Pikmin 4

 Switch
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 613 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 526 out of 613
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 613
  3. Negative: 39 out of 613
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  1. DialLeSarten
    Jul 27, 2023
    10
    Perfecto en casi todos sus puntos de vista, buen gameplay, buenos pikmin, buenos modos de juego
  2. Tortor
    Jul 27, 2023
    6
    100% completed in about 30 hours.

    Very collectable driven game with its gameplay loop of checking off boxes of things your pikmin can carry to base. That's really it, that's all you do, carry treasure and characters to base. Once you unlock radar, which is very early in the game, the game tells you where all the treasures are too so nothing is ever really hidden or challenging on locating    100% completed in about 30 hours.

    Very collectable driven game with its gameplay loop of checking off boxes of things your pikmin can carry to base. That's really it, that's all you do, carry treasure and characters to base. Once you unlock radar, which is very early in the game, the game tells you where all the treasures are too so nothing is ever really hidden or challenging on locating everything. It was ok, I think hype around the game is a little overblown as it's not necessarily very fun, more so just something cozy, light hearted and with a good loop behind it to mindlessly go about tasks.

    It really was repetitive, the differences in pikmin didn't make a huge change to gameplay as they ultimately all did the same thing except color coordinating what pikmin is used to destroy what wall, not very clever and just felt a little cheap. This is my first pikmin game too, so i really didn't have any nostalgia for this type of gameplay to overhype my expectation.

    The puzzles were not challenging either, Its hardly a puzzle when you the same solution is used for nearly every puzzle.

    Boss fights also were meh, you have so many pikmin you can just kill most bosses with sent your entire swarm and they'll go down in a few seconds.

    I think a small child would enjoy this game because of its simplicity. If I was a child though I'd probably get a little bored of it too once reach the 4th area and really just doing the same thing over and over again. It felt like work or doing chores.

    The things I did like was the camp writing conversation, treatures were fun to see their description and the night time tower defense was fun.

    Overall it was an ok time for someone looking for a mindless time sink, it's however nothing very memorable as it doesn't leave a lasting impression.    … Expand
  3. Big_Yoshi_
    Jul 27, 2023
    10
    I love this game !
    This game is now my favorite game !
    I don't know why I love it !
    Nintendo, you have broke thé pikmin lore...
    The game is now real after 10 years !

    Thanks Nintendo ! Thanks Pikmin !
  4. BluePikmins
    Jul 27, 2023
    10
    An AMAZING game! This is my first ever pikmin game and i enjoyed it, ALOT! The visuals are probably one of the best on the nintendo switch exclusive games,the gameplay and environment is so charming.

    Hopefully, the next game will be out in less than 5 years
  5. andrezinho096
    Jul 27, 2023
    10
    jogo muito bom unico jogo que te encentiva a fazer 100% unica parte ruin e que tem muitos dialogos desnecessario mas resto e so diversao
  6. Razerpad2
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Absolute Greatness, We have waited far to long and they delivered every pikmin is balanced and none is overpowered the progression is perfect in Pikmin 4 better than any before (other than hey! Pikmin) Oatchi makes the game better witch I didn't expect
  7. Idkmyusername
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    I have played a bit of it, and already so far I am impressed! The graphics look incredible and the soundtrack is top notch! I love the gameplay, and I believe Pikmin 4 is the best the series has had.
  8. FINOVIN
    Jul 26, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Haven't played the actual game yet but the demo was pretty fun kinda got me into pikmin and i think this is the best time to get into pikmin definitely recommend.… Expand
  9. Tis4Tru
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Pikmin 4 is all of the good parts in the previous games into one. I couldn't stop playing it and once I 100% completed it my hands were sore. Any new Pikmin players will be delighted to know that its extremely newbie friendly but its just hard enough where there is a challenge. Also I will die for Oatchi
  10. hkjhkjh
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    The running animation alone makes this game a 10/10

    (Your review must be at least 75 characters long.)
  11. harunorange
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Ive played pikmin 1 and 2 and i can say that pikmin 4 is definitely the most fun out of those 3. The graphics and the new strategy thats implemented greatly increased my satisfaction from playing a pikmin game. The graphics and gameplay is super good.
  12. TheRavolta
    Jul 26, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Imagine a game, where everything good from Pikmin 1, Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3 and the Pikmin ROM-Hacks comes together to blend into a phenomenal part of the Pikmin series. This is what Pikmin 4 is.

