Introduction
Another Pikmin game has entered the fray but it is not yet the original Pikmin 2 but don’t worry I will review that one as well in the future! Pikmin 3 has been released as a deluxe edition on the Nintendo Switch and we hope that Pikmin 4 will soon follow. I would certainly say without a doubt that the deluxe edition of Pikmin 3 is much better than the original Pikmin 3 that released in 2013. This means that we have already been waiting for seven years for Pikmin 4! In Pikmin 3 you will have three captains that you need to command instead of one or two in the previous games. This time you play as someone different than Olimar but he is definitely in the story! This time around you need to find fruit for juices to save a planet. New Pikmin are also added but there will also be some Pikmin that are missing like the purple and white Pikmin. You can find these Pikmin in special challenges that the game gives you. This time around you can do the whole story mode in co-op.
What did I think of Pikmin 3 Deluxe before playing?
I was a bit sad that it was not Pikmin 4 but I would gladly take any Pikmin game that releases on the Nintendo switch, maybe they will also release remakes of Pikmin 1 and 2 in the future!
We pre-ordered Pikmin 3 Deluxe because the pre-order bonus was great, we got some really cool magnets but sadly there was no magnet of my favorite enemy, the Bulborb.
In Pikmin 3 you will face new enemies and discover new places but the awesome caves from Pikmin 2 are scrapped in this game.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe has some neat new features that make the game very appealing, this time you get to find out what Olimar was doing on the planet in the first place.
You will also learn what happens after Pikmin 3 and what may be a setup for Pikmin 4 but only time will tell. All previous DLC will be included for exciting challenges.
We watched the trailer and we were sold within 10 seconds of watching, especially after hearing there would be a co-op mode, I cannot recall if this was the case in the original Pikmin 3.
When the game arrived we wasted no time and started playing, Bulborbs here we come to destroy you!
I rate Pikmin 3 Deluxe before playing with a 9.0.
Pikmin 3 is and will always be an amazing game in the Pikmin series. With Nintendo sprucing up the game it could only get better, I hoped the controls would work well but this seemed no problem at all when we started playing.
Story
In Pikmin 3 we will see the adventures of three new space explorers. These three new space explorers are the last hope for their planet Kopai. Kopai has consumed all the food on their planet and they are looking for other planets to start cultivating more food. After all, but one scout has returned with news of no edible matter on all the researched planets, all hope seems lost. The last scout returns with great news, an unknown planet has edible matter that can be converted into seeds! The three explorers, Alph, Brittany, and Charlie set off in their spaceship to try and save Kopai!
It is up to you to guide these explorers on this dangerous planet to save Kopai!
I rate the story of Pikmin 3 with an 8.0.
The story is very fun and builds upon the first 2 Pikmin games despite using new characters for the story. Did you know that the original concept was to use four characters in Pikmin 3 but the fourth one got scrapped during development?
Gameplay
A new feature that has been introduced in the deluxe version is the return of the piklopedia, this useful device logs all the creatures and items you have collected. This feature was missing in the original Pikmin 3 and that was in my eyes a major flaw!
In Pikmin 3 you can control all the three captains around at the same time but this does not mean that you can carry more than 100 Pikmin around on the field! You will need to strategize a lot because you need to get as much done in one day as possible. Your main goal is to collect as many fruits in one day as possible while also following the main quest like structure. You will slowly unlock more regions as you get further into the story, you will need to backtrack a lot into older areas when you have a new kind of Pikmin. For certain puzzles, you will also need to use two or maybe even all of the captains. At the end of every day, you will consume one juice bottle, if they run out you will get a game over screen. It will take diving further into the main story before you have access to all kinds of Pikmin in the game. You will also need to face fierce bosses but luckily if your day ends the damage remains that you have inflicted on the boss. After completing the main story, you can play a prologue and an epilogue for Pikmin 3. These are the Pikmin that are available in Pikmin 3
Red Pikmin
There is not much change to the red Pikmin compared with other Pikmin games, they are still immune to fire and beat Bulborbs senseless. They will be your main fighting force to deal with the new threats in Pikmin 3 unless the enemies are underwater or have static fur. I noticed that you can use enough red Pikmin to also beat up static enemies but you have to be quick otherwise they get fried and they might die.
Blue Pikmin
The blue Pikmin are more useful this time around as there are multiple fruits hidden in or under the water. There are also many items hidden underwater like bridge pieces or secret caves with fruit.
The blue Pikmin still loves to swim around, these Pikmin will be unlocked last in the main story.
Yellow Pikmin
This time you will need to save Charlie before you get full access to the yellow Pikmin. They will not act very differently compared to other Pikmin games. The yellow Pikmin are needed for hanging fruits that are hidden in high places. You will also need the yellow Pikmin for many different puzzles. The Yellow Pikmin can light lightbulbs since they are immune to electricity.
Rockmin
These Pikmin are covered in rock, or are they walking rock? Whatever the case is, these Pikmin can be used to stun-lock big Bulborbs into submission. With five Rockmin you can wreak huge havoc, imagine what 100 Rockmin can do. The Rockmin can also break crystals that can hide many items or passages. The biggest downside that Rockmin has compared with the other Pikmin is that they can’t hold on to an enemy to keep beating them, this means you need quick timing to defeat enemies without losing your Rockmin.
