Catalyst
Koopa
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Release Date: July 21, 2023
Price: $59.99
Number of Players: Single System (1-2)
Developers: Nintendo EPD, Eighting
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Action, Adventure, Strategy
Supported Play Modes: TV, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode
File Size: 10.5 GB
Supported Languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese
The Pikmin franchise is one of the most unique and original series in Nintendo's deep catalogue. Players control an astronaut explorer on an uncharted world, utilizing plant-like creatures called Pikmin to complete tasks across multiple in-game days. After a decade-long wait, Pikmin 4 is finally here! With all three previous games available for purchase on Switch and a demo for 4 on the E-shop, there's no better time than now to jump into this acclaimed series.
Series protagonist Captain Olimar has crash landed on a planet and needs some help fast. Word of Olimar's plight reaches the Rescue Corps, a diverse crew of explorers that set out in their S.S. Shepherd ship to search for Olimar. However, the Rescue Corps end up crash landing as well! It's up to you to save Olimar, the Corps, and any other castaways that need assistance. The game's vast areas are also filled with treasures. These treasures are worth Sparklium, which is used to repair the damaged S.S. Shepherd and open up new areas. This seems like a daunting task for a rookie, but nothing is impossible with a squad of dependable Pikmin!
But who are these Pikmin, anyway? Pikmin 4 features the largest selection of Pikmin colors in series history, with 9 types in total. Knowing which types are useful in which situation is crucial to success on your expedition. Keep in mind that only 3 types of Pikmin can be out on the field at once. In chronological order, we have:
| Pikmin Type | Description |
| The Pikmin that started it all. Reds are flame resistant, and they do extra damage to enemies. |
| These big-eared Pikmin have a lot of versatility. They conduct electricity, dig really well, and are thrown higher than other Pikmin. |
| Blue Pikmin can swim! Use them to navigate the various aquatic areas of the planet. |
| The heaviest and strongest of the Pikmin species, purples can carry ten times the weight of a normal Pikmin. They also stun enemies when thrown. |
| White Pikmin are extremely toxic. Throw one in an enemy's mouth and it will take massive damage. If you're the type that likes to keep your Pikmin alive, you can still take advantage of whites' high speed and poison resistance. |
| Rock-hard Pikmin that break crystals and glass but can't be crushed. They do extra contact damage to enemies and won't latch onto them, so combat with Rocks is unique. |
| Having wings makes collecting treasure and clearing obstacles a cinch. They are strong against flying baddies but weak against grounded enemies. |
| New to Pikmin 4, these frosty soldiers can freeze enemies and turn water into solid ice. An excellent choice for combat or exploration. |
| This mysterious ghost Pikmin is only seen at night. Multiple Glow Pikmin can combine into a bright orb and trounce enemies in a flash of light. |
The stand-out addition of Pikmin 4 is Oatchi the Space Dog. This loyal member of the Rescue Corps is as versatile as he is cute. For starters, you can command him to carry items or fight enemies just like a Pikmin. His Rush ability allows him to charge forward and break certain objects. Once he's big enough you can ride on Oatchi's back with your Pikmin to carry them across bodies of water! Jumping, plucking, sniffing for treasure....too many skills to list here but you get the point. Just know that Oatchi has a health bar so don't use him recklessly.
An important aspect of Oatchi is his customizability. When you first encounter him, he doesn't have access to many of the aforementioned abilities. But rescuing castaways rewards the player with Pup Drives. Talk to Shepherd, the captain of the Corps, and she'll use Pup Drives to teach Oatchi new skills. This ranges from stronger attack power to advanced abilities like rounding up missing Pikmin. You choose what you want your pooch to learn and give him skills that best fit your playstyle. Some upgrades for Oatchi are also earned automatically with story progression.
Oatchi is great and all, but he isn't the only new thing in Pikmin 4! There are plenty of fresh additions and shake-ups from past titles, such as:
Character Customization:
Step into the shoes of a new recruit to the Rescue Corps. The character's hair, face, body type, skin tone, and spacesuit color are all customizable. The spacesuit color you choose will be reflected in the other crew members, who wear matching outfits. Even your ship will be the same color!
