Editing Pikmin 4

{{page title|''Pikmin 4''}}

{{game icons|p4=y}}

|developer  = {{w|Nintendo EPD}}

|genre      = Action/Adventure/Strategy

'''''Pikmin 4''''' is the fourth main-series game in the {{ps}}, released in 2023 for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. The game sees the [[rookie Rescue Officer|newest recruit]] of the [[Rescue Corps]] exploring the planet [[PNF-404]], with the goal of rescuing [[Captain Olimar]], the rest of the Rescue Corps, and other civilian [[castaway]]s, while also collecting [[treasure]]s and completing other missions. Elements new to the series include [[night expedition]]s, a companion character called [[Oatchi]], and building structures along with purchasing [[gear]] with [[raw material]]s.

In the prologue, [[Captain Olimar]], captain of the [[S.S. Dolphin]], crash-lands on planet [[PNF-404]]. He discovers the [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]], and also the space dog [[Moss]], who help him to recover the [[Ship part|missing parts]] of his ship. In a playable section of the prologue, he finds the [[Interstellar Radio]], which allows him to send out an {{w|SOS}} signal, in the hope that people on other planets receive the signal and are able to help.

The [[Rescue Corps]], an organization dedicated to rescuing people, receives the signal, but their ship, the [[S.S. Shepherd]], also crashes, scattering the 7 members of the mission in different locations. As a result, their newest recruit, a [[Rookie Rescue Officer|customizable player character]], is sent in the [[S.S. Beagle]] to rescue the Rescue Corps, and doesn't crash. They find the space dog [[Oatchi]] and the communications operator [[Collin]], then go into the [[Burrow of Beginnings]] to rescue the captain [[Shepherd]]. After this, they find the Pikmin and repair the S.S. Shepherd by collecting 3 nearby [[treasure]]s, completing the first day on the planet.

After the first day, the rookie visits various [[area]]s of the planet to collect treasures and find [[castaway]]s, finding that there are civilian castaways as well as members of the Rescue Corps. They also encounter [[leafling]]s, strange creatures with leaves on their heads who always talk about [[Dandori]], and who challenge the rookie with [[Dandori Challenge]]s. One particular leafling with red leaves challenges the rookie to [[Dandori Battle]]s. Collecting treasures gives the rookie [[Sparklium]], and collecting enough of it allows access to more areas. After rescuing the Rescue Corps doctor [[Yonny]], the rookie unlocks [[night expedition]]s, where they can get [[glow sap]] which has the ability to cure leaflings and also the ability to prevent turning into one. After collecting enough Sparklium and rescuing the entire Rescue Corps, the rookie gains access to the [[Hero's Hideaway]], where the red leafling waits in a bunker for a final battle. Defeating it reveals that the leafing is in fact Olimar, and after curing him, the Rescue Corps completes their mission and is able to leave the planet, reaching the game's first ending.

Upon trying to leave the planet, they find that Oatchi does not like being in space, because of the leaf that sprouted on his tail halfway through the first part of the story. They return to the planet with the new goal of curing Oatchi, and hear that a veterinarian from the planet [[Koppai]] called [[Nelle]] is stranded on the planet. Upon landing in a new area, they see [[Louie]] and Moss run away with another Koppaite, [[Yorke]]. After rescuing Yorke by defeating Louie in a Dandori Battle, and rescuing [[Don Bergman]] elsewhere in the area, the rookie can visit the final area, where after defeating Louie in a final Dandori Battle and rescuing Nelle, they can access the final cave, the [[Cavern for a King]], where Louie can be found riding the final [[boss]], the [[Ancient Sirehound]]. When defeated, the boss drops its collar, the [[Gift of Friendship]], which contains enough hair on it to create a cure for Oatchi, reaching the game's second ending.

