As each month passes the Wii U becomes less and less relevant, as most of its first-party library continues to be lifted up, piece by piece, and carried over to the Switch. Why, it’s almost like what Pikmin do – DO YOU GET WHERE WE’RE GOING WITH THIS?
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is Nintendo’s attempt at a definitive port of a game that deserves a lot more love than it got the first time around. Pikmin 3 sold a little over a million copies, which is great by many games’ standards, but not necessarily a first-party Nintendo IP. Nintendo presumably hopes that this time the success of the Switch will give the game a new audience, and it really deserves one.
If you didn’t play it the first time around, Pikmin 3 follows the adventures of three explorers called Alph, Brittany and Charlie, who crash-land on the planet PNF-404 while looking for food to take back to their famine-stricken home planet. The trio has to search the planet in search of sustenance – using the local Pikmin population to help them – while also trying to locate the lost Cosmic Drive Key they need to leave PNF-404 and return home.
The first Pikmin had a strict time limit, which frustrated some players who wanted a little more freedom to explore without the constant fear that it would all go to waste at the end when the 30th and final day ended and they got Game Over. Pikmin 2 went in the completely opposite direction, and maybe gave a bit too much freedom as a result: with unlimited days and large caves where time didn’t pass, any sense of tension was completely gone.
Pikmin 3 is the perfect Goldilocks-style compromise. You do have a limit, but it’s based on fruit. Every time you collect some fruit and send it back to your ship you’ll make some juice: each jar of juice lets you survive another day, and there are around 100 jars’ worth in the game, meaning there’s still a definitive endpoint you need to have beaten the game by, but it’s far more lenient than the first game.
At first, your three protagonists are separated, but before too long they’re reunited and can then be split into different groups. Although there are puzzles that make use of this mechanic, these are fairly straightforward and for the most part, you’ll probably find yourself preferring to keep everyone together in one massive group when you can. In theory, you could save time by splitting the groups up and sending them off to do separate things but it’s often more trouble than it’s worth as one group could be attacked while you’re busy focusing on another. There’s one hefty exception to this and that’s co-op mode, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Those who did play Pikmin 3 on the Wii U will notice there have been a number of changes to the controls in order to make things a little less fiddly. Before, you locked onto enemies and objects by hovering the cursor over them and holding down 'ZL' for half a second, at which point you’d lock on. You could then cancel it by pressing 'ZL' again. This was fine for the most part, but in sections where there was a lot going on it could sometimes make it tricky to lock onto the exact target you had in mind.
This time you lock on by simply tapping 'ZR', and tapping it again lets you toggle through other nearby targets. This means if you want to attack an enemy but end up locking onto the fruit they’re standing right next to, you can just tap 'ZR' to switch your focus to the enemy instead. The ‘charge’ action is no longer associated with locking on, either: now you can just hold 'X', point in the direction you want them to charge and let go.
There’s also a new menu you can bring up by holding the 'Y' button. This lets you switch between leaders or dismiss your Pikmin and divide them into groups. All of these changes make for a control system that’s better than it was before, but better doesn’t mean perfect, and it can still be a bit unwieldy to get used to at first, especially for those who may not be used to the real-time strategy genre (or are more used to a mouse in PC equivalents).
There’s also one major addition that will rankle some hardcore types, but it isn’t designed for them: the ability to bring up hints by pressing up on the D-Pad. If you’ve got no idea where you should be going next, a simple press will bring up a text box telling you what your next step should be, along with arrows on the floor to lead the way and help you find your bearings. No, it isn’t essential, and most gamers will be able to do perfectly well without it. But for people who are maybe less interested in exploring and more interested in making progress (or those who are genuinely stuck, of course), it’s a handy feature.
Finally, there’s co-op, which has been added to the main story mode for the first time and is a really nice addition to the package. You've got three captains to control at once and only one pair of hands to do it, so why not share the load with a friend or family member or (at a push) well-trained ape? The implementation isn't 100% seamless – there are moments when you're both running around as the same character and appear to one another as ghosts – but it's fine and by no means a deal-breaker. When you're not all ghosty-like, however, it's an absolute joy. The initial drive is to go around as a group, but in reality, you'll need to split up to make the most out of the limited time you have each day.
Functionally, it works in exactly the same way as it did in Mission mode on the Wii U, but now it's for the whole' story. Sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where only one person has stuff to do, but these instances are few and far between, and player two can even just behave as a support character, building the Pikmin numbers and grabbing fruit whilst player one attempts to push on with the story. You'll need to come together at times, of course, but if anything that makes the struggle all the sweeter.
