Pikmin 4: An exploratory masterpiece

To say that the Nintendo Switch is successful would be a very small understatement. From its incredible roster of IPs returning, brand new entries, and Wii U titles being ported to the Switch for a second life, needless to say, Nintendo has found its peak. One of these IPs that returned was Pikmin for its brand new entry in the series: Pikmin 4. Released on the Nintendo Switch last year, and quickly became the highest-selling game of the franchise.

The Story for Pikmin 4 is probably the most fleshed out of any game of the franchise, where it showcases a tale from Pikmin 1’s bad ending where Captain Olimar did NOT escape in time. But in some of his last moments, he sent out an SOS to the Rescue Corps, a group of brave explorers dedicated to rescuing lost people throughout the cosmos. But not even they are immune to PNF-404’s crash landing coincidence. Only your self-insert captain, Oatchi, and Captain Sheppard are at the crash site at first. Luckily for them, they found the Pikmin, so their journey to rescue not just Captain Olimar, but all the other crewmates and all the other castaways that snuck onto the planet for adventure, glory, treasure, and more, can commence at once. The Game’s split into two story arcs, the rescue of Captain Olimar and a second arc I can’t say because it’s a spoiler for the game’s first arc.

Once again, the gameplay for Pikmin 4 has been elevated from previous entries. While you can make your own character this time around, it’s all cosmetic and does not affect the gameplay at all, besides having the rest of your fellow Rescue Corpsmen match your suit’s color. While the captain remains unchanged, save for the bag of goodies you get early on, the biggest implementation is your brand new partner, the rescue pup Oatchi. Fast, strong, intelligent, and always on the case, Oatchi makes for an amazing companion for your Pikmin and for yourself. While he might start off weak, he learns new skills over time and becomes a lean mean rescuing machine, ready to take on any mission given to him. Besides Oatchi, the previous 7 types of Pikmin from the previous games make their return with 2 brand new variations of Pikmin. The Ice Pikmin can freeze water to help traverse across long bodies of water and can freeze your enemies while attacking them. The other type, the Glow Pikmin, can only be used in the caves and nighttime levels of the game. They're fast, floaty, and can survive EVERY single environmental obstacle in your way. Fire, Water, Electricity, poison, they can do it all. The only downside is that you can only collect more during the nighttime levels, and they can only be used there and in the underground levels of the game, so no light for these ghostly allies. There are some annoyances with controls, like the auto lock on, and you can’t easily fill the full carrying weight of the Pikmin’s haul is a bit annoying, but it does not distract from the overall amazing gameplay.

The Environment of the game, like all the other entries, is absolutely gorgeous. It features some of the largest maps of the game from various environments. From a field of cherry blossom trees to a sand castle on the beach, and even inside your own living room. 6 brand new worlds are up for exploring, with even a bonus hub world where you can upgrade your gear, buy new objects, or just relax after a long day’s work. Surprisingly, the fan-favorite cave system from Pikmin 2 returns to encourage players to explore below the levels and find even more treasure and lost crewmates. All but one of these caves are brand new to the franchise, but the one that returned from Pikmin 2 is sure to leave a mark on the players once more. With these large spaces, the developers have made it easy to move your ships in each area to one that best suits your needs whenever you want, which is a VERY smart design choice in the long run. Top it all off with some of the best music and sound design the franchise has ever seen, and you have created a Switch experience I believe everyone should play.

Overall, Pikmin 4 is a triumph on the Nintendo Switch on every single level. The Story is the best of its franchise, with a two-arc complete story. The gameplay is incredible with a few small hiccups that have not been changed yet with updates. The levels are fantastic to explore, both above and below ground. The audio of the game felt soothing with a few up beat battle tracks that make you want to win without any losses. Pair this up with the 3 rereleases on the Switch and you can experience this gigantic franchise starring Nintendo’s smallest allies. But on its own, it makes for an incredible stand-alone story and one of the best games of 2023. 

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10/10