Nintendo has unveiled a new Pikmin 4 trailer, intended to give you an overview of the adorable-looking real-time strategy game. Appropriately named the “Overview Trailer”, the new trailer covers everything from story to the basics of using Pikmin to explore the world and battle enemies.
As the trailer commences, we’re introduced to Captain Olimar, the longstanding protagonist of the Pikmin series. He’s crash-landed on a mysterious planet, and so the Rescue Corps are sent to save him, but as a previous trailer established, they’ve crash-landed as well. Thus, it falls to you, the newest member of the Rescue Corps (and a custom protagonist to boot), to save all of them.
We’re then introduced to the core gameplay mechanics of the Pikmin series. As with previous games, you can pluck Pikmin from the ground, get them to follow you, and get them to work on removing obstacles or building useful structures.
There are various kinds of Pikmin. Red, Blue, and Yellow Pikmin are good for fire, water, and electrical hazards respectively, but there are also flying Winged Pikmin, poison-immune White Pikmin, and others, including the new Ice Pikmin, which can freeze water.
It’s then time to be introduced to everyone’s favorite good boy Oatchi, a rescue pupper who will accompany you on your adventure. He can sniff out items, attack enemies, carry Pikmin across dangerous areas, and even help them to destroy things. He looks like he’ll be a useful addition to Pikmin 4, and I sure hope you can pet him.
The core goal of Pikmin 4 is to collect Sparklium, a resource found in various items of “treasure” (read: everyday objects) that can power your ship’s radar. You can explore both the surface of the planet and its underground areas in order to find castaways, expand your explorable range, and hopefully, find your way home.
As revealed in the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, competitive Dandori Battles also make an appearance here, as do Night Expeditions, which will make creatures more dangerous. Thankfully, there’s a new Glow Pikmin that helps you to make your way through the dark.
The trailer concludes with a few tips for beginner Pikmin players. The new Rewind Time feature lets you rewind the clock to try a problem again without getting all those Pikmin killed (no judging here). The Piklopedia is a compendium that lets you battle enemies without worrying about losing Pikmin, and there’s also a co-op mode that lets another player help you to make your way through the game.
Pikmin 4 is set for release on Nintendo Switch on July 21st. A free demo is also available to try right now.
