Pikmin 3 Review (Wii U)

good
key review info
  • Game: Pikmin 3
  • Platform: Wii U
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Pikmin 3 review on Wii U

The Pikmin series was a surprise hit back in 2001 when it made its debut on the Nintendo GameCube but, seeing as how it came from the mind of Mario or Legend of Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto, it was bound to attract many longtime Nintendo fans.

Now, after a no-show on the regular Wii, the franchise is back with Pikmin 3 for the Wii U.

With the promise of three main protagonists, as opposed to just Olimar from the first two games, not to mention new Pikmin varieties, better gameplay, and integration of the Wii U GamePad, Pikmin 3 is looking set to be the definitive experience.

Does it deliver the goods or should the small Pikmin be abandoned on their home planet? Let's find out.

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Meet new heroes ...
... and new Pikmin

Pikmin 3 kicks off with the story of a new planet, Koppai, which has run out of food and sends crews of astronauts to search for new planets with resources. One such crew is formed by Captain Charlie, Alph, and Brittany, who uncover the planet of the Pikmin and name it PNF-404.

While trying to land, their spaceship crashes and they're flung in different directions. You first get to control Captain Charlie as he first interacts with the local Pikmin, small plant-like beings that have a fondness for being bossed around.

Afterwards, you get to control Alph and then Brittany as they search for Captain Charlie who mysteriously vanishes due to some evil entity. While on this quest to rescue him, the two astronauts uncover that Olimar, the hero from the past games, is also stuck on the planet and, coincidentally, has a component that will ensure the return to their home world.

What follows is a pretty interesting story but, unfortunately, the enjoyment is drastically cut short by the game's extremely restrictive day-and-night mechanic. You can only go on quests and travel the planet during the day, as the night is dark and full of terrors, so the astronauts and their Pikmin must retreat into outer space.

In real-world time, a day lasts about 10 to 15 minutes, which isn't nearly enough to do anything worthwhile except search the general vicinity of your ship for fruits, which are then turned into juice that's required for your survival. If you run out of juice, then you're forced to replay that current day and look for fruits to make sure you can continue progressing through the story.

While this whole mechanic adds a sense of urgency to the proceedings, it's extremely restrictive, ruins the fun, and stems any attempt to explore the world, which is quite rich with different things, from other creatures besides the Pikmin, to plants, or fruits.

What's more, controlling the Pikmin with the Wii U GamePad is clunky at best, as instead of taking advantage of the controller's touchscreen, you're forced to maneuver a cursor with one of the thumbsticks in order to choose targets or places where you want to throw the Pikmin.

While that may not be so bad, recalling the Pikmin is also done by moving the cursor to their area and blowing your whistle by pressing a button. This mechanic is extremely clunky and, when engaged in fights against bigger creatures, it becomes downright frustrating because you keep trying to get the Pikmin back into formation so that they can be thrown once more on the enemy to inflict damage.

The control system works much better if you have a Wii Remote and Nunchuck but, if you disposed of those things alongside the old Wii, then you're out of luck and stuck with the GamePad.

Speaking of Pikmin, there are returning varieties, such as the fire-resistance Red, the electricity-conductive Yellow, or the Blue ones that can swim. There are also two new categories, the Rock Pikmin that can smash through crystals, and the Flying ones that can, as you've probably guessed, fly.

They are handy in all sorts of situations and players can control up to 100 at once across big levels filled with puzzles and challenges. Players aren't restricted to just one astronaut, however, as they start with Alph but are soon joined by Brittany and, after a while, by the Captain, each having the ability to lead the Pikmin.

There is also a multiplayer experience built into Pikmin 3 called Bingo Battle, which sees each player receive a 4x4 card of items that they must retrieve from a level as soon as possible. Once a row of is completed, they are victorious. While this mode is pretty hectic, especially due to the control mechanics, it is pretty fun and will fuel fierce competitions.

In terms of visuals, Pikmin 3 looks pretty good, with lots of colors and huge worlds but, unfortunately, some textures are a bit disappointing, especially the ground ones that are a bit faded. The soundtrack is decent enough, but it won't blow you away and neither will the gibberish-based voice acting.

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Visit new environments ...
... and battle new enemies

Conclusion

Pikmin 3 could have delivered a bold strategy experience on the Wii U and finally make people buy the console but, unfortunately, it's a bit disappointing due to the clumsy GamePad controls and the restrictive day-and-night mechanic, which both ruin the whole experience.

This is a shame, as the puzzles are pretty smart, the enemies are well designed, and the world is quite impressive.

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story 8
gameplay 6
concept 8
graphics 8
audio 7
multiplayer 7
final rating 7
Editor's review
good
 
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