Let’s talk about space dogs, multiplayer, and upgrades in Pikmin 4!
Hello, sprouts and seedlings! In Part 1 of this series, we sowed some basic info about the Pikmin™ 4 game. Today’s installment will dig a little deeper—let’s keep growing with Part 2!
OK, who’s that adorable pup?!
Our last article talked about Pikmin, but now it’s time to meet Oatchi the Rescue Pup! Oatchi (pronounced Oat-chee) will be your un-fur-gettable companion during this adventure. Oatchi may start out petite, but eventually you and your reserve of Pikmin will be able to ride on top of him. They grow up so fast!
Oatchi isn’t just a loveable form of transportation, though. This furry friend can also dig up and drag treasure back to your ship, fight enemies, and smash through certain barriers. You’ll also be able to upgrade his skills—like training him to gather Pikmin for you! Who’s a good boy?
Speaking of upgrades, can you upgrade your gear?
Why yes, Oatchi isn’t the only one who gets to learn new tricks! Once you unlock the Lab, you can use raw materials that you find out on the field to improve your equipment. For example, you can manufacture gear that protects you against electricity or even unlock a drone to make scouting ahead a breeze.
Any advice for brand-new players?
Being a game about growing, guiding, and gathering resources to explore a planet, Pikmin 4 may be unlike any game you’ve played before. But don’t fret—every expert strategist starts somewhere!
If you haven’t played a Pikmin game before, we suggest:
Trying the free downloadable demo from Nintendo.com or Nintendo eShop on your device. The demo walks you through the basics and you’ll get a good feeling of what the game is all about by the end. Your save even transfers over if you buy the full game later.
Refining your strategies with the Rewind Time feature. As you’d expect, this feature is a powerful way to undo mistakes and learn how to avoid the same problems next time. There’s much less pressure to get things right the first time with this in your back pocket.
Practicing battling with the Piklopedia. Once you encounter a wild critter, they will be logged away in the Piklopedia. You’ll be able to practice fighting them without the risk of losing Pikmin.
And if you still need a helping hand …
Join up with a friend
That’s right, a second player can support your expedition! While exploring, your buddy can use the on-screen pointer to toss pebbles at enemies or throw out helpful items. They can also jump in and out of the game if they just want to play for a little bit (you can find the option by pressing the + Button). It’s great for players who want to help but don’t want to be fully in control.
In addition to that option, Dandori Battle is a separate mode from Story Mode and it’s a battle of efficiency. In this mode, you’ll be able to take on (or team up with) a second player to collect the most items before time runs out.
Great! (What does Dandori mean again?)
So, “Dandori” isn’t just a video game thing. In real, human life, dandori is a practice centered around planning things out in advance and working efficiently (fun fact: dandori is a Japanese word). That idea is present throughout Pikmin—in fact, you’ll even come across Dandori Challenges in the Story Mode where you’re challenged to be as efficient as possible while under a time limit.
OK, that was a lot to get through, and we hope it helped! If you’re curious about the game, you can buy Pikmin 4 or download the demo using the link below.
Happy gaming, everyone!