Accompanying the Story mode are Missions – this includes all the paid DLC missions that were released for the Wii U version – and a new option called Side Stories. Captain Olimar and Louie appear in the main game, and the Side Stories are split into two sections: a prologue showing what happened to them before the events of Pikmin 3, and an epilogue showing what happened after the end credits.
Nintendo has asked us not to spoil the epilogue, but the prologue consists of a number of missions that mostly fit a similar routine: you’ve got a time limit to bring as much fruit to your ship as you can, in order to score enough points to earn a medal. Get at least a bronze medal and you’ll unlock the next mission, but the fun is in replaying the missions and trying to clear them as quickly as possible in order to improve your rank in the online leaderboards.
So, that’s more or less Pikmin 3 Deluxe: the Story mode has improved controls and can be made easier or harder depending on your tastes, the Missions include all the previous DLC and the Side Stories add a little more longevity even if they aren’t necessarily ground-breaking. It would be remiss of us not to mention one other thing, though, and that’s the game’s performance: if only to pre-empt negative comments in the usual places.
It does appear that the game still runs at 720p and 30 frames per second, like it did on the Wii U. Now, this will obviously lead to instant “lazy Nintendo” comments but it’s worth bearing in mind a few things: firstly, there’s a lot going on in this game, with plenty of characters on the screen at once and a number of transparency and reflection effects at times. While it’s easy to just demand improvements over the Wii U version, without knowing exactly how the game was put together it’s impossible to know just how realistic that demand would be.
The more important thing to bear in mind, however, is that the game doesn’t really suffer for it, other than having a slightly soft look. This is a slow-paced game that doesn’t need to run at 60 frames per second, and there’s still enough detail there to be able to see what’s going on perfectly well. There are many games that would suffer from a 720p and 30fps presentation, but this isn’t one of them: it was a great game on Wii U with those specs, and it’s still a great game on Switch despite the internet deciding this is the next big scandal to focus on.
Would it have been nice to see a resolution or frame rate boost? Of course it would have – we’re a little disappointed too. But that’s all we are: a little disappointed. The way some people have been acting online it’s like Nintendo sent an army of Pikmin to their house and got them to carry their cat outside and launch it into a dumpster. Visual improvements would have been great, but it’s been improved in other areas and remains perfectly entertaining.
Conclusion
Visually, Pikmin 3 Deluxe doesn't push the boat out much further than the original Wii U version did. Where its changes lie are in its revamped control system and the addition of a new Side Stories mode. Neither are necessarily transformative enough to warrant double dipping if you're perfectly happy with your Wii U copy, but if you're one of the vast majority who don't have a Wii U copy, this Switch update is unquestionably the best way to play it.
Comments 128
My son and I put a ton of time in the multiplayer on the Wii U. This will be nice to have on the Switch as it's just more convenient and accessible. Plus we dont need to be tied to a tv either.
"Perhaps not worth a double dip." Well, with Pikmin 4 M.I.A., it's going to have to do.
Loved (and 100% completed) the original, tried the demo for Deluxe, found out the controls are worse and that it was way too easy.
I might get it eventually, but for now, it's for the newcomers and not the veterans.
Sounds like a pretty disappointing port. I never had a Wii U so I've wanted to play this, but I really want to play all three pikmin games, and Nintendo's stubborn refusal to make GameCube games readily available mean it's looking like I won't be playing this for a while
As someone who (regrettably) sold the Wii U version I wouldn't mind buying the game again, and it seems like a fine port. $60 is way too much for me though; can't see myself paying more than $30 since I can always get the Wii U version again for $20 if I change my mind.
There have been some Wii U ports I've double dipped on the Switch with but this won't be one of them. After such a long wait between games, I found it to be a little underwhelming when I played it at launch. Pikmin gameplay was still fun as usual but I felt that it didn't really do anything particularly interesting and ended far too soon and I was left pretty unsatisfied. It's my least favourite game in the series. Doesn't seem like much was added here that'd be likely to change that for me. If they ever decide to release a Pikmin 4, I hope they're a lot more ambitious with it.
Wow, an 8? This is one of my favorite games ever. #cancelnintendolife
J/K 😜
In all seriousness, though, I will absolutely double dip so I can play this in handheld and so I can let Nintendo know there is interest in the series. Also, co-op is an exciting addition, as well as "ultra spicy" mode.
I'll definitely pick this up at some point, loved it on Wii U and would love to see the prologue/epilogue.
Can't really afford it though, I'll be lucky if I can manage Hyrule Warriors before the year ends.
Maybe one day...
No graphical improvements, but still full price? Well.. That's unfortunate. And a skip from me.
Gonna be skipping this one. Still busy with NBA2k21
Haven't played it, so I'll definitely get it. But doesn't really sound so "deluxe" if you ask me
Great game, can't recommend enough.
