Nintendo’s Pikmin franchise returned in 2023 with Pikmin 4, developed and published by Nintendo EPD for the Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2023.
The newly released Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy builds on that foundation for Nintendo’s successor hardware, offering visual enhancements and a new timed-challenge mode while largely preserving the base adventure.
At a glance: the upgrade delivers a clear visual improvement.
The game’s natural environments — already praised in the original Switch release — benefit from a 4K-capable presentation on TV, which sharpens textures and scenery.
Performance remains capped at 30 frames per second, a continuity that keeps gameplay feeling stable but will disappoint players who expected a 60 fps boost on the new hardware.
In short, the technical uplift is welcome but limited.
Control additions are a mixed bag.
Nintendo introduced voice commands for Oatchi, allowing players to shout simple instructions to the game’s canine companion; this is a playful, family-friendly feature that adds charisma without replacing traditional button inputs.
However, Nintendo has not added mouse or pointer-based controls for this version — an omission notable given the Nintendo Switch 2’s pointer-enabled titles such as RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic and recent remasters that took advantage of mouse support.
The absence of pointer controls is a missed opportunity for a franchise that often benefits from precise unit management.
Dandori Academy is the headline new content: a suite of 72 challenge stages that test efficiency and strategy by requiring players to collect treasures under time limits.
Stages come in easy, medium and hard tiers, feature limited Pikmin allotments, varied enemies and bosses, and support online leaderboards and rewards tied to performance.
However, the mode’s delivery model is unconventional: Nintendo rolls out just six stages per month (two from each difficulty tier), with weekend-only test runs that let players attempt a single high-stakes trial for leaderboard placement.
That drip-feed approach is the mode’s main shortcoming.
While the staged release is designed to keep players returning, it constrains access for those who want to engage with all 72 challenges immediately.
Many dedicated players will exhaust the available content quickly and find the remainder of each month repetitive rather than rewarding.
The in-game rewards tied to Dandori Academy are modest and, in the reviewer’s words, not especially enticing.
Verdict: Pikmin 4 remains a standout title from Nintendo EPD and one of the best entries in the franchise on the original Switch hardware, but the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’s enhancements feel incremental.
The visual polish and Oatchi voice commands are enjoyable, yet the lack of pointer support and the slow rollout of Dandori Academy’s stages leave the release feeling “good, but not quite great.” For newcomers, the upgraded visuals make this edition worth considering; returning players may find the Upgrade Pack (priced at £7.99 in the UK) acceptable but not essential.
Review version tested on Nintendo Switch 2.
Score reported by the reviewer: 6/10.
The newly released Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy builds on that foundation for Nintendo’s successor hardware, offering visual enhancements and a new timed-challenge mode while largely preserving the base adventure.
At a glance: the upgrade delivers a clear visual improvement.
The game’s natural environments — already praised in the original Switch release — benefit from a 4K-capable presentation on TV, which sharpens textures and scenery.
Performance remains capped at 30 frames per second, a continuity that keeps gameplay feeling stable but will disappoint players who expected a 60 fps boost on the new hardware.
In short, the technical uplift is welcome but limited.
Control additions are a mixed bag.
Nintendo introduced voice commands for Oatchi, allowing players to shout simple instructions to the game’s canine companion; this is a playful, family-friendly feature that adds charisma without replacing traditional button inputs.
However, Nintendo has not added mouse or pointer-based controls for this version — an omission notable given the Nintendo Switch 2’s pointer-enabled titles such as RollerCoaster Tycoon Classic and recent remasters that took advantage of mouse support.
The absence of pointer controls is a missed opportunity for a franchise that often benefits from precise unit management.
Dandori Academy is the headline new content: a suite of 72 challenge stages that test efficiency and strategy by requiring players to collect treasures under time limits.
Stages come in easy, medium and hard tiers, feature limited Pikmin allotments, varied enemies and bosses, and support online leaderboards and rewards tied to performance.
However, the mode’s delivery model is unconventional: Nintendo rolls out just six stages per month (two from each difficulty tier), with weekend-only test runs that let players attempt a single high-stakes trial for leaderboard placement.
That drip-feed approach is the mode’s main shortcoming.
While the staged release is designed to keep players returning, it constrains access for those who want to engage with all 72 challenges immediately.
Many dedicated players will exhaust the available content quickly and find the remainder of each month repetitive rather than rewarding.
The in-game rewards tied to Dandori Academy are modest and, in the reviewer’s words, not especially enticing.
Verdict: Pikmin 4 remains a standout title from Nintendo EPD and one of the best entries in the franchise on the original Switch hardware, but the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition’s enhancements feel incremental.
The visual polish and Oatchi voice commands are enjoyable, yet the lack of pointer support and the slow rollout of Dandori Academy’s stages leave the release feeling “good, but not quite great.” For newcomers, the upgraded visuals make this edition worth considering; returning players may find the Upgrade Pack (priced at £7.99 in the UK) acceptable but not essential.
Review version tested on Nintendo Switch 2.
Score reported by the reviewer: 6/10.
