Pikmin 3 Deluxe Is A Great Introduction To The Franchise For New Players
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VOICE OVER: Ty Richardson
WRITTEN BY: Ty Richardson
If you slept on the Pikmin franchise and never played 2013's Pikmin 3, this might be the perfect time to get acquainted with the franchise. Much like earlier games in the series, Pikmin 3 Deluxe sees you explore different environments while plucking Pikmin from the ground, throwing Pikmin to fend off hostile beasts, or tossing them at objects to bring back to your ship.
Script written by Ty Richardson
Even before the industry exploded to the point where dozens upon dozens of games launched on a daily basis, as a kid, I had a hard time keeping up with games I desperately wanted to play. One such franchise I slept on was “Pikmin”. The first two games were one of the few GameCube titles that flew under my radar within the console’s library, and as for “Pikmin 3”, well...I wasn’t about to spend my hard-earned cash on a Wii U while I was in college. Although, my roommate has reinvigorated my interest in “Pikmin” this year given how much of a fan he was. But could the new, enhanced version of “Pikmin 3” awaken the die-hard fan inside of me? How many Bulborbs will be a part of my downfall? How many times can I say “Pikmin” before the end of the video?
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the internet! My name is Ty with MojoPlays, and this is my review of “Pikmin 3 Deluxe”.
Before we proceed with the review, I want to make things perfectly clear - I am merely a casual “Pikmin” fan. I know about the characters (partially thanks to “Smash Bros.”), a few of the creatures, what each type of Pikmin can do, the plot of the first two games, etc. As far as playing “Pikmin” goes, I only ever got to experience a few hours of the first game before having to give my friend his copy back. Of course, if you have any questions or comments about the review, be sure to leave them in the comments below so I may answer them in a recap video!
In case you never got to play “Pikmin 3” when it launched in 2013, the game follows a trio of astronauts - botanist Brittany, engineer Alph, and their captain, Charlie. Due to a severe overpopulation issue, their home planet, Koppai, is facing global starvation. And so, the trio must venture out to find food for their people, which leads them to PNF-404 - the “Pikmin” planet. Unfortunately, their ship malfunctions and winds up launching all three explorers into different areas. Will the Pikmin aid them in reuniting? Will Koppai be wiped out by world hunger? Do Olimar and Louie have anything to do with this? (Personally, I’m more inclined to believe Louie caused all this - the dude’s stomach is an empty void!)
Much like the earlier “Pikmin” games, you’ll explore different environments while plucking Pikmin from the ground, throwing Pikmin to fend off hostile beasts, or tossing them at objects to bring back to your ship. The only difference this time is that there are a handful of new monsters to fight, some that may be more vicious than previous bosses. You’ll also encounter two new types of Pikmin - Rock Pikmin, which can be used to shatter crystals and lay the smackdown on enemies, and Winged Pikmin, which can use psychic powers to shatter your enemy’s minds before sending them into the stratosphere. ...Okay, they actually fly and can attack aerial enemies easier, but I wish it was my idea. Maybe Nintendo will put that in “Pikmin 4”?
As someone who has never had the chance to really sit down and spend the weekend playing a “Pikmin” game, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The lighthearted music, vibrant environments, and overall tone put me in a zen-like state. Really, it was a somewhat relaxing time, which was a nice change of pace for me, a player who is more into platformers, fighting games, and racing games - all of which can be mentally taxing.
If there was any tension, it originated from the boss fights. On more than a few occasions would I wander into a seemingly open area only to be ambushed by a large creature like a Shaggy Long Legs. These moments, while a little less frequent than I desired them to be, sparks a sense of adventure. It keeps the experience from getting stale between scouring the region for food and creating more Pikmin from your enemies’ carcasses. Additionally, they add a new layer to PNF-404’s world in terms of their anatomy and behavior. Does it get as deep and believable as “Monster Hunter”, a game known for animating its creatures in realistic ways? To say so might be a little far fetched, but “Pikmin 3” still manages to incorporate this level of believability.
When it comes to what the “Pikmin” franchise does best, however, the first thing that comes to mind is the visual fidelity. Ever since the original 2001 game, “Pikmin” has excelled in creating detailed environments. What’s even more impressive is the overall layout of each world. While the game does offer a mini-map as well as a full-sized one, very rarely did I feel the need to reference it. I was able to find my way around very easily thanks to how unique each area was in terms of features and different landmarks. Many games with an open world (or many non-linear levels like “Pikmin’s”) forget to give the player a sense of place in exchange for scope. So, being able to enjoy the game’s world and not have to constantly bring up a menu was a pleasant breath of fresh air.