== Gameplay ==

''Pikmin 4'' is a 3D real-time strategy game, with gameplay divided into blocks of time called [[day]]s. Each day is 15 minutes long and allows the player to explore 1 [[area]]. Within each area there are several [[cave]]s, which are divided into multiple sublevels which are explored sequentially. While in a cave, the time of in-game day progresses at 1/6th the normal speed. Caves contain the majority of collectibles in the game. The player directly controls 2 characters, the [[rookie Rescue Officer]] and [[Oatchi]], and can use these characters to indirectly control [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]]. The rookie and Oatchi have slightly different abilities. Both of them can have a [[squad]] of Pikmin, and can [[throw]] and [[whistle]] the Pikmin. The rookie also has the ability to [[charge]] Pikmin and give them other commands (after a certain point), while Oatchi has the ability to [[rush]] at objects and [[jump]] over small ledges (after a certain point). The rookie can also ride Oatchi, or have Oatchi in their squad. The Pikmin have the ability to [[carry]] collectibles and to [[Combat|fight]] hostile [[Enemy|enemies]]. Pikmin can be killed by enemies, and the rookie and Oatchi have a [[health]] bar which can be depleted by enemy attacks.

There are 3 primary types of collectibles:

* [[Treasure]]s are common real-world objects, and are worth some amount of [[Sparklium]]. To unlock additional areas, a certain amount of Sparklium must be collected.

* Rescues are alien characters, some of which are found as [[castaway]]s and some of which are found as [[leafling]]s. Rescuing a castaway or curing a leafling will reveal who that character is and give some biographical information about them. While castaways and leaflings are found in specific locations, the character assigned to each one is not fixed, such that the order castaways are found and leaflings are cured will always be the same. Finding certain characters is necessary to advance the story to beat the game, so a certain number of castaways and leaflings must be found and cured.

* [[Onion]]s allow the player to grow Pikmin more easily. They include Onions for different Pikmin types, as well as [[Flarlic]] which increases the amount of Pikmin that can be outside at a time.

Structurally, ''Pikmin 4'' is mostly non-linear, letting the player visit caves and collect treasures in any order. While the order of areas is fixed, the things a player does in an area to unlock the next one are mostly not fixed. Uniquely for a ''Pikmin'' game, there is no set order of unlocking Pikmin types, as they can be unlocked in multiple orders. Wild Pikmin can be found in caves, allowing a player to unlock a type before finding its Onion. However, the player cannot grow more of a type using the Onion until they have found that type's Onion. Areas and caves have various [[obstacle]]s in them, some of which require a specific Pikmin type to clear, but the Pikmin type needed to destroy an obstacle can always be found somewhere in that area. Only 3 Pikmin types can be outside in an area at a time, and only 3 can be brought into a cave, though finding Wild Pikmin can increase the number of types the player can use in a cave. Each area and cave has a set of recommended types for the player to use.

In between days, the player visits the [[Rescue Command Post]], a special hub area with no enemies or time limit. Here the characters rescued over the story appear, and can be talked to. Most characters can give the player [[Mission (Pikmin 4)|missions]], which challenge the player to do a specific task, and upon completing the mission, they get a reward. These rewards are usually [[raw material]]s, which are a special collectible. Primarily found in areas and caves, raw materials can be used to build [[clay]] structures, and can be used to buy [[gear]] to upgrade the rookie's abilities. The rookie has a [[tablet]], which displays various information about the story and the current state of the game.

''Pikmin 4'' is primarily a single-player game, but a second player can assist the main player in [[Co-op Mode]], where they can throw items into areas using a reticle called the Pebble Pitcher.

Dandori Challenges are a special type of cave that feature a standalone treasure-collecting mission, with the goal being to collect all the treasures in the stage by the end of the time limit. They function similarly to [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2)|Challenge Mode]] from {{p2}} and [[Mission Mode]] from {{p3}}, but are incorporated into the main story.

Dandori Battles are a special type of cave that feature a 1-on-1 battle between the rookie Rescue Officer and a computer-controlled opponent, with the goal being to score more Dandori points (which are gained by inserting things into your onion) than the opponent by the end of the time limit. They are incorporated into the main story and completing them is required to beat the game, but there is also a standalone Dandori Battle mode accessed from the title screen, which allows battles between 2 players.

