Over the years the mind of Shigeru Miyamoto has given birth to tons of hit series for Nintendo, often revolutionizing the gaming industry. It was 2001 when it was first released in Japan Pikmin, this very particular strategy title differed greatly from its western counterparts due to the whimsical and eccentric nature of its colorful characters. Although appreciated by critics, this saga has had a little less success with the public over the years than other franchises of the Kyoto house, always remaining a bit niche.
More than twenty years after the birth of the saga it is finally available Pikmin 4exclusive title for Nintendo Switch which will put us again at the helm of a real horde of small aliens in search of precious materials in order to save the Captain Olimar. For the occasion, the software house has implemented many novelties in terms of gameplay, such as Nocturnal explorations and the Dandori battlesfurther refining the traditional strategy gameplay style of the franchise.
But will this new chapter finally be able to please both the public and the critics? Find out in our review of Pikmin 4!
- Title: Pikmin 4
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Analyzed version: Nintendo Switch (EU)
- Type: Real-time strategy
- Players: 1-2
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo EPD
- Tongue: Italian (texts)
- Exit date: July 21, 2023
- Availability: retail, digital delivery
- DLCs: Nobody
- Note: a demo of the game is available on Nintendo eShop that will allow us to try the first hours of this new adventure for free. We will be able to keep the progress made by transferring the saves within the full game
We reviewed Pikmin 4 with a Nintendo Switch code provided to us for free by Nintendo Italy.
After his most recent adventures, the Captain Olimar it’s still stuck on Planet PNF-404. During his search for the missing pieces of the SS Dolphinthe captain manages to send a message to Rescue team intergalactic in order to finally be able to return home. Unfortunately, however, the journey to Planet PNF-404 does not go too well for the group of rescuers, who will find themselves having to carry out a crash landing as soon as they arrive in the orbit of the planet.
The members of the Rescue Team are now scattered all over the planet, and it will be up to the new recruit to try to recover his companions and complete their mission. Luckily the recruit will have invaluable companions to help him: the rescue dog occin with his superfine nose and mysterious Pikmin. Thanks to their skills, these native creatures of the Planet PNF-404 will in fact be fundamental not only for the survival of the group, but also for solving the mystery linked to a strange epidemic that is affecting those who are shipwrecked on this planet…
Red and yellow more…
Gameplay-wise Pikmin 4 it does not overturn what was seen in the previous chapters of the franchise, but expands the game system thanks to a series of important innovations. We’ll be back on Planet PNF-404 looking for resources to be able to save all the missing explorers, and to do that we will have to harness the power of the colorful Pikmin. Each color variant will in fact have its own unique characteristics, and it will be up to the player to understand when it is better to use a certain type of Pikmin rather than another. We will be able to freely explore each game area by paying attention to the various ones environmental puzzles to be solved in order to discover every secretbut we will have to pay attention to the flow of time. In fact, once we get to the end of the day we will have to go back to the base camp, and if we don’t group all the Pikmin at our disposal before the time runs out, they will be lost.
One of the biggest novelties of this fourth chapter will be the presence of occin, whose help will be really invaluable during the adventure. If at the beginning our canine companion will have few actions available, progressing with the adventure we will be able to teach him new tricks and improve his techniques so that it becomes more and more useful. For example, he will be able to carry heavy objects to the base, avoid the elemental attacks of the enemies or transport us and our Pikmin through difficult terrains such as bodies of water.
Thanks to the new techniques that we will be able to make him learn and the equipment that we will be able to create for him, Occin will prove to be a real key resource for our survival. Although he believes that his presence is a well-implemented game mechanic and from which there is no going back, moving forward with the adventure we will be able to make it almost indestructible thus unbalancing the other gameplay elements. Occin will be so strong that I often found myself directly commanding him to attack enemies with him so as not to risk sacrificing the Pikmin on my team.
…Pink, black and blue
Occin is certainly not the only novelty implemented in Pikmin 4. The software house has in fact introduced elements capable of making the game even more varied and complex starting from Caverns. These particular underground areas on several floors will contain many secrets, but the player will have some limitations during their exploration. For example we will not be able to summon other Pikmin, it will therefore only be possible to use those chosen before entering the Cave or the wild ones present inside it. Another novelty is the presence of Nocturnal explorationsa real tower defense style mode in which we will have to eliminate all enemies and protect the Luminotane thanks to the help of the unpublished Iridescent Pikmin capable of performing a very powerful group attack that can stun nearby enemies.
