Topic: Flashing Pikmin 3 Icon

I recently bought Pikmin 3, and after I played the game a couple of times, I noticed that, whenever I want to start the game, the app icon flashes blue. Does anyone know what it means?

It's the Pikmin trying to call you on WiiUChat

(Pikmin voice) 'CHECKit095, help us find fruit and kill butterflies... You are our only hope'

@CHECKit095 You probably just got your Wii U recently. What he is saying is it means some friends of yours on the Wii U have just gotten online or are calling you for a Wii U Chat while you're playing Pikmin 3.

No, I know what he's talking about because mine does it too. The border around the Pikmin icon on the WiiU menu flashes blue... I thought I would just make something up because I have no idea why it does that

I think it has something to do with SpotPass. I remember that the second time I launched the game it asked me something about SpotPass and Leaderboards or something...

It's probably a notification about an update in the game, which I think is the leader boards being updated.

Yup, spotpass. It's the Wii U's equivalent of the little blue dot on the 3DS. It also does it when you first download a title.

Aaahhh, yeah, I have that too...

I don't know about Spotpass (not sayign it's wrong, I just don't know anything about Spotpas on the Wii U) but new DLs certainly flash blue, and ones that have gotten updates. Haven't purchased Pikmin 3 yet but several other icons have been flashing blue.

im also having this happen to me and its happening even after the update and only with pikmin 3 (disc) its not an issue its just weird...

@rjejr
Spotpass is just the Nintendo branding for downloading content in the background. Like in Animal Crossing if Nintendo wants to send everyone an item as a promotion it'll download it in the background and tell you about it when you next turn on the game. Pikmin 3 has it for the scores in missions.... so I assume that's what this is about.

Same here. It's intermittent, nothing to do with updates or anything and if it's spot pass, it would be nice to know what it's doing as I see nothing at this point. It's the only disc or other game doing this after the initial first play or update.

Edit: Err, nevermind.

Wait what? It took me awhile to figure out on the 3DS Streetpass = passing someone in the street and exchanging info and Spotpass = WiFi hotspots.
Now Spotpass = background downloads? Well at least I don't have to take my Wii U to Best Buy or McDonalds to get Nintendo Zone.

That Nintendo, they crack me up.

Spotpass doesn't mean wifi hotspots, it only means stuff from the Internet. And street pass meaning stuff transmitted locally, like from another 3DS. Simple stuff.

Mine always does it, i thought it was spot pass originally.

Spotpass = Internet
Streetpass = Locally
What @willobee said.

As mentioned before, Spotpass is not wifi hotspots. Spotpass on the 3DS can be triggered in your own house with your own wifi, it's simply Nintendo sending downloads in the background that you get when you boot up a game. Nintendo Zones on the other hand are the wifi hotspots you are likely thinking of.