With the Wii U being a general sales failure for Nintendo, it’s no big surprise that the company has decided to gives its games a new lease on life on the Switch. It’s now to the point where nearly every major first-party Wii U game has made its way to the Switch, with the latest being a revamped version of Pikmin 3 called Pikmin 3 Deluxe. And as far as Wii U ports on the Nintendo Switch go, Pikmin 3 Deluxe is certainly one of the more impressive that’s been released so far.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe features the exact same content as the original Pikmin 3, but with revamped controls, some new features, new side missions, and all the original’s post-launch DLC. Like before, the meat of the experience is the story mode, which sees newcomers Alph, Brittany, and Charlie exploring PNF-404 in search of food and resources for their home planet. They soon come in contact with the titular Pikmin, and quickly learn how to utilize their unique abilities to achieve their goals.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s story mode has gotten some upgrades this time around to make it even better than it was before. The fantastic core experience is intact, but there’s a new Ultra Spicy difficulty available to veteran players to give the game more of an edge. There’s also a full-fledged co-op mode that lets players experience the entire story together in split-screen co-op, which makes it feel like a whole new game.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s co-op is the best addition in this new version of the game, but it does have some drawbacks that fans will want to keep in mind. There are no online co-op options in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and the split-screen does make navigation, combat, and Pikmin management a little more unwieldy than when playing solo. The most annoying thing about it happens after cut-scenes, as the game likes to take all the Pikmin away from the second player and assign them all to the first player, which can prove to be quite costly when it happens right at the start of a boss fight.
Otherwise the co-op in Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a fantastic new addition and a great reason for those that have already played through the Wii U version to check out the new release. Players are allowed to freely explore the environment completely apart from one another, which allows them to get done with tasks much faster, and can result in far more fruitful exploration days. It makes the game a bit more fast-paced and it’s fun strategizing with a friend.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s co-op is applied to basically every other facet of the game as well, so the entire package can be played with a friend. This includes the new Pikmin 3 Deluxe side story missions, which feature brand new levels and timed challenges for players to complete. These side missions are from the perspective of Pikmin and Pikmin 2 protagonists Captain Olimar and Louie, with one set serving as a prologue to the base game and another as an epilogue. These missions can be plenty intense when players are shooting for high scores, and prove to be a very worthwhile addition to the Pikmin 3 experience.
When players have had their fill of Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s excellent story content, there’s even more to sink their teeth into. The Pikmin 3 DLC missions are all available in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, challenging players to collect items and fight enemies, including bosses from the base game. While not as compelling as the story-based side missions, these are still a fun enough distraction and can keep fans busy for hours.
And finally, there’s Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s Bingo Battle mode, which is the game’s versus multiplayer component. One’s enjoyment of Bingo Battle will depend entirely on who they’re playing with, and with the world still wrestling with the coronavirus pandemic, one’s selection of local multiplayer opponents is even more limited than usual. Bingo Battle is a mode that would have seriously benefited from online connectivity of some kind, and if it had it, it would have really been the thing to push Pikmin 3 Deluxe to even greater heights.
While online multiplayer and co-op would have went a long way in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, it does have some things to boost its replay value further. For example, Pikmin 3 Deluxe adds a new badge system that functions the same as achievements. There are specific badges for each game mode, and the game keeps track of how close players are to fully completing each one. Earning Pikmin 3 badges increases players’ in-game rank, which offers more direction post-game and may encourage players to experiment with things they may have otherwise ignored.
Another way Pikmin 3 Deluxe boosts its replay value, at least for completionists, is with the Piklopedia. As its name suggests, the Piklopedia is essentially an in-game encyclopedia, with an entry dedicated to all the fruit, creatures, and other items players find on their Pikmin 3 Deluxe adventures. While this may seem like a rather minor addition in the grand scheme of things, hardcore Pikmin enthusiasts will get a kick out of it, and it’s something else to keep players occupied after they’ve wrapped up the story.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe‘s story can be completed in about 10 hours, maybe even less, depending on how thoroughly one explores the environment. The new content added in this Deluxe version boosts the replay value significantly, but it’s still a little disappointing that the story ends so quickly. And that’s definitely something returning players will want to keep in mind before they purchase the game, especially since it’s being sold at full price.
Any Switch owners that have never played the Wii U version of Pikmin 3 should definitely pick up Pikmin 3 Deluxe. The game has aged incredibly well, with an engrossing story mode that’s an absolute blast (while it lasts) and is greatly enhanced by the addition of local co-op. And even those that have already played Pikmin 3 extensively on the Wii U may want to consider double-dipping for the Switch version, as the new side story missions with Captain Olimar and Louie are a great deal of fun and definitely worth checking out.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is available now on the Nintendo Switch. Game Rant was provided with a Switch code for this review.
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply