Small soldiers.
Shipped along with Super Smash Bros. in 2001, Pikmin was part of a second wave of Gamecube launch titles. And while games like Smash Bros. and Animal Crossing sold more copies, Pikmin was perhaps more important. Built from the ground up by Nintendo godfather Shigeru Miyamoto, Pikmin represented an entirely new IP from Nintendo, one that brought much-needed diversity to its portfolio. Pikmin is a real-time strategy game where the hero commands a small army of plant-like creatures on a mysterious alien planet.
Miyamoto, the genius behind Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda, reportedly found inspiration for Pikmin in his garden. He imagined a small-scale world where blades of grass towered above like skyscrapers, and tiny puddles appeared as endless oceans. It is this world in which the hero, Captain Olimar, crash lands his spaceship. His suit has only 30 days of breathable air left in the tank, so he must engage in a frantic life-or-death pursuit of his ship's missing parts before time runs out. Luckily for Olimar, help comes in a most unlikely form: hundreds of carrot-shaped creatures, part animal and part plant, all of them willing to fight and die for Olimar.
Pikmin plays out across 30 days, during which Olimar must recruit and grow his small and loyal army, survive encounters with local fauna and other environmental dangers, and reclaim his missing parts. Players must think strategically throughout the game, making sure to divide and conquer: a group of blue Pikmin (who flourish in the water) can build a bridge across a river, while Olimar leads a group of red Pikmin (the strongest variety, and immune to fire) against a fearsome enemy. When the sun sets, players must make sure all Pikmin on the map are returned to their bases; otherwise they will be lost forever.
Losing even a single Pikmin is almost unbearable. Miyamoto succeeded in Pikmin in creating some of the most memorable and interesting Nintendo mascots of all time, and when one perishes it is always a sad moment. Luckily, with enough practice and patience, players can develop tactics that minimize losses.
Apart from its gameplay, which is excellent, Pikmin boasts some magnificent graphics that really demonstrate how powerful the Gamecube was in 2001. It's one of the best looking games on the system, along with Rogue Squadron II. The background environments are especially good -- and stunningly realistic.
Pikmin was followed by a sequel in 2004. A third game, Pikmin 3, is due to release for Wii U in Spring 2013.
Miyamoto, the genius behind Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., and The Legend of Zelda, reportedly found inspiration for Pikmin in his garden. He imagined a small-scale world where blades of grass towered above like skyscrapers, and tiny puddles appeared as endless oceans. It is this world in which the hero, Captain Olimar, crash lands his spaceship. His suit has only 30 days of breathable air left in the tank, so he must engage in a frantic life-or-death pursuit of his ship's missing parts before time runs out. Luckily for Olimar, help comes in a most unlikely form: hundreds of carrot-shaped creatures, part animal and part plant, all of them willing to fight and die for Olimar.
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| Olimar and Pikmin fight off a snagret. |
Pikmin plays out across 30 days, during which Olimar must recruit and grow his small and loyal army, survive encounters with local fauna and other environmental dangers, and reclaim his missing parts. Players must think strategically throughout the game, making sure to divide and conquer: a group of blue Pikmin (who flourish in the water) can build a bridge across a river, while Olimar leads a group of red Pikmin (the strongest variety, and immune to fire) against a fearsome enemy. When the sun sets, players must make sure all Pikmin on the map are returned to their bases; otherwise they will be lost forever.
Losing even a single Pikmin is almost unbearable. Miyamoto succeeded in Pikmin in creating some of the most memorable and interesting Nintendo mascots of all time, and when one perishes it is always a sad moment. Luckily, with enough practice and patience, players can develop tactics that minimize losses.
 |
| Red Pikmin build a bridge over troubled water. |
Apart from its gameplay, which is excellent, Pikmin boasts some magnificent graphics that really demonstrate how powerful the Gamecube was in 2001. It's one of the best looking games on the system, along with Rogue Squadron II. The background environments are especially good -- and stunningly realistic.
Pikmin was followed by a sequel in 2004. A third game, Pikmin 3, is due to release for Wii U in Spring 2013.
Score: 9.0
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