- Platform: Wii U
- Developer: Nintendo
- Genre: Mass-Action Strategy
- Players: 1-2
- File Size: 3.85 GB
- Price: £39.99 | $59.99
- Launch Date: July 13 (Japan) | July 26 (Europe) | August 4 (US)
Is this real life?
After nine years of waiting, Pikmin 3 is finally upon us! The tiny critters were thrown from the Gamecube to the Wii U, skipping over the little Wii console, Pikmin 3’s original platform. The plus? The Pikmin are in HD. Which means? Extra cuteness.
Story
The planet of Koppai is in a dire situation. Its people are running out of food! Starvation is imminent. The future of this planet is placed on the shoulders of three space captains, Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. Their objective: to find food and bring back what they can for harvesting. Fortunately, they crash-land on PNF-404, the planet of the Pikmin, where they find an abundance of gigantic fruit. It turns out that they can only retrieve the fruit with the help of the Pikminwhom they enslave, I mean, who gladly help these alien visitors.
Characters
From left to right:
The Captains (Brittany, Alph, and Charlie) | They control the Pikmin. Alph admires Charlie, Brittany likes to eat a lot, and Charlie seems fond of Brittany.
Red Pikmin | Resistant to fire. Powerful attackers; maybe its their dagger-like noses.
Yellow Pikmin | Conductive and resistant to electricity. Can be thrown high; maybe it's because of those big ole aerodynamic ears.
Blue Pikmin | Resistant to drowning. They have gills.
Reggie Purple Pikmin | Heavy and muscular. They have the power of 10 Pikmin! (Note: These Pikmin do not appear in Story Mode.)
White Pikmin | Quick. These little boogers will outrun other Pikmin. White Pikmin can detect hidden objects and are resistant to poison. Also, sacrifice one to poison an enemy (;_
. (Note: These Pikmin do not appear in Story Mode.)
(NEW!)Rock Pikmin | It's like throwing a rock, basically. They can break hard materials like glass, crystals, and exoskeletons. They can also withstand being crushed.
(NEW!)Winged Pikmin | They can fly! Able to carry and lift objects above land and water, and they attack from above.
After nine years of waiting, Pikmin 3 is finally upon us! The tiny critters were thrown from the Gamecube to the Wii U, skipping over the little Wii console, Pikmin 3’s original platform. The plus? The Pikmin are in HD. Which means? Extra cuteness.
Story
The planet of Koppai is in a dire situation. Its people are running out of food! Starvation is imminent. The future of this planet is placed on the shoulders of three space captains, Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. Their objective: to find food and bring back what they can for harvesting. Fortunately, they crash-land on PNF-404, the planet of the Pikmin, where they find an abundance of gigantic fruit. It turns out that they can only retrieve the fruit with the help of the Pikmin
Characters
From left to right:
The Captains (Brittany, Alph, and Charlie) | They control the Pikmin. Alph admires Charlie, Brittany likes to eat a lot, and Charlie seems fond of Brittany.
Red Pikmin | Resistant to fire. Powerful attackers; maybe its their dagger-like noses.
Yellow Pikmin | Conductive and resistant to electricity. Can be thrown high; maybe it's because of those big ole aerodynamic ears.
Blue Pikmin | Resistant to drowning. They have gills.
White Pikmin | Quick. These little boogers will outrun other Pikmin. White Pikmin can detect hidden objects and are resistant to poison. Also, sacrifice one to poison an enemy (;_
. (Note: These Pikmin do not appear in Story Mode.)(NEW!)Rock Pikmin | It's like throwing a rock, basically. They can break hard materials like glass, crystals, and exoskeletons. They can also withstand being crushed.
(NEW!)Winged Pikmin | They can fly! Able to carry and lift objects above land and water, and they attack from above.
Modes
The game offers three modes to choose from at the start.
Worldwide leaderboards will be available for both Story Mode and Mission Mode.
Mission Mode and Bingo Battle Mode are illustrated below.
Story Mode | 1 Player | The main single-player "campaign" mode. Play through the story of the Koppai captains.
