We return once more to the strange and esoteric world of console RTS games with Pikmin! First released for the Gamecube in 2001, it combines strategy, resource management and puzzle solving into a truly unique game. You play as Captain Olimar, peacefully vacationing in space until an asteroid collides with his spaceship. He crashes to the ground, pieces of his ship scattering across the land, and no apparent way to get them back to repair his ship. Luckily for him the Pikmin are more than willing to be turned into slave labour to retrieve all those missing parts and murder the natural wildlife.
But just how good can an RTS hybrid possibly be without a traditional RTS control scheme? Do puzzles, resource management and a tight time limit actually work in tandem with one another? Is Pikmin actually fun to play, or is it more tedious busywork as you stand around watching things happen?
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On this episode, we discuss:
Is Pikmin designed as a game to be enjoyed for a first time playthrough, or does it flourish with repeat playthroughs? Is Pikmin more about exploration and discovery, or optimisation and efficient time management?
Why does a puzzle game have a strict time limit of 13:30 minutes per day? Should the game have no time limit, or should it be structurally shifted to longer yet fewer days?
How enjoyable is the combat in Pikmin? Are enemies intrinsically fun to fight, or are they better treated as obstacles to be avoided and distracted?
We answer these questions and many more on the 68th episode of the Retro Spectives Podcast!
Intro Music: KieLoBot - Tanzen K
Outro Music: Rockit Maxx - One point to another
Pikmin OST: Hajime Wakai
Link to mouse and keyboard control scheme for Dolphin Emulator
Remember to manually bind the + and - keys when setting up the control scheme. This gives you a map button, and the menu button to end each day early.
Does Pikmin have less busywork than we give it credit for once you better understand the game? What is the best time you’ve ever got to beat Pikmin? Do either of the sequels change or improve on the things we criticised? Let us know what you think on our community discord server! Join the conversation, recommend us a game to play or play alongside us!
