There are a few key franchises that keep Nintendo fans happy – like Mario, Zelda, Mario Kart, and Metroid. But there are also a few second tier franchises that have developed cult followings, despite their small number of releases. Take Earthbound, Kid Icarus or Pikmin, for example. The North American releases in each of these series can be counted on one hand but those who love these games do so with unparalleled devotion.

The nice thing about Pikmin, as well as it’s newest incarnation, a Wii-control infused remake, is that you can tell right away that the attention and devotion this series gets is well deserved. It has a dynamite art style, intriguing gameplay and… well… it came out in 2001 for the Gamecube. Most Nintendo fanboys and Gamecube owners have already enjoyed this classic as well as its sequel, so what I really wanted to know was not if this game was any good, but how well implemented the Wii controls were.

Gameplay

And it’s safe to say that while the gameplay hasn’t been altered in this repackaging, this game was one of the safest bets in Nintendo’s “New Wii Control” line.

This is because, at its core, Pikmin is a strategy game that puts you in control of a large number of little drones. Think of it as a cross between real-time strategy games like Starcraft or Red Alert, combined with Lemmings. The Pikmin, as Captain Olimar calls them, are somewhat under your control. You merely influence their actions by throwing them at obstacles or rewards.

The Wii controls really lend themselves to mouse-like actions, allowing you to point and click onscreen, so Pikmin was a perfect match. And luckily, there were no throw controls added to the game so all of the Wii control updates feel natural.


It may just be because I haven’t used my Wii in a little while, but I did find the controls slightly confusing at first and the camera truly difficult to control. You hold the Z button to aim the camera, but I can never quite figure out which way it’s going to turn. In a faster paced game that would be the death knell for my time with the game, but in Pikmin, it is mostly just an annoyance.

Being able to remap the buttons on the controller would have been a nice touch as well, particularly as there wasn’t a graphical upgrade to the game or really much other value added.


The gameplay in Pikmin was always a little broken when compared to its sequel and that too is not fixed here. It is a straight port with no frills, extra modes, levels or additions other than the controls. So what was imperfect before is still there and what made it good remains untouched.

Graphics & Sound

Pikmin is a vibrant looking game with rich primary colours and a very distinctive art style. It was one of the prettier games on the Gamecube and that still holds up now. I really dig the way Olimar and the different Pikmin look and the Forest is a very well realized world. It compares favourably to other arty games from the Gamecube era like Chibi-Robo and Mario Sunshine.


The music in the game, too, is fantastic, a signature trait of a good Nintendo game.

Value

New Play Control! Pikmin is being sold in Canada for around $30 and this is the perfect pricepoint for this game. If you somehow missed it the first time around, it’s a worthwhile experience. Add in the new Wii controls, which simplify your control over your swarm and you have a great little package for a cheap price.

I would have liked for them to have added a little more to the package or worked on the wonky camera, but there is a danger then for a higher price point and $30 is perfect for a Gamecube remake.

Conclusion

If you loved Pikmin and are dying to play again you could probably find a copy way cheaper on the Gamecube (which you can still play on your Wii through backwards compatibility). However, if you’d like to give the new controls a shot, they make the game a little easier to control and for $30, it’s not going to prevent you from checking out some other new games as well. It’s a faithful port with added controls that feel natural and not forced.