New Play Control! Pikmin

 Wii
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 36
  3. Negative: 0 out of 36
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  1. Eurogamer
    70
    Pikmin 2 is also due a New Play Control! reissue this year, and it's a better game in every respect. It's longer and more sophisticated, with more varied Pikmin and enemy types; it has co-operative and competitive multiplayer; it has randomised caves with finite Pikmin numbers, ideal for the game's challenge mode; it has no time limit.
  2. Metro GameCentral
    70
    Viewing this simply as a re-release it's still a hugely enjoyable game, overshadowed only by its own sequel - with its longer, more complex missions, no time limit and multiplayer modes. Since it's getting the New Play Control treatment too it makes this a little harder to recommend... but not much.
  3. Meristation
    70
    Nintendo's New Play Control! first text in Europe's Pikmin, a comeback to the story of Captain Olimar and his little coloured friends that's been adapted for the wiimote and the nunchuk. It's basically the same game that we saw in 2001 with an improved gameplay system, with same graphics and music.
  5. VideoGamer
    70
    If you've already experienced the charm of Pikmin you're better off waiting for the tweaked second game, but if you missed out on the GameCube and fancy some easy to play real-time strategy there's no reason not to pick this up in preparation for the sequel.
  6. SpazioGames
    70
    Despite its age, Pimkin delivers an immersive experience. Technically is surely getting old, but style and playability make it great on Wii. This is your chance to add 10 years of Nintendo's history to your collection: think about it.
  7. Gamer.nl
    70
    New Play Control! Pikmin is not only smart, but also a very fun addition for the Wii. The controls are almost perfect and that's what Pikmin is all about. We strongly recommend this title for every gamer that has never played a Pikmin game before, but also for every gamer with a little Pikmin heart. Even though the game is a little outdated it still feels like the game that the GameCube version should have been.
  8. Telegraph
    70
    There’s a lovely, bucolic charm to Pikmin which makes its brevity easy to forgive. Less acceptable is the fact that a seven-year-old game has been repackaged as a Wii title for an excessive £30 – Nintendo has certainly missed a trick by not adding any kind of extras to increase its longevity.
  9. XGN
    63
    Are you looking for a tactical game on the Wii, Pikmin is a fun title you should consider buying. Unfortunately it only has a short story. If you never played the GameCube version, but it always looked interesting to you, it is worth the money. Trust me!
  10. InsideGamer.nl
    50
    Pikmin was a good game back in 2002. Maybe Nintendo thought they should release it again. We rather wished they didn’t. The game is a complete waste of time. The game hasn’t changed a bit since the original and brings no new content. That’s just ridiculous. If you never played Pikmin before...here’s your chance...wooptiedoo!

Awards & Rankings

46
#46 Best Wii Game of 2009
39
#39 Most Discussed Wii Game of 2009
49
#49 Most Shared Wii Game of 2009

User Reviews

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User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 60 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 60
  3. Negative: 3 out of 60
  1. luisflopez
    May 31, 2020
    9
    In this year 2020, I decided to finally play one of Shigeru Miyamoto's last inventions. Pikmin is a real-time strategy game where you takeIn this year 2020, I decided to finally play one of Shigeru Miyamoto's last inventions. Pikmin is a real-time strategy game where you take control of Captain Olimar and command an army of Pikmin: half-plant, half-insect creatures that are very funny and adorable. The term real-time strategy might sound intimidating to some, but being a Nintendo game, Pikmin is very accesible and easy to pick up.

    The premise of the game consists in gathering 30 missing ship parts spread across the 5 overworld areas. However, what makes Pikmin special is that every day has a time limit of around 15 minutes, and you only get a total of 30 days before it's game over. Naturally, 30 days is plenty of time to gather everything, so time really isn't so much of a worry. Instead, the 30 days system serves as a fun incentive to replay the game and see how fast you can finish collecting everything.

    The fact that every day is time-limited causes some really exciting and tense situations, because if you don't gather all your pikmin before the day ends, these get left behing and die. Pikmin dying in all sorts of cruel (but hilarious) ways is also a part of what makes the series special. Pikmin is a pretty addicting game, more so than I expected.

    The only significant flaw is that the AI of the Pikmin can be a little ridiculous. Sometimes, they'll simply do zero effort to avoid death. Crossing a bridge and having half of your Pikmin fall off and drown can be really annoying. Luckily, this Wii version implemented the ability to go back to any previously played day, as if they were save states in an emulator. Another negative thing that could be said about Pikmin is that the game leans considerably on the easy side, which could hurt its replay value a bit.

    The main campaign took me around 10 hours, and there's also a challenge mode, which consists of growing as many Pikmin as you can in a single day. This mode is kind of pointless and disappointing. It would have been much more interesting if the game awarded you for reaching certain numbers (like a gold, silver and bronze rank, or something like that). As it is now, you're only competing against your own high scores.

    The overall art direction, visuals and music are everything you would expect from a Nintendo game. For their time, the sceneries in Pikmin looked pretty great, and they are still pleasant to look at today. Captain Olimar is a surprisingly interesting character narrative-wise, and I always enjoyed every piece of text the game offered me. As for the soundtrack, it is pretty short, but it has some gems like The Forest of Hope. I really love that track, it's like the essence of Pikmin condensed into a song.

    In all, I had a good time with Pikmin. It is a surprisingly fun, addicting and charming little game, which started what is now a cult series for many people, and it isn't hard to see why. It's different to every other Nintendo series I've played, but extremely familiar at the same time. I recommend it to every GameCube and Wii owner.

    Score: 8.5
    -    … Full Review »
  2. Rubbermade
    Mar 27, 2009
    10
    This is a fantastic game. It is a remake so how can anyone criticize it on having bad graphics or no new content or for not being Pikmin 3?This is a fantastic game. It is a remake so how can anyone criticize it on having bad graphics or no new content or for not being Pikmin 3? New Play Control Pikimin is better than the GCN Pikmin. I can see now why people claim that the Wii has no games rated highly on this site and its because the critics are bias against the Wii and closed minded.… Full Review »
  3. CyberPhoenix1
    Aug 9, 2023
    0
    The Good
    • The areas are very well-designed along with wonderful music and visuals.
    • The progression is very good. • Olimar is a wonderful    The Good
    • The areas are very well-designed along with wonderful music and visuals.
    • The progression is very good.
    • Olimar is a wonderful character and full of charm.
    • The quality of life added from Pikmin 2 is very nice.

    The Bad
    • The Pikmin AI is jank. They tend to trip and get stuck on things, meaning you’ll have to suddenly stop to help them.
    • The Wii port is fairly glitchy. Sometimes the numbers on the UI will be wrong and Pikmin can clip into the floor by going under bridges.

    Overall
    Pikmin 1 still holds up as a game I want to come back to, even all these years later.    … Full Review »
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