Customer Reviews

Pikmin

5 star:		(173)
4 star:		(58)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Pikmin, no relation at all to Pokemon bt the name, are little space creatures on a planet far away. In the game you are a spaceman who collided with a rocket and crash landed there and now must enlist the help of the friendlly little Pikmin to help him find the missing parts of the ship. The game takes place in days, each day there is a new challenge ranging from finding food, to fighting off huge spiders and other creepy insects and creatures. You see this amazing looking planet through the view of an ant. The graphcs are amazing in the game. Every tiny detail of the game has been perfected, when zooming out (R button) you see just how nice the world looks. I found the control setup of Pikmin with the GameCube controller to be quite good. You controll the spaceman and pull the little Pikmin from the ground, either one by one, or 50 at a time! Whereever you, the Spaceman, walk the Pikmin you have "In use" follow you around. AT any given time you can have well over 100 Pikmin active. There are also diffrent kinds who are good at diffrent things. The Pikmin are always doing something which keeps you interested as well at laughing at some movements. The sound of Pikmin is also very good, it always is active and sounds just like real life. So if you are into creative and innovative games, made by the creator of Zelda and Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, then you have to check out Pikmin only for the Nintendo GameCube.

Pikmin..One of the most unique games that I have ever played. Very original. Truthfully, it doesn't sound neither appealing or interesting. Although the gameplay is incredible. Whenever I would walk into a store and play a demo of it, I would always think that it was somewhat, boring. But when I got the game, I realized that as soon as you get past the first day or two, it is extremely addictive. The whole objective is to get all 30 peices within 30 days. And its very fun getting larger quantities of pikmin so you can do more things at one time. And all the kinds of pikmin have their own unique strengths (example: yellow-throwing molten rocks & jumping higher. blue-is able to swim in water. red-is able to with-stand any fire and/or fire attacks by enemies). This is definetly a challenging game, and it isn't one that you can beat over night. It truly is a great strategic game that keeps you thinking..... I hope this review was helpful to you if you are looking for a video game.

Thankyou,
*Vapor*

Playing the Japanese version of this game at the moment and all i can say is that i've not felt this excited about a game since playing Zelda : Ocarina of Time for the first time. This game OOZES Miyamoto - it's magical. Definitely the sleeper title of all Gamecube 2001 games, this game will sell purely by word of mouth, it really is that good. Buy it, play it, FEEL it for yourself. Don't be put off by the point and click nature of Pikmin. Nintendo have somehow successfully managed to squeeze in a lot of different gameplay ideas into a FUN game that anyone can play. This will appeal to adults in the same way they are drawn to the Harry Potter phenomenen. Trust me - buy it, you will not be disappointed.

I first played Pikmin during E3 2001 in California earlier this year. I instantly fell in love with this game and really enjoyed it. The graphics during E3 were excellent with few problems, and the gameplay was great. I wasn't able to play this game very long, but it was one of the most fun games I played at E3, and I can't wait to play this game more.

What happens when gaming guru, Shigeru Miyamoto, is oppressed with the role as the integral man for masterminding the next Zelda and Metriod titles? From the production of Pikmin, it seems as if he seizes a deep, consoling breath and rips open a bag full of relaxation. Ah, finally all that dreadful anxiety and flagrant expectations from gaming fans everywhere wash away. His sheer brilliance veers into a jaunty, animated dream world. Conclusively, he creates a bizarre game where players are ferried onto a planet where replicas of giant onions come alive and spawn multicolored, cutesy creatures called Pikmin. Perhaps Miyamoto's latest game is a minor escape from the daunting task of transcending the GameCube into unreachable stratum? Whatever the case, Pikmin is not what would we ordinarily expect as a first-class launch title, but it doesn't even fall short to deliver one addictive gem.

The player assumes the responsibility of Captain Orima who looks like a freshly baked character from Cartoon Network. With a big, round nose, a mini space outfit, and a fish bowl for a helmet, it's hard not to think about pummeling the daylights outta' the adorable twerp. Orima's story is basically a cakewalk. The captain opts to go on vacation through space, in the duration of his flight, he has a sensible meal of onions when a sudden meteor slams onto his rocket. Surviving the plunge onto an alien planet, Orima's ship has disintegrated into fragments spread across the land. He must now retrieve the primary ship parts with the aid of the affable and obedient Pikmin before his spacesuit loses function.

