When it comes to having a cheeky gaming session, the Wii U might not be your first choice in terms of chosen platform. However, just because it’s an older platform, that doesn’t mean th?ere aren’t a huge number of absolutely incredible games to play on it. 

I have fond memories of my Wii U, although sadly, it died a child’s drink spillage-related death a few years ago. It’s been a while since I picked one up, but I can still vividly remember playing on it for hours. Most of those hours were pumped into a select few games, so with that knowledge, here are my 10 favorite titl??es on the Wii U, in no particular order. 

Bayonetta 2

Nintendo is often considered to be the most family-friendly of all gaming platforms, so the fact that Bayonetta 2 (and the ?first game) exists on the platform is still something that I can’t quite wrap my head around. It’s filled with expletives right from the very beginning, is filled to the brim with fan service animations that do nothing to progress the story, and is as far from family-friendly as you can possibly get. 

However, it does exist, and it’s incredibly fun to play. The hack-and-slash gameplay is weirdly addictive, and if you look past the astonishing amount of jiggle physics, you might even enjoy the story. Or, you know, if you’re into that kind of thing, then you might not even need to pay attention to the story. To each th??eir own. 

ZombiU

Look, I know, zombies and games involving them have been done to death (no pun intended, but I’ll take all the puns I can get). However, ZombiU has stood?? the test of time in terms of anxiety induction, and there’s something it has that can’t be said about many other human-eating-walking-corpse titles â€?permadeath. 

Waking up in a London filled with flesh-chomping undead creepers is bad enough, but progressing through the story only to die and wake up as someone entirely different is definitely a frustration. Not to mention the fact that if you want to get your stuff back from your former self, you’ll probably have to kill t?hem, which isn’t ideal if you become attached to who you once were. 

Yoshi’s Woolly World

There has always been something undeniably cute and comforting about Yoshi. He’s a dinosaur with huge eyes and a bright, happy smile. Now take that cuteness and con???vert it into crochet, and everyone’s favorite dino becomes infinitely more adorable. 

Everything in Yoshi’s Woolly World has a touch of arts and crafts to it, with springy tree trunks, knitted backdrops, and, of course, Yoshi in all his crocheted glory. The aim of the game is to retrieve the stolen yarn piec?es from Kamek, who rather handily has dropped a bunch of pieces while making his e?scape, in order to knit your friends back together.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I think it would be almost criminal to write up a list of the best Wii U games and not include a Zelda game, and Breath of the Wild is definitely the stand-out title that was released for the platform. Some of you might not even know that it wasn’t a Switch exclusive release because I’d f??orgotten until looking into what to include here. 

Breath of the Wild is often heralded as the best Zelda game to date, and for good reason. It was the first fully open-world title and is filled with beautiful areas to explore, collectibles to discover, and quests to complete. If you’re looking for a Zelda ga?me to pl??ay on the Wii U, then this would definitely be my first recommendation. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X

If you’re struggling to wait for the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X on Nintendo Switch next year, then you can fork out for a Wii U (unless you already have your old one; how very forward-thinking of you) and play Xenoblade Chronicles X on it. 

Xenoblade Chronicles X allo?ws you to explore the expansive open world of Mira, consisting of five wildly different contin??ents that are unlocked as you progress and complete quests alongside a party of fellow BLADE members. And, if exploration and quest completion weren’t enough to make you want to play, there’s also a number of Skell mechs that can be purchased and upgraded in the latter half of a playthrough. 

Mario Kart 8

Mario Kart 8 is either a fond memory or a frustrating exper?ience that you never want to r??epeat again, depending on your skill level and whether or not you chose to play with the people who claim to love you yet throw every power-up possible in your direction. As you can tell, I fall into the “frustrating experience�camp on this one. 

With that said, there’s no denying that Mario Kart 8 is incredibly fun to play solo or with friends who might go a little easier on you than mine did. You can choose your difficulty, pick your driver and vehicle, and then try to come first. It’s not limited to characters from just the Mario universe, either. You can race as characters from other franchises like The Legend of Zelda or Splatoon or even go in as your own Mii. 

Assassin’s Creed III

Assassin’s Creed III was released on multiple platforms back in 2012, including the Wii U. It centered around Ratonhnaké ton (or Connor, if you want to make things easier on yourself), an assassin in Colonial America at around the time of the American Revolution. As a bit of a history nerd, this is the kind of Assassin’s Creed that sparks a huge amount of joy in me. 

Of course, Assassin’s Creed III was filled with freerunning and parkour adventures, but it also introduced something new �naval gameplay. Connor becomes the captain of the Aquila, and it can be upgraded and improved with new weapons, armor, and crew. Admittedly, the ship part of Assassin’s Creed III was my least favorite part of the game, but I’ve come to learn?? that I might be in the minority on that front. 

Pikmin 3

As with all Pikmin games, the third in the series is filled with fights, puzzles, and an endless grind of resource gathering. The cuteness of the Pikmin is ever-present, and there’s something incredibly addictive about this one, which would explain why I’ve replayed it ab??out five times in t?he last decade. 

Along with the well-loved Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmins, Pikmin 3 introduces a couple of new colors with their own skills - Grey Pikmin, which can destroy barriers and are immune to crush damage, and pink Winged Pikmin, which can attack from the skies and also soar through them over obstacles that would otherw?ise be impassab?le. 

Super Smash Bros. 

There are two types of people when it comes to playing Super Smash Bros. - those who memorize the combinations?? and inevitably win every battle, and those who button mash as if their life depends on it and while they may lose the battle, they enjoy?? the therapeutic process of trying to stay on the platforms. 

One of the best things about Super Smash Bros. is the number of characters from different franchises. There are playable characters from PokĂ©mon, Animal Crossing, Xenoblade Chronicles, Duck Hunt, and even Wii Fit of all things. And these are just in the base game, never mind downloadable characters like Cloud Strife and Sega from Bayonetta. There’s endless fun to be had with Super Smash Bros., and possibly some argum?ents, so try not to take? it too seriously. 

Rayman Legends

Rayman Legends is another title that has been released on various platforms, including the Wii U. It’s a local co-op platformer that is capable of inciting a huge amount of ??frustration. However, regardless of how frustrated it might make you, you forgive it because it’s addictive, and getting through each level leaves you feeling accomplished. 

