Pikmin 3 (Wii U) Review

Adam Riley, Operations Director, Senior Editor

Welcome to the wonderful world of Pikmin, where players take control of a little spaceman that has crash-landed on a strange planet and quickly finds he has the ability to take charge of large batches of flower folk, getting them to carry out numerous useful tasks. This time round, there is more than one space explorer to deal with co-operatively, a trio of adventurers. After reuniting them, following the initial dispersal of personnel following the catastrophe entering planet PNF-404's atmosphere, it is a case of switching between each at will to explore the full extents of the surrounding landscape, using varying groups of Pikmin as necessary.

Demolish walls, build bridges, tear down weird beasts wandering around, uncovering new pathways to important spaceship-related kit, and much more; this is basically a standard strategy game, the likes of Command and Conquer, StarCraft or Cannon Fodder, except with a jovial Nintendo twist.

Taking charge of Captain Charlie, Alph or Brittany is simply done using the analogue stick for quick movement across the environments, whilst those opting to use the far superior Wii Remote and Nunchuk combination merely have to point in the general vicinity of various Pikmin in order to blow a special whistle and call them to arms. The GamePad can be used for general controls, but is too clunky compared to the infra-red pointer of the Wii Remote that original came into action in the New Play Control! editions of the first two Pikmin games. The new Nintendo controller, however, does include a helpful map feature that can make co-ordinating routes and managing inventories easier, but it's likely this will be plopped nicely on a table to act as a more of a companion device. It should also be noted that the distance at which Pikmin can now be called is considerably further than before, reducing any of the frustration from previous titles.

This stems from the obvious additional power of the Wii U, with the visual acuity being improved tenfold (and then some!), and the high definition sheen truly making the world before the players' eyes pop out. Everything has an immensely pleasing level of polish that makes what was already a graphically impressive series that much better. There is even a fully-voiced introduction, which comes as a shock, but is then followed by the disappointment of the actual space folk muttering in Banjo Kazooie-esque gibberish noises and grunts. However, the serene soundtrack and gorgeous atmospheric sound effects all help brush over this, upping the ante in the ambience stakes to make for an absorbing romp.

Days still pass by as before, meaning an eye must be kept on the timer bar at the top of the screen and make sure that Pikmin are brought back within a certain radius of the Onion they "live" in. This restriction may seem frustrating, but it imperative to hone the search and find aspect of the game and, thus, prevent aimless wandering without cause that would otherwise lead to boredom setting in. Instead, each new day, players set out with the incentive of swiftly heading for the next goal, be it building Pikmin reserves, retrieving fruit, grabbing essential spacecraft items, or even unearthing new Pikmin types and going on rescue missions. There is such a wide variety of tasks at hand that it is a real pleasure trekking back, taking pause, and then setting off again for another attack.

Jorge Ba-oh, Editor/Founder

The approach to survival and a true sense of going head-on against time has been realised fully in Pikmin 3, harkening back to the brutal days of the franchise's debut GameCube outing. This time round our adventurers are gathering supplies for their home planet; however also desperately attempting to horde as much fruit as possible to survive their time on Planet PNF-404. Each day requires at least one bottle of fruit juice in order to progress, or else it's the dreaded "Game Over" screen for our trio. Fortunately, at the sacrifice of save data, players can select an earlier day in order to regroup, restrategise and take a different approach to whatever went wrong during the first cycle. This approach is a solid balance of the intense pressure of the first Pikmin, with the slightly more forgiving nature of Pikmin 2.

The symmetry between exploration and survival invites a renewed sense of strategy to each day on PNF-404. Instead of simply scurrying about and collecting resources all willy-nilly, players might set out with one of the three explorers to try and recover even the smallest slice of fruit to extend sustenance, whilst the others would bravely chip away at a boss sequence or attempt to break into a new area.

Whilst some Pikmin types have been abandoned in the main game for this release, the traditional roster of red, yellow and blue are all present and accounted for. As with the previous titles, each of these Pikmin colours aren't simply for show, but offer a key ability that's critical for survival. Red Pikmin are resilient to fire, blue enjoy a spot of swimming, whilst yellow embrace electricity with ease. Their core characteristics remain intact; however our yellow coloured critters can now link together to act as natural wires for another puzzle element. The purple and white species, favourites introduced in Pikmin 2, do make a return this time round, but are only accessible in the co-operative mission mode and bingo features.

Pikmin 3 doesn't want its predecessor to steal its creature-creating thunder, so also has its own new Pikmin species to encounter - a Rock type, useful for shattering more solid objects like glass, and the Winged Pikmin, for exploring areas inaccessible to others. These two new recruits certainly shake up the landscape to make players think slightly differently to how a puzzle or obstacle might be overcome.

As with the previous games, Nintendo have a knack for making the Pikmin feel truly alive, that a bond and attachment is formed with your army of willing helpers. This is particularly noticeable when facing an unrelenting boss animal, who can swoop in and devour your horde without a second's thought. These sequences are by far the hardest element to Pikmin 3; a David and Goliath moment that requires a good deal of time - even over a few days - and the right sort of Pikmin to bring for the situation. For example, without giving too much away, one boss demands the rock type to break through its solid shell, whilst another requires a heap of yellow Pikmin in order to active lights to uncover a lover of the dark.

Pikmin 2 shook up the series with a series of caves or dungeons that introduced a different feel when compared the premise in the original. Gone was the ticking clock for these levels, in favour of deeper exploration and a limited arsenal of Pikmin at your disposal. Whilst loved by some fans, the inclusion of caves in Pikmin 2 was considered unfavourable by others. Addressing this feature in the sequel, Nintendo lean very much towards the original Pikmin in the overworld's design, opting for obstacle driven areas, rather than segmented dungeons.

However these cave levels did create a more adventure-like flavour in some areas and so a similar setup is taken in the game's additional Mission Mode. Here, there are a series of set pieces designed for shorter play sessions, practice for the main game and also as a co-operative option for two players. Objectives like collect the fruit and defeat enemies are useful practice for the story campaign; and offer newer players the ability to learn the ropes without fear of being dominated by that ticking clock. It isn't quite as deep as those caves, yet does follow that line of thinking.

The multiplayer fare doesn't end there either, with an addictive "Bingo Mode" returning from Pikmin 2. Two players once again face off, split screen, in a bid to be the first to achieve a row of Pikmin bingo by hoarding enemies and collecting fruit. It sounds like a simple setup, but the inclusion of game-changing items makes it a highly competitive and enjoyable feature; perhaps more so than the co-operative missions.

It is a shame that Pikmin 3 keeps the gameplay experience strictly offline as the multiplayer aspects are thoroughly enjoyable. Nintendo have noted in the past that synchronisation issues, especially with up to 100 Pikmin out on the field at one time, are why the game has been designed for a local multiplayer experience in mind. However, there is the ability to take photos during the adventure and share these with the community on Miiverse - so there is community involvement, albeit a small one.