Pikmin 4 Preview: The new Pikmin, dog-loving and newcomer-friendly

Nintendo’s friendly real-time strategy game series Pikmin has more depth and breadth in next month’s long-awaited sequel. Pikmin 4. New types of Pikmin, including Ice Pikmin that can freeze enemies and water, and Glow Pikmin that can be used in all-new night battles, join another great addition: the space dog, Oatchi.

And for Pikmin players who wince at the mass death of Pikmin, whether by drowning or by the jaws of a bulborb, Pikmin 4 allows you to undo unnecessary deaths – or at least the most painful ones.

Based on an hour spent with Pikmin 4 At a recent Nintendo hands-on event in New York, not much has changed at the core of Pikmin. You are still a little alien explorer harvesting plant-like Pikmin of different colors and abilities on a rescue mission. You’ll still collect treasures like toy binoculars or a Game Boy Advance by throwing teams of Pikmin at valuable items and any obstacles that stand in your way. However, the mission is different this time; You’re not Olimar, the original Smol spaceman who starred in the first two Pikmin games. Instead, you’re a new recruit, a character you’ve designed, tasked with rescuing the rescue team that failed to save Olimar.

Image: Nintendo

This challenging mission is found by some to be less daunting Pikmin 4is streamlined. Targeting enemies is easier. You can move your Onion – the base that acts as a Pikmin storage unit – around the levels to reduce backtracking. You can also turn back time if you want to try a particular challenge again (or if too many of your Pikmin have died). Overall, under the time constraints of previous Pikmin games, there’s less pressure to complete your Expeditions.

Oatchi, who acts as a tank/tank transport for the Pikmin infantry, is a big and intriguing new addition. The two-legged space pup can destroy objects with a powerful rush move, tow a small army of Pikmin, and leap over small ledges your space explorer can’t. Oatchi can also be upgraded, increasing his bite, healing ability, and more.

I’ve only spent a little time testing the new Ice Pikmin and freezing enemies to make them easier to take out, but unfortunately I haven’t been able to solve much puzzles with them.

Pikmin 4 features a wider range of tools beyond new Pikmin types and an ever-evolving Oatchi. In the lab, players can craft items and equipment, such as a drone that monitors levels, from resources that you and your Pikmin can harvest.

Image: Nintendo

My practical time with Pikmin 4 focused on an early part of the game, so I wasn’t able to test the new Night Expeditions or the Glow Pikmin, which are only meant for those late-night moments. But I was able to play two rounds of competitive Dandori Battles, in which players battle each other by collecting as much treasure as possible in special levels – and preventing their opponents from collecting treasures. Dandori Battles is Pikmin 4 At its most frantic, exploration and research are jettisoned in favor of speed and strategy. It’s a welcome change from the mostly laid-back single-player adventure.

Nintendo Switch owners who don’t currently have a shortage of older Pikmin games will get a taste of it Pikmin 4 for yourself later this week. A demo of the game will be available in the eShop on June 29th. Player progress is carried over to the full version of the game Pikmin 4 starts on July 21st.