Well, that's a Pikmin, Alph.
You know...the name on the box.
Of course, I can't blame you for not knowing.
It's been nine years since anybody's seen them.
I've heard some say it's because they blend in with their environment.
I've heard others say Nintendo underutilizes any franchise that doesn't have a plumber.
Hey, you say potato, I say Star Fox.
Whatever the case, they're back...popping up from the ground like multicolored popcorn.
And tiny leaf by tiny leaf, they're sprouting new life into Nintendo's barren platform.
They're the Pikmin, and they're a fitting reminder that, even in the darkest, deadest
places...there's always signs of life.
And even though they've been in hibernation for a decade, the Pikmin are still classic
Nintendo.
The charm, the personality, but most of all...because they take something as daunting as a strategy
game...and they turn it into this incredibly warm and welcoming experience.
Something that's easy to understand.
Something anyone can play.
It's, like...Nintendo's really good at hiding the medicine in the ice cream.
And they've never been more clever about it than with Pikmin.
So yes, Pikmin 3 is a strategy game.
It's also the first Pikmin game without Captain Olimar in a starring role.
This time, we meet three new explorers, brave travelers from a distant world where food
is scarce.
And hope scarcer yet.
Forced to search the universe for a good meal, they happen upon PNF-404...actually, they
crash upon it.
Fortunately, they discover an indigenous species that's willing to help them out—the Pikmin.
As well as other species that aren't as willing to help them out.
Now, the
foundation of Pikmin 3 is the same as its predecessors.
You control up to a hundred Pikmin at once, and it's really a game about delegation.
You can split them into three groups—each led by a different crew member—and you can
switch between them any time.
Multitasking is really important, but it can also be dangerous.
It's easy to lose track of your Pikmin, and if you don't get them back to the ship by
nightfall...
They get...eaten alive.
Because Mother Nature is a heartless wench.
Who's apparently very big on punctuality.
Actually, that's one of the most interesting things about Pikmin.
It's built on this really relaxed, kind of chill gameplay...but it creates a ton of pressure,
all because of the fear of deadlines.
And death.
It such an effective contrast, and it's really one of the game's defining elements.
Because there are so many variables, Pikmin's exploration has a real sense of danger, and
that makes it exciting.
There's always a risk.
And there's always a consequence.
Speaking of consequences, Pikmin 3 brings back some time limitations.
See, in the original Pikmin, you only had 30 in-game days to beat it.
In the sequel, there were no limitations.
This one combines the two approaches.
So you can take as long as you want, provided you have enough food to last.
Personally, I do prefer Pikmin 2's openness, but Pikmin 3 strikes a really satisfying balance.
And it gives your findings a real sense of importance.
So with the time limitations, as well as the addition of a third group...Pikmin 3 can definitely
feel a bit more hectic than the prior games.
I mean, you have those Pikmin harvesting berries, you have these ones attacking that thing...and
where were those other ones?
Obviously, staying on top of everything can be really challenging, but therein lies your
strategy.
If you're losing Pikmin you can't even see, you might need a new strategy.
You know what else you might need?!
A new Wii U game.
Pikmin 3 is a new Wii U game.
It's also a great Wii U game.
And it's a great Nintendo game.
With the problems they've been having, it's easy to forget...what else Nintendo has.
It's easy to forget the Nintendo magic, that little extra...something, that makes a good
Nintendo game so special.
And yeah, maybe it's a bad omen that a franchise from their least-successful console is returning
on the Wii U, but forget what the Wii U could be or doesn't have.
What it has is Pikmin 3.
And what Pikmin 3 has?
Is that little extra...something.