As a side note, has anyone noticed that ports from Wii U seem to generate a different discussion than any system before it? Plenty of older systems had their games ported to Nintendo handhelds, Wii U is no different. Yet, people seem to think it's "withering" or something along those lines. I get that Wii U sold poorly, but this is fairly standard for Nintendo systems...
Pass... I really hoped the side missions or something made me want to buy this a second time. More content, a sweet of mini games.... oh well. Gives me reason to fire up the WiiU.
First youtube video of the day was Microsoft flight simulator captured in 4k. Second youtube video of the day. Pikman 3 captured in 720p. Awaits the Nintendo defense force.
Trust me, I’m tempted, mighty tempted. But I’ll probably save the double dip for 3D World instead as it looks like a more substantial update
If only they didn't slap a $60 price tag on it all. I will add this to the wishlist to eventually buy (hopefully at a discount), since I still have my Wii U sitting around.
"There’s also a new menu you can bring up by holding the 'Y' button. This lets you switch between leaders or dismiss your Pokemon and divide them into groups."
I didn't realise Pokemon was in Pikmin now.
@IronMan30 I think the reason the discussion is so different is because Nintendo has focused SO MUCH on bringing old games to the system and has put relatively few new games on Switch. And of those that are new, only a handful are high quality (once you remove the Mario Tennis, Mario Party, Kirby Star Allies, etc).
The large number of ports/remakes of old games would be a lot easier to accept if they didn't make up such a massive percentage of the first party offerings.
Played Pikmin for the first time with the Pikmin 3 demo and I can see why people like it.
It's kinda exhilarating trying to get everything done within the time limit that the game places on you.
I'll probably get it but not at launch Doesn't seem like a lot of new content. BUT I know I'm getting Super Mario 3D World +Bowser's Fury at launch! That has a new mode a new dive and online.
@Odyssey27_Mario I'm 100% going to buy Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury when it releases. It was my number 2 favorite Wii U title (next to Mario Maker).
I also had (did sell it) Pikmin 3 on Wii U, and it's a fun game. But not worth double dipping at this price and without any real improvements. For instance I could get the original Wii U game for € 20,- if I wanted. It would basically be the same game. €30 would be acceptable, maybe even € 40 with some real additional content.
Had it on pre-order for my son at Amazon but canceled it the other day since he wanted it as a Christmas gift and I decided I could wait until maybe I found a better offer. Maybe not, but why pay $60 now to keep it sealed for 2 months?
Hey @antdickens Under where it says
"Related prodcusts" unless you know some way for us to get that sticker sheet and microfiber cloth in the US can you perhaps make two separate order lines for the Pikmin 3 Amazon pre-orders? It was kind of annoying to click on your affiliate link which makes you money but then not see what the link said I should see.
This thing had virtually zero replay value on Wii U, it erases your progress if you go back (there’s no free play option to explore the areas). Having the post game locked behind DLC also didn’t help...
That said, it’s still a great game.
Never played any Pikmin games properly except for fiddling with Pikmin 1 for half an hour on a friend's GameCube, so definitely gonna buy this.
"Performance isn't really better than on Wii U"
There may be future patches for that.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe Review:
It's Pikmin 3.
10/10.
I should point out that this isn't me dunking on Chris' review, just that the game is so unchanged from the Wii U version. Nintendo could of at least lowered the price. There is no incentive for Wii U players to buy this again.
I want this but for this price since I owned the WiiU copy. Maybe it will get a sale. I think $30 would be a better price point for this game honestly.
I may get it for Switch when it goes on sale. For now I can be content with the Wii U version. I actually restarted Pikmin 2 recently (I had completed the first Pikmin a couple of times, but haven't completed 2 and 3 yet).
I played about 3/4 of the game on WiiU and got kind of tired and frustrated with it... it is an awesome game if you are into the genre. Also, got it for free with the purchase of another game.
Glad to see it get a second life on the Switch, but not for me.
Definitely would benefit from 1080p resolution on TV... 30 fps is fine.
raises hand how about for people who played the original but sucked at it because they sucked at games at the time?
Releasing a major franchise which is a copy paste of an existing game with no graphical upgrade?
What an absolute insult to our loyalty. Hard pass.
@sketchturner Well, that is debatable. I understand that sentiment, but it does not take into account factors like development time/experience on Nintendo's part.
I think you can explain a lot of the apparent lack of new games with the fact that Nintendo handheld studios have little or no experience with HD development. Add that Nintendo wants to extend the lifespan of the Switch so it's likely that they're spacing releases out a little bit. Then there's Covid, which has had an impact on software development for multiple companies (not just Nintendo, look at CD Projekt Red and 343i). Also, Nintendo has published a good amount of Switch games that it didn't develop. I know it's popular to have a weird attitude towards Switch, but most of it seems like it's borne out of short memories or just weird bias against Nintendo.
an 8? they have improved literally nothing...a 5 is max
One of the best titles on the Wii u. 100% the game. I won’t double dip as I like the Wii u controls but a must buy title.