Events in Rayman Legends take place a whole century after those of Rayman Origins, and you’ll need to travel across worlds and defeat world bosses in order to complete the story. Collecting Teensies unlocks new worlds, and there are new playable c?haracters to unlock along the way, such as Barbara the Barbarian Princess and her various family members.

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Nothing major

Pikmin 3: it's pretty great!

If you understandably missed it on Wii U ??for any number of reasons (if you didn't have a Wii U, I'm sorry), it's worth picking up on Switch. You do have a Switch right? I mean, the Switch is on its way to h?it 100 million units sold eventually, so odds are you have one. Or a Switch Lite. Or maybe you'll get an eventual hypothetical Switch Pro. So we're probably good here.

Ahem, Pikmin 3! Nintendo just put out a shiny new patch this week, ?but it's not very exciting unless you were impacted by a few bugs. One involve?d fruit not being recorded "under certain conditions" (vague), and it will not be a retroactive fix. In other words, you do need to go back to that level and earn the fruit again manually, which is annoying, as there's a chance a bug could strike again. Monitor your fruit!

Another bug is basically the same thing, but with badges. It's a little less important than fruit, but it may impact your enjoyment nonetheless. In that case, you'??ll also need to earn those badges again. Also annoyingly, the glitch involved reverted badges, so you may not have even noticed it. You can find the full patch notes below.

Pikmin 3 [Nintendo]

Overview

• Fixes the bug where collected fruits were not being recorded under certain conditions.
  • If the problem was already happening, the collected fruit record will unfortunately not be adjusted. Once the update is downloaded, the bug will be fixed by going back to the date with no fruits recorded and collecting a fruit.
• Fixes the bug where acquired Badges got reverted to the unacquired status under certain conditions.
  • If the problem was already happening, the badges can be acquired by meeting the acquisition condition again.

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Dozens will rejoice

Nintendo did frustrating Nintendo Things last month when it delisted the Wii U version of Pikmin 3 alongside the announcement of the new Pikmin 3 Deluxe for Switch. That's just kind of how Nintendo rolls, though. The same thing happened with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze when it was due to get a Switch re-release.

Now, because there are no rules and nothing makes sense, Pikmin 3 is back on the Wii U eShop. It'??s one of the $20 Nintendo Selects just like it was before. Everything is back t??o normal, save for the 30 days when you couldn't actually buy a digital version of it for an old console.

Kind of a weird development considering how games in similar situations (like the aforesaid Tropical Freeze) were never relisted. Good news for the very small number of people this affects -- seriously, I'm sure there will be more comments on this article than Pikmin 3 Wii U sal?es today -- as they again have the opportunity to buy the game seven years later. It's better ??news for anyone scratching their head at nonsensical anti-consumer business moves.

Pikmin 3 [Wii U eShop]

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Another one bites the dust

Nintendo giveth and Nintendo taketh away. This morning's announcement of Pikmin 3 Deluxe Edition on Switch came alo??ngsid??e an unceremonious axing of the last-gen version of the game.

Pikmin 3 has been delisted from the Wii U eShop ahead of its October 30 launch on Switch. As Nintendo Everything reports, there's no way to buy Pikmin 3 digitally directly from Nintendo right now. Nintendo did the same thing ahead of the Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze re-release.

Of course, anyone with a physical copy of Pikmin 3 on Wii U can still play it. The same goes for anyone who previously boug??ht it digitally through the eShop. There just aren't any new sales anymore as Nintendo pivots from a $20 las?t-gen version to a $60 current-gen version.

The continued existence of a cheaper Pikmin 3 on Wii U would probably have an absolutely negligible effect on sales of the upcoming Deluxe edition. But, this isn't exactly a new business practice for Nintendo so it doesn't really take anyone by surprise. For now, your only Wii U option is to buy something physical; fortunately, it's still selling for a re??asonable price on the secondhand market.

Pikmin 3 removed from the Wii U eShop [Nintendo Everything]

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For Wii U and 3DS

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has been working on little, animated Pikmin shorts instead of making games. Good for h??im. I want him to make wine next. Coppola did it. 

Pikmin Short Movies goes on sale after this Nintendo Direct for $4.99 on both the?? Wii U and 3DS. The latter is presented in 3D, as it aired originally in Jap??an, while the Wii U has the benefit of it actually looking nice, because it's HD. 

Pikmin 3 is also getting a demo, which will let you transfer any accrued data and experience into the full game, should you choose to buy it. A bit late, but why not? Could win over some new, Smash-inspired Wii U owners.

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Wii U players, rejoice (?)

Avid Pikmin 3 players may have noticed a new control option with its latest update: the GamePad control style can now be set to Stylus. You can use the touch screen to throw your unsuspecting Pikmin now, just like Nintendo Land's Pikmin Adventure, as Nintendo Everything points out.

You can swap between control layouts at your leisure. On another note, I've never played Pikmin, not even for a minute. Something tells me that I'd like it, but I just never plunked down the cash to give it the o??ld college try. Maybe someday. Happy Pikmin-tossing!&nbs?p;

Pikmin 3 up??date adds &ldqu?o;Stylus” control option [Everything Nintendo]

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Go get another free stage

It's not the Olimar-centric story missions of my dreams, but Nintendo putting out downloadable content for Pikmin 3 is still something I can support. The game's latest DLC pack -- more "Battle Enemies!" missions -- is out as of tod??ay, and the pric??ing is commendable.

Everyone's getting one free stage, first off. Love when they do that. The DLC pack itself is $1.99 on the Wii U eShop and it contains four stages based on areas seen in Pikmin 3's story mode. As always, these are playable alone or with a friend in co-op, and ??it's?? all about those high scores.

I played through the game in a few sittings over a period of two days like the Pikmin-obsessed maniac that I am and haven't revisited it since. Need to do th?at here shor??tly.

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The first batch arrives today

During today's Nintendo Direct, Satoru Iwata announced that DLC is coming to Pikmin 3 in? the form of mission packs. Starting today, you can download the first pack (Collect Treasure), which comes with four missions for $1.99.

