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Pikmin 3 Review Thread [UP2: All reviews are live]

I think people are really exaggerating the press reviews for nintendo games. I will be shocked if the games doesn't get an 85 on MC, and honestly i hope it does get docked somewhat for no online

You can't "dock points" for something that isn't in the game, that's absurd. What the hell, mate.

This line of thinking is one of the reasons we see so much homogenization in games, btw. "We have to make our game exactly like these games or else we'll tank on Metacritic!"
 
Pikmin has amazed me with how it became one of my absolute favorite series in as little as two entries. I was hyped beyond belief for this glorious HD entry up until just recently. My complaints are twofold, but I feel they aren't insignificant in the slightest:

1) No Purples or Whites in single-player. What the hell. So I guess the team just felt it necessary to take options away from the player. I don't understand. Both types are incredibly useful and fun, and would only broaden the types of puzzles that could be dreamed up. It seems like a missed opportunity.

2) As Chessemeister pointed out, swarming is gone. This one baffles me to the point of infuriation. It's a major part of Pikmin. And now it's gone.

I know I'm going to buy this game at launch and love it, but it feels like, with the information I have, that this is going to be an "incomplete" Pikmin game. It's missing two types that had a lot to bring to the table, and its axed a really fun and integral element. I hope the rest of the experience helps the game rise above, but the changes are just so confusing.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
honestly i hope it does get docked somewhat for no online
Then you'd have to dock points for games that don't offer local multiplayer, or off TV, or pinpoint accuracy.

Your point is arbitrary, as you can see.

Besides the game has a competitive online layer, how does it work BTW?
 

Darryl

Banned
You can't "dock points" for something that isn't in the game, that's absurd. What the hell, mate.

This line of thinking is one of the reasons we see so much homogenization in games, btw. "We have to make our game exactly like these games or else we'll tank on Metacritic!"

they can dock points for anything they want. they're like regular gaffers so if you see people on here bitching about ground textures or no online you're probably going to see that reflected in reviews because they probably ripped that criticism right out of GAF, no thought to it. "people on this popular site complaining, we gotta dock points for that" is usually how it works, so you need a game where the excitement around the game is going so strong that people are afraid to complain prior to playing the game to get that flawless score. that's definitely not pikmin. this game probably won't hit the 70s most nintendo games are getting thanks to the cute promo material they've put out, but 90s no way. it'll fall mid to high 80s for sure and that's in a GOTY quality situation
 
You can't "dock points" for something that isn't in the game, that's absurd. What the hell, mate.

This line of thinking is one of the reasons we see so much homogenization in games, btw. "We have to make our game exactly like these games or else we'll tank on Metacritic!"

They already threw in local multiplayer. It's not like they decided to go SP only. I could excuse it if Nintendo was some small company, but they arent

Then you'd have to dock points for games that don't offer local multiplayer, or off TV, or pinpoint accuracy.

Yes, i think it should be noted that a game has no local mp. We can agree to disagree.
 
Pikmin has amazed me with how it became one of my absolute favorite series in as little as two entries. I was hyped beyond belief for this glorious HD entry up until just recently. My complaints are twofold, but I feel they aren't insignificant in the slightest:

1) No Purples or Whites in single-player. What the hell. So I guess the team just felt it necessary to take options away from the player. I don't understand. Both types are incredibly useful and fun, and would only broaden the types of puzzles that could be dreamed up. It seems like a missed opportunity.

2) As Chessemeister pointed out, swarming is gone. This one baffles me to the point of infuriation. It's a major part of Pikmin. And now it's gone.

I know I'm going to buy this game at launch and love it, but it feels like, with the information I have, that this is going to be an "incomplete" Pikmin game. It's missing two types that had a lot to bring to the table, and its axed a really fun and integral element. I hope the rest of the experience helps the game rise above, but the changes are just so confusing.
What is swarming?
 

CBTech

Member
I'm pretty excited for Pikmin 3, though I haven't really played either Pikmin 1 or 2. Would you guys recommend starting on 1 or 2? Other than the time limit, what differences are there between the games?
 
What is swarming?

