Nintendo plans to allow you to raise Pikmin again this October with a whole new title, Pikmin 2.

Nintendo have compiled a press release reminding us Pikmin 2 is coming soon. With the release date of October 8th creeping up we thought the press release might fill your anticipation a bit more.

Rally the troops! Captain Olimar needs your help as he returns to the planet of the Pikmin to save his company of debt. This time Captain Olimar returns with an assistant and you must explore every nook and cranny to erase the enormous debt once and for all. The highly acclaimed, real time strategy game, Pikmin 2 launches across Europe, exclusively to Nintendo GameCube on 8th October 2004.

To save Captain Olimar's company, he must salvage all the treasure buried on the Pikmin planet. You must help him and his new assistant Louie command the multi-talented Pikmin creatures as they embark on their treasure-hunting journey. The player controls either Olimar or Louie as they explore the planet, harvesting and using the Pikmin to help them on their mission. Single button commands can also be directed by players to the Pikmin themselves.

With two all-new types of Pikmin, White and Purple, plus the original Red, Yellow and Blue, each character can be controlled simultaneously no matter where they are on the planet. They each have their own unique strengths and weaknesses including resistance to water or fire, the ability to open gates, pick up and move heavy objects, break down walls and attack enemies. With no time limit in this game, each fun packed challenge can also be completed at your leisure. With complex puzzles to crack and over 60 different monsters to overcome, Pikmin 2 is sure to challenge players to the limit. In addition to the outstanding single player game, the brand new split-screen two player Challenge and Battle modes give a whole extra dimension to the Pikmin experience.

Gameplay takes place below ground as well as above ground, with new underground areas to explore, including caves which are randomly generated each time the players enter them.

With so much treasure to collect and many monsters to defeat, Pikmin 2 is set to keep players amused for hours. With its bright and fun visuals Pikmin 2 is crammed full of adventure and is a brilliant follow-up to Shigeru Miyamoto's classic Pikmin game, released across Europe in June 2002.

'Pikmin's a game for everywhere and everyone, having wowed players of all ages in Japan and the US.' Nintendo Official Magazine

'We've finished Pikmin but we can't stop playing it, and we look forward to future innovations from Nintendo's R&D guru.' www.spong.com

'Pikmin is a brilliant mix of cuddly graphics and strategy elements.' Front

'Captivating slice of action-strategy innovation.' The Times: Play

Pikmin 2 is released across Europe, exclusively for Nintendo GameCube, on 8th October 2004 at the estimated retail price of 60 Euros.

Click onto www.nintendo-europe.com for all of the most up to date official information on Nintendo.