If you download the update now, you'll nab one free level for your troubles. Additionally, the highest score in the world will now be sho??wn when playing a mission in leaderboar?d form, which is nice!

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Welcome to the WORLD OF TOMORROW!

Fun trivia for the day!

There are plenty of clues in the Pikmin series to suggest that the Pikmin's planet is in fact Earth at a point when humans are no longer around. The most clear-cut evidence to support this theory is during the ending of Pikmin 2, when the camera pulls back t??o reveal a blue sphere strikingly?? similar to own home world.

Pikmin 3 seemingly not only further supports the theory but also establishes a rough time frame for the game's events. According to the Pikmin Wiki entry on PNF-404, the planet's formal name, the surface of the world has been retconned to resemble Pangaea Ultima, a supercontinent configuration that represents what Earth could look like in 250 million years. Sure enough, laying a map of Pangaea Ultimate over the PNF-404 topography yields a damn near perfect match.

I love it when developers give you clues abou?t a game universe's history without going into specific detail. In a time when background lore is often explained in exhaustive length, it's good to know there are still discoveries to be made if you look hard enough.

Pikmin Takes Place on E??arth… 250 Million Years in the Future [Gamnesia] (Thanks, Nathanial!)

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Hmm

When we reported on Pikmin 3's mysterious code, earned by collecting all ten of the Secret Memos hidden throughout the world, commenter NovaKnight21 made a predict??ion: "It's a series of numbers that, once you buy the official Nintendo decoder ring, tells you to 'Drink More Ovaltine.'" Funny enough, that's not too far off.

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto shared a link to a site that allows you to enter the code you got for a special video -- there are a handful of different ones -- but it's only viewable using the Wii U's Internet browser. GameXplain has compiled (all?) five of the videos, which explain? what went on with Ca??ptain Olimar and Louie before you crash landed.

It's not terribly exciting stuff, but, there's speculation that this might lead up to prequel DLC featuring our two favorite treasure hunters and possibly remixed levels of the core game. That's almost certainly wishful thinking, even if there are some questions left unanswered at the end of Pikmin 3 that could ti?e in nicely??. How freakin' great would that be, though?

Pikmin 3 Secret Code Revealed [NeoGAF]

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Red, Blue, and Yellow synergy

Miyamoto may have created Pikmin to be a "carefree experience," but that doesn't mean it lacks depth. With the addition of a particularly creative set of local multiplayer modes, Pikmin 3 has a ton of gameplay related nuances that may be lost to the void if you ?aren't careful.

Her?e are some tips to help you acclimate yourself to the wonder?ful, cute world of Pikmin.

As a side note, there are a few spoiler related story bits that I'll completely avoid here. Some of the single and mult?iplayer tips are interchangeable.

Solo tips:

• As a recap, Red Pikmin are immune to fire, and are among the most powerful normal Pikmin in combat. Yellow Pikmin are immune to electricity, can dig faster, and have the ability to be thrown higher. Blue Pikmin can go underwater, and fight in the water as well. Rock Pikmin can't be stomped, and are more powerful when flung, rather than skirmishing. Winged Pikmin can simply carry objects over gaps.

• Try to divvy up your Pikmin when assigning them to different tasks. For instance, don't just throw out all 10 of your Red Pikmin to take down a wall, or carry a large object. You may need a few Red Pikmin to kill a certain fire based enemy, and they'll all be back at the base, missing in action.

• Pikmin 3 offers a number of different control schemes: GamePad only, the Wii-mote and a Nunchuk (with Motion Plus support), and the Wii U Pro Controller. Make sure you use the "Go To" function on the GamePad to quickly assign orders to your three playable characters. People will most likely prefer the Wii-mote scheme due to the precision, but personally I play exclusively with the GamePad 100% of the time.

• You can actually play the game with a control scheme other than the GamePad, and still keep the Pad to your side to use as a map at all times.

• At the end of each day, you can watch a replay to learn from your potential mistakes. Also, you can re-do that day if you wish.

• The max amount of Pikmin you can have under your command at once is 100.

• Leaving Pikmin in the ground or letting them feed on nectar puddles increases their capacity to quickly do pretty much any action, as they "level-up" and have a visibly different head.

• Boss corpses will still remain the day after defeating them. Feel free to return and harvest their body for an increased troop count.

• Have one captain start plucking Pikmin, then switch to another character to explore the environment. [Jonathan Holmes]

• For the last boss, I find it helpful to leave two of your captains around the area so you can switch them as the golden wraith gets closer, in case you need to have them whistle your Pikmin out before it turns solid. [Jonathan Holmes]

Multiplayer tips:

• As a side note, you don't need to play with a friend to try Mission Mode -- that can be played solo. You will need a friend for Bingo Battle, though.

• The multiplayer-only Purple Pikmin have the strength of 10 regular Pikmin. Additionally, White Pikmin are fast and poisonous, and can locate hidden objects.

• Learn to precisely throw out only the Pikmin you need for each object. Memorize how many need to carry specific objects -- for example, three Pikmin need to carry a strawberry, no more. Of course, over-committing may be a solid option if the path back is tumultuous, as just one missing Pikmin will result in a failed return, which can be disastrous.

• After a certain amount of time in Bingo Battle, golden bubbles will appear on the screen (the game will notify you of this). Take advantage of this and lead a search party for them so rapidly increase your chance of winning.

• Grab cherries with one Pikmin every time you see them -- Pikmin bring these back to base faster than any other object, and they grant you a useful power-up.

• If you hear a rock shower coming your way from an enemy player, remember that you can press left or right on the d-pad to dodge it.

• If you hear Pikmin chanting "ho, ha!" -- that means another player has either stolen your macaroon (flag), or they are bringing the very last piece of their bingo puzzle back to base.

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Okay, fine, I'll go find all of those memos

Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto has taken to the Miiverse to tease a code in Pikmin 3 that can be found by collecting Se??cret Memos scattered throughou??t the game:

"Did you know that once you've collected ten of these Secret Memos, the numbers contained in them will combine to form a sp??ecial code? I'll be in touch again to explain how to use the code, so be sure to make a note ?? of it once you have it!"

