| Pikmin (series) | |
|---|---|
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| Genres | Real-time strategy |
| Developers | Nintendo EAD |
| Publishers | Nintendo |
| First release | Pikmin October 26, 2001 |
| Latest release | Pikmin 2 April 29, 2004 |
Pikmin (ピクミン Pikumin) is a real-time strategy video game series designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and developed by Nintendo. The games focus on directing a horde of plant-like creatures called Pikmin, which are used to collect items, destroy obstacles, and fight giant monsters.
The series currently features two entries, Pikmin and Pikmin 2, both released for the Nintendo GameCube and later ported to the Wii as New Play Control! titles. A third installment, Pikmin 3, is currently in development exclusively for Wii U.
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The Pikmin games all focus on exploring an unknown planet (stated in an interview with Miyamoto to be Earth after the extinction of the human race), controlling a crowd of Pikmin creatures. Pikmin are intelligent multi-colored plant-animal hybrids that willingly follow the orders of their leader, Captain Olimar (オリマー Orimā), a tiny alien. Pikmin are directed to perform a number of tasks, such as fighting monsters and retrieving objects. Because individual Pikmin are small and weak against most predators, it is the responsibility of the player to direct the Pikmin away from hazards and launch attacks that quickly put enemies into submission. Game time is divided into single days, in which the player is encouraged to accomplish as much as possible before sunset.
Pikmin appear in a variety of colors, which signify the Pikmin's abilities and resistance to environmental hazards. The original game in the series features only three colors: Red, Yellow, and Blue. Reds can resist fire, Blues, which sport gills, can move underwater, and Yellows may be thrown higher than other Pikmin. In the original Pikmin game, Yellows had the unique ability to carry bomb rocks. In Pikmin 2, Yellow Pikmin are immune to electric-based hazards. Pikmin 2 also introduces two new colors: White Pikmin, which are resistant to poisonous gases and capable of spotting objects buried underground; and Purple Pikmin, which are significantly stronger and heavier than all other types. The strength and swiftness of individual Pikmin is indicated by the stalk atop their heads, appearing as a leaf, bud, or flower, which develops when Pikmin are fed nectar.
Pikmin are stored in their respective motherships, called "Onions," for safety as they are vulnerable to nocturnal predators. The Onions play a vital role in Pikmin reproduction: When any food, such as prey or pellets, is delivered to an Onion, it propagates seeds, which grow and are then plucked from the ground as fully developed Pikmin. An Onion also serves as an incubator for all Pikmin of its color, housing potentially hundreds of Pikmin. The Onions travel alongside Olimar as he flies to different locations on the planet.
Pikmin 1 is the first game in the series, originally released in 2001. The game's plot focuses on Olimar's predicament of having crash-landed on an unknown planet and befriending the Pikmin. Olimar has to gather the missing pieces of his broken ship in order to escape, before his air supply completely runs out and he succumbs to the planet's deadly oxygen.
The player is required to collect as many of the ship fragments as possible within thirty game days, otherwise the player loses in a Game Over.
Pikmin 2, originally released in 2004, takes place immediately following the events of the first game. When Olimar returns to his home planet Hocotate, he discovers that his employer, Hocotate Freight, has gone into severe debt. When the company's president discovers that the souvenir that Olimar has brought back with him is significantly valuable, he orders Olimar and Louie, another employee, to journey back to the Pikmin planet and gather treasure to pay off the debt.
The main objective of Pikmin 2 is to collect treasure, which consists primarily of human waste including bottle caps and gadgets. The player controls both Captain Olimar and Louie, alternating between the two characters in order to divide and accomplish more tasks during a single day. Unlike the original game, Pikmin 2 has no deadline, so the player can spend as many days as possible to collect all the treasure.
Shigeru Miyamoto first hinted about the possibilities of a new Pikmin game in a July 2007 interview with IGN, saying "I certainly don't think we've seen the last of Pikmin. I definitely would like to do something with them, and I think the Wii interface in particular is very well suited to that franchise."[1] A later CNET.com interview in April 2008 reported that "For now, Miyamoto looks ahead to other projects for the Wii, mentioning his desire to continue the Pikmin series."[2]
A new Pikmin game was eventually confirmed at E3 2008 during Nintendo's developer roundtable, in which Miyamoto stated that his team were working on a new entry in the series.[3][4] However, details concerning gameplay and development were left unmentioned.[5] In an interview with Nintendo's Official Latin American Magazine, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed that Pikmin 3 is going to be on the Wii. He also stated that the Wii's controls were "working well" with the game.[6]
In E3 2011, Shigeru Miyamoto announced the game for Wii U.
Olimar is a playable character in the Wii title, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. He commands the Pikmin in battle, and is almost entirely dependent on them. Olimar is able to pluck new Pikmin from the ground at any time, and he can have up to six with him at once. The Pikmin, as in the original series, are fragile and can be defeated easily, but each of the five colors have special unique properties. The game also features a playable stage called Distant Planet, based on the setting of the Pikmin series. His final smash shows him getting into his space ship and flying off into the sky, while Red Bulborbs damage the other players on the ground. The space ship then plummets to the ground and causes an explosion, dealing damage and knockback to enemy players.[7]
In the Nintendo 3DS built-in app AR Games, a red Pikmin, a blue Pikmin, and a yellow Pikmin appear on an AR card.
Also, when one transfers their downloadable content from DSi to 3DS, various types of Pikmin are seen 'carrying' the data over.
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