The Switch might be showing its age, but Nintendo still has exciting releases in store for the console/handheld hybrid. After a decade of teases and vague confirmations, Pikmin 4 ($59.99) is almost here. We played about an hour of the offbeat real-time strategy game at a preview event, and although we didn’t see everything that sets this entry apart from its predecessors, Pikmin 4 has the potential to deliver more strategic fun in exciting new ways.
Serene Strategy
Aside from spin-offs like Pikmin Bloom, the core Pikmin titles are real-time strategy games. Instead of playing a general who commands soldiers to defeat enemy armies, you play a tiny astronaut who plucks obedient plant-like creatures (Pikmin) from the ground. Combat helps your troops survive dangerous local predators, but the series is as much about collecting treasure and navigating the map as it is about warfare. Pikmin 4 explains this through the Japanese phrase “Dandori,” which roughly translates to “the art of efficient multitasking.”
Pikmin 4 will feel immediately familiar to Pikmin veterans, even with the developmental switch to the Unreal Engine. Strategy is an inherently tricky genre, especially on a console, but the game's combination of traditional buttons and a motion-control cursor feels as intuitive as in past titles. In fact, my Pikmin 3 Deluxe muscle memory instantly kicked in. Like Splatoon, Pikmin is pretty different from anything else in gaming, so the familiarity feels acceptable. Nintendo's representatives stressed that this entry should be an excellent jumping-on point. Pikmin’s charm has always been repacking overwhelming strategic gameplay in a far more approachable form.
With the closer camera angle, Pikmin 4’s adventures feel even more intimate in these richly detailed natural settings. During my trek, I used red Pikmin to cross fiery hazards, yellow Pikmin to disable electric walls, and the new ice Pikmin to freeze enemies. On the surface, you only have so much time to explore during the day, so you must plan accordingly to make the most of every minute. In Pikmin 4, you can reposition your base so Pikmin don’t have to travel as far to bring back resources, such as upgrades to increase the size of your squad. Be sure not to leave any allies alone at night or you will lose them. All Pikmin types will return in Pikmin 4.
Pikmin 4 has caves, a returning feature from Pikmin 2. In these mini-dungeons, time slows so you don’t need to worry about returning to your ship. Instead, you simply focus on overcoming even more challenging encounters. Between this and the new tower defense-style night missions (which I didn’t play in this demo), Pikmin 4 resurrects a bit of the franchise’s spookiness. These are Pikmin’s equivalents to the Depths and the Blood Moon in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Dog Gone
If Pikmin 4 is a strategy game, then Oatchi is a hero unit. This dog-like creature follows you around just like Pikmin but can perform its own special actions. Slam Oatchi into enemies to damage them, or into walls to knock items loose. Additionally, you can mount Oatchi to quickly ride across the map. Your overarching goal is to find other lost explorers on the planet, and Oatchi can pick up their scent to guide you.
Oatchi gains strength throughout the adventure, and you can customize his abilities using a skill tree. Give Oatchi a stronger bite, or buff him so he can carry ten Pikmin’s worth of cargo. Along with Oatchi, you can also upgrade your own character and customize its looks. In addition, you can spend collected resources on healing items or permanent upgrades (like the ability to withstand cold). Casually customizing your playstyle makes Pikmin 4 feel like even more of your own adventure, and I hope the full game expands on this.
Limited, But Fun, Multiplayer
Multiplayer matches also return. Pikmin 3 had Bingo Battles that tasked you with collecting the correct treasures to fill out a bingo card. Pikmin 4 has Dandori Battles, where the goal is to just collect and earn as many points as possible. The result is much more directly antagonistic, in a fun way, forcing you to compete for the same loot on the same map. As you chaotically scramble to gather as many items as possible, your opponent may activate traps that cause boulders to fall from the sky. I won a match by delivering a devastating bomb to an enemy base.
Unfortunately, Pikmin 4’s multiplayer action is limited to local split-screen contests. You still can’t play online, and you can’t even play with two Nintendo Switch consoles via local wireless connections. Multiplayer isn’t Pikmin 4's main draw, but it should reach its full potential. For robust, online multiplayer games on Nintendo Switch, check out Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Splatoon 3, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
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Pikmin has always been one of Nintendo’s most underappreciated franchises, but the Switch’s mega-popularity may finally help Shigeru Miyamoto’s pet project go from a gardening hobby to gaming’s A-list. We’ll find out when Pikmin 4 launches on July 21—check back then for a full review. You can also check out a demo starting June 28.
For more recommended Nintendo Switch titles, check out The Best Nintendo Switch Games and The Best Nintendo Switch Games for Kids. For in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag's Pop-Off YouTube channel. Eager to see the new titles on the horizon? Visit The Best Video Games Coming Out in 2023.