But the question remains - what makes “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” any different than the original version? Well, there’s a handful of goodies that beef up the package a tiny bit. For starters, “Deluxe” does come with all DLC previously released, those adding to the game’s Mission modes. Multiplayer is now available for not just the side modes, but also the campaign. Surprisingly, the multiplayer is somewhat tolerable when both players have a single Joy-Con. You do sacrifice a little bit of control over the camera, but it rarely gets in the way.
What is arguably the biggest addition, though, is the side campaign where you can control Olimar and Louie and witness what happened to them before Alph, Brittany, and Charlie’s arrival. You’ll initially unlock a few missions (known as Olimar’s Assignments) at some point in the story, but you won’t get to spend more time with them until after you finish the main story and unlock Olimar’s Comeback. While I did enjoy seeing Olimar’s frustration with Louie’s dumb behavior in these additional missions, it feels a little lackluster overall as it cycles through the same generic objectives - defeat a bunch of enemies, gather a bunch of Pikmin, or collect a bunch of fruit and treasure. That’s really all there is to it. Sure, it adds a bit to the story and gives us an excuse to see Olimar again, but it doesn’t really do anything exciting.
The other gripe I had with “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” didn’t come until the very end of the game, and in case you’re someone who cares about spoilers, don’t worry - we aren’t showing anything beyond the first couple of hours. I will tell you this, however - the final level made me want to eat my hand. The last level is an escort mission where you have an invincible enemy chasing you throughout the map, and you have to finish the escort AND the boss fight under the same time limit. My “Pikmin” expert of a roommate watched me endure this, and even he said the final cave in “Pikmin 2”, which is notorious in the franchise for its brutal nature, was more fair than this.
Although, despite my problems with the last mission and disappointment of the Olimar and Louie missions, I can’t say I didn’t have fun with “Pikmin 3 Deluxe”. It was a wonderful opportunity to finally start digging into the franchise, and even after all my frustration at the end, there’s a part of me that wants to experience it again under a harder difficulty. The boss fights were thrilling, the story had me genuinely laughing from its witty humor, and the environments were magnificent in visuals and design. Still, I can’t help but question why Nintendo wants to charge sixty dollars for what is essentially a “Game of the Year” edition of a near-decade-old game. Yes, it’s a great game, but I feel the price can only be justifiable depending on your personal interest in the franchise. As I mentioned earlier, “Pikmin” was always a franchise I never had the opportunity of experiencing at my own leisure, only through a friend’s copy of which I was only able to borrow for less than a week. So, for me, this was a case of “better late than never”! I thoroughly enjoyed “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” and believe this would be an excellent introduction for anyone curious about the franchise. And thanks to this game, I’m actually looking forward to streaming the first two games...even if they are as brutal as my roommate says they are.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe Review
Even before the industry exploded to the point where dozens upon dozens of games launched on a daily basis, as a kid, I had a hard time keeping up with games I desperately wanted to play. One such franchise I slept on was “Pikmin”. The first two games were one of the few GameCube titles that flew under my radar within the console’s library, and as for “Pikmin 3”, well...I wasn’t about to spend my hard-earned cash on a Wii U while I was in college. Although, my roommate has reinvigorated my interest in “Pikmin” this year given how much of a fan he was. But could the new, enhanced version of “Pikmin 3” awaken the die-hard fan inside of me? How many Bulborbs will be a part of my downfall? How many times can I say “Pikmin” before the end of the video?
Greetings, ladies and gentlemen of the internet! My name is Ty with MojoPlays, and this is my review of “Pikmin 3 Deluxe”.
Before we proceed with the review, I want to make things perfectly clear - I am merely a casual “Pikmin” fan. I know about the characters (partially thanks to “Smash Bros.”), a few of the creatures, what each type of Pikmin can do, the plot of the first two games, etc. As far as playing “Pikmin” goes, I only ever got to experience a few hours of the first game before having to give my friend his copy back. Of course, if you have any questions or comments about the review, be sure to leave them in the comments below so I may answer them in a recap video!
In case you never got to play “Pikmin 3” when it launched in 2013, the game follows a trio of astronauts - botanist Brittany, engineer Alph, and their captain, Charlie. Due to a severe overpopulation issue, their home planet, Koppai, is facing global starvation. And so, the trio must venture out to find food for their people, which leads them to PNF-404 - the “Pikmin” planet. Unfortunately, their ship malfunctions and winds up launching all three explorers into different areas. Will the Pikmin aid them in reuniting? Will Koppai be wiped out by world hunger? Do Olimar and Louie have anything to do with this? (Personally, I’m more inclined to believe Louie caused all this - the dude’s stomach is an empty void!)