Master of anima is a bit of a Pikmin genre/ style of game just an FYI at Alex its actually pretty decent as well. Wouldnt say its amazing but was an easy fun playthrough
@BlackenedHalo By that dumb logic, SMB must be a -19. A great game/film/book is timeless.
Bingo Battle is worth a double-dip on this for me, plus co-op in the main game. Can't wait for my copy to arrive
Love Pikmin but really needed Pikmin 4 instead of this port.
"Pikmin 2 went in the completely opposite direction, and maybe gave a bit too much freedom as a result: with unlimited days and large caves where time didn’t pass, any sense of tension was completely gone."
I'm gonna have to disagree there...some of those longer caves got freaking intense with the amount of floors and angry critters out to get you.
I'm looking forward to this though as I only played through the original once. I'm also gonna replay the first two via the Wii releases of them.
I... maybe it's just me, but those graphics look really bad....
@BranJ0 I don't know if you have a Wii, but you can play the New Play Control Pikmin 2 on it. For me it was the definitive way to play the game.
@Spoony_Tech exactly the same in my house, this is a special game for us... I never actually l paid for it as I got it free for registering Mario Kart 8 on Wii U... preordered this version for my son for Christmas.
Not to change the topic, but I'm happy Nintendo is running out of Wii U ports with this release and Super Mario 3D World in March. I'm looking forward to all new games hopefully soon.
@meltendo Providing they don't start focusing on Wii and GameCube ports next. 😂
Be interesting to see if they try to port the few first party Wii U games left though. Xenoblade X, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, Yoshi's Wooly World, Paper Mario Color Splash, the two Zelda remasters (highly likely I think), and Star Fox Zero.
Tried the demo with my kid and she enjoyed playing the story in coop with me, that makes it worth buying again for me!
I love Pikmin 2 and still own my copy of Pikmin 3 for the Wii U but I may wait on the Switch port in hopes of a potential price drop.
Sadly first party Nintendo games never drop on price until they're added to a "Nintendo Select" lineup.
May still double dip as my son wants to play it on the handheld device. Not as huge a fan as some on here. Still think NPC Pikmin 2 Wii is the best Pikmin game I have played of the 3. Still quite liked no.3 mind
@Giygas_95 To be fair, at least those would hopefully get a bit more treatment (although looking at Super Mario 3D All-Stars says otherwise). But yeah, I don't normally hate ports, but getting kind of sick of them on Switch now. Bring on the new games.
This game should've never been full price. I won't pay that much again for a game with those graphics. I mean, in WiiU it looked good, but it wasn't marvellous (it came from a Wii project), they don't have excuses not to improve it now.
Oh well, it's a fantastic game anyway. Those who have never played it, enjoy it. I'll wait for a big sale to enjoy that coop mode.
Eh I'm passing on this. I played it on Wii U but it failed to grab me, put it down after day 14 or something and never went back.
@MS7000 I feel ya. Lord knows I wouldn't turn down a remaster of Luigi's Mansion 1 though (unlikely given its 3DS version). That's one of my favorite GameCube games.
@Giygas_95 - agreed, there was certainly still tension in Pikmin 2. There's still a day-night system, and lest we forget the Submerged Castle, featuring the Waterwraith that would spawn whenever you took too long on a sublevel. And proceeded to murder your Pikmin.
@bobandbill Oh God, the water wraith...I also remember two of the caves I think from the Wistful Wild: the Dream Den and the Cavern of Chaos. I remember the Titan Dweevil being one grueling final boss...
Well, nuts. Was holding out hope for 1080p in the final. Now I'll probably be waiting for a sale or something. Thing is, the co-op is a strong draw and the way my son would love to replay it, so maybe.
I don't usually care that much about high resolution or graphics fidelity in many games, but frankly, it is a big part of the charm in a game like this and the tiny creatures would benefit from added clarity in high resolution as well.
If you've never played, I wouldn't let it deter you at all, though. It's a solid and unusual game with Nintendo charm and polish.
Nintendo Life says Switch version better than the Wii U version. Though gives this version an 8/10 and the Wii U version a 9/10? What inconsistent BS NL. Horrible horrible horrible editorial you have there.
@sketchturner they score this an 8. Call it the better version over Wii U. Give Wii U a 9. What a joke.
