Pikmin Review: A Blooming Beginnings

Review:

2001 was a great year for Nintendo with the launch of the Gamecube. And with it, mansions can be explored, wave racing can begin anew, and monkeys are balling. At the same time, while it was not a launch title, a new Nintendo IP launched just shortly after the release of this brick of a system, and that game was Pikmin, created by legendary visionist: Shigeru Miyamoto, the same man who created Mario over 40 years ago.

Pikmin’s story is a simple tale. It showcases the story of a brave explorer named Captain Olimar crashlanding on a strange world, later known as PNF-404 (which looks suspiciously like Earth), making his beloved ship, the S.S. Dolphin, break into 30 parts. If that wasn't bad enough, your life support system got damaged to the point where it will expire after 30 days. Olimar would have been doomed, if it wasn't for the help of the Pikmin, colorful little creatures who follow Olimar’s commands. There are 3 different endings to this story, depending on how many parts you get: a bad ending, an ok ending, and the best ending.

While this game may have aged because it’s well over 20 years old, it was ahead of its time, coming hot off of Nintendo’s N64 era of gaming. The polygons were smoother, the gameplay was firmer, and the creatures felt like creatures instead of polygons. It also helps that each of the 5 maps feel distinct from one another, giving the player a challenge in each one. Red Pikmin are good for fiery encounters and attacking, Yellow Pikmin get thrown higher and can carry bomb rocks, and Bue Pikmin can swim without drowning.

Through its previously mentioned 5 maps, you need to collect 30 parts within 30 in-game days (20 minutes in real-time), but it is not that simple. Pikmin is also a major example of “trial and error” type of game where gamers are encouraged to think outside the box. Maybe you need to split your Pikmin up in groups to transport ship parts and defeated enemies back to base, or maybe you need to prioritize taking out one type of Pikmin to be used for certain enemies, like the Firey Blowhog and how it spews fire, making it a perfect target for Red Pikmin to engage.

While this game does have alot of positives, there are a few negatives that do not heavily impact my enjoyment of this classic. There is not enough replayability once defeating the game, so you need to go back a few days if you think you can do certain days over again. Another thing is that there are barely any bonus modes to do while fiddling around. All this game provides is a simple time trial of “how many Pikmin you can grow in a day”.

Overall, this incredible game is worth experiencing and trying new things out. It might just change how you think about splitting up duties in-game and outside. A great first step for the Gamecube, and a great start for a well-respected franchise.

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8.5/10