Last but not least, the introduction of Giving. This new game mechanic comes in two versions: the Challenge Dandori in which we will have to collect all the objects within a set time by solving environmental puzzles and making the most of the few Pikmin at our disposal, and the Dandori battle in which we will have to collide with an opponent to reach a higher score than his by collecting objects and hindering him with traps and direct attacks. Dandori Battles will also be playable in company thanks to the local multiplayer functions. It will be possible to choose whether to face a friend directly or to team up to challenge an opponent controlled by the AI.
The multiplayer component is also present in the other phases of the game, but it will be very limited. Not only co-op will be local only but the second player will be able to limit himself to interacting with the game world by throwing pebbles to help us during the adventure. I personally think this is it a real step backwards for the software house, given that the third chapter gave us the opportunity to face the entire adventure together of a friend using split-screen local co-op. Also considering the fact that at the beginning of the game we will create our character, I don’t understand why the software house hasn’t implemented a real co-op, perhaps even online. Quite a bit of a flaw.
Earth Intruders
From a technical point of view Pikmin 4 it really is a little gem. Made with UnrealEngine 4, the graphic sector of the game is really colorful both in the settings and in its lively creatures. Whether they are allies or enemies, the protagonists of Pikmin are all characterized by a whimsical touch that goes perfectly with the franchise’s over-the-top nature. The frame rate will be locked at 30 FPS but, at least in my gaming experience, we will not experience any particular drops and will always prove to be stable.
No negative note also for the audio sector, the soundtrack of the game is in fact really nice to listen to and goes perfectly with all elements of the game. For example during the Nocturnal explorations the melodies will definitely be more lugubrious and less relaxing, to reflect the more hectic gameplay. Honorable mention to the Italian localization, which is very funny in particular in the description of the various treasures that we will collect during the adventure.
Narratively Pikmin 4 it is both simple and well defined. The main plot will in fact be accompanied by a series of sub-plots linked to all the castaways who have landed on the Planet PNF-404gradually revealing ourselves their motivations and their interpersonal relationships. Not only that, as soon as we complete the game it will unlock another portion of the plot dedicated to the vicissitudes of Olimar before our arrival. I think one of the best elements that characterizes the franchise is that sense of mystery linked to the planet we are on. What are Pikmin really and what happened to the inhabitants of this planet? Leaving the player that freedom to imagine the truth behind these details makes the gaming experience even more intriguing.
A group of space adventurers stranded on a strange and remote planet are awaiting rescue. Think you have what it takes to lead the rescue mission? Answer the S.OS and explore an unknown world inhabited by bizarre creatures. Luckily, not all of them are hostile! We present you the Pikmin! Despite their diminutive size, these lively sidekicks have strength to spare. Grow them, collect them, and guide them through obstacles big and small. Explore, hunt for treasure in vast open areas, face wild creatures, solve puzzles and rescue stranded travelers along with Pikmin.
Buy Pikmin 4 For Nintendo Switch following this link to the special price of €52.00 (instead of €59.99). Support Akiba Gamers by purchasing the game on Amazon through this box!
Who do we recommend Pikmin 4 to?
If you are looking for a seemingly simple strategic title but capable of becoming progressively more complex Pikmin 4 this is the title for you. The Adventure of Rescue team manages to be both relaxing thanks to its colorful play areas and the myriad of Easter Eggs present, and challenging but without ever being too frustrating. Definitely a recommended purchase even for those approaching this genre of games for the first time.
- Technically really well cared for
- Extremely varied gameplay thanks to many new features
- Occin is the perfect adventure companion…
- …But in the long run it becomes perhaps too unbalanced to use
- The co-op mode is way too limited, and it’s local only
Pikmin 4
A very profitable treasure hunt
Thanks to the many innovations introduced and a progressively more complex but never punitive gameplay, Pikmin 4 it is truly a must-have title. We are faced with a real-time strategy that manages to be a balanced and complex gaming experience while not taking itself too seriously leaving room for a veil of irony and mystery. I personally enjoyed it a lot, and there’s a fortissimo sense of satisfaction in being able to find all the treasures of each area even the most hidden ones. The success of the new chapter of the saga Nintendo it gives us hope that the franchise can finally become less niche than in the past and we really hope that the software house will continue in this direction for the future of the saga.
#Pikmin #Review