Having collected a handful of them already, I figured they were mostly just fan service. The Internet seems to have magical puzzle-solving powers, so someone out there will crack this, I'm sure. Miyamoto also reminded us to "check out Mission and Bingo Battle -- they're a lot of fun too!" He really wants us to play Bingo Battle, doesn't he?

[Via NeoGAF]

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Not a minuscule pick

When Nintendo saw what "re??alistic polygon-powered graphics?" were possible on the GameCube/Xbox/PS2, their first instinct wasn't to make a game about human beings doing crimes, saving the world, or even talking to each other. It does not seem that Hollywood-style activities are in Nintendo's DNA.

Instead, they came out swinging with a game about harvesting little carrot people born to die selflessly in battle aga??inst giant cute/ugly wildlife in a lush, bustling wilderness. On the surface, there isn't much here that resembles the "realist?ic life experiences."

Scratch that surface and you'll see that underlying concepts of Pikmin are all too "real." Balancing concern for others vs. self-centered greed, experiencing the frailty that comes from accepting the inevitable passage of time, and? facing the anxiety that comes from voyaging out on your own are the core components that make this series tick. Basically, it's adult life in videogame form -- specifically the life o??f a boss.

Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released: August 4, 2013 (NA), July 26, 2013 (EU)
MSRP: $59.99

Pikmin takes all of the things that Nintendo is most well known for (simple but elegant world building, sweet and surreal scenarios, small but mysterious open worlds teaming with mystery) and uses them to impart a metaphorical expression of being a project director, guiding a team of adorable peons towards the future, scraping by to survive, holding on to hope, and constantly wrestling between the feelings of powerlessness and authority that ??come with being in charge. 

Using the the power of the Wii U, Nintendo has worked to make Pikmin 3 the most effective expression of that idea yet. One thing is for sure, they got the realistic fern graphics down. They look amazing.

Pikmin 3 is more an alternate follow-up to Pikmin 1 than a direct sequel to Pikmin 2. A lot of the enemies, items, and design features from the last game in the series are nowhere to be seen here. Where Pikmin 2 contained almost everything that was in Pikmin 1 while expanding in a lot of new directions, Pikmin 3 is a more densely concentrated, harder-hitting blast of the core Pikmin 1 experience.

For fans of Pikmin 2, those refinements may be come as a disappointment, as they mean a lot of the more experimental ideas there have been cut. Though I love Pikmin 2, I can say that it's largely for the best that Pikmin 3 goes its own w??ay. The? execution of concept here is hard to knock.

That's not to say that Pikmin 3 doesn't know how to do its own thing. This time around you won't be collecting parts for a ship or random trinkets for cash. Now the focus is on fruit, as fruit is the only way to stay alive. Use fruit to make juice. It takes one bottle of juice a day to stay alive. Run ou?t of juice and you're dead. Pretty serious stuff for an E-rated game. 

Staying alive through effective fruit acquisition isn't just an arbitrary goal. It's intimately tied to the game's overarching narrative, which is surprisingly pronounced. Nintendo wasn't kidding when they said that they were testing the waters for a Pikmin cartoon. ??Great care was take??n to create a sense of character and narrative that works in tandem with Pikmin's themes and gameplay.

The story focuses on Alph, Charlie, and Brittany -- three interstellar travelers headed to planets unknown for food to sustain both themselves the people of their home world, as their culture has squandered their own natural resources to the point of apocalypse. Through short cut scenes, mid-gameplay dialogue (spoken in a delightful alien jargon), survivor's journal entries littered throughout the world in the classic Resident Evil-style, and the occasional use of a fixed camera to help set the mood, we're graced with a simple but telling tale of adventure, ambition, betrayal, and disaster. There are so many cute disasters in Pikmin 3. It's like a space Muppet sci-fi nightmare.

The social dynamics between the three commanders are just as prevalent in the story as they are in the gameplay. New to the series is the ability to control three characters at once, which greatly expands your multitasking potential. You can have?? one or two gather a heard of Pikmin and send them walking to a set location while you directly control the third protagonist. On a smaller scale, there are also plenty of puzzles th?at task you to actual pick up and throw other player characters in order to progress and collect items. These abilities force you to look at your environment in a different way, and take greater risks in managing your time. 

But this game is called "Pikmin," right? So what about the Pikmin? What new ideas did Nintendo cook up for us on the Pikmin front? The bad news is, there are some downgrades. Purple and White Pikmin are not a part of campaign mode.? The good news is, they've been swapped out for all new breeds. It's more than a fair trade. While? I love the Purple and White Pikmin, I can't deny that the Rock and Winged Pikmin outshine them in most every way. They aren't just new-looking keys for old-looking locks. They add both a tactile and strategic dimension to the game that feels significant and satisfying. 

Rock Pikmin are the first new type that you encounter. You'll want to bring them along for almost every fight in the game, though unlike the Purple Pikmin, they aren't w??ildly unbalanced compared to the combat prowess of other breeds. They pack much more concussive force than other Pikmin, able to break armor and dizzy foes, but their chunky body's and little arms and legs permit them from latching onto surfaces.

You'll often need to start a fight by cracking an enemy open with you?r Rock Pikmin, then finishing the job with the face-latching tendencies ??of other types. There is something indescribably satisfying about this process. It doesn't seem to ever get old.

The Winged Pikmin don't offer the same visceral joy that comes for shattering faces with rock friends, but they offer an antithetical take on the Pikmin formula which is just as interesting. For the most part, you only do two things in a?? game of Pikmin -- walk and throw Pikmin. Both of ??those actions rely of gravity to work. What happens when you take gravity out of the equation?

Winged Pikmin offer up an answer, and the results are surprising. They walk a line between being severely under-powered and almost unfairly privileged compared to their walking brethren. With a sweet lackadaisical attitude, Winged Pikmin will glide over obstacles and environmental hazards as though they aren't a problem for anybody. They'll even follow you above the surface as you travel underwater, finally ending the semi-racist "Blue Pikmin only" segregation that accompanied aqua escapades in prior Pikmin adventures.

The downside to all that advanced mobility is a definitive lack of weight. Being resistant to gravity makes it harder to pack a punch, making Winged Pikmin a treasured liability in combat, except for when it comes to bird-bees. Winged Pikmin hate bird-??bees, and are grea??t at murdering them. 

