Pikmin is a shining gem and one of Shigeru Miyamoto's finest works.
Pikmin begins with wandering spaceman Captain Olimar hitting some turbulence in space and crash landing on an alien world. After seeing his spacecraft in its damaged state, Olimar encounters a flora-fauna hybrid creature named Pikmin. Olimar later discovers that his ship's components are scattered across the landscape of the planet, and to make the entire ordeal worse, Olimar's air supply will only last 30 days. Olimar, in a desperate, but curious decision leads the Pikmin creatures across the planet to help him recover the parts to his spaceship and ultimately assist him in finding his way off the planet before the toxic oxygen atmosphere kills him. In addition to the atmosphere, Olimar must use the Pikmin to tackle the larger, more dangerous lifeforms on the planet. Aggressive, gargantuan, or simply pestering enemies exist on the planet, and many of them will crush, kidnap, or devour Olimar's Pikmin army without remorse. Pikmin's story is simple and straightforward, but it has a curiosity rich with a darker humor than what you'd expect from a first-party Nintendo title. Seeing the Pikmin's ghosts ascend after a monstrous attack is actually pretty gruesome. The guilty pleasure of watching your army of Pikmin die in a colossal battle is more sunlight-through-a-magnifying-glass than anything. Pikmin is a charming game with a surprising amount of humor, but it still retains an approachable purpose that makes progressing throughout the planet's stages engaging and fun.
Pikmin, at its core, is a real-time strategy game. These games aren't the most fluid on consoles, considering that a majority of RTS games are point-and-click games reserved for mouse-and-keyboard setups. Pikmin doesn't play that card, instead creating a simple and easy-to-follow control scheme that feels zealous without being cumbersome on the controller. Olimar's main method of command is his whistle, which when holding down the B button, calls to attention Pikmin in the sound radius. Other abilities include throwing Pikmin to a specific area or object with the A button, or directing them around Olimar using the C-stick. It's a fluid system, and even though monitoring Pikmin omnisciently is much more difficult than on a typical RTS game like Starcraft, the overall action feels strong and integral.
Pikmin come in three forms (or flavors if you're a Spotted Bulborb): red, yellow, and blue. Each Pikmin type has their own specific advantages when searching for spaceship parts. Red Pikmin are fireproof and deal the most damage in battle, yellow Pikmin fly higher when thrown and can equip "bomb rocks" for explosive results, and blue Pikmin can safely traverse water. This adds plenty of strategy when devising a plan to capture a spaceship part, as many of the challenges involve using different Pikmin types together, whether to overcome an environmental obstacle or take out a specific enemy. Also, Pikmin can work together to move enemy remains and pellets to produce more Pikmin, wrapping up both resource management and army construction into one clean package. Pikmin prides itself on simplifying the stereotypically complex RTS setup and the end result is a game that feels accessible and engaging, but still deep enough to satisfy the RTS hungry.
The overall goal of Pikmin is to find the 30 spaceship parts scattered throughout the lands, instructing enough Pikmin to lift the part, and having them safely carry the part back to the landing site. While this sounds simple, the distant planet isn't without its Pikmin predators, and these hungry monsters are not going to make the trek any easier. Though the enemies can gobble up Pikmin in single bites, Olimar must instruct the Pikmin to attack the enemies as groups. Attacking a weak spot, leading the army out of danger, or simply attacking the enemies with a big enough army are all crucial elements to victory. It's a slightly slimmed-down concept, but it's a great way to show that RTS games don't have to be intimidatingly complex to have fun.
Though the diverse collection of creatures to battle is a big obstacle in reaching Olimar's success, the clock is more than likely the biggest enemy you'll find in Pikmin. Though the Pikmin can travel across the landscape during the daytime without any major pressures, the nightfall is where the enemies get restless and will go for the hunt. With that condition in place, Olimar is only allowed to use the Pikmin's support during the daytime, which lasts only a handful of minutes in real time. This time limit is spread out across 30 "days" and with 30 parts to find, it can be a serious trial. Multi-tasking and planning ahead are huge musts in Pikmin's world, so don't expect to collect all 30 parts in one go. Tackling the monstrous bosses and overcoming intricate puzzles are also crucial, but they all have a stunning scope and the rewarding feeling of successfully collecting a spaceship part is welcomed with an excited army of Pikmin forces jumping for joy. Disappointingly, though, Pikmin's main story is really all the game has when it comes to content. A Challenge Mode is unlocked later on, but it's mostly just a way to see how many Pikmin you can get in a single day. Though the storyline is engaging and the challenges are deep, a lack of any real longevity is a bit of a downer. The stressful time limit will turn some people off as well, but the purposeful urgency of the game's setup gives completing a lengthily designed task a huge feeling of accomplishment.
Pikmin's presentation is unlike any other seen in an RTS game. As one of the Gamecube's launch titles, Nintendo needed to show off the power of the system, and Pikmin does it stunningly. Though the planet is never given a name, it's safe to assume that Olimar's adventure takes place on Earth, with the lush greenery of a backyard being a major influence on the world of Pikmin. Olimar and the Pikmin are brightly colored and a bit cartoony, but it's reflected well during the pseudo-realistic environment of Pikmin's distant planet. Enemy design is creative, as many of the major enemies do have an interesting resemblance to real-life fauna (or sometimes flora). The music is an upbeat collection of memorable themes and the different sound effects are cute (like the chirps and squeaks of the Pikmin at work). Pikmin isn't just a technically impressive game. It's imaginative and full of the kind of whimsy that a child would see from a sandbox in the yard. Miyamoto has shown that visual design doesn't need to come from a Hyrulian castle or an intergalactic space dogfight. Sometimes it can come from what goes on in your own garden.
Pros
+ Stunningly creative graphic design creates a fantastic world to explore
+ Tight and simple controls make it easy to control your Pikmin
+ Intricate objectives bring on the challenge
+ Resource management is extremely easy to jump into
Cons
- Not much replay value aside from the main story
- Time limit can be frustrating
Pikmin is a showcase piece. It's a uniquely constructed, one-of-a-kind real-time strategy game that doesn't skip on the presentation or gameplay, while also offering plenty of surprises and memorable moments. Exploring the distant planet is one of the Gamecube's most refined journeys, one packed with harrowing encounters and a strong design. Its charming exterior hides a richly crafted core that will hook you till all 30 spaceship pieces are safely within Olimar's intergalactic vehicle. It's a brief adventure and the time limit can feel intimidating, but the brilliantly creative moments throughout Pikmin always manage to shine through its very few frustrations. Thanks to an inventive aesthetic and its intricate, but accessible gameplay, Pikmin can rightfully stand alongside Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda as one of Miyamoto's finest works. Memorable to the end, you simply cannot go wrong picking up Pikmin.