{{main|Night expedition}}

Night expeditions are a special activity the player can do, where they visit an area at night instead of during the day. During the night, there are different enemies and they are more aggressive. These expeditions have a tower-defense style of gameplay, where the player must use [[Glow Pikmin]] to defend a [[Lumiknoll]] from the enemies. There are multiple night expeditions that can be attempted in each area.

{{main|Olimar's Shipwreck Tale}}

== Content ==

=== Pikmin ===

''Pikmin 4'' has 9 [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] types, including 7 returning types from previous games, and 2 new types: [[Ice Pikmin]] and [[Glow Pikmin]].

* [[Red Pikmin]] are the first type obtained and are resistant to [[fire]] and have a higher attack power.

* [[Yellow Pikmin]] are resistant to [[electricity]], can be thrown higher and dig faster than other pikmin.

* [[Ice Pikmin]], one of the new types, are resistant to [[ice]], are able to freeze enemies and water bodies and can float throught water zones.

* [[Rock Pikmin]] can break [[crystal]] obstacles, have a powerful attack when thrown directly at an enemy and they are inmune to spikes and being crushed.

* [[Winged Pikmin]] can fly over gaps and reach high-up items.

* [[Purple Pikmin]] can carry the strength of 10 Pikmin and are powerful in combat, but are slow.

* [[White Pikmin]] are resistant to [[poison]] and are faster than other types.

* [[Glow Pikmin]], one of the new types, can only be used in night expeditions or caves, are resistant to all elemental hazards, they teleport to the leader when they aren't fighting or transporting anything and they can fuse into a light ball that stunts any near enemy.

''Pikmin 4'' has 6 main [[area]]s, plus a special tutorial and hub area, the [[Rescue Command Post]]. Within each area, there are multiple [[cave]]s.

* '''[[Sun-Speckled Terrace]]''': A small garden with scattered equipment.

* '''[[Blossoming Arcadia]]''': A lush playground.

* '''[[Serene Shores]]''': A beach with tidal pools and a large sandcastle.

* '''[[Hero's Hideaway]]''': The interior of a house.

* '''[[Giant's Hearth]]''': A campsite with a fire pit in the center.

* '''[[Primordial Thicket]]''': A muddy autumnal forest.

{{see|List of Pikmin 4 treasures}}

''Pikmin 4'' has a large number of treasures, forming most of the collectibles in the game. There is a [[Treasure Catalog]] which lists all the treasures and has notes on them from multiple characters. Unlike in {{p2}}, there can be multiple instances of a single type of treasure.

{{see|Enemy#In Pikmin 4|t1=Enemies in Pikmin 4}}

''Pikmin 4'' has more types of enemies than any other Pikmin game. There is a [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 4)|Piklopedia]] that has notes on all the enemy species from multiple characters. Every type of enemy has a unique musical layer that is played on top of the area music when the leader is close to it, a feature unique to this game.

{{see|Vegetation#Pikmin 4|t1=Vegetation in Pikmin 4}}

''Pikmin 4'' features a wide variety of decorative vegetation.

{{see|Castaway}}

{{see|Leafling}}

''Pikmin 4'' features a large number of characters, more than any other game in the series. Almost all of the characters are non-playable. The [[rookie Rescue Officer]] and [[Oatchi]] are the only ones the player controls in the main story, the former being a customizable character.

{{see|Controls#Pikmin 4|t1=Controls in Pikmin 4}}

In single-player mode, the player can either use a pair of Joy-Con, or a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. In 2-player mode, either player can use a pair of Joy-Con or a Pro Controller, or player 1 can use a single horizontal Joy-Con and player 2 can use a single vertical Joy-Con.

