Pikmin 3 Deluxe, a cutesy, hard to categorize game about tiny aliens lost on an Earth-like planet is perfect Nintendo fare: approachable, challenging, and unique.
It's hard to get a sense of the game from just trailers, and the uninitiated might just pass without giving it a real chance. That's why we've created this handy beginner's guide to highlight the basics. Here's a trailer for upcoming remaster.
What's the story behind Pikmin?
The main story behind Pikmin involves an alien ship from the planet Hocotate crash landing on an Earth-like planet called PNF-404. Players must collect resources to get the ship back in working order.
Most might be familiar with the game's protagonist, Captain Olimar, from Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. fighting game franchise. In the original Pikmin, Olimar is tasked with retrieving parts of his ship. In the sequel, he's joined by his co-worker Louie. The duo are nods to Nintendo mascots Mario and Luigi. The sequel focuses on collecting "treasures" to get the spaceship company out of debt.
The third game features three new characters from a Hocotate-like planet called Koppai – Alph, Brittany, and Charlie, but Olimar and Louie also appear in the game. The trio crash-landed and need help repairing their spaceship.
What are Pikmin?
Pikmin are little color-coded plant-like creatures that have different abilities, and demonstrate strength in numbers. They collect items, fight enemies, and perform special abilities to help Olimar and the other aliens.
Pikmin feature either a leaf, bud, or flower on their heads. They stay in "onions" after dark to avoid predators. When a little alien delivers food to the onion, it produces seeds that grow new Pikmin.
There are several different colors and abilities. In Pikmin 3, there are gray, pink, yellow, blue, white, and purple Pikmin, all with different abilities like digging, flying, and swimming.
What kind of game is Pikmin?
Pikmin is a real-time strategy game, with puzzles set against Earth-like locales such as forests, lakes, gardens, snowfalls, and fields. The player must manage Pikmin, direct them to certain objects, and make sure there are enough to complete tasks like transporting materials or defeating enemies. The Pikmin die easily and need to be carefully handled. There is often a certain number needed for specific actions.
Everyday objects like apple cores, snorkels, leaves, gloves, rings, bells, and boots frequently appear. Strategy lies in directing Pikmin through these environments and discovering important items within the game's timeframe to progress.
How many Pikmin games are there?
There are currently five Pikmin games including Deluxe 3. The first, Pikmin, was released in 2001 for the Nintendo Gamecube and later ported to the Wii in 2009, and the Wii U Virtual Console in 2016.
The second game, Pikmin 2, was released in 2004, and immediately follows the conclusion of the first. It was also released for the Gamecube, and then the virtual console.
The original Pikmin 3 was released in 2013 for the Wii U. Hey! Pikmin, a side-scrolling action game, was released in 2017 for the Nintendo 3DS. A sequel is reportedly in the works, but the details are not yet known.
What's new in Pikmin 3 Deluxe?
The most recent title has new side-story missions that feature original characters Olimar and Louie, as well as a co-op story mode. All of the DLC stages from the original are also included. Players can even go head-to-head with online leaderboards for Bingo Battles and Mission mode.
The original featured 3 endings, so there's a good chance the new one will too. The graphics have also been improved, appearing sharper and crisper. Here's a comparison from GameXplain:
This bite-sized adventure packs a ton of content for solo players, or anyone looking for a great experience with a friend.