Revamped Caves:
Veteran Pikmin 2 players will recognize the cave system. Entering a hole in the overworld will take you to a multi-floor underground dungeon where time doesn't pass. Each cave is filled with treasure and dangerous enemies, and you can't grow any Pikmin down there so be careful! Unlike in Pikmin 2, the caves are not randomly generated, and some of them feature more puzzle elements. The S.S. Beagle pod will deposit any treasure you discover and identify the castaways you rescue underground.
Nighttime Exploration: The dead of night is a dangerous time to be on the planet, with all the nocturnal creatures fully awake and hungry. That isn't stopping the Rescue Corps from venturing out, however! Your nighttime objective is to defend large dirt mounds called Lumiknolls, which house Glow Pikmin. Use the Glow Pikmin to protect the mounds from ravenous enemies. A successful nighttime mission rewards you with valuable Glow Sap, so don't chicken out!
Quests and Upgrades: Instead of a world map, Pikmin 4 features a hub area called the Rescue Command Post. In between days you can talk to crew members and castaways that will give you side quests or provide upgrades. For instance, the scientist Russ operates the Lab where you can buy useful gear with raw materials you've collected. The castaway Dalmo tasks you with finding creatures for the new and improved Piklopedia.
Pikmin 4 defines Dandori as "the art of organizing your tasks strategically and working efficiently to execute your plans." This has always been a core tenet of the Pikmin series, as each game is ultimately about finding the most productive way to use your Pikmin. The more you play, the more your Dandori skills will increase. Pikmin 4's lock-on feature and numerous quality-of-life improvements were implemented to streamline the Pikmin-handling process.
In the story mode you will sometimes encounter a mysterious red figure that bears a striking resemblance to Captain Olimar. He kidnaps castaways and challenges you to a Dandori Battle to retrieve them. To win the battle you must bring more objects and enemies back to your base than your opponent. There are also Dandori Challenges where a castaway tasks you with collecting all items in a level within a time limit. These missions are all about using your Pikmin and Oatchi in a productive manner.
Dandori Battles can be enjoyed with two players. Compete to see who has the better resource management skills!
This game has received glowing reviews, landing at an 87 on Metacritic. Here's a sample of what reviewers are saying:
IGN (9/10):
"Not all of it is as challenging as I’d have liked, but with twice as many enemy types and nearly four times the amount of hidden treasures I loved gathering in past games – along with its fantastic musical score, improved graphics, and next-level post-game content – I just couldn’t put it down until finishing everything it had to offer."
Eurogamer (5/5):
"It's a skillful evolution of a series which has been left feeling a little overlooked for too long. Is this Pikmin's true breakthrough moment? Who knows. But without a doubt it's one of Nintendo's best games in years."
Nintendo Life (9/10):
"Pikmin 4 is a sumptuous strategy adventure that serves up tons of fun for returning fans of the franchise whilst also adding lots to entice new players into giving it a try."
Game Informer (9/10):
"When it comes to iterating on the standard Pikmin gameplay established by the first release, Pikmin 4 is the smoothest, best-controlling, best-looking version, and all the additions are worthwhile and fun to play. The variety of tasks, which you can tackle in the order of your choice, prevents you from doing the same thing for too long, and I enjoyed saving other survivors and expanding my home base roster. Pikmin may never rise to the top of the Nintendo heap, and it’s probably unfair to expect it ever could, but the latest Pikmin is the best effort yet."
February Direct Trailer
June Direct Trailer
Overview Trailer
Review Thread (by @Josh5890)
Nintendo.com page (with demo link)
Ask the Developer interview with Nintendo staff about the creation of Pikmin 4 (and Pikmin in general)
Thanks to the Pikmin Wiki for providing easy access to Pikmin 4 info and official renders.
And lastly.....
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