Pikmin 3

My Overall Thoughts:

                

-    I was really excited for another Pikmin game because we haven’t had one forever! This was really fun, but I still love Pikmin 2 the best.  

-    I admit I got a little addicted. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it or playing it. I stayed up WAY too late some nights trying to accomplish new tasks. 

-    I wish the game were longer. There needs to be more fruit to collect. 66 aren’t enough! I was sad when it ended so quickly. 

-    On the plus side, I will probably replay it a few times.

My Thoughts on Game play:

                

-    I loved the storyline! Our main characters are searching the planet for fruit because their home planet is almost out of food. While searching the planet, they find different types of Pikmin who help them with their tasks. Pikmin function like a little army of workers. It was fun finding and collecting the food. Adding a third character was interesting and enjoyable. It created a new dynamic in getting to different areas and fruit. Of course the crew run into a few problems, and they need to find a mysterious Captain Olimar. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that this ties into the Pikmin 2 storyline! I was so excited to see the old characters!

                

-    I loved the map on the gamepad! It was so helpful in finding Pikmin and fruit! It is one of the best features for sure!

                

-    The yellow, red, and blue Pikmin function the same. There are some fun added uses for them. There are two new Pikmin introduced in this game. The rock Pikmin were super useful in breaking things down, and they were great for killing small bugs in one shot. The flying Pikmin could fly over water, lift gates, and pick certain plants. They were also very useful in killing flying bugs. I thought the new Pikmin were cool, but I also missed the purple and white Pikmin, mostly the purple.  I am happy to say that the purple and white Pikmin make an appearance in mission mode!

                

-    Mission Mode consists of several different challenge stages. One set of challenges is collecting as much fruit as possible in a given time. Another set is killing as many bugs/foes as possible in a given time. The last mode is fighting the bosses from the game. All missions may be played as co-op where you and your friend work together.

                

-    There is also Bingo Mode. This is a competitive game where Alph and Olimar go head-to-head to collect fruit and bugs.  You are given a bingo card with pictures of all the things you can collect. Whoever gets 4 in a row first wins. It can be highly competitive and very fun. There are 12 stages to choose from and there is a random option that will generate a random stage.

                

-    Pikmin 3 has a lot of replay value, and I love that about Nintendo games. You just want to play them over and over again.

My Thoughts on Control:

-    You can play with different controllers, but I recommend sticking with the Wii U Gamepad. The map on the gamepad is essential! I love the added “go here” move. It was very helpful to multitask.

                

-    The controls were my biggest complaint about the game. In Pikmin 2 you could use the C Stick to move your army of Pikmin around. I didn’t have that control power in Pikmin 3, and it was frustrating. A lot of Pikmin died because I wasn’t able to move them out of harm’s way as easily. Instead, the game lets you lock onto targets and charge your Pikmin. That was useful for a lot of things, but I still wish I could have just moved my army into things at will. Throwing individual Pikmin got old fast! The game also lets you unlock a dodging move where you and all your Pikmin tuck and roll to the side. Again, it was useful but not as good as the old C Stick control.

                

-    The targeting system was frustrating at times. I wish it had been more like Pikmin 2. I struggled to target things sometimes.

                

-    Camera control and everything else was fine.    

My Thoughts on Graphics:

-    Nintendo has upgraded to HD, and everything looks awesome! The environments were amazing! I loved how unique and colorful everything was. I enjoyed all the unique fruits and bugs. I love the Pikmin! They are so cute! It is a very visually fun game.

My Thoughts on Sound:

                

-    The language the characters use sounds an awful lot like Japanese. I got a kick out of listening to Alph and Brittany talk. I especially loved it when Alph would say Brittany’s name.

                

-    The music was good. I didn’t notice it too much, but I liked how soothing it was.

                

-    The Pikmin used to sing while you marched places, and they didn’t do that in this one. I was sad about that. They sing a little, but nothing like Pikmin 2.