Editor’s note: this is a guest post from Alex Baskette.
After almost a decade and multiple starts and stops in production Nintendo has finally released Pikmin 3, the long awaited sequel to the beloved franchise. Those of us who purchased the Wii U have been eagerly awaiting strong titles like Pikmin 3, so we may knock the dust off the GamePad and not feel like we threw our cash down the Sarlac Pit. Right off the bat this game feels familiar, like returning home after long trip. A lot of the mechanics of the game remain the same from the first two titles, except this time you take control of three squidgy little alien explorers instead of just one. Along with the addition of the new playable characters there are two new types of Pikmin. The Black Pikmin are a rock type Pikmin and can be used to break through glass barriers or an enemy’s shields. The other type is a pink, flying Pikmin, while it’s not terribly strong in battle they are very useful in completing puzzles and getting to fruits and treasures that are typically out of reach for the other Pikmin.
The game starts off by introducing you to a new planet, Koppai. It appears that the inhabitants of this planet have burned through all of their natural resources and will face certain peril if another source of food is not found soon. The leaders of Koppai send a team consisting of Captain Charlie, Engineer Alph, and Botanist Brittany to a far off planet known as PNF-404. Upon entering the planet’s atmosphere the ship encounters a system wide failure and Captain Charlie and Brittany are thrown from the ship along with the ship’s Cosmic Drive Key. The mood intensifies as our heroes are separated on a alien world making the first part of the game focused on being reunited. After coming to, we are introduced to the multicolored flower creatures known as Pikmin. The landscapes are rich and beautiful. Throughout the game, players encounter four separate environments before it reaches it’s climax in the final area. Within these environments you are tasked with collecting different fruits for your juice supply for you to drink at the end of each day. This also allows the astronauts to obtain seeds to take back to their struggling home planet. Completing these tasks all has to be done before the sun goes down. Once the night falls nocturnal predators come out, and any Pikmin that are not rounded up are violently consumed by these beasts. All of this while you hunt down the elusive Captain Olimar, the tiny, treasure-obsessed hero from the first two Pikmin games. Through picking up clues you find that Captain Olimar has made off with your Cosmic Drive Key, the component needed for you to get back to Koppai!
The gameplay mechanics have not changed much since the first Pikmin game. This time around you have the ability to control three different squads at a time with the GamePad. Players are given three different ways to play, the GamePad, the Wiimote and Nunchuck, and the Wii U Pro Controller. Playing with the GamePad gives you constant access to the World Map allowing you to quickly switch between each individual squad. The only downside to using the GamePad is if you are a hunker down and play all night kind of gamer the battery only lasts between 3 and 5 hours. The Wiimote and Nunchuck provide the most accurate option during battle, and the battery lasts significantly longer. Using the Wii U Pro Controller is essentially the same as using the GamePad minus the screen. All three work great and it really comes down to whatever your most comfortable with. The game is relatively short compared to its previous counterparts. I would recommend taking your time and really take in what this game has to offer. It provides different endings depending on how much fruit you collect. My only real complaint is that there is not a multiplayer co-op for the main campaign. The multiplayer modes are Mission Mode and Bingo Battle. In Mission Mode you have the option of fighting enemies, defeating the bosses, or collecting fruit. In this mode you have an allotted number of Pikmin and are held to a 5 to 15 minute time limit. In Bingo Battle you play as Alph and Olimar. You are given a Bingo card with Bosses, Fruits, Enemies, and Marbles. The players battle one another to check off boxes on their cards, and also make sure their opponents do not succeed. Both multiplayer modes are enjoyable but the lack of online multiplayer is a bit of a disappointment.
All in all this is a welcome addition to the Wii U catalog, and after it was all said and done I craved more from this title. Playing this game brought back so many great memories of high school and playing the original Pikmin until the wii hours of the morning. Many have said that Nintendo has not released any new original content in a very long time, to that I say so what?! This is what we want, we want that quality and imaginative engrossing storytelling that we as gamers have come to love. I hope that this is the beginning of the next gen Nintendo revolution we have been hoping for. I am so very excited for Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Brothers Wii U, and The Legend Of Zelda HD.
Pros:
• Lush and Vivid Landscapes
• Beautifully created creatures
• Endearing and meaningful story
Cons:
• No online multiplayer
• GamePad accuracy is sloppy
• Play time is WAY too short
I give Pikmin 3 for the Wii U 4.5 out of 5