Pikmin 4

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(Regarding the changes made in the previous edit to this article; I'm pretty sure "autumnal" is the more correct word to use in this sentence.)
 
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|esrb        = E 10+
|esrb        = E 10+
|pegi        = 3
|pegi        = 3
|rating      = TBA
|console    = Nintendo Switch
|console    = Nintendo Switch
|developer  = TBA
|developer  = {{w|Nintendo EPD}}
|publisher  = [[Nintendo]]
|publisher  = [[Nintendo]]
|genre      = TBA
|genre      = Action/Adventure/Strategy
|players    = 1-2 players
|players    = 1-2 players
|release    = {{date|21|July|2023}}
|release    = {{date|21|July|2023}}
|predecessor = [[Pikmin 3]]
|predecessor = [[Pikmin 3]]
}}
}}
{{futuregame}}
'''''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.
'''''Pikmin 4''''' is the upcoming fourth mainline installment in the {{ps}}, planned for release on {{date|21|July|2023}} for the [[Nintendo Switch]]. Many details of the game are currently unknown, but it is known that it introduces [[Ice Pikmin]] and [[Glow Pikmin]], a companion character called [[Oatchi]], [[Pikmin 4 player character|a customizable player character]], and [[Night expeditions|night expeditions]] to the series.
 
The game takes place after the events of {{p3}}. Having once again crash-landed on [[PNF-404]], [[Captain Olimar]] sends out a distress signal to the [[Rescue Corps]] for aid. However, the Rescue Corps also crash-land on the planet. It is now up to [[Pikmin 4 player character|their newest recruit]] (a customizable character whose name and appearance can be changed in a character creator) to rescue both Olimar and the Rescue Corps.


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
{{game help|p4}}
{{see also|Completion}}
[[Captain Olimar]] became stranded on [[PNF-404]], but finds the [[Interstellar Radio]] with the help of Pikmin and a space dog named Moss and uses it to send a distress signal. One month later, the signal is intercepted by the [[Rescue Corps]], who set off to retrieve him before becoming in need of rescue themselves, leaving [[Pikmin 4 player character|their newest recruit]] to rescue both Olimar and the castaway members of the Rescue Corps, and repair the Rescue Corps' ship, the [[S.S. Shepherd]], by collecting [[Sparklium|sparklium]].
{{spoiler}}
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.


During the mission, the recruit encounters a mysterious individual who had Olimar's facial features and space suit, but was covered in red fur and had the stem of a Pikmin. His relationship with Olimar was unclear.
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.


== Gameplay ==
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.
[[File:Pikmin 4 Reveal Fight.png|thumb|250px|Combat with a [[Bulborb]].]]
So far, the gameplay seems to be the same as in the previous main titles of the franchise, though with some subtle changes. The [[cursor]] looks less like something to point towards an exact spot with, and more like a simple indicator of the general direction the aim is. This can be in part due to the lower [[camera]] angle. On top of standard Pikmin management and ordering, the player also has [[#Oatchi|Oatchi]] with them, which they can command in different ways than the Pikmin.


In the game's reveal trailer, ''Pikmin'' series creator Shigeru Miyamoto said after the trailer that the [[Nintendo Switch]]'s controls have made controlling the game simpler, allowing the player to focus more on strategic planning, or "dandori" ({{j|段取り|dandori}}) as the developers refer to it.{{cite youtube|UJ9Iz7HhU-I|h=0|m=30|s=28|of Miyamoto talking a bit about the game's new features|published={{date|13|September|2022}}|retrieved={{date|13|September|2022}}}} The word "[[Dandori]]" appears multiple times in the game proper.
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.


=== Game modes ===
== Gameplay ==
Currently, the only game modes known to be in the game are the main [[Story Mode]], where the player must find and rescue members of the Rescue Corps, a 2-player battle mode known as Dandori Battle, and Olimar's Shipwreck tale, a quest to collect the 30 ship parts of the Dolphin.
''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.


==== Dandori Battles ====
There are 3 primary types of collectibles:
{{main|Dandori Battle}}
* [[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.
{{main|Dandori Challenge}}
* 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.
Dandori Battles and Dandori Challenges are new challenges in ''Pikmin 4'', serving as successors to [[2-Player Battle]] from ''Pikmin 2'' and [[Bingo Battle]] from ''[[Pikmin 3]]''.
* [[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.


==== Night expeditions ====
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.
A new type of gameplay in ''Pikmin 4'' are "night expeditions". This marks the first time in the ''[[Pikmin series|Pikmin]]'' series that areas can be explored at nighttime. At the end of each [[day]], the player has the option to either end the day like normal, or choose to remain on the planet for the night. Night expeditions feature tower defense-like gameplay. The goal of night expeditions is to protect "Lumiknolls", tall mounds of dirt with holes in them, revealing a glowing interior. Lumiknolls contain a substance known as "glow sap", which is described as being very valuable.


At nighttime, standard enemies will become frenzied, which is indicated by their eyes glowing a bright red. In this state, these enemies will seek out and attack Lumiknolls. The Lumiknolls' health is indicated by a health bar at the top of the screen, but each hit it takes will also cause one of the glowing holes to darken. At night, the only Pikmin type available are a new type of Pikmin called [[Glow Pikmin]]. Completing night expeditions rewards the player with glow seeds, used to summon Glow Pikmin in caves, and glow sap, used to cure [[leafling]]s.
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.


<gallery>
''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.
P4 Glow Pikmin and Luminol.jpg|A group of Glow Pikmin standing in front of a Lumiknoll.
P4 Night Gameplay.jpg|The player traveling the planet at night, showing enemies with glowing red eyes.
</gallery>


{{clear}}
===Dandori Challenge===
{{main|Dandori Challenge}}
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.


== Content ==
===Dandori Battle===
=== Pikmin types ===
{{main|Dandori Battle}}
All Pikmin types except for [[Bulbmin]] are known to return in ''Pikmin 4''. In addition there will be two new types, [[Ice Pikmin]] and [[Glow Pikmin]].
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.


==== Returning types ====
===Night expedition===
The following Pikmin types introduced in previous ''Pikmin'' games are in ''Pikmin 4'':
{{main|Night expedition}}
* [[Red Pikmin]]
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.
* [[Yellow Pikmin]]
* [[Blue Pikmin]]
* [[Purple Pikmin]]
* [[White Pikmin]]
* [[Rock Pikmin]]
* [[Winged Pikmin]]


==== Ice Pikmin ====
===Olimar's Shipwreck Tale===
{{main|Ice Pikmin}}
{{main|Olimar's Shipwreck Tale}}
Ice Pikmin are a new type of [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]]. They are cyan, with bodies that look like they are composed of two chunks of ice. They leave small snow and water vapor particles around them as they move, and they have yellow flowers. They have the ability to freeze [[enemies]] and bodies of [[water]], they are also inmune to ice itself.
Olimar's Shipwreck Tale is an alternate story mode that is unlocked after rescuing [[Captain Olimar]]. In this mode, the player controls Olimar and the space dog [[Moss]] to collect the 30 [[ship part]]s of the [[S.S. Dolphin]] within a 15-day limit, where each day is 11 minutes long. The mode is a reference to {{p1}}, and only the original 3 Pikmin types from that game appear.


{{clear}}
== Content ==
 
=== Pikmin ===
==== Glow 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]].
{{main|Glow Pikmin}}
* [[Red Pikmin]] are the first type obtained and are resistant to [[fire]] and have a higher attack power.
Glow Pikmin are a new type of Pikmin that can only be used at night during [[#Night expeditions|night expeditions]]. Glow Pikmin have bright green, bioluminescent bodies. They have no legs, and their bodies instead end in a tapered, ghost-like tail. Because of this, they have the ability to float. They have blue eyes, though one of them appears to be larger than the other and has a light blue pupil. Their flowers are also slightly differently shaped, with pointed petals instead of the normal rounded ones. They also appear to be slightly smaller than other Pikmin types.  
* [[Yellow Pikmin]] are resistant to [[electricity]], can be thrown higher and dig faster than other pikmin.
 