Playing in Real Time, Pikmin, at the core, is a strategy game. At the start, the player sets off with a single, trusty Pikmin and is required to feed a three-legged onion with pellets or butchered insects. After a certain amount of nourishment, the onions plant seeds that'll eventually sprout as Pikmin. The essential objective to the game is to manage the carrot-shaped Pikmin and lead them on an expedition throughout the planet to recover Captain Orima's missing ship parts. There are three fundamental breeds of Pikmin, the red ones red are unscathed by fire, the blue ones wade over water, and the yellow ones cart one another and catapult themselves as organic grenades. Micromanaging elements are also supplemented for good measure. Bridges are to be constructed for faster mobilization, walls should be demolished for augmented exploration, and strategy preparation must be done to maintain the life of the Pikmin. Frequently, goliath-sized vermin like maggots intrude on the Pikmins` progression. With a whistle command, Captain Orima can order his army to quit their current task, huddle together and unite for a defensive onset. Also, the Pikmin may proceed in the offensive, attacking a monster when its simply dozing off. The maximum number of Pikmin a player can shepherd is a grand total of 100 with absolutely no slowdown whatsoever. Moreover, the game has a time limit. Working as a clock, the l6 circles atop the screen move from left to right, and once the furthest one is filled, the day draws to a close. At the end of each day, the Pikmin must rest overnight and an analysis of the player's personal army is evaluated. Not particularly lengthy, the addicting game can be whizzed within a jiffy of hours. Crammed with bonus and high score modes, the game retains a good, extended platter of replayability. What Miyamoto has done is sculpt the GameCube's first true classic.

The GameCube's controller, feeling a bit tweaky at first, succeeds to superbly make a first-rate control scheme. Captain Orima can be directed individually or accompanied with personal escorts. The analog stick guides Captain Orima, the A button yanks Pikmin from the soil, the B joins Pikmin together, the X is used to distinguish Pikmin groups into separate colors, and the Y button looms the game information and map. Additionally, the game's camera can be modified in any direction the player fancies, whether it be overhead, side, or the front.

The second Pikmin invades the television screen, the player will irrefutably remark on how the graphics are gorgeously crafted or converged with intoxicating vivacity. From what I have gathered from the many opinions of other gamers, players will either breath in revulsion or approval. Technology-wise, the rich world of Pikmin is matchless. With the control of the camera, the player can zoom in and out, screening through the huge landscapes. Even the tiniest of details will stimulate the players imagination, like the vast region of mountains and shrubbery. If not enchanting, the game's surroundings adequately present an overall smooth, graphical touch. From the lighting, various shadowing, and sheer multitude of animation on the creatures, Pikmin is what I imagine as a tingly trip to la-la land. Ironically, I felt a bit queasy after a few hours on this colorful madness. While marveling and vacuuming your life on Pikmin, the players will notice how well the music suits this type of genre. Indolent, tranquil sounds engulf the environment and is deliberately welcomed. There are the congenial tunes of a pristine day materializing, and the placid kind which hails approaching slumber. When an antagonistic intruder stumbles upon the Pikmins' camp, the music is swapped into a more rapid, upbeat tempo. The musical score proves to be finely executed. The eccentric yet delightful sounds from the Pikmin, the battle cries, and other noises add deeply to this already remarkable game.

Pikmin's basic gist is to genuinely refresh audiences with entertaining amusement along with hours of nonstop gameplay. Throughout the game I found myself beaming at the antics of Captain Orima and how ridiculously hilarious the Pikmin behave. Initially when a tremendous, next-generation home console is released, a monster of a game convoys along, and although, Nintendo honcho, Shigeru Miyamoto should have unleashed godhood, a Zelda or Star Fox game, Pikmin does not disappoint and is well worth the ownership for the novel, bold GameCube.