Mission Mode | 1-2 Players | Choose from a list of missions that require you to complete a certain objective like battling enemies, collecting fruit, or defeating a boss within a 7 to 10 minute time limit. Co-op is available for all challenges. You are scored at the end for your efficiency.
Bingo Battle Mode | 2 Players | In this multiplayer mode, two players each have a 4x4 bingo card and must complete a row by collecting the objects on them. The two players are set in one area and have the ability to interfere with each others progress and Pikmin. The two players also have a roulette wheel that gives them items.
KopPad
The KopPad, or GamePad, has many handy features. Here are a few.
Map | A visual diagram of the areas sections that you have visited. Scroll through it, and use it to easily command groups.
Fruit | An inventory can be displayed of the fruits that you have collected and information about them.
Camera | Pikmin 3 has a new camera feature that allows you to take a photo from the perspective of the captains. You can then post these on MiiVerse.
MiiVerse
Pikmin 3's community on MiiVerse will allow for you to post pictures that you have taken with the KopPad. Share some of those gruesome Pikmin slayage scenes, or post some beautiful nature shots.
The game offers three modes to choose from at the start.
Worldwide leaderboards will be available for both Story Mode and Mission Mode.
Mission Mode and Bingo Battle Mode are illustrated below.
Story Mode | 1 Player | The main single-player "campaign" mode. Play through the story of the Koppai captains.
Mission Mode | 1-2 Players | Choose from a list of missions that require you to complete a certain objective like battling enemies, collecting fruit, or defeating a boss within a 7 to 10 minute time limit. Co-op is available for all challenges. You are scored at the end for your efficiency.
Bingo Battle Mode | 2 Players | In this multiplayer mode, two players each have a 4x4 bingo card and must complete a row by collecting the objects on them. The two players are set in one area and have the ability to interfere with each others progress and Pikmin. The two players also have a roulette wheel that gives them items.
KopPad
The KopPad, or GamePad, has many handy features. Here are a few.
Map | A visual diagram of the areas sections that you have visited. Scroll through it, and use it to easily command groups.
Fruit | An inventory can be displayed of the fruits that you have collected and information about them.
Camera | Pikmin 3 has a new camera feature that allows you to take a photo from the perspective of the captains. You can then post these on MiiVerse.
MiiVerse
Pikmin 3's community on MiiVerse will allow for you to post pictures that you have taken with the KopPad. Share some of those gruesome Pikmin slayage scenes, or post some beautiful nature shots.
Basics
Who am I? The game revolves around the mission of the three captains, collecting fruit. You, the player, will have control over Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. There are now three captains to control independently compared to one (Olimar) in the first Pikmin game and two (Olimar +Louie) in Pikmin 2. This allows for more varied strategies when traversing an area or dividing work. Work that is basically to be done by the Pikmin, of course.
What can I do? The captains control these hordes of plant-animal-hybrid ant-like creatures. Use them to remove obstacles like walls or other animals that are in the way of your treasured fruit (and then use them to carry said fruit to your spaceship).
What am I supposed to do? Usually, your objective will be to retrieve fruits back to your spaceship, S.S. Drake, or a Koppai space probe called SPERO for storage. The Pikmin can take dead animals or flower pellets to their Onion (just one Onion this time) to multiply. You can stand under the Onion to take out Pikmin and put them back (which you should do to all of them before sunset, or else).
How do I keep playing? The fruit that is collected by the groups spaceship will be extracted for juice and seeds. The juice is important because the captains must drink it in order to survive. To continue advancing in the game, you must always have enough juice for the captains.
Is there still time limits in the main Story Mode? As in the previous Pikmin titles, there is a time limit for each day played in the game that is governed by the game's daylight. The Pikmin can't survive in the dark! Pikmin 3 does not have the 30-day limit of Pikmin 1, though. As long as you have juice, you will have 100 in-game days to play. Plenty of time to play at your own pace.
What's new? Another addition to the game is the carrying over of boss damage to the next day. You can start battling an enemy one day and it will retain its damage for the next day so that you can continue your battle. Items will also remain in the same place, as in previous Pikmin games. Pikmin still get eaten at night, too!
