Pikmin

"Once again, Miyamoto creates another masterpiece."

Shigeru Miyamoto has grown to be one of the most well-known names in gaming history. After creating such fan favorites as Mario, Starfox, and Zelda, it was difficult to see where this legendary man will go next. Upon the beginning of development of Nintendo's Gamecube console, Miyamoto announced his newest game idea; a lush world full of life all tied together by a quirky and entertaining story. At the Gamecube's launch, Miyamoto showed off his newest game creation: a weird space story of a wandering spaceman and his quiet encounter with some interesting, but cute allies, all within an expansive world that demonstrated technological and creative power in graphics. Tying it together with an RTS engine, one of the most inventive games of the generation hit store shelves. A brand new world, yet still familiar, was shown off. Pikmin hit the Gamecube.

Pikmin takes place after a wandering space explorer named Captain Olimar hits some intergalactic turbulence, crash-landing on a lush and vibrant world. After checking out the scenery, Olimar finds his ship destroyed. Even worse is that the oxygen on the planet is toxic for the guy, leaving him with only 30 days until his life-support system fails. Anxious to find something to help him, Olimar discovers the plant people Pikmin, strange hybrids of both plants and animals. Olimar finds that the Pikmin follow his orders, leaving the Pikmin as Captain Olimar's only chance for survival. Logging all research in his logbook, Captain Olimar studies the Pikmin while also letting them help him find all 30 lost spaceship parts so he can make his way home. Very campy, but the story is light-hearted enough to create some background as to why Olimar is on the planet. Olimar himself is an inquisitive guy, constantly trying to keep himself focused on the mission while also studying the Pikmin.

The Pikmin controls are for a real-time strategy game, a pretty open canvas for console games, mostly due to the sparse amounts of RTS games on consoles. However, Pikmin has some of the tightest controls around. Pressing B forms a whistle radar, which gathers the attention of all Pikmin within the radius. X is used to dismiss all Pikmin, while the C-Stick can be used to direct Pikmin to a specific area around Olimar. The A button is used to throw a Pikmin for its designated tasks. Pikmin follow Olimar after alerted, so keeping track of the crew isn't entirely difficult, that is if there is a clear path. The controls are deep enough to provide plenty of different situations, but still very accessible and manageable.

Pikmin live in onions, floating saucers that house and protect the Pikmin from the predators of the planet. Pikmin also sow their seeds in the onions. Upon completing certain objectives, new Pikmin seeds are released from the onion and the seeds grow into stems. Olimar can grab the Pikmin stems and add new Pikmin to his arsenal. But how do you get more Pikmin? By harvesting the crops. But Pikmin doesn't play it simple; Pikmin can grab pellets to increase production of Pikmin. This interesting merge of units and harvesting scraps most of the confusing elements of normal RTS games. Pikmin's accessibility comes from its simplicity, because it doesn't throw a ton of different ideas at you all at once.

Pikmin come in three varieties, the latter two being found throughout the game. Each Pikmin also has unique strengths and weaknesses. The first, the Red Pikmin, are strong and can do a ton of damage while also being resistant to fire. The second, the Yellow Pikmin, can be thrown higher and can arm themselves with the explosive bomb rocks for destroying stone walls. The final, Blue Pikmin, are the only Pikmin who can safely traverse water. There's not a ton of unit types in Pikmin, but the game doesn't seem to overwhelm a situation. In fact, different Pikmin can grow in strength depending on their head. If a Pikmin is left in the ground or drinks nectar, its leaf can bud, or even bloom into a flower. The flower provides increase speed and strength. The three varieties of Pikmin can also be leveled up, so there's much more depth in the units than meets the eye.

But Pikmin aren't the only critters on the planet; plenty of pesky predators will peck, pinch, and pester the Pikmin population. From simple enemies like the big-mouthed Bulborbs to the aquatic bellyflopping Wollywogs, the enemy design in Pikmin is diverse and astounding. Although some enemies are simple copies of others, the enemies are clever enough to keep you guessing. To conquer these titans, Pikmin need to work together to avoid getting eaten. Olimar must direct them well, playing offensively and defensively to get the most out of an encounter. A slew of Pikmin can take down a giant monster if they team up and if Olimar commands them right. The strategy element of Pikmin lies in approaching an enemy and finding the best way to take them out without losing too many of your units. Interestingly enough, this isn't an entirely complex situation, but it balances with some stellar challenge. After taking out an enemy, the corpse can be used to make more Pikmin, like a reward for a successful win.

A major element of Pikmin is the clock and spaceship parts. Olimar has only 30 days to get off the planet before he suffocates and it's up to the Pikmin to help him out. The day begins with sunrise, where the game sets the player off to work to find the missing parts of the ship. Over time, the sun changes position and eventually the perilous nighttime releases the dangerous predators, leaving the Pikmin in danger. Olimar must not only regain all the spaceship parts, but return Pikmin to the onions before the predators come out for dinner. Pikmin need to work together to successfully lift objects like spaceship parts, and the way must be clear so that no dangerous enemies take a bite out of your plan. There quickly comes a time when you must plan ahead, sometimes getting more than one spaceship part a day to provide enough time to clear out an area. Pikmin requires some strategy outside of the battlefield, an interesting perspective in an RTS.

Pikmin has only five areas, but every single one of them is brilliantly designed. Every area is beautifully rendered; shining sun-glare, shimmering water, lush foliage, and strong earth all are present. Even more intriguing is the use of fantastic realism; every area is familiar. You'll see a tin can lying on the ground, or a cardboard box to push aside. Everything in the world is real, but Pikmin just adds a new perspective to it all. The enemies are reminiscent of real animals and the appearance mimics a backyard. In fact, Miyamoto himself designed the worlds upon looking at his own backyard. The world is lush and real, but the fantastic perspective from looking at the world from a small viewpoint adds a fresh new feel to the graphics, which alone were beautiful to begin with.

Pikmin's countdown clock is one of its methods of replay value. Unless you're a fast learner (and I mean really fast) you'll be unable to get all spaceship parts before time runs out on your first try. It's okay though, because Pikmin is a blast to play again. Different challenges can be approached different ways, and returning to a memorable battle is fun in itself. Revisiting familiar areas and colossal enemies is one of Pikmin's strengths; it's just great to battle the giant enemies again or find a better method of completing a challenge. Unfortunately, though, Pikmin has little in modes. The unlockable Challenge Mode is pretty basic: see how many Pikmin you can get in a specific amount of time. Playing through the story mode is the meat of the game; it alone is worth checking out this game. It just would've been even better if a few more modes or levels were available.

Pros
+ Beautiful environments
+ Creative enemies and challenges
+ Clock keeps action fast-paced
+ Controls are complex, but accessible
+ One of the best console RTS games around

Cons
- Clock leaves little room for error
- After completion, there's not much left to do

Pikmin is easily one of the most creative games you'll find on any console. Shigeru Miyamoto has created an amazing romp through a realistic fantasy world, while not forgetting anything about gameplay. Pikmin innovates at every chance it gets, thanks to easy and functional controls and some of the most inventive enemy designs around. There's a ton of different things about Pikmin that make it an amazing Gamecube game, from the stunning graphics to the rock-solid RTS gameplay. Although the clock can be a bit frustrating and there's not a ton of replay value, Pikmin is a must-have for the Gamecube and is wondrous experience for all ages. Don't be fooled; this game will satisfy newcomers and RTS veterans. Just as we expect from the legendary Miyamoto.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/13/06