Review: PIKMIN 4 is full of relaxation, strategic fun

In late July, Nintendo released Pikmin 4 on Nintendo Switch. The game follows the tradition of its predecessors where you control an explorer as he explores a new world. Along the way you will find the delightful creatures known as Pikmin to help you complete your quests. Nintendo was kind enough to provide me with a digital copy of the review, but the thoughts below are my own. If you want to play yourself, you can purchase a copy through Nintendo eShop or your favorite retailers, including GameStop (affiliate link).

I had a lot of fun with Pikmin 4. This is my first time playing in the series, and I think I might have to go back and grab the previous three (thankfully, they’re all available on the Nintendo Switch). In Pikmin 4 you can create and name your own explorer after Olimar is stranded on a new planet. You can join the Rescue Pup Oatchi and of course you’ll collect tons of Pikmin along the way. Each type of Pikmin has its own use, and you’re limited to only three types at a time, meaning you need to plan your team carefully. As you rescue various castaways, you’ll also unlock new skills, equipment, and missions to enjoy.

I heard it Pikmin games tend to be about puzzles, but in my experience with Pikmin 4, the puzzles are different than what I expected. Instead of more traditional puzzles in games (there are a few scattered here and there) I’ve found that the major puzzles in Pikmin 4 they are more of a matter of strategy or giving as they call it. Puzzles are more about efficiency than figuring out riddles, where to move a block, etc. be sure to keep them sharp. If you’re looking for a traditional puzzle game, I wouldn’t recommend it Pikmin 4but if you want more of a strategy game, this would be a fantastic choice.

Even if you’re not the most strategic, the game usually won’t punish you other than making it take longer to complete your missions. There are specific mini-game moments like Dandori battles where you’ll be punished, but those aren’t overly plentiful in my experience so far.

Other than the gameplay I found very addictive and satisfying I think Pikmin 4 It looks fantastic! Nintendo did a great job in my opinion in creating the world of Pikmin 4 looks great despite the Nintendo Switch’s aged hardware. The colors look bright, the environments look great, and the characters are fun. The sound design of the game is also perfect in every respect.

As much as I enjoyed it Pikmin 4, I have some minor complaints. First, the multiplayer aspects are very limited. You can compete against another person locally in Dandori Battles or enter co-op in Story Mode. Sadly, this second mode isn’t great in my opinion. Instead of the second player joining you as an explorer to help you, you instead get a pebble thrower to shoot rocks at things or throw items at you. It’s a cooperative mode that reminds me a bit Super Mario Galaxy and I’m personally not a fan of it. As far as I understand, Pikmin 3 allowed for story mode split screen adventures and would like Pikmin 4 he continued like this.

Another flaw I see in Pikmin 4 is that you can only save it when you enter a new area of ​​the game. This means you have to enter/exit a cave or start/end a day/night. I wish I could save anytime even if it was like a traditional Zelda game and started me at the start of a location instead of the exact location I was at. That said, thankfully the days/nights aren’t very long.

Finally, I hope that when you start exploring a place you can select which base you go to. As it stands, you currently start from the last location you set as your home base. I really wish you could select any of the bases you’ve unlocked from a list. There are also a few areas with the map UI that I think could do with addressing, but that sums up my biggest complaints about the game. As you can see, that’s quite minutes.

Overall, Pikmin 4 it’s a really fun game. I really enjoyed Oatchi and the PIkmin and can’t wait to complete our adventures. It’s quite cold and not too hard, but that adds to the charm. If you want to test your efficiency, this game will help you do it.