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[JasoNsider]

Thanks! I will give it a try then

I have never really liked the western RTS war games, but this sounds like more fun.

I'm in the same boat. Western RTS games never really did anything for me (Warcraft 3 was the only one that was close), but this game is very different. The amount of polish on the little things in this game is really sick.

This game is also a great example of EAD really flexing their design muscle. Everything from the levels to the menu presentation are brilliant. I even sat there amazed at how the daily report has pictures as star constelations (including the titles at the top, which are shown to have colored stars in them.) When EAD makes a game this good they almost make it look easy. I don't know how else to put it, really.

 

[AniHawk]

Spoiler

Area 1, Cave 2(Subterranean Complex in the JP version), Level 8. Go in here with only a few pikmin and run past everything. You should find three normal candypops and two purple ones. Each visit should net you 15 new purples.

Thanks.

Should take me a while..

 

[olimario]

MY PIKMIN 2 PIKLOPEDIA
http://videogamesmedia.com/gcn/pikmin2/index.html
-Piklopedia Mp3
-Images of 20 Items

 

[swoon]

so where are the blue pikimin, i tried reading some faq on it, but that guy was a piss poor writer.
i know they are hidden in awaking wood, somewhere...

 

[olimario]

so where are the blue pikimin, i tried reading some faq on it, but that guy was a piss poor writer.
i know they are hidden in awaking wood, somewhere...

Spoiler

Just go about your business. You won't be able to get them until you unlock the 3rd area and get the yellow pikmin.

 

[Alex]

The original Pikmin is a very sad case in the wake of Pikmin 2, it wasn't more of a game, and it was never limited, it was just obscenely tiny and devoid of content.

The 30-day limit didn't make anything challenging. It simply slapped your hand with a ruler if you tried to dink around/explore/have fun.

On my first very play through of Pikmin back after the few weeks post GC launch when it came out, I tried to play with the limit in mind, and I crushed the game, gathering all 30 parts in 22 days.

Pikmin 2 starts off a little slow, barring better visuals, a more relaxed style and very obvious AI increases and useful mechanics. But later in the game, exploring the harder dungeons/puzzles, fighting the slicker bosses, screwing with the the new challenge mode and the 2-player, oof. Pikmin 2 is polished, challenging (the way I play it at least), laden with bonuses and absolutely huge.

No. 2 is a 9.0-9.5 kinda game. The original was more of a 7, solid concept that was fun but ultimately had nothing to stand on.

Pikmin 2 is what every Nintendo sequel should strive for, but rarely does.

 

[swoon]

Spoiler

Just go about your business. You won't be able to get them until you unlock the 3rd area and get the yellow pikmin.

Spoiler

i've gotten the yellow pikimin, though. and have done the three or so caves that i can reach

 

[worldrunover]

Hey I have a crappy question, because I either suck or am dumb:

In the first area, there's a gold ring. I have dug it up with my white pikmin, but just can't get it back to base, because my Pikmin always decide to take the water route back, and subsequently drown. I don't hvae blue Pikmin yet, because I don't have yellow Pikmin yet, because I can't get into the third area, because I need this damn treasure to do so. It's a viscious cycle. I'm assuming there's an overly simplistic answer to this query, but I need it. Thank you.

 

[AniHawk]

Pikmin 2 is what every Nintendo sequel should strive for, but rarely does.

It's what Nintendo can do with a lot of time and love. This game spent about 2.5 years or so in development, and it shows. Super Mario Bros. 2 was a rushed game, basically the same thing as the first. Same with Super Mario Sunshine- it was made in under two years or so with Shiggy as a supervisor. If Super Mario 128's really been in development since the N64 days as SM64 II, then I expect it to be something truly great.

The Wind Waker had a short development time as well... We first saw screens of the cel-shaded game at E3 2001, and the game was released 1.5 years later (though probably in development for about 2 years or a little more total). Judging by other things in the game, it could have used another year or so to flesh things out. Hopefully, if Zelda XII's been in the making since the beginning of 2003 or earlier, it will have given Nintendo a long time to add what was unfinished in TWW and improve on certain elements of the game.

As much as I like to have games come out "on time," I liked it better when Nintendo delayed their games, honestly. Ocarina of Time was something amazing to me after all the work they'd put in. Super Mario 64 is still one of the greatest platformers of all time. Meanwhile, you can tell with stuff like Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion that those games obviously had very little dev time.

