It's a small world...

User Rating: 9 | Pikmin 3 WIIU
Pikmin 3 is a stunning game. As a newcomer to the series, I didn't know quite what to expect. But Pikmin 3 eases you in gently, and before you know it you're thinking strategically, plotting out each day. The tutorial is fantastically subtle- not the boring navi-like stuff we've come to know. For example, when introducing blue pikmin, it doesn't tell you they are resistant to water. Instead, they first appear in the water so you know that.
Game mechanics work like this: you control 3 crew members throughout the storyline of Pikmin 3. They can only progress by using pikmin. You can grow pikmin, but that wastes valuable time. You can have up to 100 pikmin with you at one time. These cute adorable little creatures can be thrown at enemies. The pikmin will all attack the enemies, but the enemies can also attack the pikmin. And there's nothing as heartbreaking as the squeal of a dying pikmin gobbled up by a bulborb. You go through the game in a cycle of days, and each day you must get all your pikmin back to the ship or they will perish. And that is a heartbreaking cutscene.
The pikmin can also carry objects back to the ship, which is a vital component of pikmin 3. Various different types of pikmin each have different qualities, and these qualities are needed to solve puzzles. But it can be annoying when pikmin often do stupid things that you don't want them to do.
Every day, the crew members consume a portion of fruit every day and you need to keep using pikmin to collect fruit on top of the main game. If they run out, it's game over. But it's fine because you can always skip to an earlier day before things went wrong. Pikmin 3 gets lovably complicated and challenging, and is really a joy to play. The puzzles and combat are so expertly made, and each boss is unique and geniously crafted. Equally, environments are glorious in HD, and are really beautiful to look at. They are all perfectly natural, no human intervention, and you are tiny compared to them. Like, you can stand on a leaves. Enemies are weird and unique, and creative in both presentation and combat. I can't stress enough how inventive Nintendo have been in enemy design and ideas.
The gamepad is very useful as you actually play with nunchuk and remote, and have the gamepad stood up beside you to look at for the map. You need it to think strategically and plan your day. It's as good as essential for success in Pikmin 3.
In addition to story mode, there's a mission mode, which sets you goals to collect as much fruit as possible or defeat enemies. This can also be played co-op. The missions really help your strategic thinking and increase the longevity of Pikmin 3 by a huge amount.
There's also a versus multiplayer mode, but the player with the gamepad has a huge advantage because they can see the map.
Pikmin 3 is a beautiful game, and though flawed, you shouldn't hesitate to buy it.