Pikmin Bloom

Pikmin Bloom

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Pikmin Bloom
File:Pikmin Bloom app icon.jpg
App icon
Console iOS, Android
Developer Niantic, Nintendo
Publisher Niantic
Genre Augmented reality
Players 1 player (online functionality)
Release date
Japan Later in 2021
North America October 28th, 2021
Europe Later in 2021
Australia October 27th, 2021
South Korea Later in 2021

This article or section is about an upcoming or recently released game.
The content here is subject to change as more information is discovered.
All information added here must be verifiable and not speculative.

Pikmin Bloom is a spin-off game in the Pikmin series for mobile devices. It is currently rolling out worldwide,[1] with the initial release in Australia and Singapore being on October 27th, 2021. It is an augmented-reality game, co-developed by Niantic and Nintendo.

Gameplay

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin Bloom.
Particularly: Describe more aspects of gameplay.

Pikmin Bloom is a game about walking. Walking around is how most things in the game are done, such as growing Pikmin and finding fruit. Because of this focus on walking, the game requires the GPS in the mobile phone to be on, and it needs permission to use the phone's inbuilt step counter, either on Apple Health or Google Fit. The game also requires an account to play, and the account can be set up with a Nintendo account, a Google account, a Facebook account, or an Apple account (on iOS devices).

One of the main activities is growing Pikmin. All 7 main Pikmin types appear in the game, and are unlocked over time based on the player's level. Pikmin in this game start as seedlings. The player can place a seedling in a slot in their in-game bag, and after walking some number of steps (usually 1000), they can pluck the Pikmin and add it to their collection. Pikmin can be individually named, and are tagged with the location where their seedling was found. Only a certain number of Pikmin can be in the player's squad at a time, with the rest being on standby.

Through walking, growing Pikmin, and doing other tasks, the player can increase in level. Doing this unlocks additional features over time, such as expeditions and Decor Pikmin. Badges can also be unlocked by completing certain criteria.

The main screen of the game takes place on a map of the real world centered around the player, who is displayed as a Mii character. This map displays roads and water bodies, and also Big Flowers, flowers planted by other players with the Flower Planting feature, and items obtainable through expeditions. As the player walks around, the Mii will move and so will the current squad of Pikmin following the Mii. From this screen, buttons on the right allow access to toggle Flower Planting mode, view the incubator bag, and enter a mode where the Pikmin squad can be viewed close-up. In this close-up mode, Pikmin will idle around, and can be ordered to form a line by holding a whistle button. The player can feed nectar to Pikmin, which will upgrade their maturity from leaf to bud and bud to flower. Giving nectar to a flowered Pikmin will cause its flowers to glow, and by tapping on a glowing flower, petals can be obtained, and the Pikmin will revert to a normal flower. This view has a button to enter an AR mode, which will use the device's camera to project the Pikmin onto a surface in the real world, where photographs can be taken of them.

The Lifelog feature allows the player to look back on their walks with the app over time, displaying things like each day's step count, the postcards received that day, and the Daily Lookback feature. The game also contains a shop where items can be bought for in-game coins or real money.

History

The app was announced on March 23rd, 2021, simultaneously by Nintendo and Niantic, on Twitter[2][3] and their own websites.[4][5] The initial announcements featured some basic information and a single image. Developers at Niantic also tweeted about the game.[6] Nintendo confirmed the title would be released in the second half of 2021 in its earnings release for the fiscal year ending March 31st, 2021.[7]

The game had a closed beta period, where people could sign up to recieve information about the game and invitations to test the beta.[8] Beta testing began in Singapore on March 30th, 2021[9] and expanded to Australia on April 19th, 2021.[10] The closed beta continued until the app's release.

On October 27th, 2021, the title of the app, Pikmin Bloom, was officially announced,[11] along with a promotional trailer,[12] and the app was released in Australia and Singapore. On October 28th, 2021, the title was released in the Americas.[13]. It will be rolling out in other regions over the next few days.[1]

Gallery

Trivia

  • This is the first Pikmin game to be released in Portguese.

External links

References

  1. ^ a b Niantic and Nintendo launch Pikmin Bloom, an app that brings a little joy to your everyday journeys on foot on Niantic blog, published on October 26th, 2021, retrieved on October 27th, 2021
  2. ^ Tweet by Nintendo of America on Twitter, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  3. ^ Tweet by Niantic, Inc. on Twitter, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  4. ^ Niantic and Nintendo team up to create a mobile application featuring Pikmin on Nintendo's corporate website, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  5. ^ Niantic and Nintendo Partner Together to Create New Mobile Apps on Niantic blog, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  6. ^ Tweet by Tatsuo Nomura on Twitter, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  7. ^ Earnings Release: Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2021 on Nintendo's corporate website, published on May 6th, 2021, retrieved on May 9th, 2021
  8. ^ A New App from Niantic × Nintendo. on Niantic website, published on March 23rd, 2021, retrieved on March 23rd, 2021
  9. ^ Tweet by Niantic, Inc. on Twitter, published on March 30th, 2021, retrieved on March 30th, 2021
  10. ^ Article by Steve Watts on Gamespot, published on April 19th, 2021, retrieved on May 9th, 2021
  11. ^ Tweet by Niantic, Inc. on Twitter, published on October 27th, 2021, retrieved on October 27th, 2021
  12. ^ YouTube video of the Pikmin Bloom announcement trailer, published on October 27th, 2021, retrieved on October 27th, 2021
  13. ^ Tweet by Niantic, Inc. on Twitter, published on October 28th, 2021, retrieved on October 28th, 2021