 

[Chrono]

Hey I have a crappy question, because I either suck or am dumb:

In the first area, there's a gold ring. I have dug it up with my white pikmin, but just can't get it back to base, because my Pikmin always decide to take the water route back, and subsequently drown. I don't hvae blue Pikmin yet, because I don't have yellow Pikmin yet, because I can't get into the third area, because I need this damn treasure to do so. It's a viscious cycle. I'm assuming there's an overly simplistic answer to this query, but I need it. Thank you.

I don't think you need the ring to get to the 3rd area. You can access the 3rd area from finding the sphere in the 2nd area which is across your ship. If you go all the way you'll see some water and a bridge on the other side. If you go around it you'll find it.... or at least that's what I remember.

 

[AniHawk]

Hey I have a crappy question, because I either suck or am dumb:

In the first area, there's a gold ring. I have dug it up with my white pikmin, but just can't get it back to base, because my Pikmin always decide to take the water route back, and subsequently drown. I don't hvae blue Pikmin yet, because I don't have yellow Pikmin yet, because I can't get into the third area, because I need this damn treasure to do so. It's a viscious cycle. I'm assuming there's an overly simplistic answer to this query, but I need it. Thank you.

Spoiler

You need the second half of the globe, not a ring

 

[worldrunover]

Dammit...

 

[Chibbi Brady]

How are you guys finding the bosses?

Spoiler

The last boss gave me a huge amount of trouble, I remember having some epic battles with him that lasted ages. The sheer euphoria of beating him was immense, one of the best boss battles I've had in years. The tension was fantastic, you really do have to concentrate fully or it's zap for your little guys.

 

[Razoric]

I never played Pikmin 1, should i play that first or jump into this?

 

[Gahiggidy]

I never played Pikmin 1, should i play that first or jump into this?

Pikmin 1 may have the better, more "tight" gameplay.

 

[Alex]

Pikmin is quite mediocre compared to Pikmin 2. I'd say play #2, and if for some odd reason, 25ish hours of Pikmin gameplay isn't enough. Go back and play the original.

Anyway, we've played 80 matches of Battle Mode across three days, ouch. Rusty Gulch > all.

 

[Gahiggidy]

Pikmin 1 is a classic.

Don't let the haters tell you otherwise.

 

[Alex]

If by classic you mean flawed, valueless, rushed launch game, then I agree. SSBM overshadowed the hell out of Pikmin for a reason.

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Pikmin 1 was fantastic. Rushed?yes. Flawed? yes. Valueless? hell NO.

 

[JJConrad]

so where are the blue pikimin, i tried reading some faq on it, but that guy was a piss poor writer.
i know they are hidden in awaking wood, somewhere...

Spoiler

Once you get the yellow pikmin, go back to the 2nd level (Awakening Woods). Near the White Flower Garden cave, you'll find a small pool that Olimario or Loui can enter and go up to an opening with an electric fence. To get your yellow pikmin there too, you'll have to toss them up to a ledge to the left before you enter into the pool.

Make sense?

and

Spoiler

Alex sucks!

 

[Alex]

Why would any non-fanboy go back and play Pikmin? I replayed it like two years after launch, to refresh myself for Pikmin 2. But the day score thingy is stupid, it's forced replayability.

If Pikmin has high value and replayability, Fable is indeed 100 hours long instead of 20-25.

 

[Mama Smurf]

It's what Nintendo can do with a lot of time and love. This game spent about 2.5 years or so in development, and it shows. Super Mario Bros. 2 was a rushed game, basically the same thing as the first. Same with Super Mario Sunshine- it was made in under two years or so with Shiggy as a supervisor. If Super Mario 128's really been in development since the N64 days as SM64 II, then I expect it to be something truly great.

The Wind Waker had a short development time as well... We first saw screens of the cel-shaded game at E3 2001, and the game was released 1.5 years later (though probably in development for about 2 years or a little more total). Judging by other things in the game, it could have used another year or so to flesh things out. Hopefully, if Zelda XII's been in the making since the beginning of 2003 or earlier, it will have given Nintendo a long time to add what was unfinished in TWW and improve on certain elements of the game.