    Pikmin 4, although not without flaws, improves on almost every point of criticism of the previous games.
    It is heavily inspired by Pikmin 2 at its core, but also features a side story mode similar to Pikmin 1, while having graphical fidelity and game mechanics from Pikmin 3. This game, if you choose to complete it 100%, offers around 35 hours of gameplay, around 20 hours if you play through it casually, with much variation in its content. The positives are not hard to find in this game:

    - it features huge "worlds" to explore
    - you can go as slow or fast as you like
    - the difficulty depends on wether you use the assistance the game offers (so you can choose how hard of a game you want)
    - in the main campaign, every Pikmin type is included, plus the new Ice Pikmin in the overworld
    - the Pikmin "AI" is heavily improved
    - the Pikmin types are sort of balanced (except for the Ice Pikmin)
    - the "Upgrade"-mechanic for your captain and Oatchi is very nice, you may choose your own playstyle
    - the Dandori Challenges and Battles are hard if you're going for Platinum, but otherwise fun
    - cave exploration now takes away 1/6 of your overall daytime
    - a lot of familiar content from previous entries (enemies, cave layouts), but also a bunch original stuff
    - nothing feels "overused"
    - you do not need to backtrack to previous worlds for 100% completion
    - there are a lot of easter eggs in this game
    - the game has very good graphics, and bugs are very unlikely (as per usual for the Unreal Engine 5)

    Of course, those aren't all aspects that have been improved, and it is clear that the developers really understood the criticism of the previous games, and the games themselves. It feels like this was really a passion project. But of course, not everything is perfect about the game, the negatives are:

    - The auto lock-on feature is not well suited for later parts of the game, especially with a lot of targets at once, and you can't disable it for some reason, which is especially weird considering that the game has good controls and customizable hotkeys
    - there is no motion control for some reason. They had it in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, but not in this game, which is a bit odd
    - the multiplayer mode for the campaign is a HUGE downgrade from Pikmin 3 Deluxe's multiplayer. For some reason, the 2nd player just gets to use a sling shot, Mario Galaxy style, instead of an actual multyplayer. There is no real reason for that, Oatchie is a playable captain, just like your main captain, and can do almost the same things (some Oatchie abilities need to be unlocked), so it would have been great if the 2nd player could just use Oatchie as a playable captain
    - the Soundtrack for the game is very calm and atmospheric, fitting for a game like Pikmin, but it sadly has no rememorable tracks like Pikmin 1 or 2, although some tracks are reused
    - some features, some even from previous entries in the series, like the swarm function, are locked behind progression, and can only be unlocked when it is too late to be useful.

    Overall, I would consider Pikmin 4 to be the best entry in the series, and with Pikmin 1 + 2 and Pikmin 3 Deluxe on the Switch, people who have not played the first 3 games should definitely check those out. For old-grown fans of the franchise like me, this game is a must play. You will not be disapointed. This game just offers a lot of fun if you're into this sort of game, and is very beginner friendly. It is consistently good, and with only a few rough edges.    … Expand
  13. LoganTheRed
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    As someone who's had to wait a decade for Pikmin 3 and now a Decade for 4 I can say it is worth the wait. So much content crammed into a beautiful world. Easily one of the best looking games on the switch and literally the only problem I have with it is that the lock on is a little strong.
  14. Steyraus
    Jul 22, 2023
    7
    Very fun game but my least favourite Pikmin game..The beach level sux. If you don't move the bag right away you get confused AF on how to get back to the top West of the map..I wasted so my time on that crap..There is not rnough different areas and the areas the are are over used.I hated being forced to do the Dandori battles. The game is over to messy with to many pikmin and modes..TheVery fun game but my least favourite Pikmin game..The beach level sux. If you don't move the bag right away you get confused AF on how to get back to the top West of the map..I wasted so my time on that crap..There is not rnough different areas and the areas the are are over used.I hated being forced to do the Dandori battles. The game is over to messy with to many pikmin and modes..The Pikmin charm is still there but it's only fun because of what the old games introduced.… Expand
  15. Nintenderek
    Jul 26, 2023
    9
    Pikmin 4 is a fantastic game with great visuals and fun, relaxing and addictive gameplay. I just got into Pikmin this year and this game made me quite happy I did.

