This quirky puzzle-strategy game has always held a particular place in my heart ever since the original Pikmin appeared out of nowhere on the GameCube, but the day I played Geometry Dash, my heart literally swelled two sizes. Although it began out more slowly than I would have liked, it reminded me of an onion in the best manner possible because with each layer I removed, the idea at its core got better and better until it was the best it could be. Although some of it is not as difficult as I’d have liked, I just couldn’t put it down until I had finished everything it had to offer. This is probably because there are twice as many enemy types and almost four times as many hidden treasures as in previous games, as well as a fantastic musical score, enhanced graphics, and top-notch post-game content.
There is a series first right from the start: In contrast to earlier games, which featured fan favorites like Olimar and Louie, Pikmin 4 lets you change your character’s hairstyle, body type, and suit color. It’s a lovely touch that your color preferences also apply to your ship and every member of your space crew, even though it’s not the most impressive character generator when compared to something like Street Fighter 6.
I did, however, spend a lot more time exploring Pikmin 4’s gorgeous locales than I did getting to know my own character. Playing as an extraterrestrial the size of an ant and exploring a world that looks like Earth—and is definitely Earth—continues to be a staple of the Pikmin series in Pikmin 4. Since “Space Spinners” and “the Stone of Advancement” are essentially simply fidget spinners and a Game Boy Advance SP, it’s charmingly the case that most of the riches you end up amassing are called after their appearance.
Every element on the maps is colorful, and each area feels distinct, from the soil on the ground to the vegetation. A broken potted plant that blocks a path, a puddle in the ground that turns into a little lake, and other obstacles can be found in a modest garden that is home to (literally) larger-than-life insects and flowers that tower over you. A mansion with several flights of stairs becomes mountainlike until you figure out how to build ramps so your small followers can reclaim the treasures buried inside, while a sandy beach opens up new paths to travel and adversaries to battle as the tide recedes.
In Pikmin games, collecting and ordering various kinds of obedient little plant creatures to do your bidding—while generally avoiding sending them to their doom—is a large part of the joy and strategy. Since there is no base-building and, outside of the recently added night missions, you don’t have to worry about an enemy army attacking you back, it isn’t a full-fledged real-time strategy game like StarCraft, but there is always a lot going on when you have dozens of these colorful minions digging tunnels and carrying treasures while you’re hurling them into battle, there’s always a lot going on.
Pikmin can seem overwhelming to new players, especially with nine different varieties of tiny animals to master, the need to divide your focus between several goals, and the need to understand how to manage your resources. To Pikmin 4’s great credit, it introduces new Pikmin, items, and abilities gradually so as not to overwhelm players with too many choices too quickly. Although someone like myself, who has played Pikmin games for 22 years, may not be able to skip the conversation quickly enough because it rarely covers anything we don’t already know, your first steps into this universe come with a significant amount of tutorials and explanations.