As much as I like to have games come out "on time," I liked it better when Nintendo delayed their games, honestly. Ocarina of Time was something amazing to me after all the work they'd put in. Super Mario 64 is still one of the greatest platformers of all time. Meanwhile, you can tell with stuff like Pikmin and Luigi's Mansion that those games obviously had very little dev time.

I think it's more to do with the delay Pikmin 2 got to add polish, not so much the overall development time. After all, while never revealed at the time, Pikmin had been in development for a long time and was planned as an N64 game at one point.

Can you imagine if TWW had been delayed for 3 or 4 months, how much better it could have been? Those two dungeons that were dropped could (and probably would) have made it, and the annoying little things that get so many complaints could have been fixed. All because of the extra time to add polish.

So if Mario 128 is rushed to launch with the Revolution, I don't think it'll matter if it's been in development for 4 years or 10, without that polish it won't be the classic we hope. However, if it's delayed to add polish (or is just polished anyway), I expect it will be.

It's the little things I like about Nintendo games. For example, in OoT when you've chopped down a sign, you can play Zelda's Lullaby to rebuild it. I mean, for a game with so many delays in particular, there was no need to add the ability to chop down signs in the first place (especially as you can do it in multiple ways), let alone give us a way to rebuild them! Sounds like the sort of thing Pikmin 2 has, which perhaps Pikmin didn't so much.

 

[Prospero]

I don't yet think that Pikmin 2 has better gameplay (jury's still out for me), but Pikmin 1 is a steal at $19.99. Even if it is relatively thin content-wise, it's still one of the few truly original games to come out this gen that wasn't a tired rehash of something else. (And at some points Pikmin 2 seems to expect that you've played Pikmin 1--certain early puzzles are easier if you carry over your knowledge of the prior game.)

Don't be put off by the time limits in Pikmin 1--unless you're an absolutely terrible player, they're immaterial. Ignore the time-attack gimmick, and Pikmin 1 will give you a few hours of superb gameplay all the same.

 

[Spike]

Why would any non-fanboy go back and play Pikmin?

Because, by playing Pikmin 1, you gain a greater appreciation for Pikmin 2.

 

[Spike]

The original Pikmin is a very sad case in the wake of Pikmin 2, it wasn't more of a game, and it was never limited, it was just obscenely tiny and devoid of content.

Isn't that what a sequel is supposed to do? To make you think how much better it is than the first game?

 

[Alex]

I meant play again, as in replay, which was why we were discussing the value part. Rent it, it can be beaten in a typical gamers weekend with ease. Very short, no side content, no replayability.

"Isn't that what a sequel is supposed to do? To make you think how much better it is than the first game?"

This is just a fucking stupid question. Use some common sense, please, or at least read my posts if you're going to question me?

 

[ge-man]

I'm with Alex on this one--I don't think I could ever go back to the first Pikmin. Pkimin 2 absolutely destroys the first IMO, although the first one isn't crap. It's just that EAD took a great game and reconfigured it into an amazing game.

 

[Spike]

This is just a fucking stupid question. Use some common sense, please, or at least read my posts if you're going to question me?

Why is it a stupid question? I'm saying that by playing Pikmin 2, then going back to try and play Pikmin 1, that you will gain a much greater appreciation for the changes in the sequel, no?

 

[Socreges]

SSBM overshadowed the hell out of Pikmin for a reason.

For a couple reasons. SSBM has far more approachable gameplay and featured very familiar/popular characters.

Why would any non-fanboy go back and play Pikmin? I replayed it like two years after launch, to refresh myself for Pikmin 2. But the day score thingy is stupid, it's forced replayability.

If Pikmin has high value and replayability, Fable is indeed 100 hours long instead of 20-25.

1) It's a very fun game
2) Non-linear

There. It's never the same experience. Especially when there's significant time in between and you couldn't rehash routes if you even wanted to. I only played through it twice, though I'd go back and dick around for a bit every now and then.

I'm with Alex on this one--I don't think I could ever go back to the first Pikmin. Pkimin 2 absolutely destroys the first IMO, although the first one isn't crap. It's just that EAD took a great game and reconfigured it into an amazing game.

I can agree with that. Though that isn't what Alex was saying.

 

[Alex]

That's a pretty ridiculous reason to play a game, as far as I am concerned. So you can "apprecaite" it more...jesus. Sounds like a very...Nintendo fan thing to do.

