Pikmin 4 landed on Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2023, closing a long chapter of anticipation for the franchise.
Developed by Nintendo EPD, the title arrived after ports of earlier entries — Pikmin 1+2 were released for Switch on June 30, 2023, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe arrived on Switch on October 30, 2020 — meaning the entire series is now available on Nintendo’s current platform.
The series’ long wait included public comments from senior staff: Shigeru Miyamoto told audiences in 2015 that Pikmin 4 was "very close to completion," a statement that contrasted with the eventual multi-year gap before the game’s 2023 release.
Pikmin 4 begins with series protagonist Captain Olimar on planet PNF-404; his ship is damaged, he locates a dog-like companion that becomes central to gameplay, and a distress signal draws the player-controlled Rescue Corps into the mission.
Sparklium, an in-game resource converted from treasures brought back to your ship, functions as the narrative and mechanical gate to new areas.
The campaign balances light narrative beats with environmental storytelling: Olimar’s log entries and castaway ID badges provide tutorial-type context that integrates mechanics into the world rather than isolating them in menus.
Core gameplay remains real-time strategy focused on exploration and resource management.
Daytime excursions (around a 20-minute in-game day) task players with selecting squads, solving environmental puzzles, and retrieving treasures; the game introduces night missions built around Glow Pikmin in a tower-defense style and a Dandori mode that runs shorter, ranked Challenges and Battles.
The canine companion, Oatchi, is a new, upgradable partner that can carry items, attack enemies, and be commanded separately in certain sections.
Quality-of-life features include a Rewind function to undo mistakes and an Auto-select option for Pikmin loadouts.
Caves from earlier entries return as slower-time, multi-floor dungeons that emphasize strategy over speed and sometimes grant access to Pikmin varieties not yet available on the surface.
Pikmin 4’s main campaign is accessible and runs smoothly on Switch hardware, though some players may find combat relatively straightforward and early hours can feel slow until key upgrades are unlocked.
The game does not include full story-mode cooperative play; local two-player options are limited compared with the fully co-operative campaign present in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
For completionists, a substantial postgame expands difficulty and content, unlocking new Pikmin bulbs and tougher Dandori challenges.
In sum, Pikmin 4 is a polished Nintendo EPD effort that reinforces the franchise’s strengths—charming world-building, satisfying collection loops, and accessible design—while leaving some multiplayer and combat depth opportunities unexplored.
This review rated the game 8.5/10.
Disclosure: a review copy of Pikmin 4 was provided by Nintendo UK.
Developed by Nintendo EPD, the title arrived after ports of earlier entries — Pikmin 1+2 were released for Switch on June 30, 2023, and Pikmin 3 Deluxe arrived on Switch on October 30, 2020 — meaning the entire series is now available on Nintendo’s current platform.
The series’ long wait included public comments from senior staff: Shigeru Miyamoto told audiences in 2015 that Pikmin 4 was "very close to completion," a statement that contrasted with the eventual multi-year gap before the game’s 2023 release.
Pikmin 4 begins with series protagonist Captain Olimar on planet PNF-404; his ship is damaged, he locates a dog-like companion that becomes central to gameplay, and a distress signal draws the player-controlled Rescue Corps into the mission.
Sparklium, an in-game resource converted from treasures brought back to your ship, functions as the narrative and mechanical gate to new areas.
The campaign balances light narrative beats with environmental storytelling: Olimar’s log entries and castaway ID badges provide tutorial-type context that integrates mechanics into the world rather than isolating them in menus.
Core gameplay remains real-time strategy focused on exploration and resource management.
Daytime excursions (around a 20-minute in-game day) task players with selecting squads, solving environmental puzzles, and retrieving treasures; the game introduces night missions built around Glow Pikmin in a tower-defense style and a Dandori mode that runs shorter, ranked Challenges and Battles.
The canine companion, Oatchi, is a new, upgradable partner that can carry items, attack enemies, and be commanded separately in certain sections.
Quality-of-life features include a Rewind function to undo mistakes and an Auto-select option for Pikmin loadouts.
Caves from earlier entries return as slower-time, multi-floor dungeons that emphasize strategy over speed and sometimes grant access to Pikmin varieties not yet available on the surface.
Pikmin 4’s main campaign is accessible and runs smoothly on Switch hardware, though some players may find combat relatively straightforward and early hours can feel slow until key upgrades are unlocked.
The game does not include full story-mode cooperative play; local two-player options are limited compared with the fully co-operative campaign present in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
For completionists, a substantial postgame expands difficulty and content, unlocking new Pikmin bulbs and tougher Dandori challenges.
In sum, Pikmin 4 is a polished Nintendo EPD effort that reinforces the franchise’s strengths—charming world-building, satisfying collection loops, and accessible design—while leaving some multiplayer and combat depth opportunities unexplored.
This review rated the game 8.5/10.
Disclosure: a review copy of Pikmin 4 was provided by Nintendo UK.
