I had the chance to pluck some pre-release Pikmin and oh, boy, did I have a wonderful time. The Pikmin 4 release date is coming up quickly, so you don’t have to wait too long before you can get your own band of helpful leafy friends.
Pikmin 4, the long, long, awaited entry into the classic series bills itself as a starting point for new players as well as another excellent adventure for returning fans – and I quite agree. This time, we create our own spacefaring crewmate in a cute character creator.
The main formula of Pikmin hasn’t changed too much other than that – you crash land onto a mysterious world and find yourself surrounded by small, plant-like creatures called Pikmin, who are incredibly willing to help you out as you explore. All the favorites are back including red, blue, and electrifying yellow Pikmin who assist in your search for missing crewmates, lost after crashing on this planet.
I played a one-hour snippet of Pikmin 4 that took place in the quaint Sun-Speckled Terrace, where I had a collection of red Pikmin and an adorable dog named Oatchi. He’s the selling point of this entry. He’s adorable, the goodest of boys, and provides a helping paw on your adventures by charging through breakable objects and carrying you around. Make sure you use him and your own keen senses to sniff out objects to use for crafting items like bridges to get about the place.
What adventures are these, you ask? Well, there’s the return of exploring unfamiliar areas to locate pellets to get more Pikmin, finding treasures like strange electronics to research, and thwarting Bulborbs in the otherwise peaceful garden area. Start the day by calling out your gang of helpers and make sure they’re all home safe before nightfall – or else. The good news is you can move your base around this time to avoid getting lost in the night.
There’s not just overground exploration here, no – you can go underground to different caverns where more enemies and treasures lurk via blue drainpipes. Here you can find other Pikmin types, like yellow and nice icy ones, and bring them back to the surface while completing puzzles.
In between adventures, you head back to the hub area to chat with the other helpful crewmembers. One helps you train Oatchi to learn new skills and can give you gifts for him. This is very important as he deserves all the treats. Other upgrades and information wait here, but my personal priority is the dog.
If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, you can rewind time to a checkpoint and have another go. This and the removal of time restraints make Pikmin 4 a chill experience for all.
Pikmin 4 looks fantastic on Switch and I’m very budding excited to spend more time with my Pikmin buds. The game releases on July 21 and promises an excellent adventure for all.
While you wait to pick your planted Pikmin, why not check out these farm games or this year’s best indie games on Switch?