Pikmin is finally here. The breath of fresh air that was supposedly going to change the way we look at strategy games is in stores as I type this. Everyone always asks, "What is Pikmin about, anyway?" Yet, no one seems to know. So, by reading this review, you will not only find out what the hell it's about, but you will also receive the green light to go pick up this awesome game.
Pikmin is about a strange, size-of-a-Quarter alien-creature named Captain Olimar. The good ol' Captain seems to live a normal human life, as we are told throughout his adventure on this even more strange planet than his. He has a family, and is apparently a Spaceman. He's also a very intelligent being. A meteor hit the Dolphin, which is Captain Olimar's trusty rocket, thus destroying the poor guy's spaceship. Once he lands on this odd planet, he has noticed that he only has 30 Days to stay on this planet, as the air is highly polluted, and his fresh air system will fail in that amount of time. The Captain is also missing 30 Pieces of his Spaceship, the Dolphin. He finds a contraption that sprouts seeds, which he names an "Onion." The seeds, you ask? They are called "Pikmin." These Pikmin are half animal-half plant creatures that will help Mr. Olimar find his ship pieces, and return him home safely.
Well, now that we got that out of the way, let's cut into the beefy center of the game... Pikmin is a strategy game that will control your boredom hours for several days. If you actually have a life, then it will control your boredom hours for several weeks. It's about 12 Hours long, so it's not as short as Luigi's Mansion, but it could be a lot longer. Nonetheless, the game is a MUST OWN if you have a GameCube, and gets my vote for GameCube Game of The Year, without a doubt.
Okay, so now that I've given you the story and the green light to buy this bad boy, I guess you want details, eh? Okay. You can have up to 100 Pikmin on the screen and under your control at once. Pretty nifty, huh? This will come in handy for boss battles. Certain monsters are tiny, some are huge, some roam the land, some swim in shallow water, and some like to fly. What you will have to do is send a pack of 60 or more Pikmin to defeat huge monsters, as they can become a pain in small numbers, and kill most of your poor, innocent little Pikmin. There is nothing more frustrating than planting 60 seeds and having 70 dead Pikmin in return. Tsk, tsk.
Speaking of seeds, once you kill enemies, drag their dead, lifeless bodies back to your "Onion" to sprout more Pikmin! That's right, not only will you get parts to your ship for defeating bosses, but if you have enough Pikmin to carry parts and carcasses, then send one pack of Pikmin for a part, and one pack for the seeds.
There are three types of Pikmin; Red Pikmin, which are land animals! They can defeat enemies in a jiffy without dying as much as the blue or yellow, and they are immune to fire. Blue Pikmin, which can swim without a problem, but die easier than the rest, and Yellow Pikmin, who are known for their incredible strength to lift Bombs! How do you get different seeds, you ask? Whichever color Pikmin lifts an object to get de-seeded, that is the color of Pikmin you will get out of that object.
Enough of the mushy-stuff. The real fun lies in Pikmin's amazing perspective on making you think before you do anything. If there is a piece of the Dolphin on a ledge that Captain Olimar cannot get to, throw some Pikmin on top of the ledge, and guide them from there! I would explain more of this incredible feature that makes you use your brain like no game has in years, but that would spoil the fun for you, and why would I want to do that?
You have a clock in the game, and the Pikmin can only be outside from Sunrise to Sundown, as the planet isn't very lit up. So each day, you have around 14 hours to roam around and collect parts. However, these 14 hours go by very fast, and you will find yourself on the next day in no time. Just ask anybody that played Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. They will tell you how fast the time goes. Make sure you have collected all of your Pikmin before time runs out, or the loose Pikmin will become Ladybug-Food. Worried about the time limit? Don't worry! It's what makes the game fun, and this is coming from me, who disliked Majora's Mask because of the same problem.
If you own a GameCube, you must own this game. It's too short, and that is my only complaint. It's still longer than, let's say, Resident Evil, so don't worry on the length of the game. The game also has tons of replay value, and it's so charming, that you will be playing this one for years to come. The game also has that classic Miyamoto "charm" in it's writing and feel. The best game on the GameCube. Period.

Pikmin is an awsome game, let me tell you a little about how the story goes. This guy called Captain Olimar is in his rocket and gets hit by a meteor. He crashes on a strange planet. But he detects some stuff that makes it so he can live for only 30 days. So he finds a Pikmin, and makes it his slave. So then he has to go collecting his parts and building up his space ship, then fly home.

This game may look stupid, controling little vegetables to do work, but actually its pretty complicated. It's not like they lay the parts out for you and you just go pick them up. There's hard bosses, and parts that you cant get to by walking. And also, tons of enemies that hurt badley.

When i rented this game i told my brother about. He thought it sounded stupid, especialy the onion part. When he played it he got hooked on it. It was the same with me. This game is a must buy, and if anyone says its stupid, they should get beaten with a stick.

Graphics: The Graphics are very good, a lot of things you dont get from and average video game. Very detailed also, plants move when you go into them, pikmin's flowers move when they're running. I would give the graphics 5/5

Sound: Very good sound. I like the music a lot. Not some stupid pikmin rap or anythign like that. It's actually kind of relaxing. I give the sound 5/5

Fun: Defintely fun the first time you play it, you never expect when running in a field to be attacked by burrowing worms, or flys. The second time you expect more, but its still fun. I give the fun factor 4.5/5

Control: Nothing complicated like Resident Evil. Simple to understand, and easy to carry out. It requires no practice. It makes the game better, so you dont have to worry about going into a fight, instead of away from one. Or going into water, instead of away from it (except for when you have blue pikmin). I give the controls 5/5

overall this is a really good game, and a must buy.

For two decades, Nintendo's master game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, has been entertaining the world with his artistic approach to video game design. He is responsible for inventing industry icons such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Zelda, and many, many more. Mr. Miyamoto's success lies in his creative ability to intertwine solid game play mechanics, interesting characters and engrossing story lines. Simply put, Shigeru Miyamoto knows how to make games that are just fun to play. His latest creation is Pikmin, a genre-breaking masterpiece available exclusively for Nintendo GameCube.

For those who don't know, Miyamoto's main babies are:
Donkey Kong (arcade)
Super Mario Bros. (NES)
Star Fox (SNES)
Super Mario 64 (N64)
Yoshi's Story (N64)
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)
Pikmin (GC)

This is beginning to drag on, so I'll start reviewing AND talking.

