Pikmin 4 is the long-awaited and lovingly crafted sequel of Pikmin 3 that somehow seems to meet every expectation that has been set for it over the years.
Pikmin was first released on the Gamecube in late 2001 and was met with lackluster sales, mostly due to the commercial failure of the console as a whole. Although it wasn’t a big money maker, the series’ creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, was filled with passion for the series. Miyamoto is the creator of the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda games. He was interested in creating something unique, and Pikmin was just that. Few games allow you to command a battalion of adorable plant sprouts before subjecting them to the cruel reality of nature. Pikmin was a frustrating, terrifying, yet endearing game, and a sequel soon followed.
After Pikmin and Pikmin 2 were released, the series saw a nine year drought that was finally uplifted by the release of Pikmin 3 on the Wii U in 2013. The verdict? Pikmin 3 was an upgrade in nearly every way. The sound design, the graphics, the gameplay mechanics. All returned and all were better than ever. Fans were eager to see where the series would go next.
It didn’t go anywhere for a while.
Over a decade later, Pikmin 4 was released on the Nintendo Switch in July 2023. While it may seem like nothing could make up for the agonizing wait, Pikmin 4 might have done just that.
The first thing that you’ll notice about Pikmin 4 is that it looks incredible. The Nintendo Switch is infamous for being less powerful than other consoles, but that is not shown with Pikmin 4 in the slightest. Pikmin 4 might be the best looking game on the Switch in its entire six year life. The realistic detail of the outdoors, water droplets shining on leaves as you walk past, seeing your reflection in the water of a pond as you swim across, the game is filled with these tiny details that make looking at it just as much of a treat as playing it. Right smack in the middle of these hyper-realistic, gorgeous environments are the bouncy and colorful Pikmin, and the contrast couldn’t blend any better.
The sound design is also incredible, as is standard of the Pikmin series. Every footstep on every surface you and your Pikmin take echoes off the walls as you make your way through the claustrophobic caves, a complete 180 from the massive open areas on the surface. Your Pikmin will start singing as you travel across a giant forest with birds chirping and noisy cicadas in the distance. Pikmin 4 truly feels like it takes place on an entirely new planet, despite being a near one to one copy of our own.
The aesthetics in Pikmin 4 are the best the industry has to offer, but none of that matters if the game isn’t fun to play. Luckily, Pikmin 4 is one of the most addictive and polished titles I have ever played. There wasn’t a single time during my entire thirty hours with the game that I wanted to put it down. Every area and cave has immaculate pacing, and the only time you’re not doing anything is when you’ve seen everything the region has to offer, in which case you can sit back and bask in the environment as a reward for all your hard work. Every Pikmin type from the first three games returns in Pikmin 4, along with two additions, Ice Pikmin and Glow Pikmin. Each Pikmin type has their own strengths and weaknesses and there was hardly ever a time where I didn’t want a specific type. The movement feels precise and throwing your Pikmin exactly where you want them to go has never felt better. With the exception of the new auto lock-on feature, which disappointingly has no option to turn it on or off.
The biggest difference in Pikmin 4 from the rest of the series is the inclusion of Oatchi, a rescue pup who helps you on your journey in almost every way you can think of. Oatchi fights enemies, carries Pikmin, digs up treasure, and even allows you to jump, which is completely unheard of for the Pikmin games. Oatchi is undoubtedly the most useful tool in your kit, but how powerful he is doesn’t take away from the gameplay as a whole. Enemy battles are over much quickly with how strong he is, which allows for more swift gameplay and introduces new strategy. Another big piece of the game is the return of cave exploration, which was the main focus in Pikmin 2. In 2, caves were entertaining, but were often drawn out and repetitive as you reached further into the game. Pikmin 4, however, completely refines everything about the cave system and gives you an entirely new experience every time you enter a cave. They’re no longer something to dread but instead something to be excited for, and are just as good as surface exploration.
Of course, every game has its downsides, and Pikmin 4’s is most certainly the story. We open with Olimar, our playable character from Pikmin 1 and 2, once again crash landing on the surface of our planet, which they call PNF-404. A rescue crew is sent to recover Olimar, but they crash land as well, and you are the last hope in saving them all.
Pikmin 4 introduces a character creator, which was good fun, and all of the new personalities we meet are definitely charming and well-written, but the plot is extremely linear and leaves no room for expansion. You trek through each area and eventually find Olimar in the final level, and as soon as you rescue him the credits roll. I was extremely confused when I first finished the game and admittedly a little worried, because I had only gone through four areas and the special thanks had just scrolled past my eyes.
Thankfully, though, there is a hefty amount of post-game content in Pikmin 4, and it also happens to be the best part of the game. That being said, the story is almost identical to the main game. You trek through two more areas but this time searching for Louie, Olimar’s partner, while also attempting to cure Oatchi as a mysterious virus is keeping him from leaving the planet’s surface. I enjoyed seeing these characters interact with one another and their different personalities, but the plot was frankly bland, and only kept me from exploring more.
Overall, Pikmin 4 is a wonderfully made experience full of love that is surely worth the time and the money, and I am incredibly eager to see where the series goes next. Preferably within the next decade.
