Pikmin 4 REVIEW (Nintendo Switch)

Pikmin 4 is finally here, even though no one thought it would happen. The fourth installment of this beloved series introduces the most drastic changes of any Pikmin game to date, with a redesigned gameplay, areas, and more. However, does this grow we love about Pikmin or does it wither from the experience? Well, here’s my thoughts. Some information on areas and other details will be discussed, but no important details or heavy spoilers will be discussed. With that, let’s blossom into my Pikmin 4 review. (Sorry for the plant puns but it’s too hard to weed them out)

When it comes to gameplay, Pikmin 4 plays mostly the same as past games. You’re a captain and can attack enemies by throwing different types of Pikmin at them. Each Pikmin has their own abilities and disadvantages. However, some new features make this usual Pikmin gameplay unique, including camera angles, strategic-based gameplay, and Oatchi (who we’ll talk about later). Unlike giving a top-down view of the characters, the camera now is focused closer to the ground, showing the sky and other naturistic details more close-up. Though there is still a gauge showing the time of day, it is neat to see the sky get brighter and darker as the day continues.

When it comes to gameplay itself, you’ll use Pikmin to ward off enemies each day, as well as collecting more items and dead creatures. This can get transported in the onion, the Pikmin base/mode of transportation, and can grow more Pikmin. Other items, which sparkle, are known as treasures and grant you different numbers of Sparklium depending on the size of the item. Sparklium is then used to power the S.S. Shepard to move from area to area to find the missing rescue officers, citizens, and Captain Olimar. It all works very well, and leads to more strategy in how you play.

In comparison to past games, the different areas you’ll explore throughout Pikmin 4 are more open and exploratory than ever before. Plus, each world is even more urban than ever before with areas looking like backyards, community parks, beaches, houses, and more. Because of the task being to collect items to collect Sparklium and grow new Pikmin, you can go on one side of the area one day, then another side the next day to find enough of the items you’ll need to continue. This is very fun to do, as it gives you more freedom as you play, letting you have more of a choice each day compared to past games.

Every area also has caves, which are multi-sublevels sections underground. Each of these caves are made up of sublevels, and are structured like mazes, with several paths, bridges, enemies, and treasures. Once you find the next sewer grate, you can continue on to the next sublevel until the final one where a fan will blow you back to the surface. I really enjoyed these sections, finding them to be fun to explore, along with being interesting by strategizing what items to go for at what times.

What’s also interesting is how when you are in these sections, only the S.S. Beagle follows; not the Onion, meaning you can’t switch out Pikmin during your underground expeditions. However, unlike the surface, you can hold as many Pikmin as you want if you find sprouts around the sublevels, which can prove to be very helpful. Plus, you can take as long as you need to complete these caves since time doesn’t follow, which is great.

Pikmin 4 introduces two new types of Pikmin: Glow Pikmin and Ice Pikmin. Glow Pikmin are Pikmin that only come out at night (which we’ll get to later). They look like bright green ghosts, and are immune to all the hazards you’ll come across. Then there’s Ice Pikmin, which look like icy versions of Rock Pikmin. Ice Pikmin can freeze enemies and, if there are enough, they can freeze bodies of water. I constantly found myself deploying Ice Pikmin in combat so they could freeze enemies before I rushed into them with Oatchi. And yes, Oatchi, who is one of the most fun additions in Pikmin 4. The rescue officers’ dog Oatchi is used more like a companion to your captain.

You can ride Oatchi with all of your Pikmin, use it to pull heavier items, rush into enemies (along with other power abilities), and later in the game, you can use him to ride across water without getting your squad of Pikmin wet. Oatchi is a huge help, and is overall just super fun to use. At base, Oatchi can be trained to power up in several skills, which makes him stronger, faster, and more assistful in many ways. He’s just an incredibly fun addition to Pikmin 4.

There’s a lot of other new and improved stuff in Pikmin 4 that makes the game an amazing upgrade from past games. For the first time in Pikmin series history, you can explore at night, adding even more strategy to the gameplay. Exploring at night is where you’ll find Glow Pikmin, which you’ll need to protect from the wild creatures that roam the night in search of Lumiknolls, which contain a valuable substance called Glow Sap.

This tower-defense gameplay is really intriguing to play, as it involves even more strategy as you have to stop the creatures that the night transforms into wilder habitants across the areas. Night expeditions are not required to be played, but playing does grant you Glow Seeds, which can cure the leaflings that have taken several rescue officers and civilians and turned them into leafy creatures. Speaking of leaflings, the only way to rescue these castaways is by beating the leaflings in Dandori Battles.

These battles involve you collecting Pikmin to collect the most sparklium with taking creatures and treasures all around a special sublevel. Whoever (between you or the leafling) collects the most sparklium in the time given wins. These are fun, strategic ways to find castaways throughout the game.

You can even do separate matches in Dandori Battles outside of Story Mode with multiple players, which is a fun side mode. One other thing is the treasure, which some treasures are pretty neat. From Game Boys and GameCube discs to day-to-day human items, it’s pretty fun to find these random items (and read their wacky names)

Pikmin 4 is breathtaking. The graphical upgrades from Pikmin 3 are simply astounding, making the world more vibrant and more alive. Every plant in the background sways with the breeze, insects fly seamlessly through the air, and the ground textures look super amazing. The attention to detail and care that went into everything in each world is amazing, and Pikmin 4 is easily one of the best-looking Switch games to date. It just makes it more fun to play.

Overall, I loved Pikmin 4. The game redefined what the series could be with new gameplay, new Pikmin and helpful characters, and so much more. Pikmin 4 gets a 4.8/6 on the Ryan Meter. 

What’s your favorite Pikmin game? Let me know in the comments.

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