The heavy and hard Rock Pikmin paired with soft and light Winged Pikmin cover the extremes of the Pikmin ?world, but there are a fair?? amount of new ideas found in the colors in between. Reds remain largely unchanged, working as your fireproof mainstay combatants, but the Yellows and Blues have gotten a few tweaks to make them feel fresh. Yellows still soar higher than the reds, but their ability to work with electricity have been enhanced to illuminating proportions. Blues have finally learned how to swim, making underwater fights a lot less stagnant. It's great to see these old dogs learn new tricks while staying true to their breeds.

Now for my favorite part of the game: the boss fights. They bring out everything that makes Pikmin 3 fantastic and turn the volume up full blast. The first two are designed expand the player's und?erstanding of how to use the various Pikmin types they've acquired up until then; the third is more of a set-piece spectacle that plays on the always exciting risk/reward relationship that comes along with playing with explosives; the fourth and fifth again work to expand your understanding of even more Pikmin you've partnered with; and the last tasks you to prove your mastery of all five Pikmin types in rapid succession.

These are the kinds of boss fights you want to re??play immediately after finishing them. As soon as you take one of them down, you're left thinking that with a little smarter tactics and a little more nimble reflexes, you could have maybe lost a few less Pikmin or gotten through the ordeal just a tad bit faster. The hint of depth drawing you into deeper pursuit of superior strategy and execution is always there, which makes the game's Boss Rush mode (featuring co-op!) ridiculously compelling.

Boss Rush is the first of the game's four co-op enabled, off-campaign modes, including five treasure hunting stages, five monster-hunting modes, and twenty multiplayer "Bingo Battle" versus maps (allowing for one-on-one and two-on-two matches). While most of the themes and monsters here are recycled from the campaign mode, there are a few unique creatures, bosses, and locations that make each extra required playing. These off-campaign sections are also the only places you'll find the White and Purple Pikmin from Pikmin 2, which is fitting, as these modes most closely recreate the experience of Pikmin 2's survival-focused dungeon segments.

That brings us to the small list of other aspects of Pikmin 2 that have largely gone AWOL. You can no longer move Pikmin manually as they line up behind you. I really missed that feature at first, but in retrospect, it was always always sort of a cheat. Instead, you now can lock on to a target and command your horde to rush it down in one massive push, or command your crew to swiftly dodge left or right en m??ass with quick hit of the control pad. These new moves feel more fair, instilling the feeling that you can only command your army and never fully control them.

The ability to zoom in or switch to an overhead view are also gone. It's not much of an issue, though -- the camera height and position is almost always perfect as is, and if need be, you can still swing the camera behind your back at any time. If you really need an overhead view o??f the action, you can always resort to the GamePad map, which constantly comes in handy.

It can be easy to become disoriented in the game's organically structured, secret-packed environments, and a map is just the thing to help you keep it all sorted. Though I played the majority of the game with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck (for their superior pointer aiming controls), I kept the GamePad by my side during 99% of my time with Pikmin 3 (the other 1% was with the GamePad's Off-TV play, which holds up very well). 

Pausing to use the GamePad as a map and to manually direct my other commanders around the field was essential while controlling my on-screen actions with the Wii Remote a??nd Nunchuck. This setup felt surprisingly natural and convenient -- like looking at a GPS while driving. A quick glace was all I needed to keep things straight. 

There are a few other omissions that left me scratching my head a bit. It's strange that there is no option to aim with the second analog stick on the GamePad, or use touch-screen aiming like in the Pikmin Adventure portion of Nintendo Land. The game also feels a lot less populated than I expected. There's no arguing that Pikmin 2 had more content, with a larger (sometimes heavily armed) bestiary, 30 challenge levels, and more overall ground to cover. I'm guessing that it was cheaper to include all that content in Pikmin 2, as m?any of the asset??s were recycled from the first game. 

Pikmin 3 had to start over with all new HD textures and character models, which must have taken a lot more time and money. Either way, I'd never judge a game by what it isn't, but it's still worth noting that Pikmin 2 fans may be surprised by some of the stuff that didn't carry over to this sequel. I think I'll miss you most of all, Bulbmin.

Pikmin 3 isn't everything that Pikmin has ever been before, but it's still the best representation of the concept to date. It feels like a full replacement of Pikmin 1, and a perfect companion to the different-but-equal Pikmin 2. The series' signature creepy, cartoon-like take on real trials of life is there in full force, bolstered by incr??edibly beautiful graphic?s, an unexpectedly involving story, tons of secrets, and new ways to play, all while never straying from the spirit of the original game.

I still haven't found all the baubles that Pikmin 3 has to offer (gosh darn secret files are so elusive!), and I can't wait to dig back into the game over the coming days, months, and even years to try to find them all. The Pikmin series does things that no other games do, and Pikmin 3 does those things better than ever before.

The post Review: Pikmin 3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Pikmin 3 hailed as the start of many

Nintendo is generally thought to exist in its own fancy little bubble, protected from the outside world and faintly out of touch with the rest of us. Ho??wever, Nintendo of America's marketing department may be a bit more savvy than we thought, and seems to have an ear to the ground when it comes to hot topics.

Take, for instance, the thorny issue of female protagonists. E3 in particular was a hotbed of complaints that almost all game leads were burly men being manly and burly, with only Nintendo really offering us something different. Having heard that praise, Nintendo is now actively promoting playable female characters as a selling point, starting with Pikmin 3. 

Jon Wahlgren uploaded a photo of a Nintendo press release, one boasting of Pikmin 3's new co-protagonist, Brittany. 

"In the game players take command of three ?new characters," explains the promotional fluff. "Alph, Charlie, and in a first for the series, female explorer Brittany. Brittany is one of the many playable female characters in upcoming Wii U games."

Some have considered this ??an odd move on Nintendo's part, going out of its way to talk about female characters. Others may even consider it somewhat patronizing. It does, however, make sense when you consider what a hot-button topic this has become, especially amongst the gaming press to whom such press releases are being sent. It's got people talking right now, so I'd say the mission was accomplished!