{{see|Easter egg#Pikmin 4|t1=Easter eggs in Pikmin 4}}

=== Mistakes ===

{{see|Mistake#Pikmin 4|t1=Mistakes in Pikmin 4}}

{{see|Glitches in Pikmin 4}}

{{see|Unused content in Pikmin 4}}

On {{date|7|September|2015}}, Eurogamer unveiled that, in an exclusive interview, Miyamoto had confirmed the development of ''Pikmin 4'', and claimed that {{transcript|it's actually very close to completion. Pikmin teams are always working on the next one.}}{{cite web|http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-07-20-pikmin-4-in-development-and-very-close-to-completion|Pikmin 4 in development and "very close to completion"|Eurogamer|published={{date|7|September|2015}}}} In the same article, Eurogamer also revealed a separate statement from a Nintendo representative, which said {{transcript|We can confirm that Pikmin 4 is in development but that is all we can confirm at present.}} It is not known if the "''Pikmin 4''" mentioned in that quote is the actual name for the game that Nintendo used, whether it's a placeholder name or not, or if it's just the result of the quote's English translation.<ref group="note">Of note is the fact that the URL for the Eurogamer interview's page starts with "2014-07-20". Since the URLs of all news article pages on eurogamer.net begin with the article's publication date, this could possibly mean that the article was meant to be revealed shortly after the interview, but was held until September of 2015. The article for the second Eurogamer interview states that this interview took place in July 2015.</ref><ref group="note">Also of note is that ''Pikmin 4'' uses the game engine Unreal Engine 4. However, in 2015, Nintendo did not have access to Unreal Engine 4 on any of their console hardware, as support for the engine only started in 2017. It's unknown if this indicates a development reset happened during development, ''Pikmin 4'' was ported from a different engine to Unreal Engine 4, or if "''Pikmin 4''" in this context referred to a different game, such as ''Hey! Pikmin'' or a cancelled spinoff.</ref>{{cite web|https://www.unrealengine.com/en-US/blog/unreal-engine-4-15-released|Unreal Engine 4.15 Released|the Unreal Engine official website|published={{date|15|February|2017}}}}

On {{date|8|February|2023}}, a Nintendo Direct presentation announced the release date for the game in a new trailer.{{cite youtube|UJ9Iz7HhU-I|of the Nintendo Direct on {{date|8|February|2023}}|published={{date|8|February|2023}}|retrieved={{date|8|February|2023}}}} This trailer showed various short clips of gameplay and cutscenes. A new type of Pikmin was revealed, [[Ice Pikmin]], demonstrating the ability to freeze enemies when eaten and freeze small bodies of water when enough are thrown into them. The trailer then revealed [[Oatchi]], showed [[treasure]]s to be the main collectible, and hinted at the return of [[cave]]s from {{p2}}. The end of the trailer gave a first view of night gameplay.

On {{date|6|June|2023}}, a third trailer was published that revealed the basic plot of the game: [[Captain Olimar]] had crashed once again, and the Rescue Corps sent to retrieve him also crashed, leaving the player to rescue them all. This trailer showed the player character to be customizable, a first for the ''Pikmin'' series.{{cite youtube|6ixnXjtQ7f8|of the character creator trailer|published={{date|6|June|2023}}|retrieved={{date|6|June|2023}}}} Accompanying this trailer was a major update to the game's Japanese website, which included some plot information and new screenshots.

 

On {{date|21|June|2023}}, another trailer was released as part of a Nintendo Direct presentation.{{cite youtube|WtY29lvEup8|of the Nintendo Direct on {{date|21|June|2023}}|published={{date|21|June|2023}}}} This trailer featured a more detailed look at the gameplay, and explained some of the game's new features. The goal of the game was revealed to be to collect treasures to power the Rescue Corps' ship, the S.S. Shepherd. The trailer showed the indoor area first seen on the download card. It also featured a closer look at caves, revealing their larger size and emphasis on puzzles. Dandori Battle mode was shown, as well as the Rescue Command Post. Finally, the night gameplay was revealed to be a tower defense-style challenge using a brand new type of Pikmin, the [[Glow Pikmin]]. This trailer was accompanied by the launch of the US and EU websites for the game, the "Pikmin Garden" Japanese website, as well as brand new websites for each region that focus on the series as a whole, which include the [[Pikmin comic]].