Is there more new stuff? You may be wondering how Pikmin 3's gameplay has benefitted from the Wii U's power. The Pikmin can now latch on to more specific body parts, like the eye of a Bulborb. Bosses are larger. Environments are much bigger. Objects like bridges and walls and the process of building and knocking them down are much more detailed as well.
I want more new stuff! The captains also have a new rolling move that will be useful when avoiding attacks. The ability to take pictures with the KopPad is new too!
kthnxba- WAIT! There are a few things to acknowledge. One is that Purple and White Pikmin are not in the story mode. All other Pikmin are. Second, the swarming (C-move) in other Pikmin games is gone (replaced by the lock-on). Yes, a bummer, but we must deal.
Controls
There are several control-options for this game. The following is a gif of some of the options and below is my attempt at explanations. ¡Hey, listen! If you don't have a Wii Remote Plus you will still be able to use the standard Wii Remote. The Wii Classic Controller is not supported.
TV + GamePad | The main action occurs on the TV. The GamePad (refferred to as KopPad in the game) will display a detailed map of the area that will show the whereabouts of the captains and Pikmin. Captain groups can be commanded to a specific spot by a few taps on the map. If you wish to scan the whole area, simply slide across the map and the game will pause as you review the area for strategies. The basic GamePad controls will work similarly to the Gamecube controls.
TV + Wii Remote + Nunchuk + GamePad | Miyamoto's preferred controls. Simply point at the television to aim at objects and throw the Pikmin. If you played the Wii ports, then you will already have a feel for these controls. However, something new is the ability to lock on to intractable objects with Z which will allow for Pikmin to be maneuvered directly to them. The GamePad will be optional. It will again have a display of the map.
TV + Pro Controller + GamePad | This will basically work like the Gamecube controls of the first two Pikmin games. The GamePad is optional.
GamePad | The Wii U's off-screen option will be available for Pikmin 3. Sit on your toilet and kill Bulborbs.
GamePad + Wii Remote + Nunchuk | You can also play on the GamePad using the Wii Remote controls. So many options! I'm dizzy.
Who am I? The game revolves around the mission of the three captains, collecting fruit. You, the player, will have control over Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. There are now three captains to control independently compared to one (Olimar) in the first Pikmin game and two (Olimar +Louie) in Pikmin 2. This allows for more varied strategies when traversing an area or dividing work. Work that is basically to be done by the Pikmin, of course.
What can I do? The captains control these hordes of plant-animal-hybrid ant-like creatures. Use them to remove obstacles like walls or other animals that are in the way of your treasured fruit (and then use them to carry said fruit to your spaceship).
What am I supposed to do? Usually, your objective will be to retrieve fruits back to your spaceship, S.S. Drake, or a Koppai space probe called SPERO for storage. The Pikmin can take dead animals or flower pellets to their Onion (just one Onion this time) to multiply. You can stand under the Onion to take out Pikmin and put them back (which you should do to all of them before sunset, or else).
How do I keep playing? The fruit that is collected by the groups spaceship will be extracted for juice and seeds. The juice is important because the captains must drink it in order to survive. To continue advancing in the game, you must always have enough juice for the captains.
Is there still time limits in the main Story Mode? As in the previous Pikmin titles, there is a time limit for each day played in the game that is governed by the game's daylight. The Pikmin can't survive in the dark! Pikmin 3 does not have the 30-day limit of Pikmin 1, though. As long as you have juice, you will have 100 in-game days to play. Plenty of time to play at your own pace.
What's new? Another addition to the game is the carrying over of boss damage to the next day. You can start battling an enemy one day and it will retain its damage for the next day so that you can continue your battle. Items will also remain in the same place, as in previous Pikmin games. Pikmin still get eaten at night, too!
Is there more new stuff? You may be wondering how Pikmin 3's gameplay has benefitted from the Wii U's power. The Pikmin can now latch on to more specific body parts, like the eye of a Bulborb. Bosses are larger. Environments are much bigger. Objects like bridges and walls and the process of building and knocking them down are much more detailed as well.