The use of the C-Stick (using Gamecube controls) to manually move the hoard of Pikmin in a general direction. If you swarm Pikmin around an object or enemy, they automatically interact with it. It's also useful for making your Pikmin form a line to squeeze through tight places or narrow heights, or for helping avoid enemy attacks more precisely. In the Wii remakes you just pressed down on the D-Pad and pointed to move the swarm.

It was a really good mechanic. I'm absolutely befuddled as to why they'd remove it.

And it's entirely different from the "charge" move that sends your hoard toward an enemy. The swarm technique gave you more complete control over where your Pikmin are relative to the captain.
 
I guess it was moving all the pikmins with the C stick.
Couldn't you do that in the Wii versions by holding down on the D-pad and pointing to something? Is that removed?

Wait no purples or whites or swarming? How did they take steps back. That along with no real items is kind of hype deflating.
"Nintendo needs to mix it up with their franchises, stop rehashing everything!"

*Nintendo changes a few smaller things about a game*

"Why isn't everything from the previous game here? Fuck this company."
 
Couldn't you do that in the Wii versions by holding down on the D-pad and pointing to something? Is that removed?


"Nintendo needs to mix it up with their franchises, stop rehashing everything!"

*Nintendo changes a few smaller things about a game*

"Why isn't everything from the previous game here? Fuck this company."

1) Yes, you could in the NPC versions.

2) Swarming is removed from Pikmin 3. Cheese has confirmed it.

2) These aren't changes. This is flat out removing really important/fun aspects. It's not changing things up to keep it fresh. It's fucking awful.

Also, this is a franchise with 3 damn entries. If people are complaining about rehashing with it, then they're the worst possible type of person. What's the point of adding content and mechanics if you have to cut it out of the next entry to keep it "fresh?"
 

Somnid

Member
Wait no purples or whites or swarming? How did they take steps back. That along with no real items is kind of hype deflating.

Who said they were steps back? From the day it was announced it was very clear they weren't simply building on 2. You're obsessing over the superficial bullet lists while ignoring the actual game content.
 
Who said they were steps back? From the day it was announced it was very clear they weren't simply building on 2. You're obsessing over the superficial bullet lists while ignoring the actual game content.

They're steps back.

You don't have to build on a predecessor to make a good sequel. But don't be surprised when there's pushback when you cut core elements that made said predecessor great in the first place.

I'm a huge advocate for this series and Nintendo's approach to game-making, and I find the removals to be absolutely pointless.
 

Tagg9

Member
I always felt swarming was really cheap. I don't think they ever intended it to be used as an actual strategy in the prior games.
 
I always felt swarming was really cheap. I don't think they ever intended it to be used as an actual strategy in the prior games.

Howso? It was great for avoiding losing big chunks of Pikmin to enemies and it was made collecting items easier by not making you throw Pikmin after Pikmin just to pick up an item.

Besides that, there were parts of exploration that pretty much required you to use it.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
Yes, i think it should be noted that a game has no local mp. We can agree to disagree.
Lag free local multiplayer, off tv/dual screen set up, and best of breed RTS controls on a console are 3 features that can make up for lack of 1 feature, if they contribute to make the game better than the game could ever be without it, online or not. Reviewers will note it, they will note there's no online, and if the game is amazing it will deserve amazing scores.

Just as any other game, missing a feature and still being amazing.
 

Tathanen

Get Inside Her!
Howso? It was great for avoiding losing big chunks of Pikmin to enemies and it was made collecting items easier by not making you throw Pikmin after Pikmin just to pick up an item.

Besides that, there were parts of exploration that pretty much required you to use it.

Swaming is absolutely still in, it's just altered. You can tap left or right on the d-pad to make your entire squad roll to the left or right evasively. You can also, while locked on to an enemy or item with Z (you can lock on to things now as camera pivots), shake the nunchuck once to make your whole Pikmin swarm rush at the item at once, just like pushing the c-stick forward in the older games, but much more reliably.

I agree that the old style was very advantageous at points, but better overall pathfinding could make it less necessary.
 
2) These aren't changes. This is flat out removing really important/fun aspects. It's not changing things up to keep it fresh. It's fucking awful.

Also, this is a franchise with 3 damn entries. If people are complaining about rehashing with it, then they're the worst possible type of person. What's the point of adding content and mechanics if you have to cut it out of the next entry to keep it "fresh?"

They're steps back.