"Perhaps not worth a double dip"
Meanwhile me pre ordering Pikmin 3 despite beating it on the Wii u again a week before it was first announced: HAHAHAHAHAHA
@BlackenedHalo this isn't EA. Be kind.
@aaronsullivan why wasn't there a coop wireless local option?
Was this really needed we have it on wii u I don't see why didn't make pikmin 4..
@pikminlover To be fair, different reviewers; the Wii U version was reviewed by someone else. It is possible Chris, who wrote this Switch review, thought the original Wii U version was a 7 in which case, yes, the Switch version is better than the Wii U version. Just try not to focus on the number too much.
@MS7000 nah. That’s dumb. NL is one big unit. And is inconsistent in their editorial. The number is a big thing and I will focus on how poorly NL editorial team works. You can’t say one version is better than the previous yet score the superior version worse than the original. It’s poor editorial. Makes zero sense.
Also how is their no online bingo battle? That is crazy nuts.
@IronMan30 As a consumer, it frustates me when a large portion of the Switch's first-party offerings are made of full-price ports for games I already own with few extra features or improvements. I know that's not the case for everybody, but it's made 2018 and 2020 disappointing years for me from Nintendo.
I'll just break out the wii u again. Nothing beats the nun-chuck and wiimote control scheme. It was so satisfying after playing it on wii u pro controller and someone online telling me I was playing it wrong. It felt like all the issues were fixed and I was a lot better at it.
@pikminlover The system is not perfect, sure. videogamedunkey made a video about reviews a while back which makes a similar point that sites like these do no offer consistency at times because they unfortunately have many different reviewers. They would probably be more consistency if everything was done by the same reviewer, but you cannot realistically expect this to be the case. Gaming sites have to review way too many games in short spans of time, unlike individual reviewers on Youtube for example who have the opportunity to pick and choose what they review. Not to mention, you can't ask one reviewer to change their review so it aligns with a previous review, otherwise, is it really a honest review? In which case, what is the point of reviews?
If you think that is dumb, that is fair. But unfortunately, it is not a situation unique to NintendoLife. If you have any suggestions for a better system, then by all means, please explain.
@pikminlover Did it ever occur to you they gave the original a higher score because it was an actually new game, not just a port? Is that hard to understand or what?
In the video review it mentions there is nothing else quite like it. But i remember a game called Overlord and its sequel, they where good games not as good as pikmin but like pikmin with a more adult agenda, you have to kill unicorns in it so it is much more adult.
@IronMan30
Ports abound on all the systems. Maybe MS will be different with their BC push but N/Sony will still be a'portin.
@bones
Overlord was pretty funny. Might still have my XB360 disc somewhere.
@MS7000 "but you cannot realistically expect this to be the case." Sure you can. U can use same reviewer like GameExplain did OR, as an editor, you can evaluate both review and understand that, if a second critic says SWITCH VERSION is > than WII U version, then, the editor of the site should DECIDE the score should be equally as high. THINK MAN. THINK!!!
@doctorhino Lame "logic" is lame.
Worth a double dip for me taking in the new content. Really don't care about the resolution "issues" people were freaking out about. 🤷
People won't buy this but they still buy every single year the same copy-paste fifa and madden at full price and then they are wondering why the videogames industry is at this state.
@ianl579 And that's fine for you, I understand everyone has different preferences. I just feel like people are not taking some factors into account when talking about Switch and every year except 2018 has been great for the hybrid. Anyway, 2021 is shaping up to be incredible.
What? No mention of the Pikipedia. Shame on you.
@BoyfriendOfDeath Or new badge system! BTW NL, you need a new message board. This old one is archaic. A mess.
Just curious, how many of the Wii U ports actually ARE worth a double dip?
The only one I’ve done so far is BOTW, because I spent ages on the Wii U version wishing I could play it on the train, but aside from portability there’s no real enhancement. But I loved it enough to warrant it.
Numbered or letter grades are subjective. It's not a science, so don't expect consistency from it. Read the text of a review, always. It's what actually matters.
On the question of ports, I don't understand the "give me new games instead" argument. Without ports, console exclusives are trapped in their hardware. It's an issue for preservation and access, and right now ports are the only viable solution. Until Nintendo makes a backward-compatible Switch, I hope we keep getting ports of old games.
Pikimin 3 for £40.00 on one site for the physical version or the download code for £50.00. Really?
@pikminlover So what happens in the case of say Ocarina of Time (1998) and the 3DS remake (2011) which is 13 years later, or Pikmin 3 (2013) and Pikmin 3 Deluxe (2020). In both of those cases, getting the same reviewer is practically impossible, as they would of most likely changed careers, got promoted, work for a rival etc. Hence why remakes/ports generally have different reviewers.
