Pikmin 3 (+ Deluxe) Review: A Fruitful Experience

The Wii U was a mixed bag of an era for Nintendo. Without barely any third-party support, some generational titles did not appear, did not live up to expectations, and were packed with weird ideas. But when Nintendo shined in this era, I really mean they shined!! One of these shining examples is the long-awaited title (for its time), Pikmin 3. Nearly 10 years since Pikmin 2 launched for the Gamecube, missing the Wii era (if you don’t count the new play control rereleases). Pikmin 3 brought a new life back into the franchise by introducing new people to the series with this fruitful game. This game also got rereleased on the Nintendo Switch as Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which adds all the DLC for free, and a bonus story mode.

The story here, surprisingly, has been elevated beyond the first 2 games by showcasing a true danger. A planet called Kopai is on the brink of collapse due to a shortage of food supplies, mostly because the citizens don't know how to plan ahead. So a team of 3 explorers, a mechanic named Alph, a botanist named Brittany, and a Pilot named Captain Charlie, set off to find more fruit to help feed their people before they go extinct. Coincidentally, the world they found with the fruit they need is on PNF-404, the very same world that the first 2 games take place on. From there, the story becomes sort of predictable with their ship crashing and they need to find each other again, but shortly after, they discover that their Cosmic Key Drive (basically lets them jump into hyperspace) is missing. Their only hope is to find Olimar and ask for it back. They find Louie by mistake, and he causes problems (AGAIN), and they calm him down.

The gameplay has improved much since the Gamecube, 2 generations ago (3 if you’re playing on the Switch), which allows for a smoother transition. They even let you play as all 3 members of the crew, which allows you to divide tasks much easier than before. And thanks to the Kopad (which could be used on the Wii U Gamepad, or the Nintendo Switch in Handheld mode), it lets you plan ahead with the map installed. Let's not forget about the introductions of the 2 new Pikmin types. While the Purple and White Pikmin are absent in the game’s story (they can be found in the mission mode of the game), Pikmin 3 introduces you to the Rock Pikmin, which are hard as rocks and can shatter crystal walls, enemies, and they can’t be crushed. Joining them are the Winged Pikmin, who are able to fly above to attack flying enemies, move obstacles, and sometimes avoid certain obstacles and hazards when transporting objects back to base camp.

The environment has also been upgraded because the entire game is taking advantage of the longer development time and increased processing power of the Wii U, which the switch adapted perfectly with it’s Deluxe port. All 5 of these levels are completely brand new, each with its own unique boss fights based on the most recent Pikmin type you have acquired. One is a giant armored millipede in which you need the Rock Pikmin to shatter it’s shell, and another is a giant bat in which you need the Yellow Pikmin to illuminate the room to stun it. Besides the bosses, there are 66 pieces of fruit to acquire if you want the best ending. These fruits can range from raspberries, apples, bananas, star fruit, and even a gigantic watermelon (luckily you find it in chunks, so it’s easier to carry).

With these new lands, come new dangers to face along the way. New creatures include the whiptongue bulborb, which is just a bluborb with anteater qualities, and the Scornets, which are tiny bee-like creatures only the Winged Pikmin can challenge in the sky.

Similar to Pikmin 1, Pikmin 3 includes different endings based on how many fruits you recover before you need to return home with the Cosmic Key Drive. The worst ending is less than half the fruits, the bad ending is around half to 66% of the fruits, the good ending is all the fruits but no cosmic key drive, and the best (and canon) ending is for when you have all the fruits AND the cosmic key drive.

And if you’re done with story mode, there is always the option of checking out the mission modes. The Time trials test your Pikmin and time management skills to get the highest score within a set amount of time, whether it’s collecting treasures, defeating enemies, or defeating the 6 unique bosses found in the game’s story. There are even bonus stages found with the Wii U’s DLC, which are included in the Deluxe port on Nintendo Switch. 

​

9/10