Pikmin (game)

Pikmin.com SpaceForce: Difference between revisions

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(Re-arranged the images and fixed a bit of wordy sentences, I still feel like this article needs improvement, but I'm done for the day.)
(Various improvements, particularly condensing the descriptions of menu screens.)
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{{game icons|p=y}}
'''''Pikmin.com SpaceForce''''' is a lost browser game made by Nintendo of America to promote [[Pikmin (game)|the first ''Pikmin'' game]]. Not much is known about its gameplay, and while archives of the website it was on exist, it's not clear if the game itself is contained within these archives. The game was made with Adobe Flash (known as Macromedia Flash at the time), and was accessed from www.pikmin.com. It was released around November 2001, and taken offline in mid-2002.
'''''Pikmin.com SpaceForce''''' is a lost browser game made by Nintendo of America to promote [[Pikmin (game)|the first ''Pikmin'' game]]. Not much is known about its gameplay, and while archives of the website it was on exist, it's not clear if the game itself is contained within these archives. The game was made with Adobe Flash (known as Macromedia Flash at the time), and was accessed from www.pikmin.com. It was released around November 2001, and taken offline in mid-2002.


==Details==
==Menu screens==
[[File:PikminSpaceforceRegistration.png|thumb|250px|The registration page.]]
[[File:PikminSpaceforceRegistration.png|thumb|right|250px|The homepage.]]


The registration page features an image of [[Olimar]] and the Pikmin resting on a leafy branch, while underneath a Blue Pikmin runs back and forth. in the top left is a link to visit the Nintendo website. In the bottom right corner, Olimar stands still looking at the viewer. Directly above him, there are two links to download the software required to play the game and a link to the overview page, but now both of those plugins no longer work, rendering the game unplayable.  
The homepage at www.pikmin.com featured some promotional art for ''Pikmin'', and various links related to the game. These included links to a few Nintendo websites, a button to enter the main page of the game itself, and links to download the browser plugins required to play the game (Macromedia Flash Player and Apple's QuickTime).  


[[File:PikminSpaceforceHome.jpg|thumb|250px|The main page.]]
[[File:PikminSpaceforceHome.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The main page.]]


The main page features the same image as the registration page, but more zoomed-in, a day timer similar to the one in the first game is in the top right, showing the number of days until the web game released. The sign-in area has been replaced with a button that says that the game would be coming soon. It's presumed this would turn into a play button, but the archives for it don't exist. Below that are buttons to access the leaderboards and tips & info. To the left of that bubble is another one which has a log-in area with the title "My Team Headquarters" It is unknown what this refers to. In the bottom right corner, there are buttons for Email updates, Parental info, and an FAQ.
The main page featured a similar background to the homepage, with some additional game-related graphics. There was a ''Pikmin''-style day counter and sun meter, which seem have showed the number of days until the game released. On the right side there are a few buttons, one of which says that the game would be coming soon. It's presumed this would turn into a play button, but there is no archive showing the button looking like this. Below that are buttons to access the leaderboards and tips & info. To the left of that bubble is another one which has a log-in area with the title "My Team Headquarters"; it is unknown exactly what this refers to. In the bottom right corner, there are buttons to get email updates, view parental info, and read an FAQ.


[[File:PikminSpaceforceOverview.png|thumb|250px|The overview page.]]
[[File:PikminSpaceforceOverview.png|thumb|right|250px|The overview page.]]


The game overview page has a different background, featuring Pikmin climbing up plants, while the foreground features the Pikmin standing in a line, with Olimar placed to the right of them. This page still has the day timer, but now there is an overview of the first Pikmin game in the top left, and one of the bubbles now holds a separate movie for each the Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmin, as well as Olimar. What those videos are of is yet unknown. At the bottom of the page, there are buttons for email updates, parental info, FAQs, an overview of the game, and a link to the homepage.  
Clicking the "game overview" link on the main page led to a page with different background artwork, where an overview of {{p1}} was written. The buttons on the right side still remained, but there were 4 additional buttons to view videos explaining [[Red Pikmin]], [[Yellow Pikmin]], [[Blue Pikmin]], and [[Olimar]]. These videos do not seem to have been archived.


When opening the website a short animation would play, that had the camera pan onto the screen from the right, Blue Pikmin would then fall from the top left, landing on the GameCube logo, causing it to bounce off, and the logo to shake. A Yellow Pikmin then slides in from the right, while the Blue Pikmin that fell begins running back and forth in the background.  
The website featured several Flash animations. When opening the website a short animation would play, that had the camera pan onto the screen from the right, Blue Pikmin falling from the top left, landing on the GameCube logo, causing the Pikmin to bounce off and the logo to shake. A Yellow Pikmin would then slide in from the right, while the Blue Pikmin that fell began running back and forth in the background.  


