Compared to Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and even Metroid, the Pikmin series was never a huge success, but that hasn’t stopped Nintendo from developing new installments. And we’re glad, because the Pikmin series is full of wit, charm and originality. During the September 2022 Direct, Nintendo finally unveiled the next entry, aptly titled Pikmin 4.
This announcement came almost a decade after the previous entry and while we don’t know much about it, we’re excited for it to happen. The latest installment in the bizarre strategy series brings some new features, including a new type of Pikmin and an adorable companion dog. Positioned as the big Switch release in summer 2023, it has a chance to bring more attention to the series than ever before.
This is what you need to know about Pikmin 4.
Release date
While fans were hoping the game would be Nintendo’s big Christmas release in 2023, the sequel is coming a bit sooner. Pikmin 4 will release on July 21, 2023, making it the first major Switch exclusive to release in a post-Tears of the Kingdom world.
platforms
Pikmin is Nintendo’s own franchise, so don’t expect to play the new installment on PlayStation, Xbox, or any other platform. For now, Pikmin 4 is planned for the Nintendo Switch, but it could also come to whatever the company’s next console is, similar to the way that Pikmin 3 it launched on the Wii U and later came to the Nintendo Switch.
Trailer
He Pikmin 4 The reveal trailer was brief and didn’t give us much information other than a general look at its art and some environments. But we do know that the colorful images of him will return this time, just like his predecessors. However, its second trailer Direct would go much deeper.
That second clip introduces some of the sequel’s new features. Pikmin 4 will introduce a new type of Ice Pikmin that is capable of freezing water, giving all Pikmin safe passage. The biggest reveal though is that the game will feature an adorable dog-like sidekick who can help out Captain Olimar. In the trailer, we see him dragging an item back to Olimar’s ship all by himself, seemingly confirming that he has the power of 10 Pikmin. Elsewhere, we see him breaking through obstacles to open up new parts of the world. That aspect is a major starting point for the series and should set it apart from previous entries.
How to play
Pikmin’s gameplay combines real-time puzzle and strategy elements, often with time-based mechanics that require you to gather resources before the sun goes down. There is often a large setting to explore, with plenty of deadly creatures to fight, along with collectibles and fruit to consume. In it, you control one of the space travelers who can command the Pikmin around the stage. The stages of the game are usually varied and take place on different planets in the galaxy.
Each Pikmin has different functionality, such as the Rock Pikmin, which can be thrown at walls or structures to easily break them. You use these Pikmin to get through the levels, which eventually leads to a boss battle. There’s nothing quite like Pikmin as it effectively combines strategy, time management and clever puzzle aspects giving it an original identity. This entry will take that idea further by adding the aforementioned Ice Pikmin type and dog companion, both of which will add new twists to the puzzle strategy series.
Nintendo notes that you’ll be able to play from Pikmin’s perspective, which is a first for the series. Other Pikmin games feature a three-quarter isometric view, allowing you to see a lot on the screen at once. It’s unclear if this new perspective will be its own mode or if you’ll be able to toggle it, so we’ll have to wait and see what Nintendo has planned.
Make an order
Pikmin 4 is now available to pre-order at major retailers and on the Nintendo eShop. It will cost $60, unlike The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The game will also be eligible to purchase using Nintendo’s Switch Game Voucher system.
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