Pikmin 3 Deluxe

 Switch
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 244 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 210 out of 244
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 244
  3. Negative: 13 out of 244
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  1. muffin_kirby
    Jan 11, 2021
    7
    This game is truly spectacular. Pikmin is incredible. The story, environment, gameplay, music. Everything feels good. The reason I gave this a 7 however is because there is not enough content to justify $60. Nothing was added from Wii U version. But the bigger issue is a lack of content. You can eat this game within 10 hours easily. I'd you are someone who buys games for length overThis game is truly spectacular. Pikmin is incredible. The story, environment, gameplay, music. Everything feels good. The reason I gave this a 7 however is because there is not enough content to justify $60. Nothing was added from Wii U version. But the bigger issue is a lack of content. You can eat this game within 10 hours easily. I'd you are someone who buys games for length over enjoyment I say pass it. If you want a game that will be amazing but won't last too long play it. But this game should have been $20 like it is on the Wii U WITH NO ACTUAL CHANGES!!!… Expand
  2. okottekoneko
    Jan 19, 2021
    6
    Great game, let down by it only being a couple hours long.

    The gameplay and strategy is fun, and really a concept that needs a game thats properly dedicated to giving a much deeper and lengthy experience. The major issue that i have docked so many points for is in my mind its unforgivably short for a full priced game. I beat the game in an evening. Sure i did not go back and get    Great game, let down by it only being a couple hours long.

    The gameplay and strategy is fun, and really a concept that needs a game thats properly dedicated to giving a much deeper and lengthy experience.

    The major issue that i have docked so many points for is in my mind its unforgivably short for a full priced game.

    I beat the game in an evening.
    Sure i did not go back and get every single fruit, and that could have added another couple hours.
    But the story content lasts only a few hours.

    You explore a small handful of maps, fight a couple big monsters, then the final map has a multi staged boss fight, this i thought was the first major boss in a longer game, but its not.
    It ends very soon after.

    I do still have the side missions but from what i hear they are not long either.
    The games replay value comes entirely from trying to get the best times on maps to get all the fruit in as few days as possible.

    But for most that's not something that's appealing.
    The game should have a discounted price, especially seeing as its a port of the same game from an older system.

    If you wanted a great RTS puzzle game this is it, but if you want one that will keep you going for more then 1 long session with original content and story, then this is not something worth picking up.    … Expand
  3. Starfree
    Dec 27, 2020
    7
    It’s fun but extremely short and easy. I love the new difficulty levels but hard mode is not hard enough and the game isn’t really fun enough to play again on the higher difficulty. The Challenge Mode is fun and a good challenge but gets boring after a while. And the Olimar side stories are pretty disappointing. Boss mode is great. And the story is amazing even tho it’s extremely short. AsIt’s fun but extremely short and easy. I love the new difficulty levels but hard mode is not hard enough and the game isn’t really fun enough to play again on the higher difficulty. The Challenge Mode is fun and a good challenge but gets boring after a while. And the Olimar side stories are pretty disappointing. Boss mode is great. And the story is amazing even tho it’s extremely short. As far as time management games go, this is probably the best one, but the genre still has a long way to go to he a really good genre.… Expand
  4. heila
    Nov 4, 2020
    6
    How nintendo define "Deluxe"?
    "Copy and paste."
    No improvement at all comparing to Wii U
    Shame
  5. RedPixel
    Nov 9, 2020
    6
    I love the Pikmin series, but -- maybe 'cause I'm older now -- this was not as much fun. Some of the puzzles are interesting and some get sort of tedious. The ratio of time running around the world and time with blah-blah-blah and the spaceship is off. There's a way to play this game where you're trying to do everything fast vs. poking around and sort of enjoying the scenery, and I preferI love the Pikmin series, but -- maybe 'cause I'm older now -- this was not as much fun. Some of the puzzles are interesting and some get sort of tedious. The ratio of time running around the world and time with blah-blah-blah and the spaceship is off. There's a way to play this game where you're trying to do everything fast vs. poking around and sort of enjoying the scenery, and I prefer to poke around. Mostly, the game lets you play either way, but at the end, you're really pushed to be a speed player, and I found the ending annoying on that level.

    I suspect this game is more fun as multiplayer, but haven't had a chance to try that out yet.