* [[Blue Pikmin]] can survive in [[water]], which other types cannot.
An item called the glow seed allows Glow Pikmin to be summoned in caves; like [[Bulbmin]], they are immune to all hazard types but cannot be taken out of the cave.
* [[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.
{{clear}}
* [[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.


=== Areas ===
=== Areas ===
''Pikmin 4'' has several distinct [[area]]s, the following of which being known from the [[#Demo|demo]] or from released footage.
''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.
* '''[[Rescue Command Post]]''': The [[S.S. Shepherd]]'s base, which takes place in a small plantation garden.
* '''[[Sun-Speckled Terrace]]''': A small garden with scattered equipment.
* '''[[Sun-Speckled Terrace]]''': The first area, which takes place in a small public park.
* '''[[Blossoming Arcadia]]''': A lush playground.
* '''[[Blossoming Arcadia]]''': The second area, which takes place in a children's playground.
* '''[[Serene Shores]]''': A beach with tidal pools and a large sandcastle.
* [[Unnamed desert area|An unnamed beach area]].
* '''[[Hero's Hideaway]]''': The interior of a house.
* [[Unnamed house area|An unnamed house area]].
* '''[[Giant's Hearth]]''': A campsite with a fire pit in the center.
 
* '''[[Primordial Thicket]]''': A muddy autumnal forest.
<gallery>
P4 Reveal Garden 1.jpg|[[Rescue Command Post]].
Pikmin 4 area screenshot.jpg|[[Sun-Speckled Terrace]].
Pikmin 4 house area.jpg|[[Blossoming Arcadia]].
Pikmin 4 desert prerelease.jpg|The beach area.
P4 House Area.png|The house area.
</gallery>
 
=== Caves ===
{{Main|Caves}}
[[Caves]] are shown to return in ''Pikmin 4''. But they aren't [[Randomization|randomly generated]] like in {{p2}}. Caves are accessed via black tubes with blue lids on the surface. On footage from the Japanese website, one can be seen with a red flag attached to it, presumably meaning that it's been completed, similar to ''Pikmin 2''. Some [[cave units]] originally from ''Pikmin 2'' such as <code>room_hitode4x4_3_metal</code> and <code>room_dan4x4i_3_conc</code> are known to return with an updated design. Currently, six caves are known: "[[Burrow of Beginnings]]", the first cave entered, "[[Last-Frost Cavern]]", where Ice Pikmin are discovered, "[[Industrial Maze]]", "[[Crackling Cauldron]]", “[[Aquiferous Summit]]” and “[[Hectic Hollows]]”.


=== Treasures ===
=== Treasures ===
{{Main|List of Pikmin 4 treasures}}
{{see|List of Pikmin 4 treasures}}
[[Treasure]]s are the main collectible item in ''Pikmin 4''. Each treasure is worth some amount of [[Sparklium]] when collected, and collecting enough Sparklium can power up the [[S.S. Shepherd]] and unlock the next area. Treasures in this game have sparkle effects around them. When collected, a simple notification appears on-screen saying "New treasure collected!", with the icon of the corresponding treasure appearing above it and some dots below indicating where the treasure fits in its [[series]]. In this game, when a treasure is being carried, it rotates as the Pikmin change direction in their path. Collected treasures can be viewed in the [[Treasure Catalog]].
''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.


==== Other collectibles ====
=== Enemies ===
Outside of treasures, the player can also collect "raw materials"; these appear as light blue pebbles. They can be found in piles around the world, and they also drop from broken walls and jars, and some enemies when they are killed. These materials are used to craft [[upgrade]]s for the [[spacesuit]] or Oatchi's collar. They can also be turned into lumps of clay, which can be used to build things like bridges and climbing walls.
{{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.


<gallery>
=== Plants and fungi ===
P4 Collecting Raw Materials.jpg|Pikmin carrying raw materials back to the S.S. Beagle.
{{see|Vegetation#Pikmin 4|t1=Vegetation in Pikmin 4}}
P4 Collecting Dirt.jpg|Pikmin bringing lumps of clay from the S.S. Beagle.
''Pikmin 4'' features a wide variety of decorative vegetation.
P4 Building Dirt Bridge.jpg|The same lumps of clay being used to build a clay bridge.
</gallery>
 
{{clear}}


=== Characters ===
=== Characters ===
[[File:Pikmin 4 oatchi cutscene english.jpg|thumb|Various leaders discussing [[Oatchi]].]]
{{see|Castaway}}
''Pikmin 4'' features several characters. Most of these are members of the Rescue Corps (referred to as Rescue Officers), a group of 6 humanoid characters and 1 dog who are sent to the planet to rescue [[Captain Olimar]], the only confirmed returning character. There is another character who is customizable and appears to be the only playable character. Of the six members of the Rescue Corps and three civilians currently named, all appear to be named after a dog breed, likely thematic in reference to Oatchi, who is described as a space dog and is introduced as a main mechanic in this game.
{{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.
{{clear}}


==== Player character ====
== Controls ==
{{main|Pikmin 4 player character}}
{{see|Controls#Pikmin 4|t1=Controls in Pikmin 4}}
The main character of the game is a customizable character, referred to in promotional material as "You". Promotional gameplay screenshots feature the names "Lisa" and "Emma". Their name and appearance can be customized in a [[#Character creator|character creator]]. They are the main [[leader]]. They are the newest recruit to the Rescue Corps, sent to rescue them from a crash landing after trying to rescue [[Captain Olimar]] for the same reason.
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.


The default design of this character (shown in trailers and promotion art) has a full head of unkempt red hair, one long eyelash atop each eye, rosy cheeks, a small spherical nose, a small circular open mouth, an orange antenna light, as well as a full red [[spacesuit]] with white gloves and boots. Their ID card states they are from the planet Karut.
== Lists ==
=== Quotes ===
{{see|Rescue Journal}}
{{see|Pikmin 4 voyage log|t1=Voyage Log}}
{{see|Piklopedia (Pikmin 4)|t1=Piklopedia}}
{{see|Treasure Catalog}}


==== Collin ====
=== Soundtrack ===
{{main|Collin}}
{{see|Music in Pikmin 4}}
Collin is the Comms Operator of the crew. He has a square head with a pointy nose, large green eyes, and large rosy cheeks. His mouth is similar to that of [[the President]]. He has close-cut gray hair with a spiraling tuft at the top. He has the same pointy ears as the player character. His name alludes to {{w|Collie}}s. He is from the planet Giya.


==== Shepherd ====
=== References to other series ===
{{main|Shepherd}}
{{see|Reference#Pikmin 4|t1=References to other series in Pikmin 4}}
Erma Shepherd is the captain of the crew. She has a pear-shaped head, long ears, dark skin, and blonde hair styled in a bun with a long curl on the side. She also wears a red bandana and has white grease paint under her eyes. She has the same pointy ears as the main leader. She is the captain of the S.S. Shepherd. Her name alludes to {{w|German Shepherd}}s. She is also from the planet Giya. Shepherd is able to [[upgrade]] Oatchi by training him. Training Oatchi subtracts from Oatchi's "Pup Drive", which increases from rescuing castaways.


==== Russ ====
=== Easter eggs and secrets ===
{{main|Russ}}
{{see|Easter egg#Pikmin 4|t1=Easter eggs in Pikmin 4}}
Russ is the Material Engineer and inventor of the crew. He can be seen conversing with the others. He appears to be bald and have a pear-shaped head, a long nose, and appear to wear glasses. He has the same pointy ears as the main leader. His head shape bears a resemblance to [[Mail#After Louie is found, before all treasures are collected|the spammer that advertises Hocotate Whiz]] in ''Pikmin 2''. Russ runs "The Lab", a shop where the player is able to spend materials they've collected on [[upgrades]] for themselves or Oatchi, as well as helpful items. His name alludes to {{w|Jack Russell Terrier}}s. Like Collin and Shepherd, he is from the planet Giya.


