Summary
ThePikminfranchise has always been one of Nintendo’s most overlooked series, but that seems to be changing. Not only has the studio finally releasedPikmin 4after 10 years, but it has also made the Nintendo Switch the home ofPikmingames. A month beforePikmin 4hit store shelves, the first two games made their way to the Switch. This means that every single title can now be played in HD, and that makes it an exciting time to be a fan.
The release ofPikmin 1and2on the Switchcame out of nowhere, and they may have come at the perfect time. ThePikminfranchise has never been on the level ofLegend of ZeldaorMario, but Nintendo seems to want to push it into the spotlight. While it remains to be seen ifPikmin 4helped make it a household name, the recent resurgence ofPikmincontent feels like a great hype-builder for the franchise
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The Pikmin Series Has Made A Home on the Switch
ThePikminseries first began back in 2001 on the GameCube. It was met with strong reviews and would go on to sell decently well. Players quickly fell in love with its unique gameplay and colorful world, and that was all that Nintendo needed to greenlight the sequel. 2004 would see the release ofthe critically acclaimedPikmin 2, but it must have failed to make an impact as the franchise would go on hiatus soon after.
PikminandPikmin 2would be ported to the Wii in 2009, but it would take until 2013 forPikmin 3to launch. It felt like the studio had forgotten about the series, and the original games became increasingly hard to find. Unless players were willing to track down a Wii or GameCube, the first two games were unavailable for old and new fans alike.
WhilePikmin 3would end up getting ported to Switch in 2020, the original games were still nowhere to be found. No matter how successful the third game was, new fans were unable to play the originals. Asthe release date forPikmin 4finally neared, it felt strange that the entire series was unavailable on modern hardware. However, that all changed earlier this year when Nintendo surprised its audience.
Pikmin 1and2were finally ported to Switch on June 21, and fans everywhere seemed to flock to it. Finally, the entire franchise was available on one ofNintendo’s most popular consoles. Not only was it a great nostalgia trip, but it also served as a fantastic way for new fans to experience these iconic games. It let players experience the beginnings of this franchise through an HD facelift, and it seemed like the perfect way to get them excited for what was to come.
Even if players have never touched aPikmingame before, they can now experience every single one on one console if they chose. There really is no other Nintendo franchise that lets players do that, and that is extremely exciting for fans. It has made the Switchthe home of thePikminfranchiseand will likely pull new fans to the series. The release of the first two games may have already succeeded in that and could have helpedPikmin 4considerably.
It seems like Nintendo isgoing all in on thePikmin 4craze, and that could be a good sign for the future. This franchise has always been pretty sporadic, but now every single title can shine on modern hardware. Players everywhere can finally experience this adorable series, and hopefully, it means more titles are on the horizon. While that is all contingent on ifPikmin 4is a success, it looks like the studio is at least a bit confident in the appeal of the IP.
Pikmin 4is available now on Switch
