Pikmin Review #2
The best part of this game is how intriguing it is. It’s easily one of the, if the not the, most interesting games ever made. One of the enemies reminded me of a strawberry. The bosses were fairly unique; each (except the same big blackish spider) needed a strategy to beat. But to get part’s back home, you needed to defeat all the enemies on the way. The enemies aren’t just “sit and attack if attacked” if they see you; your their prey. The stages are all unique, from a forest to a spring/pool of water. Even more challenging is that their is a clock, acting like a the sun dial, and the present ticker of 30 days. Each day lasts 15 minutes in total, because if they gave you 24 hours it would be beaten in less than 2 days. Once you start a file, challenge mode opens up. You have to sprout has many Pikmin as possible in one day, in any of the open stages.
There are also puzzles found throughout the game, like how to get your red Pikmin to the other side with water surrounding you on the other side. But in front of you is a stone wall: what shall you do? You get the yellow Pikmin to help, get some bombs and blow that wall away! I like this, because it requires thinking because you only have so much time. But in a way, you don’t really get to fully experience the beautiful environments Miyamato has cooked up.
Now on to the graphics! I found the texture excellent in this. The flowers that have pellets; when you take a pellet it grows again. The characters don’t look real, but everything else is perfect. The bugs look like bugs, and the boss in the cave reminded me of Daddy Long Legs. The music fits the game, with the Pikmin fighting there are noises. The noises of the bug-like-things make you want to wonder “do their real life counterparts sound like this?”. The sound of the music in the spring/pool of water level’s water “place” filled me with delight.
The controls are very easy, making use of every button. The C-stick is used to guide Pikmin to their targets, the Y for the map, X dismisses Pikmin, the B button calls Pikmin back, while the A button throws them. Of course the joystick guides you, but what about the R and L buttons? R zooms left to right, while L zooms up and down.
The thing that pulls this back from an overall score 9 is also one of its unique features, the time limit. With the Time Limit, you can not fully explore this world, finding every last detail, or all the details. I think this is a step in the right direction for strategy, but with the time limit your rushed. Rushed to do things, your mind must think fast to do things quickly. Its such a unique feature though it could of been used a tiny bit better. Another thing that pulls this away from some audience is how weird it is. Its the weirdest game I’ve ever played, and that will push some people away.
Great graphics, relaxing music, interactive environments, easy controlls, and a weird game make Pikmin. The clock system is unique the way it is used, and Miyamato has done it again.
Visuals: 8.5
Sound: 8
Originality: 9
Replay: 9
Overall: 9
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