==== Dingo ====
=== Mistakes ===
{{main|Dingo}}
{{see|Mistake#Pikmin 4|t1=Mistakes in Pikmin 4}}
Dingo has a triangle-shaped head, light skin, pointy ears, a large pinkish nose, and red hair spiking upwards. He wears a dark blue headband. His name alludes to {{w|dingo}}es. He is a ranger from the planet Ohri who excels at solo missions.


==== Yonny ====
=== Glitches ===
Yonny is the doctor of the crew. They have a pear-shaped head, long ears, dark skin, and a green bowl cut. They wear a headlamp and have beady eyes, a red spacesuit and the same pointy ears as the main leader. Their name alludes to {{w|Papillon dog|Papillon}}s. In the {{date|21|June|2023}} Nintendo Direct trailer, they can be seen talking with the player about night expeditions, meaning that the player may have to talk to them to begin one.
{{see|Glitches in Pikmin 4}}


<gallery>
=== Unused content ===
P4 Talking to Yonny.png|The player talking with Yonny.
{{see|Unused content in Pikmin 4}}
</gallery>
 
==== Bernard ====
As-of-yet, not much is known about Bernard. They appear to look similar to [[Alph]] and has a oval-shaped head, a slicked-back spiked hair, and having pointy ears as well. Their name alludes to {{w|St. Bernard (dog)|St. Bernard}}s.
 
==== Oatchi ====
{{main|Oatchi}}
Oatchi is a Rescue Pup that assists the Rescue Corps. In gameplay, he acts as an assistant to the player's character, as well as a secondary leader if separated.
 
==== Captain Olimar ====
[[File:Pikmin 4 Olimar.png|thumb|Olimar's profile, as seen on the Japanese website.]]
{{main|Captain Olimar}}
[[Captain Olimar]] returns in ''Pikmin 4''. At some unknown point in time relative to the other ''Pikmin'' games, he crash-landed on PNF-404 again. The Rescue Corps set out to rescue him, but also crash-landed. At the time his distress signal reached the Rescue Corps, he had been on the planet for one month.{{cite web|https://www.nintendo.co.jp/switch/ampya/index.html|official Japanese ''Pikmin 4'' website|Nintendo|retrieved={{date|7|June|2023}}}} Similar to [[Data file|data files]] in ''Pikmin 3'', Olimar has left behind a "Voyage Log" containing useful information about the planet.
 
{{clear}}
==== Moss ====
{{main|Moss}}
Moss is a space dog that Captain Olimar finds on his travels and quickly befriends. It resembles Oatchi, both in appearance and mechanically, although it's larger, green, has half-closed eyes, a calmer temperament, barks like an adult dog, and has a leaf at the tip of its tail.
 
(Homophobic)
 
==== Leaflings ====
{{main|Leafling}}
Leaflings are characters that cannot be identified, and have a head covered with leaves. They are part of the castaways that the Rescue Corps are tasked with rescuing.
 
One of them resembles Captain Olimar, and has Moss next to them.
 
=== Enemies ===
{{Main|List of enemies}}
 
{{clear}}
 
=== Gear and items ===
Like in previous games, the player can obtain [[upgrades]] (known in this game as Gear) for their space suit. The same upgrades can also be bought for Oatchi. The player can also purchase items that they can use in the field. Gear and Items require raw meterials and can be purchased from Russ at The Lab.
 
==== Returning gear ====
* Anti-Electrifier
* Scorch Guard
* Rush Boots
* Metal Suit Z
 
==== Survey Drone ====
The Survey Drone is an piece of gear that allows the player to freely view their surroundings.
 
==== Charging Horn ====
This gear unlocks the [[charge]] ability for the player's Pikmin.
 
==== Other new gear ====
* Headlamp+
* Thermal Defense: Protects the leader and Oatchi from being frozen by icy attacks.
* Lineup Trumpet
 
==== Scrummy Bone ====
This item will completely heal Oatchi. If Oatchi eats it when his health is full, then he will get a boost in health.
 
==== Emergency Kit ====
When the leader takes damage that would incapacitate them, this item will be expended to nullify the damage and automatically restore a portion of their health.
 
==== Pikpik carrot ====
This item can be thrown to distract enemies, similar to the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] in ''Pikmin 2''. Additionally, it will temporarily paralyze enemies that eat them.
 
=== Obstacles ===
Many [[obstacles]], [[tools]], and [[hazards]] can be seen in the trailers.
 
==== Returning obstacles ====
The following obstacles and tools are known to return from previous games:
* [[Water]]
* [[Geyser]] (shooting wind)
* [[Dirt wall]]
* [[Electric gate]]
* [[Bridge]] (made of clay [[fragment]]s)
* [[Paper bag]] &ndash; Some seem to have golden handles, a golden seal, and some golden logo on them. Others are blue and have the word "puppies" written on them.
* [[Crystal wall]]
* [[Boulder]] &ndash; Unlike in ''Pikmin 2'', these roll down hills and can [[crush]] Pikmin.
* [[Cardboard box]]
* [[Bouncy Mushroom]]
* [[Conveyor belt]]
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 dirt wall.jpg|Pikmin taking down a dirt wall.
Pikmin 4 dirt wall breaking.jpg|The dirt wall breaking.
</gallery>
 
==== Potted plants ====
Large mounds of dirt with roots on them can be seen in the February 2023 trailer. These mounds represent potted plants whose pots fell over and broke, tipping the plant sideways. The plant is just a generic plant ending with a large green leaf, not unlike the leaf seen atop a Pikmin's head. The plant's roots are all around the dirt mound. Pikmin grab onto the plant's stem and start pulling sideways. The dirt pile and plant stretch out more and more until eventually the dirt collapses, the roots are freed, and the Pikmin are knocked onto the floor, slightly throwing the plant with them. The small chunks of dirt the obstacle breaks into simply disappear into the floor as they fall, while the plant smoothly vanishes shortly after being uprooted.
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 pulling roots 1.jpg|The potted plant being pulled.
Pikmin 4 pulling roots 2.jpg|The potted plant, now destroyed after being pulled.
</gallery>
 
==== Clay bridge ====
Clay bridges are a new type of [[bridge]]. When Pikmin are thrown onto this bridge, a number similar to a carrying number appears, showing how many lumps of clay are required to build the bridge. Should enough raw material be available, the Pikmin will then return to the S.S. Beagle and retrieve the clay before bringing it back to the bridge and building onto it, similar to the way [[fragments]] are used to build bridges in ''Pikmin 3''.
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 dirt bridge.png|An unfinished clay bridge.
P4 Building Clay Bridge.png|Pikmin building the clay bridge.
</gallery>
 
==== Climbing wall ====
Climbing walls can be built in a similar way to clay bridges. These walls have a base made of dirt, like a pile of dirt leaning on the wall making a small ramp. Atop the wall is also another base of dirt. Both leaders and Pikmin can use these walls, though Oatchi is unable to scale them.
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 Climbing Wall Unbroken.png|A climbing wall shortly before being complete.
Pikmin 4 Climbing Wall.png|The player and their Pikmin climbing up the wall.
</gallery>
 
==== Unknown jar obstacle ====
Jars that can be smashed by having Oatchi [[charge]] at them can be seen at one point in the February 2023 trailer. They seem to be made of ceramic, and have cracks on their sides, near the base. Some of them appear to contain [[nectar]], as seen in the IGN preview. Others may contain wild Pikmin, as seen in the demo.
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 jar obstacle.png|The jar obstacle.
Pikmin 4 jar obstacle Oatchi.png|The jar obstacle while getting destroyed by Oatchi.
Pikmin 4 jar obstacle destroyed.png|The jar obstacle after it's destroyed.
</gallery>
 
==== Unknown wall obstacle ====
A wall obstacle made of a crystalline material can be seen at one point in the February 2023 trailer. In the June 2023 trailer it can be seen being destroyed by Rock Pikmin.
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 Unknown Obstacle.png|The unknown wall obstacle.
</gallery>
 
==== Hydro jelly ====
Hydro jelly is a new type of obstacle. It resembles a glob of translucent blue gelatinous material, and can be found in mounds of different sizes. These obstacles require Ice Pikmin to clear; first, the player must freeze the hydro jelly with Ice Pikmin. Once it is frozen, other Pikmin types and Oatchi will be able to destroy it.
 
