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Preview: Pikmin 3

Pikmin 3.

It’s been coming out for ages. I’m sure it’s the reason a lot of people bought the Wii U. It was supposed to launch alongside the new console, but was sadly delayed by six months. Fans of the original games were understandably upset. As the months went on and barely any games were released for Nintendo’s new system, everyone who bought a Wii U became increasingly incensed. Pikmin certainly isn’t Super Mario, Mario Kart, The Legend of Zelda or even Metroid (yet), but it is a fantastic IP that Nintendo have left on the shelf for far too long.

Pikmin 3 should have come out at launch. There’s no two ways about it. It’s a fantastic series and is well loved by fans, but it’s never hit the lofty heights reached but other Nintendo franchises. If it was released last November, early adopters would have picked it up in droves. At this point — almost a year later — I fear that it’s mostly going to be fans who buy it. The odd newbie might grab it out of curiosity (or desperation), but it just doesn’t have the mass market appeal to truly penetrate a large percentage of Wii U ownership.

Which is a crying shame because Pikmin 3 is fantastic. What’s more? It actually makes great use of the GamePad and shows off the power of the Wii U. If you own one, you owe it to yourself to get Pikmin 3.

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If you’ve played Pikmin or its sequel you’ll know what to expect. Gorgeous garden worlds, inhabited by all manner of strange and dangerous creatures. A stranded spaceman, hordes of Pikmin and a constant struggle to survive and move forward. For the uninitiated, Pikmin 3 is a real time strategy game.

Of sorts.

It’s also a puzzle and adventure game. The right combination of Pikmin will see you move swiftly through an area. Get it wrong though and you’ll have a struggle on your hands. In my short hands on during E3 I was introduced to some new Pikmin, new obstacles and new enemies. Everything was familiar, but it managed to feel fresh. That may be due to the nine year wait between releases.

I was given the Wiimote and Nunchuck control set-up for my demo and it worked quite well. If you’ve played the New Play Control: Pikmin games on Wii, then you know what to expect. Control of your character is handled by the analogue stick while aiming and camera controls are attached to the Wiimote. I couldn’t figure out whether I was using the pointer or motion controls, but in either case it works perfectly. The GamePad displays an incredibly handy map can also be used as the primary control if you prefer.  It can even be used as the primary screen for Off TV play while you use the Wiimote and Nunchuck.

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I quickly set about plucking Pikmin from the ground, gathering them up with my whistle and sending them out to collect the precious fruit we needed to survive. The classic Pikmin gameplay is intact. Collect Pikmin, throw enough of them onto an item to carry it, bring it back to your ship and repeat. What always made it interesting — and continues to in Pikmin 3 — was the devilish puzzles and resource management of your Pikmin.

Do you take all of your Red Pikmin (good for fighting and resisting fire) to tackle an enemy or do you mix them up with some Blue and Yellow ones? Do you have enough time in the day to collect that last piece of treasure/fruit? Can you afford to leave any Pikmin behind? I’m asking a lot of questions, but this is what Pikmin 3 asks of the player constantly. That’s the hook. I was introduced to the new Rock Pikmin who can smash through glass and crystal. They opened up a whole new level of strategy and puzzle solving. While the demo level I played was relatively simple, I can envision the game getting rather tricky later on. Pikmin 3 is classic Pikmin, it’s just got more. It’s a game for Nintendo, Pikmin and Wii U fans, but everyone else will find something to love as well.

Pikmin 3 will be available exclusively for Wii U on 27 July 2013.


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DeltaPhoenix08