You don't have to build on a predecessor to make a good sequel. But don't be surprised when there's pushback when you cut core elements that made said predecessor great in the first place.

I'm a huge advocate for this series and Nintendo's approach to game-making, and I find the removals to be absolutely pointless.
You act as if they removed Purple and White and just went back to the trio of colors from 1, ignoring the fact that we know they replaced those two with two other types of Pikmin that have their own special abilities. Having to manage 7 different types of Pikmin (and designing a game around all those different types) would be a mess.
 

Somnid

Member
They're steps back.

You don't have to build on a predecessor to make a good sequel. But don't be surprised when there's pushback when you cut core elements that made said predecessor great in the first place.

I'm a huge advocate for this series and Nintendo's approach to game-making, and I find the removals to be absolutely pointless.

I give this post the Super Paper Mario award of excellence.
 

marc^o^

Nintendo's Pro Bono PR Firm
Hoping Wii U doesn't take off is now followed with jumping to conclusions their games don't live to the hype and hoping they get docked points in reviews.
 

Tathanen

Get Inside Her!
I give this post the Super Paper Mario award of excellence.

There's nothing wrong with purple and white being cut in the campaign. It doesn't seem at all unreasonable to think that seven types of Pikmin in a 100-max squad would strain the game's ability to be manageable. Toggling through five when you want to throw one type can be time-consuming enough, and a squad with five types already limits you to 20 per type, if you keep them even. "More and more and more" is not always good. Five seems like a very healthy count, particularly with how the rock and flying types seem much more feature-rich than the purples and whites.

And with the swarm not actually being cut, and instead just re-integrated with the mechanics being tweaked overall, there are no actual rational complaints to be found here. (Edit: I'll grant disappointment in fruit vs items though, sure.)
 

Pseudo_Sam

Survives without air, food, or water
They're steps back.

You don't have to build on a predecessor to make a good sequel. But don't be surprised when there's pushback when you cut core elements that made said predecessor great in the first place.

I'm a huge advocate for this series and Nintendo's approach to game-making, and I find the removals to be absolutely pointless.

lol you haven't even played the game yet. You have no idea if they're "steps back". From the info we have, it seems like they've made lateral changes instead. You can roll the group evasively left/right, or lock-on and charge enemies with the whole swarm. There seems to be a bigger emphasis on actually throwing Pikmin rather than mass swarming. And the purple/white Pikmin have essentially been replaced by the rock/flying Pikmin, though even that would be a stretch because the purple/whites are used in the challenge modes for added variety. It's not like they're gone.
 
I'm pretty excited for Pikmin 3, though I haven't really played either Pikmin 1 or 2. Would you guys recommend starting on 1 or 2? Other than the time limit, what differences are there between the games?
I'd recommend getting Pikmin 1 or 2 seeing as how they'd be less money. If you like those, then buy Pikmin 3. Or get Pikmin 3 and then go back to Pikmin 1 or 2 if you like the gameplay that much.
 
Swaming is absolutely still in, it's just altered. You can tap left or right on the d-pad to make your entire squad roll to the left or right evasively. You can also, while locked on to an enemy or item with Z (you can lock on to things now as camera pivots), shake the nunchuck once to make your whole Pikmin swarm rush at the item at once, just like pushing the c-stick forward in the older games, but much more reliably.

I agree that the old style was very advantageous at points, but better overall pathfinding could make it less necessary.

Ah, well that's a little comforting to hear. I still prefer the old way, but this doesn't sound too bad.

You act as if they removed Purple and White and just went back to the trio of colors from 1, ignoring the fact that we know they replaced those two with two other types of Pikmin that have their own special abilities. Having to manage 7 different types of Pikmin (and designing a game around all those different types) would be a mess.

I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree. It would have been entirely manageable. Not difficult at all. Plus it allows for more types of puzzle solving. It makes the experience seem less complete. I just think that 7 is a good number of types to have at once.

I give this post the Super Paper Mario award of excellence.

Worlds apart. It's not a totally different direction for the series (see, RPG to platformer), it's removal (or I suppose signifcant alteration) of important control schemes. And the real kicker here is that I love Super Paper Mario. As well as the RPG Paper Mario games. So I don't suppose I take your point.
 