Pikmin, put simply, is a spastic venture through imagination. As aforementioned, Shigeru Miyamoto, Mr. Nintendo, the bigwig, designed this game. Her created the concepts, he made the changes. He made the reason you should buy this system.

Okay, here's the story: You are Captain Olimar. You are on vacation and heading for a vacation planet in your spaceship, the Dolphin. Accordingly, a meteor changes that vacation. One collides with your ship. It enter's another planet's atmosphere, where it breaks into 30 pieces which scatter throughout the planet. After you regain consciousness, you find a machine called an Onion. It shoots out a lone seed. It blooms quickly, and you pick it. It is...an animal. One cute enough to make Hello Kitty throw up.

Summarizing, you have 30 days to recover 18 parts using your little Pikmin.

Now for the review.

At a graphical standpoint, Pikmin is extraordinary. While the graphics are cute and playful, they are EXTREMELY realistic. The water looks real enough to drink it, the dirt under your feet kicks up when you walk, and the grass looks like you could mow it from your controller. I've probably run on too long now, so I give Pikmin a 5/5 for graphics.

As for the sound, I must say it's just as good. The Pikmin make the cutest little noises. Their feet pitter-patter as they walk, as yours clump along. The enemy creatures scream in agony as you beat them up with your Pikmin. Your rocket makes a roaring noise as it takes off. If that isn't enough, then the best sound thing in the game is when the little Pikmin comes on at the beginning and says "Nintendo." It is the cutest thing you will ever hear. 5/5 for sound.

As for its ingenuity, where else can you order around little plant-like creatures on an alien planet for thirty days? This game breaks all genres, creating its own. 5/5 for ingenuity to the max.

The game sinks its claws into you and doesn't let go. It's nearly impossible to put down. There are no special features or anything to unlock, but the game has an amazing story line. 5/5 for replay value.

This game will have you cheering on your Pikmin, screaming at the bad ones, and crying over your lost ones, all while playing. It's the most consuming game on Earth. This game is the one true reason to buy the system, not Star Wars. Miyamoto has done it again, and he'll keep on going.

Graphics: 5/5
Sound: 5/5
Ingenuity: 5/5
Replay: 5/5
TOTAL: 5/5

OK, as a launch title, Pikmin is no "SuperMario 64", but this is classic nintendo. Cute, original characters and fun, modestly challenging gameplay, make for a delightful introduction to the Gamecube's advanced performance.

The basic premise is as follows: Olimar has crashlanded on a strange planet and has to visit several different lands to collect all the rocket parts necessary to repair his ship and return home. He has thirty "days" in which to complete this task (a "day" in Pikmin lasts around 15-20 mins). He soon discovers that he will need to enlist the help of the Pikmin, cute little half-plant, half-animal creatures native to this environment, in order to achieve his goal.

The Pikmin themselves come in different colors, and various degrees of maturation, all with different but consistent characteristics (one color flies further and carries bombs, one color can take heat and makes the best fighter, another color can breathe underwater, and so on). The challenge in Pikmin is that to retrieve the rocket ship parts, a number of tasks such as building bridges and knocking down walls must be completed whilst fending off various predatory creatures. Meantime, you must be ensuring you have enough Pikmin of each color by feeding and tending "onions" (large incubator-like structures which generate new Pikmin).

Fortunately Pikmin are quite independent rascals, and the job soon becomes one of delegation and time management, with Pikmin organized in groups and setting about a number of tasks simultaneously, while Olimar supervises and directs.

Of course, if a day has not gone well you can restart it without saving, until you find the most efficient way of completing that days task(s), but even so, this novel and creative game will keep you and your kids engaged for hours.

If you are a GameCube owner, chances are you chose your console partly because of the innovations usually found in titles produced by Nintendo itself. Nintendo's track record for first party titles is virtually untainted and is completely un-challenged. While owners of Nintendo's consoles may have less titles to choose from than competitors, the percentage of garbage titles to appear on other consoles far outstrips that of Nintendo's systems. That being said, Pikmin is an innovative masterpiece that should not be over looked. The gameplay is fantastic and very addictive. I read many reviews referring to the game as being short. While I cannot say the game is long, I must admit that it wasn't as short as I thought it would be, based on other's feedback. It incorporates two genres (platform and strategy) successfully into what is really a unique new play experience. You do have to think about how you will go about several tasks, or you won't be able to complete them. Pikmin's graphics are wonderful as well. It is a game that makes me smile rather than feeling down after playing. Many thanks to Nintendo for not re-hashing the same stuff over and over again as competitors do. Just when I think innovation in the game market is becoming dull, a title like Pikmin, or Animal Crossing, or Metroid Prime comes along to challenge this notion. I only hope there is a sequel. Until then, lets hope the Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker delivers.