In any case, Nintendo earned its praise for revealing things like a returning playable Princess Peach in Super Mario 3D World, at a time where publishers still desperately cling to muscular soldier men called Jake because that's what focus-tested teenage boys say they want. Nintendo always seems to want to do its own thing, chained not by a subservience to trends and marketing, and as such, it's in a position to be more open-minded and serve a wider audience than those companies who are, ironically, restricting what their games can be ??in a clawing bid to "reach a wider audience."

It's easy to think of Nintendo as the kindly uncle who's not quite with us in the real world, but this was a smart little move. W??hether it'll pay off is another matter, but I can ?certainly dig where it's going. 

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Nintendo on top? In other news, grass is green and folks need oxygen to breathe

Mario & Luigi: Dream Team sold nearly 100,000 copies in its opening week, according to data obtained by market research firm Media Create. The Nintendo 3DS role-playing game topped Japanese software charts, dethroning last week's best-seller, Pikmin 3, which came in at number three. The Wii U strategy title followed up its 92,000 unit debut by finding its wa??y to an additional 28,000 homes.

On the hardware side of things, as?? if there were any doubt, the 3DS is still king? in Japan. Nintendo shifted over 57,000 portables on the week. In comparison, the PlayStation Vita and Wii U each moved around 14,000 devices. Trailing in last was the Xbox 360, selling exactly 420 units. There's a joke in there somewhere.

マリオ＆ルイージRPG4 ドリームアドベンチャー 10万本，ダンボール戦機W 超カスタム 2万7000本の ゲームソフト週間販売ランキング [4Gamer]

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Also, Kirby's Dream Land 3

After years of waiting for a sequel, Pikmin 3 is almost here for you Europeans -- specifically, on July 26th in both physical and digital form. Remember, if you're buying it in the EU eShop you'll earn a 30% discount on the digital version of The Wonderful 101 when it comes out. In North America, we'll have to wait until August 4th to claim d??ominion over the Pikmin, fling them around, and steal their planet's natural resources.

Kirby's Dream Land 3 also comes to the Wii U, and since it was previously available on the Wii, you can upgrade if you have that version. The Wii U Panorama View Tour app also has a deal where if you buy three tours you get the fourth free. The Wii is still getting support, most recently with Sengoku today.

On the 3DS side, Street Gangs (River City Ransom!) is here, and comes with two-player download play. Lastly, Super Black Bass 3D, I Love My Pets, and Petit Computer are available on the 3DS.

Personally, I can't wait for Pikmin 3, and I really hope we get that 3DS version of River City Ransom very soon in North America.

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Software selling hardware, imagine that

The sun came up this morning, birds chirped, the tides continued their eternal ebb and flo?w, and a Nintendo product topped Japanese software charts. Some things never change.

Pikmin 3 launched last week in Japan, reigning supreme with more than 92,000 units sold in its first few days on the market. New Super Luigi U also had a respectable showing with its physical debut, shifting nearly 25,000 copies on ??the way to claiming the number five spot.

The Wii U received a nic??e little bump from the pair of hot new releases. The console managed to sell upwards of 22,000 units last week, up from 8,000 in the prev??ious week. Perhaps the struggling piece of hardware is on the road to recovery. More games should help with that.

ピクミン3」9万2000本，妖怪ウォッチ5万3000本 New スーパールイージ U Dead Island: Riptide なども登場の 週間販売ランキング [4Gamer]

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Reggie will be watching

How long has it been since the last time we've been able to control inch-high spacefarer Captain Olimar and his army of sentient plants? Almost ten years? It's almost surreal that the third game in the Pikmin series is finally almost upon us. If you simply cannot wait any iota of time longer than necessary, you may want to get to a GameStop (or EB Games in Canada) on July 20th or 21st, where demos for Pikmin 3 will be made available to the public.

Then, if you truly cannot contain your anticipation, you can pre-order the digital version from GameStop and start playing it on August 3rd, while your friends and neighbors will have to wait a full day before the official release on August 4th. How much do you love Pikmin? How much do you want Pikmin? How much do you crave Pikmin?

Of course, the answers to those questions are irrelevant if you don't live in the United States or Canada. Sorry Europe! As consolation, you get the game before us anyway.

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Killing innocent creatures has never been this cute

I don't know about you folks, but I don't think I could possibly be more excited for Pikmin 3 right now. Yesterday I had a chance to get a full hands-on with the game at the Nintendo of America offices for an hour-a??nd-half playthrough of the single-player campaign -- or "Story Mode," as it's called -- and I came away laughing heartily with a big dumb smile on my face.

Pikmin 3 is gorgeous, adorable, strategic, fun, and surprisingly ... quite gruesome. But what really makes it such a charming game are the excellent little touches that Nintend??o has included to both gameplay mechanics and graphical sheen.

Pikmin 3 (Wii U)
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Released:  August 4, 2013 (NA) /July 26, 2013 (EU) / July 13, 2013 (JP)
MSRP: $59.99

Pikmin 3 starts with a horrible accident, as often happens in the Pikmin series. In 20XX, the planet Kopai is on the brink of extinction, with dwindling food supplies due to a lack of planning. In an effort to find another planet with the necessary resources, the inhabitants send out unmanned scouts to neighboring regions of space. When they receive a signal of another planet with possible resources (PNF404), they send out three intrepid explorers. Unfortunately, just as the ship is finally about to land, it crashes and shoots Charlie, Brittany,?? and Alph to different sections of th??e planet.

Your quest begins as Charlie awakens on a snowy tundra filled with giant mushrooms. Your first encounter with Pikmin are those of the yellow variety, and through humo??rous dialogue and a??dorable cutscenes, Charlie is acquainted with the little guys who he will lead further into the planet's darker regions.

The beginning section with Charlie serves as a tutorial of sorts, and it teaches you how to use your controls to whistle for the Pikmin to follow you, to throw them at things, and to disperse them. I was told that Nintendo has really stressed and encouraged the use of the Wii Remote and Nunchuck with the GamePad acting as a supplementary device, and after remembering the excellent controls in Pikmin 2, I could immedia?tely see why this was still the preferred control method. Of course, both GamePad with TV and off-screen GamePad control methods are available, and the off-screen mode seems to work just as intuitively as expected.

