
Are exploration Traditionally, to complete specific areas of the map during a day-to-night cycle. Then the cave exploration present on the same maps, at a different pace and unhurried, but with unexpected dangers, limited Pikmins and a structure through underground floors. This will be introduced later night expeditiona kind of “horde mode” to defend them Lumilomes (like swarms of light motes) of night-crazed enemies, counting only the new Light-Pikmin. And finally there is this Batalla Dandori and the Dandori Challengesuch as time trials or 1-on-1 games, which can only be mastered with good planning and organization, as the Japanese term goes.
The way Pikmin 4 has to present all these modalities, while its interconnected progression systems increase the sense of progression and expand the things you can do, is its great triumph in terms of game design. You rescue characters from your crew (the rescue brigade Olimar) and civilians housed in a camp as a base of operations. These characters entrust you with missions and complete them at the same time the picopedia (all enemies) and the Treasurepedia (Alien descriptions of our everyday things, as well as 3D models of these treasures, remain fascinating.) The Lustronium expands your radar and flight capabilities matter You can build or buy clay from various sources, the nectar of the Lumilomas is used for healing frond (plus rescued characters that you can’t talk to until you rid them of that leaf disease), and then certain characters develop and sell much-needed items or invite you to repeat challenges. It is a cycle that continuously feeds itself. And we haven’t talked about Ochin yet.
ochin He’s that absolutely adorable, two-legged pooch you’ve seen on the cover or in gameplay videos. But best of all, its use isn’t just a mere assertion of its cuteness, rather it completely changes the gameplay dynamics of the franchise and becomes Pikmin 4’s best novelty. This allows you to explore much faster by having your character already uploaded all your Pikmin on your back (you don’t want to walk). In addition, it can bite, jump to gain access to certain areas, dig, carry items, and most importantly, attack, an ideal move to take down certain enemies in one hit, followed by a barrage of Pikmin. It is your partner, it can and should also be improved in camp as you gain experience and finally it can be used strategically e.g. B. to command him to hold a position, or to separate the actions of the astronaut and the ochin, who perhaps each carry a selection of Pikmins in parallel.
When it comes to balancing difficulty when inviting new players and delighting old players, Pikmin 4 can seem a bit indecisive at times. First, this Night Expeditions “Horde mode” isn’t as exciting or elaborate as it could be, so it remains a minor addition as much as we love the spooky aspect of the glowing Pikmin. On the other hand, in some caves there is a certain enemy that pays homage to Pikmin 3 and requires a slightly different approach, but it’s also not the most delicate or elegant execution. While it’s not a stroll (you’ll lose a good handful of Pikmin and it’s going to hurt), the trilogy-born player will be roaming almost all of the time Pedro Olimar for his house, apart from some surprises that are as impressive as they are unpleasant, in a positive sense.
However, with the structural and gameplay innovations mentioned above, the Nintendo EPD developers have managed to make something we’ve played many times more fun and interesting to play, and so Pikmin 4 solves the (still great) Pikmin 3 ab in that of the “maximum expression” of the formula, the right to vote. As if that wasn’t enough, everything else improves too: it looks and sounds nicer than ever, and there are tweaks in gameplay and accessibility (what they now refer to as improvements). life quality) make it even better to control and command all these little creatures on the map, which is a great pleasure no matter how rebellious and stubborn they might be at times.
I have to admit that I didn’t expect Pikmin 4 to raise the bar of its predecessor. That surprise, its innate charm, and all of the perfecting factors that have contributed to my love for the series since its inception has made me enjoy it even more. The care, resources, and talent that Nintendo has put into something so special, along with its relaxed, unique, friendly, and valuable experience, make it Game of the Summer and one of Game of the Year for me.