<gallery>
Hydro Jelly Screen.png|Hydro jelly.
Frozen Hydro Jelly Screen.png|Hydro jelly after being frozen.
</gallery>
 
=== Plants and fungi ===
{{Main|Vegetation}}
{{clear}}
 
=== Character creator ===
{{main|Pikmin 4 character creator}}
 
=== Others ===
Some other content can be spotted from the footage. In addition, some of the established content in the franchise suffered changes in ''Pikmin 4''.
 
* New content:
** The player's ship is a small pod called the S.S. Beagle. It somewhat resembles a [[SPERO]].
*** It has a white color with accents that are the same color as the color of the space suit that the player chooses for their character to wear.
*** It has the ability to fly and warp through space.
*** It has some [[Koppaite text]] on it, reading {{kt|H|T|C|U}} (HTCU or HTOU).
*** This pod is how the leader and Oatchi travel. They are expelled and sucked in by the beam below the pod.
** The Rescue Corps' ship, the S.S. Shepherd, can be seen crashed at one of the landing sites.
*** It follows the color scheme of the S.S. Beagle.
*** It also has Koppaite text on it, reading {{kt|H|T|C|U|G|N}} (HTCUGN or HTOUGN).
*** There is a component at the top that can only be seen on the second-to-last scene of the trailer. In the first scene in which it appears, this component is missing.
** Some pink pebbles surround the Red Onion and the pod. These mark the location of bases; if the player comes across an empty base, they have the option to move the Onion and S.S. Beagle there.
*** Some bases are guarded by enemies; the player will only be able to move to these bases if they defeat these enemies beforehand.
** [[Bomb rock]]s appear in Dandori Battles. They are much larger than the Pikmin, like in ''Pikmin 2'', and appear to be on small platforms, allowing them to be picked up and carried like treasures. The Pikmin will carry them to the opposing player's Onion, where it will be absorbed and explode, causing the Onion to expel some of its treasures.
** There is a new feature called "Rewind Time", which allows the player to go back a set amount of time if they make a mistake or lose lots of Pikmin. This feature can be found in the pause menu.
** Before starting a new day, the player can check in with members of the Rescue Corps at a location known as the Rescue Command Post. Here, they can purchase upgrades or train Oatchi.
** Whenever Pikmin accomplish something like breaking down a wall, a notification will appear on the screen informing the player about it.
** Wild Pikmin can appear in caves. They will stay in the Onion that the player possesses and cannot produce more of its kind until its own Onion is retrieved.
** When fighting an enemy for the first time, a notification reading "New creature discovered!" will appear, likely signaling a new entry in this game's Piklopedia.
** There are now dialogue options. For example, when Russ is telling the main leader about raw materials, the player has the option of responding with either "Cool." or "Huh?"
* Changed content:
** [[Onion]]s now look more like a fruit with a speckled texture similar to apples. Their petals are smaller and point downwards like the original design. The base of the Onion is now yellow and plastic-like in appearance, and its legs are now green instead of yellow. Like in ''Pikmin 3'', Onions fuse together upon meeting a new type of Pikmin; however, the Onion now becomes segmented like a gourd, with each segment bearing the color of a Pikmin type.
** Pikmin sound slightly different, as does the plucking and whistle sounds.
** The [[cursor]] changed appearance and behavior.
*** It is now followed by an indicator, which consists of an icon with an optional number below it. The icon is that of the Pikmin type in standby, or Oatchi, and the number is the number of Pikmin in the group of that type. Regardless of how the cursor itself is displayed, the icon and number are always facing the screen as part of the game [[HUD]].
*** When pointing at the floor, the cursor is flush with the floor in the game world's geometry. In this state it looks like a ring with a dot in the center, and the standby indicator appears above it.
*** When pointing at an enemy, the cursor locks on to its center automatically and faces the game screen as part of the HUD. In this state it looks like a ring split into four equal arcs, and the standby indicator appears below it.
*** When fighting the Bulborb, and when fighting the first stage of the arachnorb-like enemy, the cursor faces the game screen as part of the HUD and takes on a unique shape, whilst locked-on to the creatures. It looks like a thick ring split into four equal arcs, with a thinner inner ring close to it that is also segmented in the same way. The intervals between each arc pair each have a triangle facing the center of the cursor. Finally, the center point of the cursor resembles a plus sign with a hole in the middle.
** The text boxes that pop up when a character is speaking have a different design to the previous games, most notably adding the character's name above their portrait and having the text align left rather than center.
** Pikmin that get knocked down in combat have a chance of decreasing one level of [[maturity]], like in {{p1}}.
** The [[camera]] rotates horizontally as the player moves left and right on the screen.
** The [[Sun Meter]] is now a circular gauge in the top left corner of the screen. The far right side of the gauge is colored red, marking when the end-of-day period begins.
** The player can only have three Pikmin types on the field at one time.
** The player's [[100-Pikmin limit|Pikmin limit]] starts at 20. The way to increase it is with the new Flarlic, an object resembling a cross between an Onion and garlic. Each Flarlic that the Onion consumes increase the amount of Pikmin allowed outside by 10.
** The [[action menu]] from ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe'' returns. The four options are to [[dismiss]] (now renamed "disband") the player's Pikmin, switch to Oatchi, command Oatchi to do something, or open the player's Pack.
** Unlike ''Pikmin 2'', time still passes while in caves, albeit at 1/6 of the usual rate.
** The [[Treasure Gauge]] is now a small bar below the Sun Meter. Instead of being unlocked with a treasure, it is instead a piece of gear bought with raw material in the Lab.
** When collecting a treasure, the HUD will show the player how many treasures are left in the current area/sublevel.
** Some Onions can be discovered in caves.
** Gates can be different sizes. Some are very long, while others are narrow.
** When entering a cave, the player has the option to go straight to a specific sublevel if they have reached it before, as well as take out or return Pikmin to the Onion without returning to the base first.
*** Also, when entering a new sublevel, the player's Pikmin will already be in their party and no longer have to be whistled.
*The [[Piklopedia]] now allows the player to engage in practice battles against enemies, allowing them to fight especially troublesome foes without risk of losing Pikmin.
 
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 intro 1.jpg|Intro [[cutscene]] with the S.S. Beagle.
Pikmin 4 intro 2.jpg|The S.S. Beagle heading towards the planet.
Pikmin 4 onion.jpg|The landing site.
Pikmin 4 new ship.jpg|Close-up of the S.S. Beagle.
Pikmin 4 Multicolored Onion.png|Close-up of the Master Onion with Red Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, and Blue Pikmin inside.
Pikmin 4 Multicolored Onion Flying.png|The Master Onion's top, as seen when it is flying away.
Pikmin 4 pluck.jpg|[[Pluck]]ing a [[Red Pikmin]] near the Red Onion.
Pikmin 4 Red Onion.png|Close-up of the Red Onion.
P4 Sun Meter.png|The new Sun Meter.
P4 Rewind Time Menu.jpg|The Rewind Time menu.
P4 Treasure Gauge.png|The new Treasure Gauge.
</gallery>
 
== Dandori ==
{{Main|Dandori}}
'''Dandori''' is, as the game puts it, the ability to "organize tasks strategically and working effectively to execute plans". It is a key concept of the {{ps}} as a whole, but is more stressed in ''Pikmin 4'', with characters referring specifically to it, and there being two game modes named after it, [[Dandori Challenge]]s and [[Dandori Battle]]s.