Much like the earlier “Pikmin” games, you’ll explore different environments while plucking Pikmin from the ground, throwing Pikmin to fend off hostile beasts, or tossing them at objects to bring back to your ship. The only difference this time is that there are a handful of new monsters to fight, some that may be more vicious than previous bosses. You’ll also encounter two new types of Pikmin - Rock Pikmin, which can be used to shatter crystals and lay the smackdown on enemies, and Winged Pikmin, which can use psychic powers to shatter your enemy’s minds before sending them into the stratosphere. ...Okay, they actually fly and can attack aerial enemies easier, but I wish it was my idea. Maybe Nintendo will put that in “Pikmin 4”?
As someone who has never had the chance to really sit down and spend the weekend playing a “Pikmin” game, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. The lighthearted music, vibrant environments, and overall tone put me in a zen-like state. Really, it was a somewhat relaxing time, which was a nice change of pace for me, a player who is more into platformers, fighting games, and racing games - all of which can be mentally taxing.
If there was any tension, it originated from the boss fights. On more than a few occasions would I wander into a seemingly open area only to be ambushed by a large creature like a Shaggy Long Legs. These moments, while a little less frequent than I desired them to be, sparks a sense of adventure. It keeps the experience from getting stale between scouring the region for food and creating more Pikmin from your enemies’ carcasses. Additionally, they add a new layer to PNF-404’s world in terms of their anatomy and behavior. Does it get as deep and believable as “Monster Hunter”, a game known for animating its creatures in realistic ways? To say so might be a little far fetched, but “Pikmin 3” still manages to incorporate this level of believability.
When it comes to what the “Pikmin” franchise does best, however, the first thing that comes to mind is the visual fidelity. Ever since the original 2001 game, “Pikmin” has excelled in creating detailed environments. What’s even more impressive is the overall layout of each world. While the game does offer a mini-map as well as a full-sized one, very rarely did I feel the need to reference it. I was able to find my way around very easily thanks to how unique each area was in terms of features and different landmarks. Many games with an open world (or many non-linear levels like “Pikmin’s”) forget to give the player a sense of place in exchange for scope. So, being able to enjoy the game’s world and not have to constantly bring up a menu was a pleasant breath of fresh air.
But the question remains - what makes “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” any different than the original version? Well, there’s a handful of goodies that beef up the package a tiny bit. For starters, “Deluxe” does come with all DLC previously released, those adding to the game’s Mission modes. Multiplayer is now available for not just the side modes, but also the campaign. Surprisingly, the multiplayer is somewhat tolerable when both players have a single Joy-Con. You do sacrifice a little bit of control over the camera, but it rarely gets in the way.
What is arguably the biggest addition, though, is the side campaign where you can control Olimar and Louie and witness what happened to them before Alph, Brittany, and Charlie’s arrival. You’ll initially unlock a few missions (known as Olimar’s Assignments) at some point in the story, but you won’t get to spend more time with them until after you finish the main story and unlock Olimar’s Comeback. While I did enjoy seeing Olimar’s frustration with Louie’s dumb behavior in these additional missions, it feels a little lackluster overall as it cycles through the same generic objectives - defeat a bunch of enemies, gather a bunch of Pikmin, or collect a bunch of fruit and treasure. That’s really all there is to it. Sure, it adds a bit to the story and gives us an excuse to see Olimar again, but it doesn’t really do anything exciting.
The other gripe I had with “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” didn’t come until the very end of the game, and in case you’re someone who cares about spoilers, don’t worry - we aren’t showing anything beyond the first couple of hours. I will tell you this, however - the final level made me want to eat my hand. The last level is an escort mission where you have an invincible enemy chasing you throughout the map, and you have to finish the escort AND the boss fight under the same time limit. My “Pikmin” expert of a roommate watched me endure this, and even he said the final cave in “Pikmin 2”, which is notorious in the franchise for its brutal nature, was more fair than this.
Although, despite my problems with the last mission and disappointment of the Olimar and Louie missions, I can’t say I didn’t have fun with “Pikmin 3 Deluxe”. It was a wonderful opportunity to finally start digging into the franchise, and even after all my frustration at the end, there’s a part of me that wants to experience it again under a harder difficulty. The boss fights were thrilling, the story had me genuinely laughing from its witty humor, and the environments were magnificent in visuals and design. Still, I can’t help but question why Nintendo wants to charge sixty dollars for what is essentially a “Game of the Year” edition of a near-decade-old game. Yes, it’s a great game, but I feel the price can only be justifiable depending on your personal interest in the franchise. As I mentioned earlier, “Pikmin” was always a franchise I never had the opportunity of experiencing at my own leisure, only through a friend’s copy of which I was only able to borrow for less than a week. So, for me, this was a case of “better late than never”! I thoroughly enjoyed “Pikmin 3 Deluxe” and believe this would be an excellent introduction for anyone curious about the franchise. And thanks to this game, I’m actually looking forward to streaming the first two games...even if they are as brutal as my roommate says they are.
