New Play Control!

The New Play Control! logo.

The New Play Control! (Wiiであそぶ^?, lit.: "Let's Play On Wii") range of video games is a collection of GameCube titles ported to the Wii, with their controls altered for play on the newer console. Normally, some minor tweaks are also made. The games in this range were announced at a Nintendo press conference in October 2008. The range includes the two GameCube Pikmin games:

• Pikmin: New Play Control! Pikmin
• Pikmin 2: New Play Control! Pikmin 2

Oddly, North America never received the New Play Control! version of Pikmin 2. Instead, it received a delayed Nintendo Selects version, devoid of New Play Control! branding, in 2012. There is no difference between the two versions, however. The Korean Wii release of Pikmin also lacks New Play Control! branding.

Pikmin 1 and 2 on Wii

Some unused strings inside the two New Play Control! titles suggest that, initially, both games were meant to be included in a single disc, with the tentative title Pikmin 1 and 2 on Wii. In addition, there is a folder named pikmin12 in both games, and contains mostly the same data, which is exclusive to the New Play Control! version of each respective game. The following string in /pikmin12/EngEU/message/pik12message.bmg details the title and what is likely the blurb on the Wii's saved game management system:

Pikmin 1 and 2 on Wii.
Pikmin are back, and this time on Wii!

The idea would be similar to the likes of Metroid Prime: Trilogy, but it was ultimately canceled, with Nintendo instead making each game be on a separate disc.

In 2023, New Play Control! Pikmin and New Play Control! Pikmin 2 were ported to the Nintendo Switch, and were released physically on September 22^nd, 2023 as part of a single bundle known as Pikmin 1+2.

See also

• Pikmin 1+2
• Nintendo Selects

External links

• Wikipedia's article on New Play Control!
• The Cutting Room Floor's article on New Play Control! Pikmin, detailing the unused strings