== Other information ==
== Other information ==
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== History ==
== History ==
[[File:Pikmin 4 Reveal Fight.png|thumb|The first released image of the game, shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct.]]
=== Pre-announcement ===
=== Pre-announcement ===
Before ''Pikmin 4''{{'s}} official announcement in 2022, various pieces of information about the game were shared by ''Pikmin'' series creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]. This information was sparse and sometimes contradictory, and the lack of official statements by Nintendo made it difficult to work out what was actually happening with ''Pikmin 4''. It is possible that some of these statements were referring to {{hp}}.
Before ''Pikmin 4''{{'s}} official announcement in 2022, various pieces of information about the game were shared by ''Pikmin'' series creator [[Shigeru Miyamoto]]. This information was sparse and sometimes contradictory, and the lack of official statements by Nintendo made it difficult to work out what was actually happening with ''Pikmin 4''. It is possible that some of these statements were referring to {{hp}}.
Line 364: Line 141:
The first of these mentions was on {{date|6|November|2014}}, when Miyamoto was being interviewed on the recently-released {{psm}}, during which he said {{transcript|Continually launching campaigns after the release of software will lay the groundwork for the next iteration of "Pikmin" in the future. And needless to say, we want it to be one of the motivations for potential consumers to purchase Wii U. We are making a variety of different efforts.}}, indicating the possibility of another ''Pikmin'' game on the [[Wii U]].{{cite web|https://mynintendonews.com/2014/11/06/miyamoto-hints-that-pikmin-4-could-be-in-development/|Miyamoto Hints That Pikmin 4 Could Be In Development|My Nintendo News|published={{date|6|November|2014}}}} Not long after, Miyamoto also mentioned wanting to make more ''Pikmin'' games in an interview with Smosh Games.{{cite youtube|untLD6z6aqI|of the interview with Smosh Games in which Shigeru Miyamoto talks about developing ''Pikmin'' games|m=4|s=35|published={{date|6|January|2015}}}}
The first of these mentions was on {{date|6|November|2014}}, when Miyamoto was being interviewed on the recently-released {{psm}}, during which he said {{transcript|Continually launching campaigns after the release of software will lay the groundwork for the next iteration of "Pikmin" in the future. And needless to say, we want it to be one of the motivations for potential consumers to purchase Wii U. We are making a variety of different efforts.}}, indicating the possibility of another ''Pikmin'' game on the [[Wii U]].{{cite web|https://mynintendonews.com/2014/11/06/miyamoto-hints-that-pikmin-4-could-be-in-development/|Miyamoto Hints That Pikmin 4 Could Be In Development|My Nintendo News|published={{date|6|November|2014}}}} Not long after, Miyamoto also mentioned wanting to make more ''Pikmin'' games in an interview with Smosh Games.{{cite youtube|untLD6z6aqI|of the interview with Smosh Games in which Shigeru Miyamoto talks about developing ''Pikmin'' games|m=4|s=35|published={{date|6|January|2015}}}}


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>
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}}}}


In interviews in 2015 and 2016, Miyamoto mentioned wanting to make more ''Pikmin'' and ''Star Fox'' games.{{cite youtube|9B1nyq-5i6g|of an interview of Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka by YOGSCAST Kim|m=11|s=55|published={{date|8|September|2015}}}} When asked about characters he wanted to develop further at an Apple Store event, he said {{transcript|Yeah, I always wanted Fox McCloud to be a bit more popular than he is. But I think one more would be Pikmin. So I think these two, I'll need to put some more energy into.}}{{cite web|https://gamersplash.com/2016/12/11/miyamoto-confirms-star-fox-and-pikmin-will-continue/|Miyamoto Confirms Star Fox and Pikmin Will Continue|Gamer Splash!|published={{date|11|December|2016}}}}
In interviews in 2015 and 2016, Miyamoto mentioned wanting to make more ''Pikmin'' and ''Star Fox'' games.{{cite youtube|9B1nyq-5i6g|of an interview of Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka by YOGSCAST Kim|m=11|s=55|published={{date|8|September|2015}}}} When asked about characters he wanted to develop further at an Apple Store event, he said {{transcript|Yeah, I always wanted Fox McCloud to be a bit more popular than he is. But I think one more would be Pikmin. So I think these two, I'll need to put some more energy into.}}{{cite web|https://gamersplash.com/2016/12/11/miyamoto-confirms-star-fox-and-pikmin-will-continue/|Miyamoto Confirms Star Fox and Pikmin Will Continue|Gamer Splash!|published={{date|11|December|2016}}}}
Line 375: Line 152:
''Pikmin 4'' was officially announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation on {{date|13|September|2022}}.{{cite youtube|UJ9Iz7HhU-I|of the Nintendo Direct on {{date|13|September|2022}}|published={{date|13|September|2022}}|retrieved={{date|14|September|2022}}}} This announcement was in a section presented by Shigeru Miyamoto, which also promoted {{pb}} and the [[mariowiki:The Super Mario Bros. Movie|upcoming ''Mario'' movie]]. A short trailer was shown, featuring a few scenes in a garden-like area and announcing a release window of 2023. Miyamoto provided some more basic details of the game after the trailer, and also showed off a new Pikmin T-shirt design based on the game's logo, which was made available to buy shortly afterwards.
''Pikmin 4'' was officially announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation on {{date|13|September|2022}}.{{cite youtube|UJ9Iz7HhU-I|of the Nintendo Direct on {{date|13|September|2022}}|published={{date|13|September|2022}}|retrieved={{date|14|September|2022}}}} This announcement was in a section presented by Shigeru Miyamoto, which also promoted {{pb}} and the [[mariowiki:The Super Mario Bros. Movie|upcoming ''Mario'' movie]]. A short trailer was shown, featuring a few scenes in a garden-like area and announcing a release window of 2023. Miyamoto provided some more basic details of the game after the trailer, and also showed off a new Pikmin T-shirt design based on the game's logo, which was made available to buy shortly afterwards.


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]], a dog-like creature shown assisting the group in a variety of ways, including finding other characters referred to as "castaways", breaking down certain obstacles, dragging a Bulborb corpse, and carrying the leader and a group of Pikmin on its back. The trailer 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|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|2|June|2023}}, a news article was published on the Nintendo News channel on the Nintendo Switch news application in some regions, which described the plot of the game as "On a distant planet, the Rescue Corps needs a new hero - you!".{{source needed}}
On {{date|2|June|2023}}, a news article was published on the Nintendo News channel on the Nintendo Switch news application in some regions, which described the plot of the game as "On a distant planet, the Rescue Corps needs a new hero - you!".{{source needed}}


On {{date|6|June|2023}}, a third trailer was published on YouTube 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|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|20|June|2023}}, ''Pikmin 4'' download cards were released in Japan. These cards featured new screenshots, including one that appears to take place inside of a house, and one that seems to show the game's battle mode.{{cite web|https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife/status/1670999728098803713|Tweet by Tokyo Game Life|Twitter|published={{date|20|June|2023}}|retrieved={{date|20|June|2023}}|rname=japanesedownloadcard}}{{cite web|https://twitter.com/Genki_JPN/status/1671010320679071745|Tweet by Genki✨|Twitter|published={{date|20|June|2023}}|retrieved={{date|20|June|2023}}|rname=japanesedownloadcard2}}
On {{date|20|June|2023}}, ''Pikmin 4'' download cards were released in Japan. These cards featured new screenshots, including one that took place inside a house, and one that seemed to show the game's battle mode.{{cite web|https://twitter.com/TokyoGameLife/status/1670999728098803713|Tweet by Tokyo Game Life|Twitter|published={{date|20|June|2023}}|retrieved={{date|20|June|2023}}|rname=japanesedownloadcard}}{{cite web|https://twitter.com/Genki_JPN/status/1671010320679071745|Tweet by Genki✨|Twitter|published={{date|20|June|2023}}|retrieved={{date|20|June|2023}}|rname=japanesedownloadcard2}}


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. A new multiplayer mode, known as "Dandori Battle," was revealed. These battles can also occur in the story mode, with the player facing off against a mysterious, Olimar-like humanoid with his own Oatchi-like dog in order to rescue castaways they've kidnapped. It then showed off the hub area, the Rescue Command Post, where the player can obtain upgrades before starting their day. Finally, the night gameplay was revealed to be an 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|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}}}}
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.