 

On {{date|26|June|2023}}, various video game journalists and news sites like IGN{{cite youtube|fwDXHpKaEgY|of IGN playing a preview build of the game|published={{date|26|June|2023}}}} and Hobby Consolas{{cite youtube|nj4R2nDXZ8o|of Hobby Consolas playing a preview build of the game|published={{date|26|June|2023}}}} published videos showcasing gameplay of the game, giving firsthand accounts of how the game played and its new mechanics. Nintendo also published a short trailer for the game introducing viewers to the Pikmin on the Play Nintendo YouTube channel.{{cite youtube|yR_LngjVIjM|of the "Pikmin on Nintendo Switch" trailer|published={{date|26|June|2023}}}}

 

Just before the game's release, some of the developers of ''Pikmin 4'' gave a series of 3 interviews about the development of the game and the series.{{cite web|https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-10-pikmin-4-part-1/|Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 1|Nintendo News|published={{date|18|July|2023}}}}{{cite web|https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-10-pikmin-4-part-2/|Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 2|Nintendo News|published={{date|19|July|2023}}}}{{cite web|https://www.nintendo.com/us/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-10-pikmin-4-part-3/|Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 3|Nintendo News|published={{date|20|July|2023}}}} In these interviews, they talked about how they attempted to combine elements of {{p1}} and {{p2}} to create a better ''Pikmin'' game. Initially they experimented with the idea of controlling a [[Bulborb]], or being able to ride various creatures, but it became difficult to make a coherent game from that idea. Instead, [[Oatchi]] was added, as a character the player could ride that had the abilities of a leader and a Pikmin. The concept of [[Dandori]] was a major focus of development, with the game being designed to allow for different playstyles, and the [[Rewind Time]] feature was added to make it easier to retry after making mistakes. They decided to incorporate the [[Mission Mode]] and versus modes from previous games into the main story, in the form of [[Dandori Challenge]]s and [[Dandori Battle]]s, to let the player clear these as they progress. Another change from previous games was bringing the [[camera]] closer to the ground, to create a better sense of scale for the world.

 

On {{date|28|June|2023}}, a demo for the game was released. In it, players can play the first part of Story Mode with one or two players. The demo contains the tutorial and the first area, the [[Sun-Speckled Terrace]]. Once the player has accumulated {{sparklium|p4|1500}} and the day ends, they are shown a notification telling them of the end of the demo, and then taken to a screen advertising the final game, with a button to return to the title screen, and another to access the eShop. If the player selects their saved game file again, they can still explore the [[Rescue Command Post]] and use its features, but will be prevented from continuing to the next area or landing in the previous one. It is still possible to select a different saved game file or even delete that demo-end file.

 

 

 

Due to it being a demo, a lot of the final content is absent from the game's files entirely. With some Sparklium-farming techniques, it is possible to see the game react to some of the missing content, since the developers never expected a player to be able to reach it from within the demo's limits. This applies to the demonstration video for the [[Rush Boots]] in [[Russ]]'s lab.{{cite youtube|wVsDTc6H7kY|of a player completing the demo with over {{sparklium|p4|5000}}|published={{date|8|July|2023}}|retrieved={{date|8|July|2023}}}}

 

A minor [[update]] to the game was released on {{date|27|September|2023}}, which fixed some bugs and added a [[loading screen]] progress bar.

 

At {{w|The Game Awards 2023}}, ''Pikmin 4'' was nominated for the "Best Family" award,{{cite web|https://thegameawards.com/nominees/best-family|Best Family 2023|The Game Awards|retrieved={{date|12|December|2023}}}} and won the "Best Sim / Strategy" award.{{cite web|https://thegameawards.com/nominees/best-sim-strategy|Best Sim / Strategy 2023|The Game Awards|retrieved={{date|12|December|2023}}}}

 

 

{{see|Credits#Pikmin 4|t1=Pikmin 4 credits}}

Pikmin 4 Logo with background.jpg|''Pikmin 4'''s logo.

Pikmin 4 Rating Pending Box Art.png|Early North American box art.

== Trivia ==

* ''Pikmin 4'' is the first main-series ''Pikmin'' game to be available in Brazilian, Portuguese, and Dutch.