PAX East 2013: Pikmin 3 Impressions

hen it comes to Nintendo, they sure have been playing it really safe lately with their core franchises on the Wii U. New Super Mario Brothers U has only been subtly evolved since the original entry on the Nintendo DS in 2006, and even then, almost entirely in an audio/visual sense. The first Legend of Zelda game that Wii U owners are going to see is an HD redux of Wind Waker.

So it’s no real surprise that Pikmin 3 is just as subdued creatively as its contemporaries. Despite this though, Pikmin 3 theoretically makes for a pretty good title on the Wii U; strategy light and touch screen controls are always a god combination. Unfortunately, though, Nintendo was not demonstrating the Gamepad controls, since the final configuration has yet to be decided. Instead, Pikmin 3 was only demoed with the Wii remote and Nunchuck (oops).

However, this was a good opportunity for me to see what everyone has been on about since the first game that appeared on the Gamecube in 2001. From a technical standpoint, the simplicity by which Pikmin controls is surprisingly good. Calling the titular Pikmin with the B trigger and tasking them with the A button rounds out the core of what you will do in this game, with Pikmin selection and camera controls being handled Z-trigger style on the Nunchuck.

It was all very easy to do, which was proven by the fact that my playthrough of this particular game was my first ever contact with Pikmin (I know, I’m a horrendous person, unworthy of the “gamer” title).

The first part of the demo familiarizes the player with the Wii Remote controls by tasking the Pikmin to collect fruit. It was really quite charming, and in a way, quite relaxing. After a short time, the demo timed out and the second part began.

This demo also showcased one of the new Pikmin types added to part trois; the Metal Pikmin.

Metal Pikmin can break various things. In this case, the hard carapace armour on a giant bug. Using metal and red Pikmin, the idea was to destroy the armour with the metal ones and attack with the reds.

All in all, the playtime I had was fun, and it’s something I’ll definitely be looking into whenever I get around to getting a Wii U. Especially in the case of the visuals, the presentation seems as strong as ever, with a very cool (and very good) soft-focus depth of field that makes things look incredibly natural. This game series truly benefits from the Wii U’s high-def capabilities, and they're implemented quite well.

If you have a Wii U, this is a game you’re going to want to have -- even if it does seem to be playing things really safe. As a first time player, I felt that the game was quite well balanced for what the demo offered in the eight or so minutes it covered.

Pikmin 3 is on track to be released in the second quarter of 2013.