Pikmin 3

Logo, as seen at the E3 show in 2012.

Pikmin 3 is the third game in the Pikmin series, announced for the Wii U. It was revealed at E3 2012 along with a gameplay presentation and several playable demos on the showcase floor. Major new elements announced include Rock Pikmin and four captains.

Note: some details on this page are inferred from gameplay videos and trailers, and may not be entirely accurate. In particular, only Challenge Mode gameplay has been shown, so statements may not apply to other game modes.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Pikmin 3 is largely similar to that of the other two games in the series in that players use the Pikmin to accomplish tasks, and the five existing Pikmin types have been confirmed for the game. New gameplay elements include the Rock Pikmin, used to destroy the armor of enemies and other tough objects; and new hazards such as ice and magma, which require new tactics to overcome. Pikmin have demonstrated new abilities not previously encountered, such as riding down a natural slide to gather materials and collecting stones from piles around the area to build bridges. Flying pink creatures that resemble Pikmin can be seen in the trailer for the game and on the title screen of the demos, but no further information is known about them.

No returning characters have been announced, and four new ones are introduced in the game: a pink-haired girl, a brawny man with a military-haircut, a small man with blue-green hair, and a lanky green-haired man. These Pikmin leaders are able to throw other leaders in Pikmin 3, allowing for new puzzles. Throwing a leader seems to have a similar effect to throwing a Pikmin: the thrown leader will perform possible actions in the surrounding area, such as picking buried Pikmin.

After completing a stage, the replay feature allows players to review their session using the GamePad and the television. The recorded game can be fast-forwarded, rewound or paused.

The game features a Challenge Mode, with three submodes; of these, Mission Mode challenges players to earn a high score by gathering the most fruit by value in a given time limit. The fruit is carried by Pikmin to a floating machine that resembles a satellite, which draws it in and stores it. At certain scores, medals are awarded to the player. Online multiplayer will not feature in the game, but local multiplayer will.

The E3 demo features some types of obstacles not found in previous Pikmin games. Pikmin can attack large mushrooms and gates made out of sand that look like sandcastles to access new areas. Large crystals and crystal gates play a similar role, but can only be damaged by Rock Pikmin.

Controls

Players can play using Wii Remote Plus- and Nunchuk-based controls similar to those of the New Play Control! titles, or using the Wii U GamePad controller. With the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, to throw Pikmin, the player shakes the Wii Remote, unlike in the New Play Control! games, and Pikmin 3 adds the ability to shake the Nunchuk to "charge" up a throw.

The GamePad acts as an overhead map and radar to track Pikmin movements in real time. It allows players to move the camera around the area freely by sliding a finger across the touch screen, making it possible to view obstacles from all sides and giving greater flexibility in commanding multiple groups of Pikmin.

When the cursor is moved over an obstacle, enemy or fruit, the target gains a blue glow, and some information is displayed. A button press zooms in the camera and displays its name. In this game, captains gain a new action: they can perform a sideways roll to move out of the way of danger.

New enemies

• Armored Mawdad: a large armored millipede-like creature with pincers around its mouth that it uses to capture Pikmin before using its tongue to eat them. It can be defeated by breaking its armor with Rock Pikmin.
• Medusal Slurker: a Jellyfloat-like creature that attacks in the same way. Rock Pikmin come from inside these creatures.
• A magma slug that attacks by licking up Pikmin with its tongue.
• A flying caterpillar-like creature with dragonfly like wings and a curled, butterfly-like proboscis.
• A transparent squid-like enemy that lives underwater and releases poison.
• A white Bulborb with black spots that can snatch Pikmin from a distances using its long tongue (similar to an anteater).
• A Dweevil-like creature that keeps a crystal on its back to defend and camouflage itself; this can be destroyed with Rock Pikmin to expose the creature.
• What appear to be Skitter Leaf-like enemies that look like dead leaves, with smaller, usually concealed leaf-like limbs for moving around. Unlike the Skitter Leaf, they can harm the Pikmin.
• 3-legged water strider-like bugs that can skate across the surface of water and hold water in a bulb on their back which is used to attack and then must be refilled somehow.
• What appears to be a reimagining of the Iridescent Flint Beetle with six legs instead of four.

History

Pikmin 3 was first announced during E3 2008, where Shigeru Miyamoto said, when asked about the Pikmin series, "We're making Pikmin." Nothing else about the Pikmin game in development was revealed, however. On 24th July 2008, Shigeru Miyamoto confirmed in an interview, "[the Nintendo development teams] are all working on new Mario, Zelda and Pikmin projects".

The game was originally planned for the Wii, but this was changed with the announcement of Nintendo's Wii U at E3 2011, where Pikmin 3 was confirmed for the new console. However, no confirmation has been made as to the exclusivity of Pikmin 3 to the Wii U console.

The announcement of the New Play Control! Pikmin games raised questions as to the feasibility of a Pikmin 3; following, in an IGN interview, it was made clear that the re-releases of Pikmin and Pikmin 2 are separate from Pikmin 3: Cammie Dunaway: It's not the Pikmin that Mr. Miyamoto referred to, no. Mr. Miyamoto referred to a new Pikmin, as opposed to the classics that are being re-released on Wii.

Artwork

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Gallery

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  Playable captains in the game

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  Pikmin battling an Armored Mawdad

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  Pikmin tearing down a wall

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  Pikmin carrying yellow rocks

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  Captains are able to throw Pikmin as well as other captains

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  Pikmin constructing a bridge

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  A new type of Bulborb with a long tongue that acts similar to an anteater

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  Blue Pikmin with some new water enemies

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  Pikmin sitting on a vine

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  Returning fruit for points in Mission Mode

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  Pikmin on a lillypad with a new enemy overhead