Pretty soon I was busy taking down mushrooms until I was urged to keep moving further in the interest of time. I went through a li?ttle cave area where enemy creatures hid in the dark until Charlie threw some Pikmin at the glowing mushrooms nearby, activating their glow and causing damage to the en??emy creatures.

After this, Charlie rounds a corner and comes upon something ominous that surprises him, at which point the game switches to the next character. You are t??hen introduced to the young Alph, who has landed in a more tropical setting.

Without spoiling too much, this area is filled with flowers, butterflies, and plenty of Bul??borbs. This is also near where you acquire Brittany, and the game really begins to open up.

With two or even three commanders, the puzzle-solving elements of each level become ever more complex. Just as in earlier Pikmin games, you switch between your Pikmin with different elemental powers to solve area puzzles, but now you also switch between two or three commanders, who can help by getting tossed up to hard-to-reach areas and then tossing their Pikmin even further, or else just splitting off ??and allowing the player to multitask a?nd collect objects and fruit for further propagation and survival before the day ends.

Early on, you are introduced to the rock Pikmin. These guys are pretty great, as they cause a lot of damage when thrown -- especially to crystalline or glass objects and walls.?? Curio?usly, rock Pikmin are not immune to fire, as I learned pretty quickly when battling a certain kind of fire-breathing enemy type. However, when they do become flammable, their suffering is absolutely adorable. Fortunately, a quick whistle gets them back in order.

While progressing through the days and?? collecting fruit, I learned that one of the most important tasks in the Story Mode is to simply collect fruit for survival, and that as long as you've collected enough fruit to make another bottle of juice to drink, you'll have another day of survival. This is Nintendo's way of making? the game both accessible to newcomers to the series yet still challenging enough for more veteran players.

Just as in previous it??????????????????????????erations, the game progresses by days rather than strictly by levels, and even boss bat??tles may get interrupted by the end of a given day. Fortunately, the damage you do to a boss carries over to the next day, where you can recall what Pikmin you have left and even find a way to propagate more before heading back out to battle again.

Speaking of boss battles, that first battle with the armored centipede creature is both epic and incredibly challenging. The boss charges you and your Pikmin and causes them to go ??flying every which way. If the huge? creature captures a flock of the little guys in his huge pincers, you need to move quick with some rock Pikmin to cause him to knock them all away.

I lost a ton of my poor little red and rock Pikmin during the battle, but there was some consolation in watching the hilarity of it all in the overhead map replay mode on the GamePad that shows Pikmin represented as colored dots going wild arou?nd the equally manic boss with his own iconic representation. Eventually, I was able to smash enough of the boss' armored shell and throw my red Pikmin on his fleshy bits to take him down. His death was both satisfying and daintily terrible. I took a picture.

Beyond the actual gameplay, Pikmin 3 is rich with feature?s that can be accessed via the Wii U GamePad. The in-game camera had to be one of the features that  I had the most fun with during my playthrough. As you might remember, this camera function was featured on a Nintendo Direct at the beginning of the year. This camera is controlled entirely by the GamePad, and allows you to capture photos of your Pikmin in their natural environment (or anything else from your captain's perspective) and post and caption those photos in Miiverse.

After taking several hilarious photos of the Pikmin? acting quite smug in front of frightening creatures or just falling over in various precious poses, I could already see how much fun I'll be having with posting and captioning g??oofy photos to Miiverse when the game launches. Part of what makes taking pictures such a fun side diversion is the HD sheen and graphical capabilities that give the Pikmin so much more life and expression than they've ever had before. They lay around lazily, stand at attention, or just generally look like the cuddly little sentient plant beings they are.

As my allotted playthrough time of Pikmin 3 neared its end, I wanted nothing more than to jump right back into my game and further explore the Story Mode. I wanted to attack harmless creatures like butterflies and larvae to further expand my species, aim for the whites of the eyes of my enemies, destro?y as many mushrooms as possible, and send my Pikmin army before me? to ravage the land.

August 4th cannot come soon enough.

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20-minute Pikmin presentation shows off footage

This morning, Nintendo put on a special Japan-only Nintendo Direct specifically for Pikmin 3. It's basically a "Le??t's Play" for the game starring Miyamoto, as he leads someone through a demonstration of a typical level.

??For those of you who just want the footage, it technically starts at 2:50 in, but you don't really get anything past menu foot??age until approximately 4:50. The presentation may be entirely in Japanese, but Miyamoto's enthusiasm is a universal language.

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His enthuiasm is infectious

After some confusion about whether or not Pikmin 3 was going to be a Wii U launch title, it feels like we've been waiting forever to play the game. But finally, we're down to the last few months, and Shigeru Miyamoto is here to make the wait a little less painful with an explanation of a multiplayer mode in the game cal??led Bingo Battle.

In it, each player has a bingo card, and races to gather Pikmin and complete their cards. It's really hard to? figure out what's going on because Miyamoto is so excited about the game? and is laughing constantly. To me, that's a good sign.

Oh, and Bill "Gabe from The Office" Trinen is in the video too.

The post Miyamoto explains Pikmin 3’s Bingo Battle mode appeared first on Destructoid.

He speaks English and is adorable

Nintendo continues to show that they don't give a rat's ass about following trends, and I think it's fantastic. While Capcom is working to make the next Dead Rising appeal to the Call of Duty fanbase and Namco Bandai wants to make the next Dark Souls a "AAA" title, Miyamoto is playing with stuffed animals while talking about hitting a giant dog-bug directly on the eyeball. This is how he wants to sell you on Pikmin 3. For better or worse, he hasn't changed a bit.

I haven't heard anything from Nintendo about gimmicks or non-play-related marketing bluster this year. Other t??han the fact that every first-party Wii U game I've seen on the show floor so far has off-TV play, it's been all about how the games looks and how fun they are to play. It will be interesting to see if "just playing a fun videogame" is something that sells this holiday season. 

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The long-awaited sequel is almost ready to ship

There is yet another E3 Nintendo event going behind closed doors as we speak, with more exclusive news that wasn't mentioned in Nintendo's all too brief E3 Direct. Straight from the twitter of our own Hamza Aziz comes the news that development on the long-awaited sequel Pikmin 3 is complete. Nintendo must just be waiting for the right time to release it, likely after Nintendo fans have gotten over their recent purchase of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but before Super Mario 3D World is released. 