Clicking the GameCube icon at the bottom of the page would have sent you to a separate website for the GameCube with something that runs using Flash. However, we are unable to know what it opens at this time.
{{clear}}
 
==Gameplay==
The game seems to have had you playing as a Pikmin and helping "a Space Explorer" escape a planet, It started with a personality test asking some basic questions that would have determined the Pikmin type which you play as. The actual gameplay is still unknown but it had players collecting [[Pellet|"food"]] which would have boosted the player's score. Once the game was over the player would be congratulated, and if their score was high enough, it would be added to the leaderboard. Bonus points could be collected by finding hidden links on other websites as a cross-promotion for the game, with each one increasing the total by 1-10 points.
The exact nature of the gameplay of ''Pikmin.com SpaceForce'' is unknown. However, from what remains in the archives and the few forum posts talking about it, it seems that game seems would have had players play as a Pikmin and helping "a Space Explorer" escape a planet. To start, players would do a personality test asking some questions that would determine the Pikmin type they would play as. Players would be organized into teams based on the assigned Pikmin type, and would try to find food in the form of [[pellet]]s that would increase the player's score. This food was often found on other websites, which featured hidden buttons you could click to collect food for the game. This indicates that ''Pikmin.com SpaceForce'' was part of a larger cross-promotional marketing strategy by Nintendo of America. Each pellet collected would give between 1 and 10 points, with pellets of the same color as the player's team giving more points.


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
PikminSpaceforceQuizStart.png|Presumably the screen after signing in. It has a description of the story.
PikminSpaceforceQuizStart.png|Presumably the screen after signing in. It has a description of the story.
PikminSpaceforceQuiz.png|A personality test taken to determine the Pikmin type of the player.
PikminSpaceforceQuiz.png|A personality test to determine the Pikmin type of the player.
PikminSpaceforceYou.gif|Could be the results of the test showing the type the player got.
PikminSpaceforceYou.gif|Image from the game files, which could be showing the Pikmin type the player was assigned.
PikminSpaceforceLeave.png|What shows up if you try to exit mid-game.
PikminSpaceforceLeave.png|Image from the game files, which shows up if you try to exit mid-game.
PikminSpaceforceFood2.jpg|A hidden link showing a Blue Pikmin on another site that adds to the player's points.
PikminSpaceforceFood2.jpg|A button which could be hidden on another website, showing a blue pellet that adds to the player's points.
PikminSpaceforceFood3.jpg|A hidden link showing a Yellow Pikmin on another site that adds to the player's points.
PikminSpaceforceFood3.jpg|A button which could be hidden on another website, showing a yellow pellet that adds to the player's points.
PikminSpaceforceRPellet.gif|The point value for a red pellet.
PikminSpaceforceRPellet.gif|The point value for a red pellet.
PikminSpaceforceYPellet.gif|The point value for a yellow pellet.
PikminSpaceforceYPellet.gif|The point value for a yellow pellet.
PikminSpaceforceFood.jpg|A page displayed when you find food on another site.
PikminSpaceforceFood.jpg|A page displayed when food is found on another website.
PikminSpaceforcePromo.png|Promotional material for the game.
PikminSpaceforcePromo.png|Advertisement for the game in a [[Nintendo Power]] ''Pikmin'' promotional booklet.
</gallery>
</gallery>
==See also==
*[[Stage Debut]]
{{games}}

Revision as of 18:00, September 18, 2022

Pikmin.com SpaceForce is a lost browser game made by Nintendo of America to promote the first Pikmin game. Not much is known about its gameplay, and while archives of the website it was on exist, it's not clear if the game itself is contained within these archives. The game was made with Adobe Flash (known as Macromedia Flash at the time), and was accessed from www.pikmin.com. It was released around November 2001, and taken offline in mid-2002.

Menu screens

The registration page in Pikmin.com SpaceForce.
The homepage.

The homepage at www.pikmin.com featured some promotional art for Pikmin, and various links related to the game. These included links to a few Nintendo websites, a button to enter the main page of the game itself, and links to download the browser plugins required to play the game (Macromedia Flash Player and Apple's QuickTime).

The first page in Pikmin.com SpaceForce.
The main page.

The main page featured a similar background to the homepage, with some additional game-related graphics. There was a Pikmin-style day counter and sun meter, which seem have showed the number of days until the game released. On the right side there are a few buttons, one of which says that the game would be coming soon. It's presumed this would turn into a play button, but there is no archive showing the button looking like this. Below that are buttons to access the leaderboards and tips & info. To the left of that bubble is another one which has a log-in area with the title "My Team Headquarters"; it is unknown exactly what this refers to. In the bottom right corner, there are buttons to get email updates, view parental info, and read an FAQ.

The game overview page in Pikmin.com SpaceForce.
The overview page.

Clicking the "game overview" link on the main page led to a page with different background artwork, where an overview of Pikmin was written. The buttons on the right side still remained, but there were 4 additional buttons to view videos explaining Red Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, Blue Pikmin, and Olimar. These videos do not seem to have been archived.

The website featured several Flash animations. When opening the website a short animation would play, that had the camera pan onto the screen from the right, Blue Pikmin falling from the top left, landing on the GameCube logo, causing the Pikmin to bounce off and the logo to shake. A Yellow Pikmin would then slide in from the right, while the Blue Pikmin that fell began running back and forth in the background.

Gameplay

The exact nature of the gameplay of Pikmin.com SpaceForce is unknown. However, from what remains in the archives and the few forum posts talking about it, it seems that game seems would have had players play as a Pikmin and helping "a Space Explorer" escape a planet. To start, players would do a personality test asking some questions that would determine the Pikmin type they would play as. Players would be organized into teams based on the assigned Pikmin type, and would try to find food in the form of pellets that would increase the player's score. This food was often found on other websites, which featured hidden buttons you could click to collect food for the game. This indicates that Pikmin.com SpaceForce was part of a larger cross-promotional marketing strategy by Nintendo of America. Each pellet collected would give between 1 and 10 points, with pellets of the same color as the player's team giving more points.

Gallery

See also