Review: Pikmin 4
destructoid.comOne of my favorite series to talk about with colleagues is Pikmin. Each game impacts everyone in different ways, as evidenced by our multiple reviews of the originals and re-releases throughout the years. Pikmin 1 is short and sweet. Pikmin 2 is interesting and long. Pikmin 3 — up until the release of Pikmin 4 —was my personal favorite given that it was a nice mix of both (with the always-welcome-in-the-Carter-household Bingo Battle mode in tow).
Whelp, I may have spoiled the Pikmin 4 review already!
Pikmin 4 (Switch)Developer: Nintendo EPD, EightingPublisher: NintendoReleased: July 21, 2023MSRP: $59.99
After creating an avatar, it’s your job to find out what happened to a crash-landed Olimar and save the day. Pikmin 4 still has the classic “grab treasure to power up your ship so you can explore more” conceit but with some worthwhile twists. You’ll have a small team at your disposal for emotional support and mechanical bonuses, but you’ll start with a humble small force of Pikmin and…a dog. That dog (Oatchi) is a game-changer. Even though you’ll need to progress through the game and rescue research team members to fully upgrade it, it rules out of the gate.
Think of it like a catch-all Pikmin. It can fight, it can grab items (of increasingly larger stature as you upgrade it), and you can ride it like a vehicle. While that sounds overpowered, you do only have one of them. If you’re sending Oatchi on an errand, you can’t use it in a surprise battle in the moment, nor can you ride it and carry your non-swimming Pikmin across hazards like bodies of water.
Oatchi completely changes the way you approach the game, as you’ll be able to casually walk (and jump!) to corners of the map that you wouldn’t normally be able to reach in
Read more on destructoid.com