I'd recommend getting Pikmin 1 or 2 seeing as how they'd be less money. If you like those, then buy Pikmin 3. Or get Pikmin 3 and then go back to Pikmin 1 or 2 if you like the gameplay that much.

Well some people hate the time limit so i would try out both

Swaming is absolutely still in, it's just altered. You can tap left or right on the d-pad to make your entire squad roll to the left or right evasively. You can also, while locked on to an enemy or item with Z (you can lock on to things now as camera pivots), shake the nunchuck once to make your whole Pikmin swarm rush at the item at once, just like pushing the c-stick forward in the older games, but much more reliably.

Ah thanks for the info
 

Somnid

Member
Sorry I guess I was too subtle:

spm_complaining.jpg
 

JCH!

Member
I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree. It would have been entirely manageable. Not difficult at all. Plus it allows for more types of puzzle solving. It makes the experience seem less complete. I just think that 7 is a good number of types to have at once.

I think having 15 types of different Pikmin would be entirely manageable. Not difficult at all. Plus it allows for many more types of puzzles to be solved. Having only 7 really makes the experience seem less complete. I just think 15 is the perfect number of Pikmin types to have at once.
 
I don't think any of us think the game won't be great. Hopefully we don't have to wait til 2022 for Pikmin 4

I think having 15 types of different Pikmin would be entirely manageable. Not difficult at all. Plus it allows for many more types of puzzles to be solved. Having only 7 really makes the experience seem less complete. I just think 15 is the perfect number of Pikmin types to have at once.

Nice strawman
 

Haines

Banned
i feel like this review thread is lacking something and i jussst cant put my thumb on it...lol

hopefully we get more soon, i dont read them but i like to get excited for games when they review well
 
I think having 15 types of different Pikmin would be entirely manageable. Not difficult at all. Plus it allows for many more types of puzzles to be solved. Having only 7 really makes the experience seem less complete. I just think 15 is the perfect number of Pikmin types to have at once.

I'm not sure how your taking my post and replacing it with a ridiculous number makes my point any less valid.

Unless you're under the assumption that more types will be added with each entry. Which isn't really a reasonable assumption to make, considering all the things that could be done for sequels while still keeping the main 7 types.

Nevermind the fact that this is a real-time strategy game with 3 different main units to control. I guess we should be upset that they added another captian?
 

mutsu

Member
There's an alternative to swarming, which is to
press left/right on the d pad to initiate a roll on your army of Pikmins. This allows evasion from enemies.
Not sure if that was common knowledge so I spoiler tagged it.
 

Somnid

Member
I guess that the disclaimer where I said I would still love it and that my complaints were based on only what I've heard was too subtle. Just voicing my displeasure. These things happen on message boards.

If you weren't in love with the game I wouldn't expect you to be here. But that said you have to be grounded in some sort of fact to be making these accusations that the game is truly negatively impacted by a change in control scheme or mechanics. Many aspects have been refined or altered and the game is designed to flow with those decisions. It's not supposed to play exactly the same but much like every Mario/Zelda/Metroid gain some things, remove some things, change some things and revive some things.
 

JCH!

Member
I'm not sure how your taking my post and replacing it with a ridiculous number makes my point any less valid.

Unless you're under the assumption that more types will be added with each entry. Which isn't really a reasonable assumption to make, considering all the things that could be done for sequels while still keeping the main 7 types.

But how is 15 more ridiculous than 7? Would it have been better if I had said 8? I really don't understand how you can think that cutting two types (and substituting them for another two types) could be major steps back.

metalslimer said:
He was expressing an opinion in a perfectly nice way. No need for snarky responses. If you disagree how about having the intelligence to counterargue

If you thought my posts were "snarky" you may have to dial down your sensitivity dial a couple notches. Was meant to be more than a laugh than an attack but hey, I guess some people are just desperate to get defensive.

Anyhoo, better not derail the topic :)
 
Removing specific gameplay mechanics is not automatically a "step back." There are myriad reasons why those might be gone: complexity issues, gameplay balance (too many options might make it too easy, not enough difference between purple/Rock, etc), opportunity costs (can't implement everything), or lack of design space (say, they took white as far as they could and all that was left was more of what had already come).

If you make a turkey sandwich, and then make a tuna sandwich, you are not taking a step back by removing the turkey.
 
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