Regarding your other idea, what happens when the game was first reviewed, and given a 10? Do we give it an 11? And what happens in the case of whether it is the same reviewer or different, the game, when looked at retrospectively, is no longer as good as it once was? Ocarina of Time is considered dated by plenty of people, and that was a game that got a perfect 10. So naturally, when the remake is reviewed, of course the score is going to go down. Not to mention, having an editor adjust the scores based on previous reviews, is still dishonest.
I would argue that Pikmin 2 was actually the most tense entry. Yes, it didn't really have a time limit to exploration, but it more than made up for that with the caves + challenge mode. Going for 100% in it's story mode is the hardest challenge of any Pikmin story mode.
@MS7000 Ignorant comparison. As the review scores were the same for these games for the ones that were reviewed twicewhen the latter was SAID it was better than the first.
FOCUS BOY. FOCUS. It's horrible editorial. You cant possibly score a game, a movie LESS than the original if you say the later one is better. This has ZERO to do with the reviewer and 100% to the EDITOR who overseas the site and over-rules any scores for consistency. THINK!!! It's poor editorial. Shows the site not putting care into editorial decisions.
Say what you like negatively, it will still score an 8. A direct port with a change to the controller system, so it would at least play on the Switch. Not even a point deducted for poor value for money.
Another overpriced lazy port from Nintendo... and yes, I love Pikmin, I have Pikmin 1 and 2 on GameCube and 3 on Wii U.
Buying it again because the Switch is my super system right now.
I would have bought this in a heartbeat if it was a trilogy collection of all Pikmin games. But as it stands right now... nah. I already have too many great games to play and not to mention better priced games. Nintendo needs to get on board with either doing more collections of games or reducing the price for single game rereleases.
@gaga64 MK8D bc of being able to store two items.... and I got DKTF for chill mode bc I love DK as a character, but suck at the game. I also got Rayman bc I loved the game and wanted to play it on the Switch.
@rockodoodle Well.. WII U is old now and can die earlier than Switch and you want on a faster hardware right?
Preordered 2 copies and I own it on Wii U... $&@! you, Nintendo...
@pikminlover You're one big unit
@Pj1 This is a problem with Nintendo first party titles. They rarely get permanent price drops on the eShop. Link’s Awakening is probably still $60 on the eShop.
Eventually we should get ‘Selects’ discounted re-releases, but it hasn’t happened yet.
@pikminlover you absolutely can score a game lower today even if you believe it to be a better version of the same game. There are more factors at play than you care to acknowledge for the narrative you're trying to portray.
For one, as others have said countless times that you wish to ignore for little reason other than to feed your own agenda, this is a subjective review written by an individual, who has written a full-length review and given it an arbitrary score out of 10 that they feel the game, in the context of literally all other games that have been released, deserves at this point in time.
And that's the key - at this point in time. The score isn't on a scale of Pikmin 3 of 2013, because that's a ludicrous scale for a review website to base all its scoring on as a point of reference. It's relative to all gaming available in 2020.
That's 7 years of advances in gaming to compare this slightly enhanced port to.
It's on new hardware to boot, so even if the scale is only comparing it to other games available on the same platform (it isn't, but just roll with this to the end of the point here) there is a TON more competition on the switch in 2020 to be compared to than there was on the wii u in 2013, so if the scale was only relative to other games on the same platform, its very probable that this version of Pikmin 3 sits lower on that list than its relative position among available wii u games when it was first released. Ergo, it is perfectly reasonable to deliver a lower relative score today, despite being a superior version of the same game.
Reviews are contextual to the time at which they are written, simple as that. Nothing to do with editorial issues as you seem to have convinced yourself.
@PawlSLax your post make ZERO sense and has been dismantled above with several other posts. Couldn't get past the third sentence it was so muddled. smh
Never played it, enjoyed the demo, thought it looked fine.
Got a couple games I can trade toward it at Gamestoppo so I'll pick it up this week.
so nintendolife gave the wii u version a 9 and the switch version gets an 8 that makes no sense.
@Tandy255
Nintendo Select titles only arrive toward the end of a platform's lifecycle.
Given that we are currently in the middle of the Swutch's lifespan, I suspect that we wont see any Nintendo Select Switch games until 2022 at the absolute earliest.
@Alucard83 I guess I can see why some would double dip. I just have other interests for games, especially if I get the urge to play but, I can play on the WiiU...
@westman98 I totally agree with you.
I have no problem with BOTW currently remaining at $60. Link’s Awakening, however, never should have been $60. Yet, it will remain at $60 on the eShop. At least the physical game can be loaned or sold.
Eshop games should be slightly cheaper than retail, especially for NSO subscribers.