=== Demo ===
=== Demo ===
On June 28th, a demo for the game was released. In it, players can play part of Story Mode with one or two players. This allows them to explore the [[Sun-Speckled Terrace]] and its seven caves (one being a [[Dandori Challenge]] and another being a [[Dandori Battle]]). Once the player has accumulated 1500 [[Sparklium|sparklium]] 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 file, they can still explore the [[Rescue Command Post]] (and access the Piklopedia and Treasure Hoard if the corresponding castaways are saved), but will be prevented from continuing to the next area or landing in the previous one.
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.
 
The title screen naturally includes the word "Demo" under the logo, and has an extra option, "Nintendo eShop", that when pressed, prompts the player to open the eShop's page for ''Pikmin 4''. The Dandori Battle option exists, but choosing it will simply inform the player of their availability in the full version.
 
Any progress made in the demo can carry over to the final game. Collecting {{sparklium|1500}} also gives the player some bonuses: they will obtain 5 Bomb Rocks in the full game and an [[Mii#Mii apparel|Oatchi-Rider outfit for their Mii]] in {{pb}} through [[My Nintendo]]. For the latter, a "Send Confirmation" button will appear on the title screen.
 
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}}}}
 
=== Post-release ===
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}}}}


The title screen naturally includes the word "Demo" under the logo, and has an extra option, "Nintendo eShop", that when pressed, prompts the player to open the eShop's page for ''Pikmin 4''. The Dandori Battle option exists, but choosing it will simply inform the player of their availability in the full version. After completing the demo, a "Send Confirmation" button will also appear on the title screen, which will allow the player to obtain the [[Mii#Mii apparel|Oatchi-Rider outfit]] in {{pb}} if their Nintendo Account is linked.
== Connections to other games ==
{{see|Canon}}
''Pikmin 4'' does not fit neatly into the timeline established by the previous 3 games, as its story contradicts several major details from {{p1}}, {{p2}}, and {{p3}}. [[Olimar's Shipwreck Tale]] is a retelling of the story of ''Pikmin'', though with many details changed. Events from ''Pikmin 2'' and ''Pikmin 3'' are referenced as if they are hypothetical future events.


Any progress made in the demo can carry over to the final game. Collecting 1500 sparklium also gives the player some bonuses: they will obtain 1500 raw materials in the full game and a [[Mii#Mii apparel|Oatchi-Rider outfit for their Mii]] in ''Pikmin Bloom'' through [[My Nintendo]].
== Credits ==
{{see|Credits#Pikmin 4|t1=Pikmin 4 credits}}


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
<gallery>
<gallery>
Pikmin 4 Logo.jpg|''Pikmin 4'''s logo.
Pikmin 4 Logo with background.jpg|''Pikmin 4'''s logo.
Pikmin 4 Direct Logo.png|''Pikmin 4'''s logo with transparent background.
Pikmin 4 Logo.png|''Pikmin 4'''s logo with a transparent background.
Pikmin4boxart.png|North American box art with a transparent background.
Pikmin 4 Rating Pending Box Art.png|Early North American box art.
Pikmin 4 Key Art.png|Key art.
Pikmin 4 Key Art.png|Key art.
Pikmin 4 key art jp.jpg|Japanese key art.
Pikmin 4 key art jp.jpg|Japanese key art.
Line 415: Line 210:


== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
* ''Pikmin 4'' is the first mainline ''Pikmin'' game to be available in Brazilian Portuguese and Dutch.
* ''Pikmin 4'' is the first main-series ''Pikmin'' game to be available in Brazilian, Portuguese, and Dutch.
* ''Pikmin 4'' uses the {{w|Unreal Engine}}.{{cite web|rname=japanesedownloadcard}}{{cite web|rname=japanesedownloadcard2}}
* ''Pikmin 4'' uses the {{w|Unreal Engine}}.{{cite web|rname=japanesedownloadcard}}{{cite web|rname=japanesedownloadcard2}}
* The gap between the releases of {{p3}} and ''Pikmin 4'' was 10 years, the longest gap between release dates of any consecutive main-series ''Pikmin'' games.
* ''Pikmin 4'' was the first game to reintroduce enemies that hadn’t appeared in a previous game.


== Names in other languages ==
== Names in other languages ==
''' ''Pikmin 4'' '''
{{foreignname
{{foreignname
|Jap=ピクミン４
|Jap=ピクミン４
Line 442: Line 238:
|Spa=Pikmin 4
|Spa=Pikmin 4
|SpaM=-
|SpaM=-
}}
'''Lumiknoll'''
{{foreignname
|Jap=ヒカリヅカ
|JapR=Hikarizuka
|JapM=From {{j|ヒカリ|hikari|light|f=tp}} and {{j|アリ塚|arizuka|anthill|f=tp}}
|ChiTrad=發光巢穴
|ChiTradR=Fāguāng Cháoxué
|ChiTradM=Glowing Nest
|Dut=Gloeikolonie
|DutM=Glow colony
|FraE=Lumilière
|FraEM=From "lumineux" (glowing) and "fourmilière" (anthill)
|Ger=Leuchtbau
|GerM=Glow Burrow
|Ita=Luminotana
|ItaM=From "luminosa" (glowing) and "tana" (den)
|SpaE=Lumiloma
|SpaEM=From "luminosa" (glowing) and "loma" (hill)
|Por=Lampireiro
|PorM=From "pirilampo" (firefly) and "formigueiro" (anthill)
|Kor=빛둑
|KorR=bitduk
|KorM=From「{{tt|빛|bich}}」(light) and「{{tt|개밋둑|gaemisdug}}」(anthill)
}}
'''Glow sap'''
{{Foreignname
|Dut=Gloeinectar
|DutM=Glow nectar
|FraE=Nectar luisant
|FraEM=Glowing nectar
|Ger=Leuchtsaft
|GerM=Glow Sap
|Ita=Nettare iridescente
|ItaM=Iridescent nectar
|SpaE=Néctar luminoso
|SpaEM=Glowing nectar
|Por=Seiva pirilâmpica
|PorM=Firefly sap
}}
;Dingo
{{foreignname
|Jap=ディンゴ
|JapR=Dingo
|JapM=Dingo
|Fra=Wally
|FraM=From "warrigal"
|Por=Din
|PorM=From "dingo"
}}
;Yonny
{{foreignname
|Jap  = パピヨン
|JapR = Papiyon
|JapM = Papillon
|Por  = Pion
|PorM = From "Papillon"
}}
;Bernard
{{foreignname
|Fra=Bernard
|FraM= From St. Bernard
|Por  = Bersam
|PorM = From "são-bernardo" (St. Bernard)
}}
'''Moss'''
{{foreignname
|Jap=モス
|JapR=Mosu
|JapM=Moss
|Fra=Moss
|FraM=-
|SpaA=Moss
|SpaAM=-
|Por=Moss
|PorM=-
}}
'''Clay'''
{{Foreignname
|Jap=ネンド
|JapR=Nendo
|JapM=Clay
|Por=Argila
|PorM=Clay
}}
'''Hydro jelly'''
{{Foreignname
|Jap=水こんにゃく
|JapR=Mizu konnyaku
|JapM=Water {{w|konjac}}
|Por=Hidrogelatina
|PorM=Hydro jelly
}}
'''Night expedition'''
{{Foreignname
|Jap=夜の探索
|JapR=Yoru no Tansaku
|JapM=Night Search
|ChiTrad=晚上的探索
|ChiTradR=Wǎnshàng de Tànsuǒ
|ChiTradM=Night Search
|Dut=Nachtexpeditie
|DutM=Night expedition
|Fra=Expédition de nuit
|FraM=Night expedition
|Ger=Nachtexpedition
|GerM=Night expedition
|Ita=Esplorazione notturna
|ItaM=Nocturnal exploration
|Kor=야간 탐색
|KorR=yagan tamsaeg
|KorM=Night Search
|Spa=Expedición nocturna
|SpaM=Nocturnal expedition
|Por=Expedição noturna
|PorM=Nocturnal expedition
}}
}}


