Pikmin 4 review: Family-friendly fun on Switch, with a tactical twist

radiotimes.com:

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.

If this is a series that passed you by, but the cutesy colourful vibe has caught your eye, we're pleased to report that this is a great place to consider jumping in with the Pikmin franchise. Although there's plenty of new stuff to please returning fans, the game also takes the time to properly introduce itself and teach you what to do.

Those returning fans will know that Pikmin games centre on the Japanese concept of Dandori, which basically means that Pikmin 4 will test your organisation skills, encouraging you to resolve situations using maximum efficiency and not wasting any time. You have to think tactically, basically!

The game, like many of the Pikmin titles before it, puts you in the role of a travelling astronaut who has fallen on some bad luck. With the help of your canine companion Oatchi and a horde of colourful creatures called Pikmin, you'll have to find your missing crewmates and gradually rebuild your spaceship.

To do this, you'll learn how to order Oatchi and the Pikmin around using a control system that does take some getting used to. If you're all fingers and thumbs, your Dandori skills will take some time to master, and you might find yourself getting a bit frustrated.

As you get better, though, you'll learn to oversee each exploratory mission carefully, keeping an eye on the timer in the corner as you order your colour-coded minions to unearth treasure, build structures, destroy obstacles, fight off unfriendly creatures and sniff out helpful stuff.

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