    To start, the graphics are very good. Nintendo should use this graphical engine on more of their games, probably even most of them. The items you are collecting look extremely realistic and the lighting is very good.    Pikmin 4 is a fantastic game with great visuals and fun, relaxing and addictive gameplay. I just got into Pikmin this year and this game made me quite happy I did.

    To start, the graphics are very good. Nintendo should use this graphical engine on more of their games, probably even most of them. The items you are collecting look extremely realistic and the lighting is very good.

    The gameplay is also quite fun and they added a lot compared to previous games. I enjoyed how they brought back all the previous Pikmin from the previous games instead of picking and choosing which ones to bring back. It was great to see the Pikmin from both Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3, some of which have never been seen together before. The ice Pikmin are also a nice addition. But I think the best new addition is Oatchi. When I first saw the dog in the trailers, I wasn't completely sold. It made it seem like some of the Pikmin might even be useless completely, but he really does add a lot and make the game better. The ability to sniff out treasures, survivors and onions was a huge addition that made the game much better. They also made the game VERY beginner friendly and I think this might be the best starting point in the series.

    I don't care much for how they changed the number of Pikmin you can have. In previous games, you could always just have 100, but here they make you start with a much lower number and collect garlic to increase the number of Pikmin you can have. They also made it so you can only have 3 different types of Pikmin at a time. I think this was kind of dumb, especially given how they let you have access to so many types of Pikmin in one game, it's a real shame you can't just have them all at once.

    I really liked the additional characters in this game and the upgrade system added quite a bit. I was surprised by how much content is in this game. There's almost as much new stuff post game as there is before you roll the credits. In fact, I was slightly annoyed by some of the stuff they held for the post credits. Without spoiling anything, there were a few things I think should have been just a part of the main game instead.

    I really like all the new options as far as how you can play the game. The auto targeting makes this game much more accessible. I do wish the camera controls were a bit better, as they can sometimes get a bit funky when fighting certain enemies, but outside of that the different control options are very good. I love the upgrade system. It gives me even more to collect and makes me want to keep collecting everything.

    All in all, this is a very fun, very addictive, very relaxing game that was clearly designed with new players in mind. If you've never played a Pikmin game before, this is a great starting point. And if you were already a fan of Pikmin, you'll especially love this one.    … Expand
  16. Metacritic25
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    Pikmin 4 is a return to form after 10 years of wait. The franchise reaches new heights with this game, using the best from previous Pikmin games and subilmating it by combining quality and quantity.

    Pikmin 4 is a very charming and relaxing game that also shares a fair amount of stressful fights against some incredible creatures. It can be played and enjoyed by everyone and new players    Pikmin 4 is a return to form after 10 years of wait. The franchise reaches new heights with this game, using the best from previous Pikmin games and subilmating it by combining quality and quantity.

    Pikmin 4 is a very charming and relaxing game that also shares a fair amount of stressful fights against some incredible creatures. It can be played and enjoyed by everyone and new players won't feel lost as Nintendo made a great tutorial to learn us the goal of the game and all the accessible features.

    In conclusion, if you haven't picked it up yet, you might want to give it a chance. Pikmin 4 is without a doubt the most unique and charming video game I have played in a long time !    … Expand
  17. diamondkfc
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    really really good. check it out if you can. it has significantly more content than the other games and is very beginner friendly
  18. yeahyeahbeebiss
    Jul 26, 2023
    10
    i’d never played a pikmin game before this one but the demo alone was so genuinely wonderful i had to pre-order it. needless to say this game is absolute peak please buy it
  19. GasoliNX
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Very immersive game-play, I got hooked up playing it as it offers so much for a very long time of game-play and I look forward to playing it every waking moment.

