Pikmin 4 preview – an accessible approach to a cult classic Nintendo favourite

29 June 2023 , 01:00

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In Pikmin 4 you don't play as Olimar, but rather a custom explorer tasked with seeking he and his crew out (Image: Aaron Potter)

The first new proper Pikmin game for 10 years has all the makings of another charming 2023 hit for Nintendo Switch.

Playing through the Pikmin 4’s opening area, I can’t help but shake the feeling that this could be the franchise’s coming out moment. Not that the previous entries were particularly bad, per se, just that there’s always been a sense with Pikmin 1, 2, 3 and Hey Pikmin! for the Nintendo 3DS (the less said about the latter, the better) that they hadn’t fully broken through into the mainstream. The Nintendo Switch has played host to arguably the best Luigi’s Mansion, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario, and so far from what I played, it could be Pikmin’s turn next.

Even having spent just a little over two hours with the game, it’s easy to appreciate the ways Pikmin 4’s very subtle tweaks to the cutesy RTS formula make a big difference. Time management is far less of a concern this time around, with you finally being able to explore locations and undertake tasks during the night. Granted, my short time with the game hasn’t seen me explore under the cover of darkness just yet, but already swapping out the strict 30-day time limit of the original game in favour of a more leisurely pace is paying dividends.

This time around you don’t even play as Olimar, instead making your own player-created character who is then tasked to seek the original explorer out (along with other members of his team) after the explorers go missing. Your mission to save them involves the usual bout of managing and commanding a who’s who of different Pikmin types both new and familiar. As mentioned, though, so far I’ve been able to enjoy exploring the opening area of Sun-Speckled Terrace in a care-free manner, having plenty of time to hunt down resources, treasure and lost explorers.

Flinging endless Pikmin at enemies is a worthwhile way to take them down (Aaron Potter)

It's made even easier thanks to the addition of Oatchi, your very own personal dog-like companion. As well as functioning similarly to just a giant Pikmin, digging and foraging as needed, by day two he grows to a rideable size, which makes traversing rivers and jumping over short ledges far easier. At any point you can even assign him to sniff out the desired resource you want to track, which makes navigating these often labyrinthine area layouts less intimidating.

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Give a dog a bone

Much like the plant-like Pikmin themselves, Oatchi can be commanded both when exploring up top in the overworld as well as in the many dungeon-like areas that sit underground. This makes engaging enemies, taking treasures back to your ship and pushing far off buttons far less taxing. While I can see the benefit in using Oatchi as just a glorified taxi service, there’s far more to him than it at first seems – evidenced further by his dedicated skill tree. Whether you want Oatchi to improve on strength or combat ability, an RPG-like skill system hints at how he can become more powerful over time.

Another new addition in Pikmin 4 is what’s called Raw Materials, which replaces the specific pieces needed to repair bridges and open up areas as featured in games past. It acts as a type of currency alongside the power needed to power your ship that treasures provide. Raw Materials offer a degree of nuance, however, by letting use them to either expand areas within existing levels or purchase upgrades back at base that can see your explorer benefit from new gear or health items. Raw Materials don’t outright change the Pikmin gameplay loop, but adds a welcome degree of choice.

Riding Oatchi around is a handy way to explore the world that is unlocked early on (Aaron Potter)

Pikmin-wise the usual colours like Yellow (who do great against electric and can jump high) and Red (who remain the strongest and immune to fire) are all here, alongside two new types: Ice and Glow. The latter Pikmin I’m yet to meet, although it’s easy to imagine how handy they come given the myriad of dark underground caves to explore and the new ability to explore areas in the night. Ice Pikmin, however, I already appreciate – if only for their usefulness in freezing larger enemies, which sets either Oatchi or groups of red pikmin to bash into and shatter.

Elsewhere, ice Pikmin also have a use in terms of traversal, being able to freeze large blobs and globs that block off access to valuable resources and treasure. Similar to enemies, all that’s required then is one big knock or bash for a previously cordoned-off area to be accessible. Then wherever water is causing a problem, targeting it with the correct number of ice Pikmin helps sees them freeze it to enable you to cross. These are minimal changes to the way you approach puzzles and ways to engage with the world, true, but hopefully glow Pikmin go on to prove just as valuable.

All these various tweaks and changes have so far coalesced into a Pikmin game containing the least amount of friction yet. Sometimes, when you hear the term ‘RTS’ I think it can sound a bit intimidating to outsiders. In practice, however, Pikmin continues to add a playfulness to the critter management concept, and this mentality is pushed even further in Pikmin 4 now that its nearly here. I’m curious to play more to see how additions like glow Pikmin and Oatchi’s later upgrades change the flow of gameplay, but for now, this is primed to be another 2023 Nintendo Switch hit.

Aaron Potter