Winged Pikmin
These flying Pikmin are most useful for bringing fruits back to the ship or carrying corpses but they are worthless in battle. The only battles that the winged Pikmin should have is with other flying enemies like the scornets. This Pikmin can lift gates to open up new places or open doors. These doors can hold the items that you seek but beware, they could also contain many enemies! The winged Pikmins biggest enemy is the spider, make sure your winged Pikmin don’t get stuck in the spiders’ web!
White Pikmin
these species of Pikmin were available in Pikmin 2 first, they are not available in the story mode of Pikmin 3. They are fast and tiny, they will always be able to keep up with you. They are immune to poison, you will be able to use these Pikmin in the collecting treasure challenges. You need to make good use of their speed to complete the challenge for a platinum rank!
The white Pikmin are generated by the mission, you don’t have to be careful with the white Pikmin because they will come back when you restart the challenge. You will need to make sure that you don’t lose too many though, otherwise, you will not be able to complete the challenge in time!
Purple Pikmin
You will only have this Pikmin in certain challenge missions in Pikmin 3. If you can imagine a bodybuilder Pikmin you are about right about what a purple Pikmin looks like. They pack quite a punch but this time around they won’t stun the enemies. It is better to not use these Pikmins for battle anymore, you are better off using red Pikmin and Rockmin. One purple Pikmin can carry the same weight that one red Pikmin can carry. Since you can only gain these rare Pikmin in certain challenges you don’t have to be too careful with them. Just make sure you have enough of them to finish the challenge in time!
Continuation of Gameplay
You can upgrade the Pikmin to level three. The level of the Pikmin can be seen by looking at the Pikmins head. You can increase the level by waiting to pluck the Pikmin from the ground. If you wait too long the Pikmin will revert back to level one. The other way to level up your Pikmin is to find nectar in the field and let the Pikmins eat it. You have new enemies in Pikmin 3 that can give you nectar.
A leaf on top of their head means that the Pikmin is level 1.
A flower bud on their head means that the Pikmin is level 2.
A flower on their head means that the Pikmin is level 3.
I rate the gameplay of Pikmin 3 Deluxe with a 9.5.
The gameplay of Pikmin 3 is very fun and the fact that you can play the full story in co-op is just amazing, the extra story modes are also really fun. The new story modes add a lot of lore to the Pikmin world and what happened to Olimar.
Sound and Graphics
The graphics seem to be spruced up a little compared to the original Pikmin 3, the graphics are really amazing.
There are many different soundtracks and sound effects and there is nothing to complain about.
I rate the sound and graphics of Pikmin 3 with an 8.5.
I like Bulborbs, what else is there to say!?
What did I think after playing Pikmin 3 Deluxe?
We did let a lot of Pikmin die ( accidents happen) but we achieved our goal, we saved Kopai and collected all the fruits! We are also very interested in trying out the hard mode soon of Pikmin 3 Deluxe!
We played the whole story in co-op mode, the co-op is very well implemented but you do need to get along well with each other. When you both take on a different challenge you can get a lot of fruit in one day!
The idea that you need to backtrack with newer Pikmin is also a very good idea, this way you won’t be able to complete the whole level, and you are forced to return. With the new Pikmin, you will usually discover new areas!
After completing the main story we also played all the challenges, there was also a new boss rush mode. The faster that you can complete a challenge, the higher tier medal you will earn,
There is also a new system that lets you earn badges as you progress further through the gameplay of Pikmin 3 Deluxe, these badges can either be hard to unlock or easy.
One of the badges still has us stomped, apparently, there are murals that we need to find, we better look around more on hard mode!
We expected a great game when we pre-ordered Pikmin 3 but it was even better than we had expected, this is and will remain a perfect game but I hope Nintendo is building up to releasing Pikmin 4!
I rate Pikmin 3 Deluxe after playing with a 9.3.
After so many years, Pikmin 4 has got to be ultimate or it will disappoint many people. That is usually the problem with a game that takes so long to develop and release.
Personal Rating
We both had a great time playing the story mode of Pikmin 3 in co-op, after that we also had fun with bingo battle and completing all the challenges.
Even though the game is already seven years old Nintendo made a great move by introducing Pikmin to new gamers by making a deluxe version on the switch. There are many people that missed Pikmin 3 on the Wii U due to the Wii U not being a successful console.
Pikmin 3 is something I would personally recommend to everyone that loves strategic games, the Pikmin are also super cute! The new Rockmin truly rock!
My personal rating for Pikmin 3 Deluxe is 9.8
Pros and Cons
Pros
– There are new enemies to face in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
– All the previous DLC are included in the Deluxe version.
– There are new features introduced into the game like the Piklopedia and the boss rush mode.
– The extra prologue and epilogue are great for learning more about the situation in Pikmin 3.
– The story in Pikmin 3 builds well upon the other Pikmin games while also using new characters.
– Pikmin 3 adds new Pikmin to the mix, let’s hope that these will also be used in Pikmin 4.
– There are many different challenges to face, in these challenges you will be able to use Pikmin that are not available in the main story.
– We all love Bulborbs!
Cons
– There are two missing Pikmin species in the main story.
– There are no caves in Pikmin 3 to explore.
I would recommend this strategy game to anyone that is looking for a fun challenge, the Pikmin are much stronger than you might think!
The final rating of Pikmin 3 is…drumroll…
8.7
Let me know what you think about Pikmin 3 in the comments.
I hope you liked reading the review, I hope to see you in the next review!
