Gaming in Pikmin. Reviews, Walkthroughs, News

Pikmin isn’t a new franchise – the first title was released in 2001 – but due to the immense success of the Nintendo Switch, Pikmin 4 may be a lot of gamers’ first experience with the franchise. Being less than an inch tall in a monster-infested backyard is daunting enough, but doing it for the first time magnifies that feeling.

Nintendo’s long-awaited sequel in the Pikmin series announced in 2015, is finally available on the Nintendo Switch. Pikmin 4 sees the player as a recruit of the Rescue Corps, who must travel to a planet to save the group after they crash onto it on a mission to save Captain Olimar. It’s a whole thing. Check out the launch trailer below.

It’s been quite the journey to get to this day, but finally, after ten years, Pikmin 4 has arrived on the Nintendo Switch. We’re not kidding about the ten-year journey, either. The last entry, not including the Switch port, arrived in July of 2013 in Japan and other parts of the world. It didn’t arrive until August in the US, but that’s not the point. A couple of years later, Shigeru Miyamoto said the 4th entry would be “arriving soon,” and that didn’t happen. But at long last, it’s here, and Nintendo is celebrating in style.

While Pikmin 4 is very beginner friendly (even from a story perspective!), there are ways you can stretch out more efficiency; which comes in handy if you’re ever stuck! Here are some quick ways to smooth out your run.

The Pikmin franchise has consistently put out well-received games ever since its inception on the GameCube over two decades ago, but even though it has certainly built up a dedicated fan following in the time since then, it hasn’t ever managed to become a proper breakout hit where sales are concerned- certainly not to the level of other Nintendo franchises like Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, Animal Crossing, and more.

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Shigeru Miyamoto reflects on the relatively poorer sales of the Pikmin series, at least when compared to other Nintendo properties. Speaking as the most recent instalment, Pikmin 4, launches on Switch, Miyamoto suggests that previous titles haven't sold as well as hoped because Nintendo's audience finds them too difficult.

Nintendo’s chief designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, has discussed the historical performance of the Pikmin games and why he believes the series hasn’t “exploded” commercially like some of the company’s other franchises.

There’s no other series quite like Pikmin. The series mix of strategy, time management, and exploration can be a bit tough to get your head around, and Pikmin 4 adds another level of challenge by reintroducing caves into the mix. Caves are quite different from the rest of the game, with their own unique set of rules. Time limits are largely out the window, but you’re not able to spawn your own Pikmin in these multi-level dungeon-like challenges. Caves can be a bit intimidating at first, but we’ve got some pointers for those afraid of the dark. Here are some spelunking tips…

There’s no other series quite like Pikmin. The series' unique combination of strategy, time management, and exploration can be a bit tough to get your head around, and Pikmin 4 adds even more elements to the mix, including a new doggy friend Oatchi, returning caves, and more. Each in-game day only lasts around 15 minutes and getting the most out of them can feel overwhelming at first, but we’ve got some pointers that ought to help you out. Here are some tips for maximizing your time…

Pikmin 4 is hitting the Switch, and Nintendo is celebrating in all sorts of ways. They’ve marketed this one more than any other entry before it, and they’re not done yet! Hot off of the My Nintendo shop is a new product: shoe charms.

There hasn't been a mainline numbered entry in the Pikmin series since 2013, so you'd be forgiven for not having a clue what to expect from Pikmin 4, the new Nintendo Switch game that is launching this week and is sure to be widely promoted.

The time has come for another big fanfare-filled first-party release week! Nintendo is dropping Pikmin 4 on July 21, and there’s quite a bit of ruckus being made compared to prior entries. Nintendo is going all-out for this one, with tons of merch, promotions, and advertising. And given our review, it wasn’t all in vain!

When you make a video game character, no matter how big or small, human, alien or monster, or something in between, you want players to connect with them in a way that’ll make their gameplay experience feel meaningful. Because if you don’t, you’re not going to get sales and won’t have people talking about your game a lot. For the team behind Pikmin 4, they knew that the Pikmin were special creatures and that people knew about them, but with this fourth game, they wanted to do even more to connect players to them.

In the latest installment of Nintendo’s “Ask The Developer” interview series, the original Pikmin team talked about how the franchise originally came together, thanks to Shigeru Miyamoto.

By now you would have heard the good word: Pikmin 4 is quite the catch. If you're looking to scoop this 9/10 up cheap, I've found the lowest price in town. Meanwhile, PS folk can get a great deal on seriously reduced PS4 must-owns, including The Last of Us Part II.

While Captain Olimar might be seen as one of the unluckiest space travelers, I’d say he’s the opposite. Sure, he’s been smashed up by asteroids, and crash-landed almost countless times, but every single time he manages to come out of it practically unscathed. Not only that, but he discovered the Pikmin and a world full of valuable treasures, and is always able to make his way back to civilisation one way or another. Would you believe he’s crashed once again in Pikmin 4?

The Nintendo Switch’s next big release is a few days away, and The Big N hopes their next title is as much a hit as others that have released this year. They’ve been doing videos, developer interviews, and gameplay previews/demos so that everyone can get their hands on the title and hopefully change the perception of the series. The good news is that the review embargo for Pikmin 4 lifted today, and the reviews that have come out were extremely positive. The bad news is that the game has a ROM on the internet right now, so you’ll need to beware of spoilers.

If we’re being honest here, Nintendo is known for not just making “cute” franchises but ones that are “easy to play.” However, there are plenty of Nintendo IPs that offer either difficult gameplay or plenty of challenges to overcome. The irony is that the Pikmin franchise “walks the line” between both of these topics. The game is undoubtedly cute, yet many players have found it difficult over its three main entries, which is why the sales of those titles haven’t been what you expected. In the second part of the Pikmin 4 dev team interview, the creators broke down why that is.

Nintendo has shared an extensive behind-the-scenes look at how the Pikmin franchise was born as part of its ongoing 'Ask the Developer' interview series.

Pikmin 4 is a smart and content-packed refinement of one of Nintendo’s most underrated series, but long-time fans may be put off by how long its generous campaign takes to get going.

Just in time for our Pikmin 4 review, Nintendo has released an official interview with key Pikmin team members, which helps shed a bit of light on this previously niche (but now fairly ubiquitous) series. In it, we hear from a few familiar faces like Shigeru Miyamoto, as well as Nintendo director Shigefumi Hino, manager Masamichi Abe, programmer Yuji Kando, and art director Junji Morii.

Pikmin 4 is a pleasant, relaxing game that serves as a nice entry point for newcomers, with occasionally odd high-pressure segments.

By Andrew Webster, an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.

One of my favorite series to talk about with colleagues is Pikmin. Each game impacts everyone in different ways, as evidenced by our multiple reviews of the originals and re-releases throughout the years. Pikmin 1 is short and sweet. Pikmin 2 is interesting and long. Pikmin 3 — up until the release of Pikmin 4 —was my personal favorite given that it was a nice mix of both (with the always-welcome-in-the-Carter-household Bingo Battle mode in tow).

While exploring a garden in Pikmin 4, I found a tube of something called “refreshing goo.” As I instructed my small army of Pikmin, the flower-headed creatures who helped me carry things around the world, to bring it back to my spaceship, I wondered what it was — toothpaste, maybe? It was only later when I read the item’s in-game record that I realized it was actually blue paint, which the record described thusly: “Neither the color of the sky nor the color of the sea. Though it is nearly the color of both.”