|
|
|
Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy is confidently launching the week between two of the biggest video game releases of the year: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Grand Theft Auto 6. This enhanced re-release of the original Switch darling- winner of the best sim/strategy game category at The Game Awards 2023- has a lot to go up against, including its very own predecessor Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which received a surprise free update for Switch 2 owners back in August. Nintendo has already set a precedent for what a paid ‘Switch to Switch 2’ upgrade can be with first-party titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, so is the new Dandori Academy mode enough to justify the “Switch 2 Edition” treatment for Pikmin 4?
|
|
Unless you’ve been living under a Rock Pikmin, I shouldn’t have to tell you just how good of a game the original Pikmin 4 was (and still is). First teased by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto in a 2015 interview, driving Pikmin fans mad for nearly a decade until it was finally formally announced by Nintendo, the long wait ended up being worth it for most, with the game scoring a strong 87/100 on Metacritic; only a few points below the original GameCube duology, and tied with Pikmin 3. If you’re unfamiliar with the story and mechanics of Pikmin 4, you can check out our review of the original Switch release here, as this review will only be covering the new features introduced as part of the $9.99 / £7.99 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade.
|
|
(screenshots taken in handheld mode, 1080p)
One of the biggest selling points is the significant increase in resolution, going from 900p to full native 4K in TV Mode and from 720p to 1080p in Handheld Mode, and the result is spectacular. If you thought the world of Pikmin was beautiful before, just wait until you see it with improved textures and sharper visuals. The resolution bump looks so stunning, you could likely convince me the game was developed for the more powerful Switch 2 from the beginning, that is, if it weren’t for one very important caveat: the framerate is still locked to 30fps. Although no Pikmin game has ever reached the heights of 60fps, instead optimizing for the best possible graphical detail while still being able to smoothly manage up to 100 Pikmin character models on screen at once, 30fps feels slightly disappointing in our current year. With that being said, an increase in framerate would be impossible without sacrificing some of the improved visual fidelity, and for a game like Pikmin, where the look of the environments is so crucial, I think Nintendo prioritized correctly. Maybe one day Pikmin 5 can give us the best of both worlds.
|
|
Pikmin 3 Deluxe also got a resolution increase (to a lesser degree) as part of its free Version 1.2.0 update, so what else does the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of Pikmin 4 add to make it worth paying for? The GameShare feature is a nice addition, where you can play Dandori Battles with friends locally or online via GameChat, even if they don’t own a copy of the game, but when it comes to changes to the base game, there’s not much else. If you haven’t booted up Pikmin 4 since launch, you may discover Decor Pikmin, the in-game Field Camera, and the Relaxed / Fierce difficulty modes for the first time. However, those were added in a free update last year, and while included in the Switch 2 Edition without an update, aren’t anything new.
|
|
The only major new addition to the base game makes use of the Switch 2’s built-in microphone, allowing you to give commands to your space dog companion Oatchi by using your voice. If this feature isn’t for you, voice commands can be disabled in the settings, but for me personally, I actually found it to be more fun than expected. At times when I could have just as easily pressed the corresponding button, saying “rush” or “go to work” and seeing Oatchi immediately act on screen accordingly is weirdly immersive. The microphone is quite responsive and picks up on what you’re saying consistently, and though the slight delay from the “jump” command specifically makes it impractical at best, most of the other commands are perfectly serviceable. Even if totally unnecessary, the voice feature adds more of that unique Nintendo charm to Pikmin 4.
|
|
Though the base game remains mostly unchanged, there are plenty of Pikmin 4 veterans who have already completed it, and that’s where the new Dandori Academy mode comes into play. Immediately available from the title screen menu, Dandori Academy has you test your Dandori skills online. For those who aren’t an established Pikmin fan or a fluent speaker of Japanese, the art of Dandori is essentially about planning and organization, and in the case of Pikmin, has you distribute your Pikmin army as efficiently as possible to defeat enemies and collect treasures. Dandori Academy begins with three training stages, effectively teaching you how to transport treasure, take advantage of each Pikmin type’s unique abilities, and understand shortcuts. The gameplay is similar to Dandori Challenges from the base game; it’s you against the clock, with the goal of bringing as much treasure as you can back to the S.S. Beagle to earn points.
|
|
Once you’ve completed the training, 6 total Exam stages become available, split between two unique environments, with Elementary, Advanced, and Graduate variations, each increasingly difficult by changing up the time limit, which Pikmin can be used, Oatchi’s max strength, what enemies and treasures are present on the stage, and the point threshold required to earn medals. You can practice these exams to aim for a high score whenever and as many times as you’d like, but actually taking the exam can only be done on Friday to Sunday every weekend. The exam can only be taken once, with the exception of using a Redo Pass (earned for every 5 practice exams, with a maximum of 5 rewarded each month). Once you finish taking an exam, your final score will determine what medal is stamped to your stamp card, an online scoreboard shows how you compare to other students, and Dandori Points are accumulated based on what medal you received, used to reach in-game reward milestones. Nintendo will be distributing 6 new exam stages each month, for an eventual total of 72. Since I was only able to take the first 6 exams, it remains to be seen whether Dandori Academy will be worth loading up every month for an entire year, but going for a Platinum medal in the Graduate exam requires some serious Dandori skills, and I for one, am determined to fill up my stamp card to be a star Pikmin pupil.
|
|
For late-bloomers who have yet to experience the magic that is Pikmin 4, the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is the best place to start. Not only is native 4K resolution a significant improvement that allows the colourful world of Pikmin to shine brighter than ever before, Dandori Academy brings some worthwhile new content, held back only by Nintendo’s puzzling monthly stage distribution method. While not quite as extravagant as some of the other Nintendo Switch 2 Editions we’ve seen in recent memory, the lower-end $10 for the Upgrade Pack is an appropriate price point for what Pikmin 4 has to offer on Nintendo Switch 2; with the base game being in a class of its own.
|
|
Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy launches 12th November, and a free demo is available now on the Nintendo eShop. A copy of Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy for review purposes was provided by Nintendo UK.
|
|
|
|
 
|
|