    Some features might need improvement, such as the auto-locking. I think there should be a way to toggle it off. other than that the game seems and feel polished
  20. iandizion713
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    This game is what it’s like to die and go to heaven. Just a straight masterpiece of fun and joy.
  21. greninjaX
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    who knew adding a dog to pikmin would make it so much more fun? this was worth the wait.
  22. GreenRose
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Pikmin 2 was my favorite game for 13 years of my life, and what changed my mind? Pikmin 4, absolutely amazing game, it blew my expectations out of the water!
  23. Bighaid91
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    W good but a bit much in the dialog but very good. The concept is good and I hope there is dlc
  24. phansfem
    Jul 25, 2023
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. one of my most anticipated games of all time as a diehard pikmin fangirl! ...oh no.

    I was bored for a lot of this nearly 30-40 hour game, this game is long, and yes, i beat the entire thing, did all the louie stuff, beatthe final boss, got all 8 of the onions, got all the castaways, the treasures, olimar's shipwreck tale, all of it.

    So positives: Very charming and very pretty game! Very beginner friendly too (at the beginning anyway) and definitely nintendo's second attempt to not alienate non rts players like they did with pikmin 2. The characters are still funny sometimes and I loooove Louie shenanigans, his antics really succeeded in making the later half interesting, especially after i had to grind purples by playing the sage leaf stuff just to get the golden bar treasure (one of the worst gaming experiences of my life to be honest). i love oatchi as a character too he's very cute and so are the pikmin! Strangely enough, the CAVES managed to be the most fun part of the game for me, which was astounding considering pikmin 2 made me never want to think about them again. The bosses are AWESOME too! The final boss had like one really stupid phase but other than that they're all cool fan service or groovy long legs (best part of the entire game) the puzzles were fine, dandori battles were fun to blow up all of louie's pikmin and win, the dandori challenges were fine too. Oh yeah! Don't think I'm not gonna point out how much smarter/convenient the pikmin AIs are, even if I think a lot of the new stuff like rewinding or the idlers alert and homesick signal is easy baby mode (until the ending bits), the tools and countless accessories you can get are very useful! the music is fine.

    okay so negatives: this game is long. in my opinion, way too long. I feel like the game is too big for its own good, both in playtime and size. Half of the time I'm spending sitting on this dog walking around these beautiful but pretty barren feeling areas. They're nothing like the small yet lively areas of the previous games. They're so boring to navigate through because they take forever and it also doesn't want to make me replay this game like ever again. i admittedly don't like how the night expeditions take up a day too, which means the total day count is going to be up in like the 40s, which is a new high for pikmin. at the very least the expeditions were entertaining enough (although way easier than they were made out to be). all in all, very unsatisfying for someone like me to want to optimize like I do 1 or 3, there's little incentive I could have for wanting to go fast to get my objectives, especially because the objective just doesn't get at me like 1 or 3's either. I don't care about wanting to know these castaways or my crew, there is simply too many damn characters for me to properly like any of them. I don't care to go faster or have any personal motivation like Olimar getting to see his family, Koppai's food crisis, or hell, even the debt had more personal motivation for me because those casts were tiny and easier to know them on a deeper level. Don't get me started on the leaflings, I straight up never want to hear the word "dandori" again. The only characters I could reasonably care about were oatchi, olimar, and louie and to a small extent shepherd, colin, and yonny (because they're the only rescue corps who actually feel like they have a presence on anything in the game) its also just not fun to finish from a gameplay standpoint too because playing with two different controlling captains is a cool idea but it felt like most of the areas were built around being able to jump, which the captain can't do, but oatchi can't use the charge ability which is useful on certain spots, so half the time it just felt more convenient to have the two together because everytime i'd try to split up it would just be inconvenient, both by clunkiness and also because there'd be SOME obstacle in the way i'd need the other captain for. Learning the area would be a good solution but guess what the areas are still stupid massive and learning all of that would be a giant headache. i hate the camera, it feels like its trying to focus more on the pretty landscapes than the gameplay i needed to look at. if you want to show off the pretty landscapes, give me pikmin 3's koppad camera, boom easy. i also hate the auto aiming stuff, trying to work with it has gotten my pikmin thrown into the void or made collecting something super annoying more often than not i much would've preferred what they did in pikmin 3. Maybe I just don't like open worldish games.