It's simpy in my opinion that going back to Pikmin, unless you're a total whore for the franchise, or are devoid of other games to play (which would be flat out sad if you're resorting to returning to Pikmin, IMO...), really isn't worth it. It's 5-6 hours long, mechanicly flawed, very simple, and offers no value/side content/etc.

By the way, that didn't even really seem to be the question. This was the question:

"Isn't that what a sequel is supposed to do? To make you think how much better it is than the first game?"

To which, I'd again say duh, but there's a difference between a sequel and between what a game should've originally been.

If Pikmin 2 was a typical Nintendo sequel, there's no chance I would've bought it, not at full price at least.

That, and I tend to really respect Nintendo when they take their sweet time and put out a sequel will full range, depth and really make it something you can leave in your console for a month or two.

SSB:M, F-Zero GX and Pikmin 2 as far as Nintendo games go are titles I think of like that.

Edit: Since when the fuck did Pikmin's non-linearity ammount to, yknow, anything? Making new routes, cutting down days. That's the only reason I could see, which to me, is utterly stupid unless you're stuck only playing GC games and have nothing else to do.

I've never been a fan of PERSONAL high scores myself, espically in campaign games.

 

[ToyMachine228]

I have about twelve hours in now...I have completely cleared the Awakening Wood...I'm now heading back to the Valley of Repose, to try to finish that. I have only found two caves there...Cleared one, haven't started the other quite yet. Having trouble figuring out how to get any color Pikmin besides blue to the second cave...Haven't done much in the Perplexing Pool...Cleared the first cave, got the Yellow Pikmin, and haven't been back sense. Such a great game. Seriously, one of the best I've played all year.

 

[AniHawk]

That's a pretty ridiculous reason to play a game, as far as I am concerned. So you can "apprecaite" it more...jesus. Sounds like a very...Nintendo fan thing to do.

Hey, I played Jak II and then R&C:GC and appreciated R&C:GC more after playing Jak II.

SSB:M, F-Zero GX and Pikmin 2 as far as Nintendo games go are titles I think of like that.

Apparently they've given the same treatment to Super Mario RPG 4. At least Jonnyram loves it a lot.

F-Zero GX is Sega though.

 

[AniHawk]

I have about twelve hours in now...I have completely cleared the Awakening Wood...I'm now heading back to the Valley of Repose, to try to finish that. I have only found two caves there...Cleared one, haven't started the other quite yet. Having trouble figuring out how to get any color Pikmin besides blue to the second cave...Haven't done much in the Perplexing Pool...Cleared the first cave, got the Yellow Pikmin, and haven't been back sense. Such a great game. Seriously, one of the best I've played all year.

You don't know how to get the colored Pikmin across? You didn't see anything which could help?

 

[Alex]

Well, it's Nintendo's franchise, and they had to have heavy input. Sega is too incompetent to put out a game like that these days alone, oh well. *pre-orders Outrun 2, don't hurt me*

"Hey, I played Jak II and then R&C:GC and appreciated R&C:GC more after playing Jak II."

Haha, well, that goes without saying.

"
Apparently they've given the same treatment to Super Mario RPG 4. At least Jonnyram loves it a lot."

That sounds interesting, although I'm a jaded and picky RPG gamer, as everyone knows but I did dig M&L for what it was (but not Paper Mario, weird, yes I know). And lots of the more quality RPG's really go full rounded in terms of the gameplay experience. (Dark Cloud 2 is one example that comes to mind). Any details you can remember...?

Bleh, I'm getting too old. That makes me more interested, but Nocturne, Druaga and Kaitos (VALKYRIE PROFILE BATTLE DIRECTOR, BUY BUY BUY) are probably going to swamp me for the rest of the year.

 

[AniHawk]

That sounds interesting, although I'm a jaded and picky RPG gamer, as everyone knows but I did dig M&L for what it was (but not Paper Mario, weird, yes I know). And lots of the more quality RPG's really go full rounded in terms of the gameplay experience. (Dark Cloud 2 is one example that comes to mind). Any details you can remember...?

Here's his GameFAQs post:

Utterly fantastic game. At times it felt lonely without having Luigi by your side all the time, but the humour is still there, and there is only one really annoying search-a-thon (that's one less than Mario & Luigi RPG anyway).

Game clock read 45 hours at the end, although that includes a few hours where I wasn't actually at the GC because I was looking after my son. Also got most of the shines and star pieces, but missed a few badges. Got to the 80th floor of the 100 floor dungeon before wimping out. BUT! After the game is complete, you can go back and finish things off anyway, it seems.

