I think Nintendo always planned Pikmin as an extra game for just after launch, considering it didn’t become a launch title in any region. Pikmin is an incredibly charming take on the RTS genre of games, where you command a troop of adorable little critters called Pikmin and try to not send too many to their doom as you play.

You play as Captain Olimar, a tiny spaceship captain that crashes on a strange planet (which is Earth after humans are extinct, something Nintendo have also done in Kirby and Splatoon). You need to find the parts of the starship, and the only way is to utilise the skills of the Pikmin.

The Pikmin are cute little creatures that come in three colours: Red, Yellow and Blue. You call them to get them to follow you, and then throw them to where you need them to act, usually breaking down a wall, carrying objects or attacking enemies. While they follow you in a group, they all act independently, such as some occasionally tripping then rushing to catch up. It gives them a bit of personality that truly makes the game special. It also makes it upsetting when you lose a pikmin and see their little spirits float up into the sky with a sad sound.

The colours aren’t just for looks, though, as they have unique properties. Red pikmin are tougher and are fireproof, yellow pikmin can be thrown higher and can carry bombs, and blue pikmin are the ones surviving underwater. You’ll need to use their abilities to get around the levels to solve puzzles, and you’ll need to quickly learn to multitask and run around to manage multiple smaller groups.

Time management is crucial to Pikmin, as you can’t survive on the planet’s surface at night time as many enemies come out. At the end of the day, any Pikmin under Olimar’s control or near his ship will flee safely, but any loose ones throughout the level will be eaten. If one set of pikmin is close to breaking a wall and another is unfolding a bridge, you may have to decide which one to grab at the end of the day.

You also only have 30 days to collect 30 ship parts. This feels extremely stressful and is a double edged sword in that it does add a sense of urgency, but it can be needless anxiety. The limit is very generous as you can generally get two or three parts a day, and you can always quit to restart a particularly bad day.

Pikmin, like Luigi’s Mansion, is a short game, so has a few leaderboards to help encourage replays. I think the length works really well for the game now, especially with the limited time aspect of the game. It’s an absolutely wondrous experience.

Fave

The sheer vibrancy of the world is a joy to navigate, and larger areas can be accessed once more equipment has been added. Bring the radar back to the Dolphin, and a scanner will become available to spot all the objects of interest in a given level. The diverse locations in the game range from thick forests to desert landscapes, and each has its own distinct species of wildlife. The many creatures you will encounter on your fantastic journey are both amusing and refreshingly realised.

Mark Walbank, NGC Magazine #69

Remake or remaster?

Pikmin deserved more than the mild upgrade it got on Switch.

Official Ways to get the game

The game is available on Switch with some extra control options.