Pikmin 4

Pikmin 4 (2023) is an action strategy game where you direct tiny, plant-like creatures to clean up the world and collect treasure. Different coloured Pikmins have different abilities, with several new types in this fourth game. The challenge is using the right ones (dog-like Ochi) to destroy obstacles, avoid hazards and fight fauna. It stands out as a strategy challenge that is approachable to a wide audience yet still gets surprisingly complex and involved in the later stages.

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You play the diminutive commander of an army of minute plant-like aliens called Pikmin and explore an earth-like planet's gardens and houses for "treasures", such as a fidget spinner or a battery. You use the different types of Pikmin to get past and destroy obstacles and defeat hostile creatures; each type of Pikmin has its own abilities, such as burning, freezing, or illuminating, and using each one for the right task is essential. Another part of your army is Ochi, a strange dog-like creature you can use to ride over bodies of water and help your Pikmin fight, move treasure, and destroy obstacles.

Unlike other strategy games where you directly control your troops, Pikmin have their own intelligence and are worked with rather than commanded; you can choose which Pikmin do what, but it's up to them to see it done. Some of the later levels, especially nighttime adventures, which see you face off against more powerful and populous foes, get fairly complex, requiring efficient and considered deployment of Ochi and all your Pikmin. Throughout it all though is a sense of exploration and adventure, and excitement at discovering each new challenge and reward.

The result is a game that starts quite simply but soon develops into a considerably nuanced real-time strategy game. Because of its plant and creature aesthetic, it's a great game to introduce this concept to younger players.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Pikmin 4 19 months ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 3 months ago.