    Overall, a fun game, but pretty short, and not really worth the full price of $60.    … Expand
  6. leeaw
    Dec 10, 2020
    7
    this games really fun, and all the improvements from the wii u version are good ones, but theres just not enough of them. i cant reccomend paying full price for a years-old game where you can get the same experience for 40 dollars cheaper. buy it on the wii u, or wait for the switch version to go on sale.
  7. SparkEthos
    Jan 1, 2021
    7
    I was a huge fan of Pikmin 1 & 2 back in the day, but never had the opportunity to play 3. When this got ported to Switch I felt that old familiar urge and went for it. What awaited me was an nostalgic and fun play experience in one of my favorite Nintendo series ever!

    It was wonderful to be back in the world of Pikmin: exploring a dangerous and intriguing planet leading an army of cute    I was a huge fan of Pikmin 1 & 2 back in the day, but never had the opportunity to play 3. When this got ported to Switch I felt that old familiar urge and went for it. What awaited me was an nostalgic and fun play experience in one of my favorite Nintendo series ever!

    It was wonderful to be back in the world of Pikmin: exploring a dangerous and intriguing planet leading an army of cute and utterly obedient minions. What's not to love? This port to Switch performs and looks great. The puzzles and battles are addicting and the never-ending drive to explore every nook and cranny as efficiently as possible will keep you glued to your Switch to hours. Then once you are done with the story there are tons of challenge missions to sink your teeth into. This is a game with a decent level of re-playability; there is always something to get better at and optimize. Gotta get those platinum medals!

    How would I describe Pikmin to someone who hasn't experienced it before? It is an action, real-time-strategy game with puzzle and completionism elements. All that wrapped up in a deceptively cute exterior that hides a complex core. It's easy to learn, but difficult to master. My favorite type of game honestly.

    But this version is not without a few flaws. First I knock it for the price. A port from a seven year old game should not be introduced at full price. I went for it because I never played Pikmin 3, but I can imagine this would turn a lot of folks off (especially with Pikmin 4 supposedly around the corner). But even still, I couldn't help but think "this cost too much" multiple times while playing.

    Second, the story is far too short. It's not bad, but I cruised through the main story in 4 hours maybe. There are plenty of challenges to follow up with (which extend the life of the game GREATLY), but felt a little let down by the story.

    Third, something I knock every Pikmin game for: the ever present timer. Ahh! It turns what feels like it ought to be a slow paced, casual game into a constant race against the clock. It's inescapable, every mode. It creates a more intense puzzle experience for sure, but makes the game not one I'd pick up for an hour of laid back gameplay.

    Overall I recommend this game up if you've never played Pikmin 3. It will definitely help bridge the gap to the fabled Pikmin 4 (not to mention its an excellent game in its own right). However, if you have played the original version of this game I don't see any good reason for you to fork over full price for a port.    … Expand
  8. kevintroko
    Nov 1, 2020
    5
    This game is fun as hell but for the price is a rip off, it took me less than a half day to finish it. Buy it only on discount :'(
  9. Tspeed
    Nov 14, 2020
    7
    Story mode was mostly fun, but much shorter than I expected. After pressing on with the mission and planning to go back later to collect fruit I’d left behind, the game suddenly ended after a frustrating final level being chased by that gold blob. Then it wasn’t an option to go back to explore the previous levels in more detail, which sucked. However, my favourite part of the game wasStory mode was mostly fun, but much shorter than I expected. After pressing on with the mission and planning to go back later to collect fruit I’d left behind, the game suddenly ended after a frustrating final level being chased by that gold blob. Then it wasn’t an option to go back to explore the previous levels in more detail, which sucked. However, my favourite part of the game was always the collecting side challenges, so I guess I’ll make do with them. Other thoughts were that it looked great but the controls were finicky when trying to select certain colour pikmin, especially when you dismiss them but they gather too close together and you end up touching them by accident. A good game but stops short of being great due to some dodgy controls and the shortness of the story mode.… Expand
  10. BennettVA
    Nov 9, 2020
    7
    Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a good game that is brought down by flawed controls, muddy visuals, and not bringing enough new things to make buying it again worth it. If you haven't played Pikmin 3 yet, then you should definitely think about picking this game up, although it isn't one of the must haves for the switch.
  11. NorwayGamer
    Nov 1, 2020
    5
    First of all - the game is FANTASTIC! I finished it when it first arrived on WiiU several years ago.

    And thus the reason for my low score. this is a 2013 Wii U game..! with no significant improvements, at least none to justify the price of $59.99. It actually cost more now than it did 7 years ago, go figure.. Do Not Support Nintendo's greed please - that will only perpetuate the    First of all - the game is FANTASTIC! I finished it when it first arrived on WiiU several years ago.

    And thus the reason for my low score. this is a 2013 Wii U game..! with no significant improvements, at least none to justify the price of $59.99.
    It actually cost more now than it did 7 years ago, go figure.. Do Not Support Nintendo's greed please - that will only perpetuate the problem.