I want more new stuff! The captains also have a new rolling move that will be useful when avoiding attacks. The ability to take pictures with the KopPad is new too!
kthnxba- WAIT! There are a few things to acknowledge. One is that Purple and White Pikmin are not in the story mode. All other Pikmin are. Second, the swarming (C-move) in other Pikmin games is gone (replaced by the lock-on). Yes, a bummer, but we must deal.
Controls
There are several control-options for this game. The following is a gif of some of the options and below is my attempt at explanations. ¡Hey, listen! If you don't have a Wii Remote Plus you will still be able to use the standard Wii Remote. The Wii Classic Controller is not supported.
TV + GamePad | The main action occurs on the TV. The GamePad (refferred to as KopPad in the game) will display a detailed map of the area that will show the whereabouts of the captains and Pikmin. Captain groups can be commanded to a specific spot by a few taps on the map. If you wish to scan the whole area, simply slide across the map and the game will pause as you review the area for strategies. The basic GamePad controls will work similarly to the Gamecube controls.
TV + Wii Remote + Nunchuk + GamePad | Miyamoto's preferred controls. Simply point at the television to aim at objects and throw the Pikmin. If you played the Wii ports, then you will already have a feel for these controls. However, something new is the ability to lock on to intractable objects with Z which will allow for Pikmin to be maneuvered directly to them. The GamePad will be optional. It will again have a display of the map.
TV + Pro Controller + GamePad | This will basically work like the Gamecube controls of the first two Pikmin games. The GamePad is optional.
GamePad | The Wii U's off-screen option will be available for Pikmin 3. Sit on your toilet and kill Bulborbs.
GamePad + Wii Remote + Nunchuk | You can also play on the GamePad using the Wii Remote controls. So many options! I'm dizzy.
Pikmin 3 Reviews
Thread
- Famitsu: 37/40
- The Sunday Times (UK): 5/5
- GamesTM: 9/10
- Another Castle: 4/5
- NintendoWorldReport: 9/10
- 3Djuegos (ESP): 8.9/10
- Inthegame (NL)]: 9/10
- Edge: 8/10
- NextGamer: 9/10
- IGN Spain: 91/100
- Eurogamer Italy: 8/10
- Meristation (SP): 9.1/10
- Vandal (SP): 8.7/10
- NowGamer: 9/10
- Gamer.nl (in english here): 9/10
- Eurogamer: 9/10
- Jeux Vidéo Magazine: 17/20
- IGN: 8.8/10
- InsideGamer (DUTCH): 9/10
- Gameblog (FR): 4/5
- Gamekult (FR): 8/10
- IGN Italy: 8.5/10
- The Game Shelter: 4/5
- Nintendo Wii U-Universe: 9/10
- Select Gamer
- Telegraph: 5/5
- Cubed3: 9/10
Pikmin 3 Art
Thread
High Resolution Promo Art (Dropbox Folder) If unable to preview, click "more" on bottom right then on "view original"
Pikmin 3 Official Websites
Pikmin 3 Website (Japan) | Pikmin 3 Website (UK) | Pikmin 3 Website (US)
Pikmin Avatars
I made some avatars. Look in this Dropbox folder.
More
- Keychain Preorder BONUS (Game UK Only)
- Gamestop Hands-on Announcement
- Pikmin 3 Developer Direct (Miyamoto) | Bingo Battle: Miyamoto vs. Trinen | Mission Mode: Miyamoto with Trinen
- Miyamoto With Pikmin Plushies | Miyamoto With More Pikmin Plushies (wtf, I want one!!!!)
- Pikmin 3 E3 2012 Trailer | Pikmin 3 E3 2013 Trailer
- Pikmin 3 Japanese Commercials | Pikmin 3 NA Commercial
P.P.S. Pikmin are supposed to be about 2-3cm high.
P.P.P.S Could one lone Winged Pikmin carry a banana? I don't even know. Enjoy the game!