Hopefully we'll be getting some hands-on time with the finished product later today. If they? let me, I'll spend the rest of E3 playing the game from beginning to end, so stay tuned for that.

The post Pikmin 3 is content complete appeared first on Destructoid.

It'll also launch with lots of control options

Nintendo let loose a ton of new info on Pikmin 3 today, like the fact that the new cast consists of characters named Alph, Brittany, and Captain Charlie. These adorable creatures have crash landed on a planet while in search of new food sources for their home. Their overarching goal is to grab food and bring it back into their ship to convert into ??fuel.

The GamePad will act as a map, an??d can also control your Pikmin. You can also use the Wii U Pro Controller and Wii-motes to control the action (including the abil??ity to use your GamePad as the TV while you use a remote), which makes me very happy to know that there are options.

Pikmin 3 is launching on August 4th in North America and July 26th in Europe, and somew??here, Chad Con?celmo is freaking out.

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Wii U Mario will be released by October

A source told CVG that Wii U releases are slim this spring due to an initiative at Nintendo to stop most first-party releases until the summer patch is out, which will further improve the system. This follows April's patch which sped up load times by 15 seconds, in some instances.

Once the patch is out, Mario Wii U (not official title) will come out by October. Mario Kart and Super Smash. entries for the Wii U, all of which are to be shown at E3 next month, may follow. One source told CVG that Pikmin 3, The Wonderful 101 and Wii Fit U were all delayed for the patch, ostensibly so the games received less criticism for load times. Another s?ource, however, denied Nintendo intentionally delaying game releases.

"From July onwards we will launch a succession of Wii U titles and we w?ill? promote these extensively until the end of the year," Shelly Pearce, the PR director at Nintendo UK, told CVG.

This is all just speculation from sources that come from unknown places, but the noticab??le lack of Wii U releases since launch can be explained by this strategy. After all, why risk mediocre reviews tied to long lo??ad times when a patch that will fix them (along with other issues) is just around the corner?

If the rumors are true, we'll have a smooth console experience with a?ll the Nintendo staples this fall. The year that came before will soon be forgotten.

Nintendo plots Wii U resurgence with 3D Mario by Octo??ber [CVG]

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Look! Up in the sky! It's a Winged Pikmin!

Pikmin 3. August 4. Wii U, both retail and eShop.

Seems like so far away, right? Wasn't it pretty much finished? Wasn't it close to being a launch window title? Why push it back so far? Makes me worry about other games in a similar sitch, namely The Wonderful 101.

In any case, today's Nintendo Direct unveiled a new Pikmin type: the Winged Pikmin. Joining the ranks alongsi??de the Rock Pikmin, these flying fellas can assist Olimar by carrying items through the air. I wonder if they will also be able to lift up enemy monsters and drop them from the sky, smashing their guts on the ground below. That would be lovely.

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Screens taken with Pikmin 3's in-game camera

During this morning's Nintendo Direct, Iwata explained how Pikmin 3 would feature an in-game camera that allowed you to take photos from the Pikmins' point of view and share them on Miiverse. Meanwhile, some sample photos were shared, looking positively Tastykakes.

Something noted by the NeoGAF community is, though Pikmin 3 uses nice textures, viewing any surface at an angle yields a blurry mess. This is because the game lacks anisotropic filtering, a process that would improve the quality of tex??tures that aren't viewed straight-on. It's not the end of the world, but the nitpickers are bound to jump on that shortcoming. Better to call it out here so we can all move on to better, more important things.

Things like, is that a penis?

[via NeoGAF]

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Less Pikmin 2, more Pikmin 1

In a rather interesting interview, legendary game producer Shigeru Miyamoto has stated that Pikmin 3 will ??be more in-line with the "stressful" natur??e of the first game than the relaxing second.

Miyamoto states that he didn't agree with the decision to make Pikmin 2 easier, and wants gamers to feel stress from time to time. The result of the change was a less strategic game, that Miyamoto doesn't want to repeat for Pikmin 3.

"Our main aim in Pikmin 2 was to get rid of any stress as much as possible, so that it would be very user-friendly. Well, I myself couldn't agree with that direction perfectly. That kind of nature of Pikmin 1 was exactly what I wanted to reproduce and I was actually intentionally doing so, so that Pikmin 1 could be a strategic game."

Awesome stuff! The only thing I didn't like about Pikmin 1 were the time limits, as it restricted the freedom of exploration.?????????????????????????? If Miyamoto can incorporate strategic, difficult gameplay that makes you think, and let us explore the beautiful locales, I'll be happy.

Pikmin 3 [Official Nintendo Magazine UK]

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Q2 2013 can't come soon enough

Despite being a sometimes unreasonably passionate supporter of the Pikmin series, Pikmin 3 hasn't really wowed me just yet. Perhaps that's because my expectations are so high -- I'm looking for something larger in scope here, not simply more of the last installment presented wit?h superior visuals. Everything shown so far has been nice, but again, I haven't been amazed.

This trailer from Nint??endo Direct, however, is a huge step in the right direction. Between the awesome new enemy designs, the fancy lighting and depth-of-field tricks, and those lily pads, I'm in love all over again. Best of all, in my opinion, are the landscapes shown -- which expand on the notion that our protagonists are miniscule -- a?nd feel much more alive.

Fair warn??ing: there's Pikmin death in this video. If their? haunting cries bother you, consider watching with the sound turned off. This is finally starting to look like a fully realized game. Remain patient, Wii U owners.

[Via NeoGAF]

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That's not how you spell "launch day!"

The new Iwata Asks column covers the Wii U GamePad in great detail from the perspective of the people who worked on it, but that isn't all that's mentioned. Showing that we ought to read all of those notes, one of them (via NeoGAF) mentions Pikmin 3 is set for "the spring of 2013."

A bit disheartening, especially since Pikmin 3 was previously listed as having a launch-window release. To be fair, they ?did say the period would extend through March, so that was??n't technically inaccurate. Still, I think many of us were hoping for something sooner.

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