While the minor control improvements are nice, the game overall controls worse than it did on the Wii U without a sensor bar. (How exactly do the pointer controls work in this version, anyway? That info should've been in the review.) If you do have both a Wii U and Switch but generally nobody around to play the game with you, just get the much cheaper Wii U version (or don't bother to double-dip if you already have it).
@pikminlover It's not specifically the issue with this particular review, but to claim that the better game should always score better is just not true. Unlike with movies, you have to consider the system of release when comparing video games. If the two games are on the same system, then yes the better game should generally score better even if it's a mostly lazy sequel. However, more advanced systems have higher standards of presentation and are able to include features that weren't possible or harder to implement on older systems, so lazy ports/remasters/remakes should naturally be penalized for not properly bringing the games up to modern standards (unless they are specifically branded as being no-frills ports and priced likewise like with the various Virtual Consoles), even if they are overall the better versions of the games.
(Without a proper point-and-click control scheme, I don't personally consider this version to be the better version, anyway.)
Yeah I own it on the wiiu. Not really interested in a portable version.
@WaveWitch Something originally designed at 30 FPS does not cause motion stuttering, otherwise the movie industry never would've spent decades releasing films at just 24 FPS. Yes, 60 FPS looks better for many (but not all) people, and some genres like fighting and racing games really need it, but there's nothing technically wrong with a rock solid 30 FPS.
@BulbasaurusRex The denial is thick on this wall. Ill like the several hearts vs no hearts for your post speak for itself. Your comment is simply wrong well defined above. Stop enabling poor editorial. READ MY LIPS: This CRITIC SAID SWITCH VERSION IS BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. The score then cannot be LOWER on the site that represents both reviews. The score is sloppy editorial. smh
IGN Pikmin 3 WII U: 8.8
IGN Pikmin 3 SWITCH (which they say is BETTER): 9.0
https://www.ign.com/games/pikmin-3
This is how your SCORE NL. You dont LOWER the score when you say one version is better than the other. Editorial, save face, correct this messy situation on your site.
@Deadlyblack Super Mario Party, Mario Tennis Aces and New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe are currently on sale
33% off.
I wouldn't be able to play without pointer controls.
@WaveWitch ...or just don't use a plasma or OLED TV to play your video games!
I was not aware that certain advanced TVs had such an issue, but the fact remains that 30 FPS has no issues if things are designed around it. If it's that big of a problem, then the obvious solution is to invest in a more compatible TV to hook up to your video games systems, because 30 FPS video games are still going to be around for a long time, and to limit yourself like that is just silly. In a similar manner, I personally still hook my SD video game systems up to a CRT in order to avoid input lag.
Was back and forth about getting this, now leaning not. While 2 was my favorite (Caves! Treasure! Really detailed biological enemy info!), I did have a lot of fun with 3 and 100%’d all the side missions twice over with my family, plus participated in countless bingo battles. I really wanted a bit more new content to rebuy at the same price, and it sounds like it doesn’t deliver that. Online co-op bingo and mission would’ve been nice, as would more detailed piklopedia entries. The new controls have some pros but also some cons (although maybe I’m just too ingrained from all the time spent in the original)
Still waiting to hear:
1) is hard mode just a 60 Pikmin cap or is it also shorter days, more enemy HP etc?
2) REALLY waiting for someone to give us more info about the epilogue missions. Doesn’t have to be story spoilery but I’d like to know if there’s any new things to collect/enemies/characters/areas. ANYTHING new.
@pikminlover You're seriously comparing hearts after less than a day when your post has a 12 hour advantage? Also, 3 is not several.
No, you're wrong for not taking different system standards into account. A Switch game naturally has superior standards to a Wii U game, so a Switch port needs to be decently improved in certain areas (especially with the disadvantage of having no sensor bar) in order to even deserve the same score as the Wii U original. Otherwise, if it's exactly the same or even a little bit better on a better system, then it does deserve a lower score by the better system's standards.
If "Super Mario Bros. 3" were never made for the NES and instead the same game was released brand new for the Switch, it would not get a 10/10 score due to complaints about lackluster "retro" graphics and sound, not having save files, not having enough content, an archaic turn-based multiplayer system, etc. due to the better standards we now have.
Read my lips: Even if you think "Pikmin 3 Deluxe" is overall the better version (which I don't), it's still arguably a worse Switch game than "Pikmin 3" is a Wii U game.
Also, it would be even sloppier for the editors to arbitrarily adjust certain review scores (that had different reviewers) just to avoid an issue like this. That's why there are also different review scores when certain Virtual Console games were re-reviewed upon being released again on another service.
@WaveWitch OLED and QLED can't possibly look that much better. SD to HD is a significant jump, yes, but after that TV picture quality is negligible. Even if it wasn't, having access to all Switch games is overall still better than the quality increase you get with (Q/O)LED.