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{{games}}
{{games}}
[[Category:Prerelease]]
[[Category:Main series]]
[[Category:Main series]]

Latest revision as of 19:09, December 1, 2024

Pikmin 4
The North American boxart for Pikmin 4.
North American game cover.
Japanese name ピクミン 4?
Rating ESRB rating: E 10+ PEGI rating: 3
Console Nintendo Switch
Developer Nintendo EPD
Publisher Nintendo
Genre Action/Adventure/Strategy
Players 1-2 players
Worldwide release date July 21st, 2023
Related games
Predecessor Pikmin 3

Pikmin 4 is the fourth main-series game in the Pikmin series, released in 2023 for the Nintendo Switch. The game sees the 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 castaways, while also collecting treasures and completing other missions. Elements new to the series include night expeditions, a companion character called Oatchi, and building structures along with purchasing gear with raw materials.

Plot[edit]

See also: Completion.
Warning: the following article or section contains major spoilers.

In the prologue, Captain Olimar, captain of the S.S. Dolphin, crash-lands on planet PNF-404. He discovers the Pikmin, and also the space dog Moss, who help him to recover the missing parts of his ship. In a playable section of the prologue, he finds the Interstellar Radio, which allows him to send out an 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 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 treasures, completing the first day on the planet.

After the first day, the rookie visits various areas of the planet to collect treasures and find castaways, finding that there are civilian castaways as well as members of the Rescue Corps. They also encounter leaflings, strange creatures with leaves on their heads who always talk about Dandori, and who challenge the rookie with Dandori Challenges. One particular leafling with red leaves challenges the rookie to Dandori Battles. 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 expeditions, 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[edit]

Pikmin 4 is a 3D real-time strategy game, with gameplay divided into blocks of time called days. Each day is 15 minutes long and allows the player to explore 1 area. Within each area there are several caves, 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. 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 fight hostile 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:

  • Treasures 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 castaways and some of which are found as leaflings. 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.
  • Onions 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 obstacles 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 missions, which challenge the player to do a specific task, and upon completing the mission, they get a reward. These rewards are usually raw materials, 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 Challenge[edit]

Main article: Dandori Challenge.

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 from Pikmin 2 and Mission Mode from Pikmin 3, but are incorporated into the main story.

Dandori Battle[edit]

Main article: Dandori Battle.

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.

Night expedition[edit]

Main article: 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.

Olimar's Shipwreck Tale[edit]

Main article: Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.

Olimar's Shipwreck Tale is an alternate story mode that is unlocked after rescuing Captain Olimar. In this mode, the player controls Olimar and the space dog Moss to collect the 30 ship parts of the S.S. Dolphin within a 15-day limit, where each day is 11 minutes long. The mode is a reference to Pikmin, and only the original 3 Pikmin types from that game appear.

Content[edit]

Pikmin[edit]

Pikmin 4 has 9 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.
  • Blue Pikmin can survive in water, which other types cannot.
  • 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.

Areas[edit]

Pikmin 4 has 6 main areas, plus a special tutorial and hub area, the Rescue Command Post. Within each area, there are multiple caves.

Treasures[edit]

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 Pikmin 2, there can be multiple instances of a single type of treasure.

Enemies[edit]

See: Enemies in Pikmin 4

Pikmin 4 has more types of enemies than any other Pikmin game. There is a 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.

Plants and fungi[edit]

See: Vegetation in Pikmin 4

Pikmin 4 features a wide variety of decorative vegetation.

Characters[edit]

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.

Controls[edit]

See: 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.

Lists[edit]

Quotes[edit]

See: Rescue Journal
See: Voyage Log
See: Piklopedia
See: Treasure Catalog

Soundtrack[edit]

See: Music in Pikmin 4

References to other series[edit]

See: References to other series in Pikmin 4

Easter eggs and secrets[edit]

See: Easter eggs in Pikmin 4

Mistakes[edit]

See: Mistakes in Pikmin 4

Glitches[edit]

See: Glitches in Pikmin 4

Unused content[edit]

See: Unused content in Pikmin 4

Other information[edit]

  • Game size: 10.36 GB.
  • Supported play modes: TV (1 or 2 players), tabletop (1 or 2 players), and handheld (1 player).
  • Supported controllers: two Joy-Cons, single Joy-Con (only when playing in multiplayer), and Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. When playing in multiplayer with single Joy-Cons, player 1 holds the controller horizontally and player 2 holds the controller vertically.[1]
  • Supported languages: Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese.[2]

History[edit]

The image shown after the Pikmin 4 announcement trailer in the 9.13.2022 Nintendo Direct.
The first released image of the game, shown in the September 2022 Nintendo Direct.

Pre-announcement[edit]

Before Pikmin 4's official announcement in 2022, various pieces of information about the game were shared by Pikmin series creator Shigeru Miyamoto. This information was sparse and sometimes contradictory, and the lack of official statements by Nintendo made it difficult to work out what was actually happening with Pikmin 4. It is possible that some of these statements were referring to Hey! Pikmin.

The first of these mentions was on November 6th, 2014, when Miyamoto was being interviewed on the recently-released Pikmin Short Movies, during which he said “Continually launching campaigns after the release of software will lay the groundwork for the next iteration of "Pikmin" in the future. And needless to say, we want it to be one of the motivations for potential consumers to purchase Wii U. We are making a variety of different efforts.”, indicating the possibility of another Pikmin game on the Wii U.[3] Not long after, Miyamoto also mentioned wanting to make more Pikmin games in an interview with Smosh Games.[4]

On September 7th, 2015, Eurogamer unveiled that, in an exclusive interview, Miyamoto had confirmed the development of Pikmin 4, and claimed that “it's actually very close to completion. Pikmin teams are always working on the next one.”[5] In the same article, Eurogamer also revealed a separate statement from a Nintendo representative, which said “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.[note 1][note 2][6]

In interviews in 2015 and 2016, Miyamoto mentioned wanting to make more Pikmin and Star Fox games.[7] When asked about characters he wanted to develop further at an Apple Store event, he said “Yeah, I always wanted Fox McCloud to be a bit more popular than he is. But I think one more would be Pikmin. So I think these two, I'll need to put some more energy into.”[8]

On July 7th, 2016, Gamerant interviewed Miyamoto and asked him about the status of the game's development and why there hadn't been any news in the past few months. To this, he replied “Yes, you are right, and we're working on [Pikmin 4]. So, you know, when we're in development we have to create a list of priorities and it has been hard to kind of fit that into that list, but we're hopefully starting to see that on the list now.”[9]

A second Eurogamer interview with Miyamoto about Pikmin 4 was conducted at E3 2017, during which he stated “I've been told not to share anything about this from PR, but I can tell you it is progressing.”[10] This was the last time Pikmin 4 was mentioned before its official announcement.