    I'm not against ports, don't get me wrong, I am however against ports of old games at full price. This should be $20-30 tops!    … Expand
  12. dr0nzer
    Nov 2, 2020
    6
    Bought this game out of curiosity but after spending a few hours in the game, it was clearly not for me, i found the concept of the game a little strange, the control system quite complex for a controller, and the camera controls weren't as polished, whilst this game is a port, the controls were designed for another system with additional functionality that doesn't really translate wellBought this game out of curiosity but after spending a few hours in the game, it was clearly not for me, i found the concept of the game a little strange, the control system quite complex for a controller, and the camera controls weren't as polished, whilst this game is a port, the controls were designed for another system with additional functionality that doesn't really translate well into the switch version of the title.

    I would highly recommend you checking out the demo before committing to any purchase as this title isn't for everyone.    … Expand
  13. zeroX52
    Nov 2, 2020
    6
    Gran juego en todo los aspectos, pero tienes muy pocas alicientes si ya lo tienes en WII U, los extras son gran agrado, pero no la suficiente y no le gran fanático de Pikmin como yo. Igualmente es uno de los mejores de la generación, es la ocasión perfecta si no lo jugaste o no tuviste una Wii U y más con éxito del Switch lo pueda jugar.
  14. LukeCaputo
    Mar 9, 2021
    7
    Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a game that builds off the original release of Pikmin 3 back in 2013. The game, which was originally released for the Wii U as a sequel to Pikmin 2 (which came out in 2004), did not really function all that well on the Wii U in my eyes. It was a launch title for a system that couldn't really support the game's high graphics and somewhat complex gameplay. So I see whyPikmin 3 Deluxe is a game that builds off the original release of Pikmin 3 back in 2013. The game, which was originally released for the Wii U as a sequel to Pikmin 2 (which came out in 2004), did not really function all that well on the Wii U in my eyes. It was a launch title for a system that couldn't really support the game's high graphics and somewhat complex gameplay. So I see why Nintendo ported this game to their newer console, the Nintendo Switch.

    The game itself, however, is essentially a rehash of an already great game with some changes added to it and new modes to explore. There's a Normal mode, a Hard mode, and an Ultra-Spicy mode for new players and old players. I've only played the Normal and Hard modes, so I can't really speak for the Ultra-Spicy mode, but I know that the Normal mode is really just Pikmin 3 at its core and the Hard mode makes it a little more difficult, just like in the first iteration of the game. The Ultra-Spicy Mode, however, is an entirely new addition to the game, and it makes the game light years more difficult to play. That can be good for some players, but I personally wouldn't recommend it for newcomers.

    All in all, however, the game doesn't really add anything that new or out there. I personally think that the Nintendo just put out Pikmin 3 Deluxe so they could say they have a Pikmin game for Switch. And I fear that it may be the last Pikmin game ever.

    Shigeru Miyamoto said in 2015 that "Pikmin 4 was very close to completion," but with the release of Pikmin 3 Deluxe, I'm not entirely sure that that is the case anymore. It would be very sad, in my eyes, if this was the last Pikmin game ever.

    My rating: 7/10    … Expand
  15. MaddoxWhite
    Apr 24, 2021
    7
    I kept being told this game was amazing and so painfully underrated. They freaked when it came to Switch. I played it and thought it was okay.

    Then I got mad at them for not telling me about the amazing multiplayer mode.
  16. takeuchi
    Feb 20, 2023
    7
    Buen juego de estrategia, sin duda no es para mi pero oye si te gusta mas que comprensible
  17. Couchp
    Jul 11, 2023
    5
    Incredibly short and easy. As a longtime Pikmin fan, I'm disappointed. It looks nicer than previous entries, but that's about it

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best Switch Game of 2020
16
#16 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 93 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 93
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 93
  3. Negative: 0 out of 93
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 9, 2021
    70
    A charming game that aged gracefully, really great in co-op and perfect for kids. Who would have thought that fighting ladybugs and digging out lost fruits can be so exciting! [01/2021, p.39]
  2. Nintendo Force Magazine
    May 5, 2021
    95
    This is the perfect Pikmin package. [Issue #50 – January/February 2021, p. 66]
  3. iMore
    Mar 5, 2021
    80
    Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the best way to experience Pikmin 3. Tons of minor changes make the game more accessible, and the new content adds a couple of hours to the short main campaign. Still, the game is largely the same game that appeared on the WiiU, from its colorful visuals to gameplay.
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