Besides, that still doesn't keep you from investing in an older TV just for your video game systems. They aren't that expensive. Beyond that, nothing is keeping you from playing your 30 FPS Switch games in handheld or tabletop mode.
@BulbasaurusRex
sev·er·al
/ˈsev(ə)rəl/
Learn to pronounce
determiner · pronoun
more than two but not many.
"the author of several books"
LMFAO! Because you can't even get the definition of the word "several" right, something a 3rd grader can do, I refuse to read your ignorant filled post that has been mis-proven many times now. Give me the back of your hand - there you go, I just gave you a pink little heart sticker! Now you'll need two more for "several" LMFAO!
this comment section is certainly something, lol
Remember that time Nintendo took Pikmin 3 off the WiiU e-shop, because it wanted to shovel this one for 3 times the price and hoping you would forget? Same with Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze.
Yup, that's Nintendo for ya.
@pikminlover I have thought about it. As I have said, it is dishonest if the editor purposefully modifies either the score, or the review, or both, just so it is consistent with a previous review of the original. You may disagree with that, and think the editor should do that or ask the reviewer to change the wording, and that is fine. But personally, if I knew that reviews were being changed in such a way for such a trivial reason, I would be even less inclined to trust any reviews.
@Sparrowhawk To be fair, I am fairly sure that both are back on the Wii U eShop. Pikmin 3 definitely is if nothing else, and still at the "Selects" price and I believe that was done a couple of weeks after people noticed it had disappeared. Maybe Nintendo were trying to be scummy, but the game is definitely there.
Sounds sloppy. 720p? I have it on Wii U and I find it hard to get into. I may revisit and try again.
Pikmin 3 is a wonderful, charming, action puzzle game. If you haven’t played it before, now’s your chance.
@Collette You've sort of answered the question for me: since nearly every Wii U port so far has had a resolution or framerate boost, there must be a good reason that Pikmin 3 didn't, otherwise (going by past releases) they'd have obviously done it.
Holy hell. Three of this review's twenty paragraphs are defending Nintendo pushing out an extremely lazy port that doesn't have at the very least a resolution boost. Pikmin 3 has superb graphics, but precisely because it ran at neither full resolution nor 60fps on the Wii U, it should be normal for the Switch version to have improved at least one of these aspects. This is how it works for any other company, except for Nintendo. Will Nintendo stop providing you with free video games if you stop kissing their behinds or what? It's even worse that, as you (Nintendo Life in general) have been doing increasingly over time, you bring up the bad anonymous internet boogeyman whose opinions are no good because they're real dumb, to place them against your enlightened "Nintendo could assassinate our entire families and desecrate their graves, and we'd write a glowing review about it" attitude. You could not be more pathetic.
This is a fine port bar the price. The only reason Mario Kart went to 1080p60 on Switch is because the Wii U edition was purposely held back to make the planned deluxe edition look better. Same goes for Zelda Wii U being purposely stripped of its Shiekah Slate mode.
Joguei no Wii U, mas adorarei jogar de novo
I didn't know how controls have improved. On Wii u you could play with the Wii remote and nunchuck.
In the EA fifa review comment section I was assured that nintendo life was impartial in their reviews yet here we are in a nintendo review justifying the poor resolution because of the difficulty it might have been toachieve. Then there is aglossing over howbig a deal it is. Finally nintendo life goes on to make it seem like those who are complaining are over reacting. Good work nintendolife I'd like games too if I gotfree review copies.
Would it have been nice to see a resolution or frame rate boost? Of course it would have – we’re a little disappointed too. But that’s all we are: a little disappointed. The way some people have been acting online it’s like Nintendo sent an army of Pikmin to their house and got them to carry their cat outside and launch it into a dumpster. Visual improvements would have been great, but it’s been improved in other areas and remains perfectly entertaining.
Any online mode to go with that co-op? No?
Now I have done a few hours on the Switch it actually plays quite well. Certainly not perfect, but solid. I'm kinda glad I decided to double dip actually. Youngest enjoying it but worries about losing Pikmin all the time, lol
@WaveWitch If you enjoyed the first NPC game in the series I would personally hate for you to miss out on NPC Pikmin 2. My favourite of the series and I think top 15 in my all time favourite Wii games. It was great on the Gamecube as well but the definitive version is the Wii one.
Played this recently, loved every second of it. Amazing game. And the weird thing is, back in the day I tried the first Pikmin two times and didn't like it. I don't know why. Anyway, downloaded Pikmin 1 and 2 on Wii u. I want to try out the second one soon.
And Pikmin 3 looks really nice, so I can only imagine how good Pikmin 4 will look. Looking forward to it!
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