There is one secret character, which I got, and lots of fun stuff to do. You guys are gonna love this!!! 10/10 (really, it is perfection!)

I was actually really surprised by the story content. There are lots of sad moments, a couple of romantic overtones and some really, really feel-good moments. The whole game seems to be a lot more cohesive than Mario & Luigi too, so I'm a lot more tempted to play the previous games now. The special moves per character are pretty ingenious and a lot more fun to play with than the brother moves.

This is one of the great things I was hoping for. I found Super Mario RPG 3 to be terribly average and not all that great all-around.

Yeah, the paper element is totally used to its fullest.
Fold into a paper plane or boat, flip sideways to move through thin gaps, roll up into a small paper roll to get through small holes, and there's some other stuff that's closely related too

 

[Socreges]

Edit: Since when the fuck did Pikmin's non-linearity ammount to, yknow, anything? Making new routes, cutting down days. That's the only reason I could see, which to me, is utterly stupid unless you're stuck only playing GC games and have nothing else to do.

For a game that's fun and is designed in such a way that it doesn't get redundant, I found it replayable. I also have three systems and lots of games to play. Yet I enjoyed beating it a second time? How dare I? Relax. Why apply your particular tastes to mine and bitch/curse when they don't match up? I don't have a clue, for instance, why you like the Harvest Moon series so much, but I'm not about to provide excuses for you. It doesn't bother me. But then again I'm emotionally stable.

 

[GDJustin]

I'm watching my Girlfriend play through Pikmin 1 at the moment, and seeing her play it has made me *gasp* want to pick it up again myself, even though I've been basking in the glory that is Pikmin 2. It's focus is more narrow, which makes it a really different experience, imo.

 

[Gahiggidy]

I wish I had a Girlfriend.

 

[Stryder]

This thread is killing me, I've been waiting for my copy to arrive for over a week now!!
Oh well, it sounds worth the wait

 

[demi]

I wish I had a Girlfriend.

Girls are for noobs.

 

[AniHawk]

This thread is killing me, I've been waiting for my copy to arrive for over a week now!!
Oh well, it sounds worth the wait

Was it free shipping or something?

 

[Stryder]

Was it free shipping or something?

I live in Australia, we don't get the game until November

 

[AniHawk]

I live in Australia, we don't get the game until November

Bummer.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

I live in Australia, we don't get the game until November

are you sure? the NZ people tell me my preorder is set for 28th sept.

EDIT: checked date again, god damnit.

 

[rareside]

I have a question... Upon beating a boss, what happens if you don't have enough Pikmin to carry back the treasure?? Will the boss remain defeated when you re-enter the cave? If I have to fight that damn thing again....

 

[swoon]

they come back, i'm not sure about the treasure though. i'm guessing it comes back as well.

 

[Prospero]

I have a question as well:

You know the little electrified yellow beetles?

Spoiler

And when two of them get near each other, they get agitated and send arcs of lightning between them? They seem to be invincible--whenever I send a gang of yellow Pikmin over to smack hell out of them, nothing happens. Can they be killed? Or do I have to work around the lightning arcs in those sections?

 

[explodet]

I'm enjoying the hell out of this game - I'm taking it slow, playing only a day or two each time I play, but each day has been purely enjoyable.

I have a question as well:

You know the little electrified yellow beetles?

Spoiler

And when two of them get near each other, they get agitated and send arcs of lightning between them? They seem to be invincible--whenever I send a gang of yellow Pikmin over to smack hell out of them, nothing happens. Can they be killed? Or do I have to work around the lightning arcs in those sections?

Spoiler

You have to first throw a pikmin on top of it, that knocks it over on its back. Then you can send the rest to smack them around.

 

[Prospero]

Thanks.

I'm enjoying the hell out of this game - I'm taking it slow, playing only a day or two each time I play, but each day has been purely enjoyable.

Recently hat's been my routine as well--the game makes for a nice sort of chill-out, after I get home from work. Few games have that kind of relaxing, yet enjoyable gameplay--Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is the most recent one I can think of.

 

[GDJustin]

Spoiler

You have to first throw a pikmin on top of it, that knocks it over on its back. Then you can send the rest to smack them around.

Pretty certain it has to be a purple one.