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Oh, to be a tiny astronaut running around the earth of some alien planet where you become the leader of an even smaller alien race of creatures. That’s the dream, right? Nintendo’s Pikmin 4, at least in some contexts, can satisfy that dream for you.
The fourth main entry in the series sees you return to an alien planet that contains the plant-like creatures first named Pikmin by Captain Olimar in the original game. Whether you are asking yourself, “what even are Pikmin?” or you have some familiarity with the series, here are some points to keep in mind when starting Pikmin 4.
What To Expect In Pikmin 4
In Pikmin 4, Captain Olimar has returned to PNF-404, the planet containing Pikmin. Once again, he crash lands and ends up stranded. A team of Rescue Corps members head off to answer Captain Olimar’s SOS call but also end up stranded on PNF-404. You are a rookie of the Rescue Corp, but now you have to save the day.
There is a mix of real-time strategy, puzzle-solving, and RPG elements in Pikmin 4 as you go about your rescue mission. You’ll need to explore new environments day by day, and you will usually head back to your base camp once night falls. All the while, you'll be seeking special materials to help fix and restore power to your team's spaceship.
This time, you are joined by Oatchi, a dog-like creature you can command to help you in your rescue efforts. Commanding a legion of Pikmin, gathering treasures for your ship, and searching for Olimar will be the main way you progress through the world.
Learn What Different Pikmin Do
There are several different kinds of Pikmin that you will encounter as you explore the planet. The different Pikmin each have different abilities and other benefits. For example, Red Pikmin are the first type you will encounter in the game, and they have immunity to fire. New Pikmin introduced in Pikmin 4, such as the Ice Pikmin, which can freeze enemies and bodies of water, will also help you in unique circumstances.
To help you start, here is a list of all Pikmin types and what they can do.
As you are introduced to each new Pikmin in the game, you will get an overview of what they can do, thanks to prior research by Captain Olimar. You’ll need to keep that information in mind, though. You'll only be able to progress through certain areas thanks to certain Pikmin's immunities. Solving puzzles quickly can only be done by knowing which Pikmin would be best used in the scenario. Which brings us to the next point:
Live And Breathe The Art Of Dandori
You are taught about the concept of Dandori, or the process of efficiently planning and executing your tasks and actions. It is best to take this philosophy to heart as you go about your rescue mission. You have a limited amount of time each day to explore different environments, and you don’t want to waste time making the wrong choices.
You will also need to efficiently manage your squad of Pikmin by choosing the best type for each job. One thing you learn about Yellow Pikmin is that they can be thrown higher and farther. If an item is on a bit of higher ground, you wouldn’t want to waste time throwing a Pikmin that can’t reach it. If you anticipate combat, stronger Pikmin like the Red and Purple types will be more valuable.
While your Pikmin are carrying out tasks, you can also try to be a step ahead. Plan out your next move, explore an area a bit more, or command Oatchi to help do a certain task.
Come To Grips With (Your Pikmin’s) Mortality
There is no shame in going into Pikmin 4 unaware of the downright torture that your Pikmin might be subject to from time to time. Pikmin are cute tiny creatures, but they aren’t invincible.
Many Pikmin cannot swim and will drown if you lead them into a body of water.
There will be numerous occasions where a fight with a tough enemy or an environmental hazard leads to the demise of some of your allies. You can have some backup Pikmin on standby at your base in case this happens.
If the losses from a tough encounter are too much, you can use the Rewind ability from the pause menu to revert to a pre-battle phase.
At the end of each day, you will also need to make sure all your Pikmin get back to your base camp along with you. If one is stranded somewhere out in the wilderness, there will be an on-screen icon to let you know they are about to become a Pikmin ghost.
Use Pikmin 4’s Features To Your Advantage
Pikmin 4 has a feature that lets you Rewind time. This will generally start your day over again. If you ever make a gargantuan mistake that you simply can’t live with, then this feature might just come in handy.
You can also manually assign certain actions and commands to the D-pad on your Switch. This button mapping can be a great asset as you go about your rescue mission and a perfect way to employ the concept of Dandori in your gameplay.