Pros: Odd but addictive and fun game to play. Gameplay and graphics are top-notch.
Cons: Ever-changing camera perspectives, level redos, Pikmin drowning unexpectedly.
The Bottom Line: This is a brilliant game with splendidly balanced gameplay, graphics, sound and level of enjoyment. What can be called originality may be viewed as lack of mass appeal.
Let's get one thing straight: Pikmin is a truly enjoyable game to play. For those who do not know the work of Shigeryu Miyamoto, he is the godfather of console game creation. From Mario to Link, "Shiggy" has had a major hand in developing memorable characters that entire licenses exist upon. How does Pikmin compare with his other work? Pikmin is as brilliant a design as any other game, but its initial unique presentation becomes vaguely familiar. What this means is that the premise of the game is unique, the storyline is original, and the gameplay is also original: However, the methods used to complete levels and solve riddles borrows from Real Time Strategy [RTS] games (the process of harvesting Pikmin} and "god" games in which you are the godlike figure overseeing all of your creations. Many players may also be turned off by the game being a timed game, with stages broken into days. Sundown can be an ugly thing in Pikminland.
Intentional vagueness is a large part of this epinion, for a few reasons: The concept of the game can be read in other very well-written epinions here, this epinion is becoming too verbose, and the surprise of putting in a new game without knowing EVERY aspect in advance is one of my favorite moments of playing a new game (and also the most risky, if the game is a flop).
Which perspective to take?
There are 2 major types of gamers out there who will most likely buy this game: parents who bought their child a gamecube, and hardcore gamers who respect the quality of work from which Nintendo and Miramoto are legendary for.
The easier category of gamer is the hardcore gamer: if you enjoy RTS games with some puzzles thrown in and are tired of the run-of-the-mill RTS games out there, Pikmin will entertain. Even the mundane sounding process of harvesting Pikmin is done with pride and there is nothing short of unexpected sorrow when you see your first Pikmin accidentally drown! Gameplay is very intuitive, and the usage of the controller uses a great deal of common sense to make overseeing all operations a snap. (Worth noting is the tremendous improvement Nintendo has with the Gamecube controller in comparison to the N64 controller. Actually, there is no comparison. The Gamecube controller is infinitely better.) Pikmin will generate about 15-20 hours of gameplay and that is the game's only major shortcoming. However, don't be surprised if Nintendo already factored this in: excellent games will have at least one sequel...
Another warning for the hardcore gamer: many gamers recommend renting this title before buying. I recommend this technique to anyone in which "wasting" money on a game is a concern. Four dollars compared to fifty dollars is a much lower gripe. However, some hardcore gamers may rent the cartridge and solve it within 1 or 2 rentals...so which is better? to buy? or to rent and solve and return gameless? Again, that depends on your finances. Being employed (and having plenty of funds for buying games), I recommend reading at least a few epinions: if the game even remotely sounds vague and possibly not interesting, by all means rent it first. If you are a fan of ALL of Miramoto's work, then I can confidently say you will enjoy playing through Pikmin. However there is that small segment of gamers, the hardcore gamer short on money who can rent this title and solve it in 2 to 4 days. If you get bored with a game quickly and are able to "walk" though many titles, you may want to rent Pikmin no matter how much you love Shiggy's work. THAT being hashed out let's move on...
The second category of game buyer is the parent who knows little or nothing about games. The first bit of advice to give is that Pikmin explains all the controller uses during the game but only in TEXT form. This means that your child has to be able to read. I suspect there are a great number of parents bringing home a game for their children who are not able or are not strong readers. A parent will have to sit with the child and explain ALL this to them. This can be good or bad depending on the level of patience of the parent (on a personal note, my son and I played Pikmin together for hours). The biggest complaint I have is that a child has to be able to think through the puzzles and master the use of the controller to play through Pikmin. Otherwise, it will quickly become a collector's item in your video game library. Without opening a HUGE topic to discuss, I recommend a child to be 8 and up in order to enjoy all that this game has to offer. Younger children will need constant guidance to play through the game.
So what to do?
Read other epinions, look for magazine and online reviews, and go from there. Do not be afraid to rent this title if unsure. If hardcore, do not be afraid to buy this game either, if only in Miramoto's reputation alone (that's what I did!)
What's to like again?
When the graphics, gameplay, sound, and "fun factor" all balance with each other, a game seems almost magical. Pikmin is one such game. Of all the titles at launch, it may be the most balanced of the bunch. Again, this is going to be a bit vague intentionally. The game has to be played to be fully appreciated!
What the big deal with those other gripes?
Nothing really. There must be some griping, or we, as humans, would all dry up and blow away. My two favorite types of games are first person shooters [FPS] such as Max Payne, Quake III, and Half-Life and Real Time Strategy [RTS] games, such as Starcraft, Warcraft, and Total Annihilation.
Pikmin borrows form the conceptual side of RTS games and focuses on harvesting your Pikmin. The other phase of a RTS is the action phase, in which Pikmin are under your control to gather (relates to harvesting phase), solve puzzles, traverse obstacles, and defeat enemies. However, this is a bit much for a 6 year old to grasp, and an awful lot for an uninitiated gamer (like my wife, ssshhhhh! she never reads this stuff anyway) to explain to that 6 year old. SO BUYER BEWARE!
The game could be called "too short", but do not be surprised of many games are shorter than games of ages past. There is always room for a sequel if the public is willing to buy it...So in getting back to the length of the game it is appropriate for the quest proposed. I just hated it when I'd want to explore more of a level and would run out of time (yes it is a timed game, BUT THERE IS A REASON). If there were no timer, Pikmin could be micromanaged and stockpiled, which would create a lop-sided game with very little challenge. So as I said, the game is very well-balanced!
So what are you saying?
Good question. At this point, I might sound a bit contradicting. That is what happens when a great game can end up a poor seller because it doesn't have mass appeal. Does Pikmin have mass appeal? That is a question for you to decide, and if you are not sure if it appeals to the gamer in your house, then investigate. If all the above makes you want for more, then check out Pikmin and give it a go. As for me, I'm glad I bought it and will be sad when I'm bored with it!
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