    okay im done now. pikmin did it again, made a new game with the same formula but a completely different play structure than the last installments, again! There's now a new pikmin game for a different selection of players, making selecting a definitive best even more impossible. This is still a good game as its hard to screw up pikmin, i just didn't like it as much...    … Expand
  25. Kiyomaru
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pikmin 4 is a very complete gameplay that combines the experience of franchise so far. The volume is enough, the replay value is high, and you can enjoy it for a long time.… Expand
  26. G4bbe
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game with new features, improved graphics and a funny part about it is the fact that Captain Olimar became one of the Pikmin… Expand
  27. Jordan22
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    The most beautiful game on the Nintendo switch, this game makes me feel calm and at peace, I love to sit back and play after a long day of work, it may not be the most challenging game in the series but it's the best looking one
  28. Linkr
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Slow start for all the tutorials, but the rest of the game is just a treat to play. Steady difficulty curve with tons of assists for less skilled players. All of it optional as well, so you can customize your difficulty.
  29. SergeantLlama
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Pikmin 4 takes everything I loved about Pikmin 1 and 2, combines and enhances them for one of the most enjoyable games I have played on the switch. This is the perfect entry to the series for any new Pikmin fan. Fantastic step up from Pikmin 3, just hope it doesn't take a decade for the next game to come out...
  30. Nolco
    Jul 25, 2023
    10
    Pikmin titles are "dandori" games, meaning you plan and manage human ressource, the same way a manager do during a work rush. There is planning and improvisation combined. I saw potential in the series as early as the GameCube, and I knew people would love it if they gave it a try, and attention, the same way Animal Crossing was somehow very niche at its debut. What happened to AnimalPikmin titles are "dandori" games, meaning you plan and manage human ressource, the same way a manager do during a work rush. There is planning and improvisation combined. I saw potential in the series as early as the GameCube, and I knew people would love it if they gave it a try, and attention, the same way Animal Crossing was somehow very niche at its debut. What happened to Animal Crossing, that's what is it happening right now with Pikmin, the Nintendo Switch being as popular as it is, and Pikmin 4 being the breath-of-the-wild-ification of the series, meaning maps are giant and there is way more content in 4 than in the previous ones all combined. They weren't kidding. As loud as the Twitter fanbase can be, don't judge Pikmin 4 for its popularity. There is a generously long free demo to get what the gameplay is all about. It's like the nintendo-fication of sort-of-a real time strategy game, in the same way Mario Kart is a nintendo-fication of the course genre, or as Splatoon for simple shooters. It's the genre..., but more, y'a know ? With fun levels, rich interactions and power-ups. Pikmin 4 is what Nintendo does best. When you look at the history of its creation, you get why they put that much effort into it. I would like to see neglected franchises they created getting the same treatment as well. Please enjoy what we have here if you can.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Best Switch Game of 2023
4
#4 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 119 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 113 out of 119
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 119
  3. Negative: 0 out of 119
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 22, 2024
    100
    It's a thrilling ride. You go for one short game and wake up after five hours, only to return to playing immediately because you've figured out how to beat your opponent. The graphics may be simple, but they make up for it with the colour and thoughtfulness of the environments, and one genuinely enjoys exploring every nook and cranny. This is really worth it. [Issue#329]
  2. Starbit
    Nov 10, 2023
    90
    Pikmin 4 marks the return of one of Nintendo's most beloved series, and this return could not have happened in a better way. Thanks to its exquisite audiovisual world, slick gameplay mechanics, an enveloping strategic component, and the adorable relationship between the player and the little alien creatures, Pikmin 4 is nothing short of a jewel on the crown of the Nintendo Switch.
    Read full review
  3. Gamereactor Finland
    Nov 9, 2023
    70
    Too childish, and too little new compared to previous games.
    Read full review
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