Pre-release[edit]

Pikmin 4 was officially announced in a Nintendo Direct presentation on September 13th, 2022.[11] This announcement was in a section presented by Shigeru Miyamoto, which also promoted Pikmin Bloom and the upcoming Mario movie. A short trailer was shown, featuring a few scenes in a garden-like area and announcing a release window of 2023. Miyamoto provided some more basic details of the game after the trailer, and also showed off a new Pikmin T-shirt design based on the game's logo, which was made available to buy shortly afterwards.

On February 8th, 2023, a Nintendo Direct presentation announced the release date for the game in a new trailer.[12] 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 treasures to be the main collectible, and hinted at the return of caves from Pikmin 2. The end of the trailer gave a first view of night gameplay.

On June 2nd, 2023, a news article was published on the Nintendo News channel on the Nintendo Switch news application in some regions, which described the plot of the game as "On a distant planet, the Rescue Corps needs a new hero - you!".[source needed]

On June 6th, 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.[13] Accompanying this trailer was a major update to the game's Japanese website, which included some plot information and new screenshots.

On June 20th, 2023, Pikmin 4 download cards were released in Japan. These cards featured new screenshots, including one that took place inside a house, and one that seemed to show the game's battle mode.[14][15]

On June 21st, 2023, another trailer was released as part of a Nintendo Direct presentation.[16] 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 June 26th, 2023, various video game journalists and news sites like IGN[17] and Hobby Consolas[18] 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.[19]

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.[20][21][22] In these interviews, they talked about how they attempted to combine elements of Pikmin and Pikmin 2 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 Challenges and Dandori Battles, 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.

Demo[edit]

On June 28th, 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 × 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.

The title screen naturally includes the word "Demo" under the logo, and has an extra option, "Nintendo eShop", that when pressed, prompts the player to open the eShop's page for Pikmin 4. The Dandori Battle option exists, but choosing it will simply inform the player of their availability in the full version.

Any progress made in the demo can carry over to the final game. Collecting also gives the player some bonuses: they will obtain 5 Bomb Rocks in the full game and an Oatchi-Rider outfit for their Mii in Pikmin Bloom through My Nintendo. For the latter, a "Send Confirmation" button will appear on the title screen.

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.[23]

Post-release[edit]

A minor update to the game was released on September 27th, 2023, which fixed some bugs and added a loading screen progress bar.

At The Game Awards 2023, Pikmin 4 was nominated for the "Best Family" award,[24] and won the "Best Sim / Strategy" award.[25]

Connections to other games[edit]

See: Canon

Pikmin 4 does not fit neatly into the timeline established by the previous 3 games, as its story contradicts several major details from Pikmin, Pikmin 2, and Pikmin 3. Olimar's Shipwreck Tale is a retelling of the story of Pikmin, though with many details changed. Events from Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3 are referenced as if they are hypothetical future events.

Credits[edit]

See: Pikmin 4 credits

Gallery[edit]

  • Pikmin 4's logo.

    Pikmin 4's logo.

  • Pikmin 4's logo with a transparent background.

    Pikmin 4's logo with a transparent background.

  • North American box art with a transparent background.

    North American box art with a transparent background.

  • Early North American box art.

    Early North American box art.

  • Key art.

    Key art.

  • Japanese key art.

    Japanese key art.

  • Vertical arrangement of the key art.

    Vertical arrangement of the key art.

  • Square arrangement of the key art.

    Square arrangement of the key art.

  • Full key art without text.

    Full key art without text.

See more: Category:Pikmin 4 images.

Videos[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • Pikmin 4 is the first main-series Pikmin game to be available in Brazilian, Portuguese, and Dutch.
  • Pikmin 4 uses the Unreal Engine.[14][15]
  • The gap between the releases of Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4 was 10 years, the longest gap between release dates of any consecutive main-series Pikmin games.
  • Pikmin 4 was the first game to reintroduce enemies that hadn’t appeared in a previous game.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning
Flag of Japan Japanese ピクミン４?
Pikumin 4		 Pikmin 4
Flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Chinese
(traditional)		 皮克敏４
Píkèmǐn 4		 Pikmin 4
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch Pikmin 4 -
Flag of France French Pikmin 4 -
Flag of Germany German Pikmin 4 -
Flag of Italy Italian Pikmin 4 -
Flag of South Korea Korean 피크민 4
pikeumin 4		 Pikmin 4
Flag of Brazil Portuguese Pikmin 4 -
Flag of Spain Spanish Pikmin 4 -

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Product information for Pikmin 4 on the Japanese Pikmin 4 website, retrieved on April 11th, 2023
  2. ^ Pikmin 4 for Nintendo Switch on Nintendo Official Site, published on February 8th, 2023, retrieved on February 9th, 2023
  3. ^ Miyamoto Hints That Pikmin 4 Could Be In Development on My Nintendo News, published on November 6th, 2014
  4. ^ YouTube video of the interview with Smosh Games in which Shigeru Miyamoto talks about developing Pikmin games (at 04:35), published on January 6th, 2015
  5. ^ Pikmin 4 in development and "very close to completion" on Eurogamer, published on September 7th, 2015
  6. ^ Unreal Engine 4.15 Released on the Unreal Engine official website, published on February 15th, 2017
  7. ^ YouTube video of an interview of Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka by YOGSCAST Kim (at 11:55), published on September 8th, 2015
  8. ^ Miyamoto Confirms Star Fox and Pikmin Will Continue on Gamer Splash!, published on December 11th, 2016
  9. ^ Miyamoto Updates Fans On Status of Pikmin 4 on Gamerant, published on July 6th, 2016
  10. ^ Miyamoto: Pikmin 4 still "progressing" on Eurogamer, published on June 14th, 2017, retrieved on June 14th, 2017
  11. ^ YouTube video of the Nintendo Direct on September 13th, 2022, published on September 13th, 2022, retrieved on September 14th, 2022
  12. ^ YouTube video of the Nintendo Direct on February 8th, 2023, published on February 8th, 2023, retrieved on February 8th, 2023
  13. ^ YouTube video of the character creator trailer, published on June 6th, 2023, retrieved on June 6th, 2023
  14. ^ a b Tweet by Tokyo Game Life on Twitter, published on June 20th, 2023, retrieved on June 20th, 2023
  15. ^ a b Tweet by Genki✨ on Twitter, published on June 20th, 2023, retrieved on June 20th, 2023
  16. ^ YouTube video of the Nintendo Direct on June 21st, 2023, published on June 21st, 2023
  17. ^ YouTube video of IGN playing a preview build of the game, published on June 26th, 2023
  18. ^ YouTube video of Hobby Consolas playing a preview build of the game, published on June 26th, 2023
  19. ^ YouTube video of the "Pikmin on Nintendo Switch" trailer, published on June 26th, 2023
  20. ^ Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 1 on Nintendo News, published on July 18th, 2023
  21. ^ Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 2 on Nintendo News, published on July 19th, 2023
  22. ^ Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4—Part 3 on Nintendo News, published on July 20th, 2023
  23. ^ YouTube video of a player completing the demo with over Sparklium × 5000, published on July 8th, 2023, retrieved on July 8th, 2023
  24. ^ Best Family 2023 on The Game Awards, retrieved on December 12th, 2023
  25. ^ Best Sim / Strategy 2023 on The Game Awards, retrieved on December 12th, 2023
Games
Main games Pikmin • Pikmin 2 • Pikmin 3 • Pikmin 4
Spin-off games Hey! Pikmin • Pikmin Bloom
Re-releases New Play Control! Pikmin • New Play Control! Pikmin 2
Pikmin 3 Deluxe • Pikmin 1 (Nintendo Switch) • Pikmin 2 (Nintendo Switch)
Web games Pikmin.com SpaceForce • Pikmin Treasure Hunt • Pikmin Finder
Super Smash Bros. series Brawl • for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U • Ultimate
Others Pikmin Adventure (Nintendo Land) • Stage Debut
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