For the past few weeks, there have been rumours swirling around about a few more Wii U ports coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2020. Which ones are they, though? Last week, Peer Schneider, the co-founder and Chief Content Officer at IGN said one is a "nine out of the 10" and the other is about a six. One of these games is also believed to be a real-time strategy title.
Pikmin 3 falls under this genre and it happens to be one of the most-wanted Wii U ports. It should come as no surprise then that the internet has been searching high and low for any sign of a Pikmin 3 re-release, or a new entry in the much-loved series.
Now, LootPots.com has discovered the official Pikmin 3 website for North America has been taken down after six years of service. This actually happened at some point last year, but it's only been spotted recently and is now being used to fuel speculation that the third game is making a comeback. The last recorded snapshot of the website was in November 2019.
A lot of fans are now hopeful the website's removal could be in preparation for an upcoming announcement. In saying this, it's worth pointing out that the official Pikmin 3 websites are still accessible in certain other countries, like Japan. One final thing to consider is the fact out-of-date websites get taken down all the time and it might not necessarily mean anything at all.
Would you like to see a Pikmin 3 port for the Switch? Is this a sign? Tell us what you think below.
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 60
Pikmin Trilogy instead? That might be why they waited to port it.
Pikmin 3 DX with new features and a teaser for Pikmin 4 later this year?
Either way, I'm all for Pikmin coming back. Even though I absolutely suck at the game. Like, holy crap I am bad at it. Like, you'd all be laughing at me and I would deserve it, bad.
I wonder whats taking so long for Pikmin 4
Might be in the minority with this statement... and it’s a bold one! Buuuut... I’d much rather have a Pikmin trilogy release than Pikmin 4 at the moment. 😬
Would love pikmin 4 but pikmin 3 is fine tho doesn’t really get me excited. If it’s a pikmin trilogy, would be a great deal but Nintendo.
Just another Mario kart 8 situation where we will see pikmin 4 on the next Nintendo system
God I hope we get both a trilogy and Pikmin 4. This is my absolute favourite franchise when it’s done well.
@Heavyarms55 oh man, imagine if it were all 3. That would be amazing. I check for pikmin 4 news every day.....
I could see myself paying for the Pikmin Trilogy. Just Pikmin 3 I can play on my Wii U. Though I will highly recommend it to others.
Pikmin 3 would be nice, but it needs to offer more than just a simple port. Extra levels or something - not just the HD videos! - should go with it if Nintendo wants us to pay $60 all over again. I'm not holding my breath about a Pikmin trilogy release. Nintendo just doesn't like our money THAT much!
Sigh... Rumours, rumours, rumours.
@Cartune
Not sure how Pikmin 3 can be improved upon.
Luigi's Mansion 3 kind of feels the same way.
@iLikeUrAttitude Dunno. It looks like the Pikmin team just got done with Mario Maker 2 last year so maybe they’re working on Pikmin 4 now..
Honestly I just don’t think Pikmin 3 would work well given that it was designed with the Wii U control scheme in mind.
@Incoherent1 So we're Lego City Undercover, ZombiU (it's in the name), Zelda BotW and Splatoon which has a very similar sequel on Switch.
Also, Pikmin 1 and 2 were pre Wii U.
Also, Pikmin 3 was playable only on the Gamepad, so 1 screen.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/02/pikmin_3_will_allow_for_gamepad_only_play
I liked using the Gamepad and I miss it, but it's not an obstacle to porting a game from Wii U to Switch.
They need to deluxe the shizz out of this game if it’s release delays the next sequel
I’ve been thinking of replaying the series and a trilogy would really be coming at the perfect time for me, I’d pay for that. Assuming it’s soon anyways.
Aren’t Wonderful 101 and Pikmin both real time strategies, as it was not clear whether the 6 or 9 was the real time strategy
Back in 2015, they said Pikmin 4 was almost finished. Then nothing happened since then.
Maybe they thought it's not worth releasing for Wii U, and re-developed it for Switch. But why it took so long? Could it be an open world Pikmin like BotW?
@NoTinderLife We could be hopeful, but I think Pikmin 4 may have become Hey Pikmin, if it was 'nearing completion' in '15, and released in '17, it would make sense.
@Incoherent1 Not sure why you think it would not work. Instead of using the nunchucks you use the joy cons... what's so hard about that?
Not sure I need all 3 Pikmin games. It's not as if the title has a highly engaging story to follow across the titles.
I adored Pikmin 1 and 2 on the GameCube. I bought Pikmin 3 on Wii U, but I never played it. It would make complete sense for it to come to Switch.
I picked up Pikmin 3 on WiiU for $10 recently, so I’m in no rush to rebuy. Pikmin trilogy on the other hand would be a day one purchase.
@Joekun pikmin 3's mission mode is fantastic fun my dude
I would rather have Mario 3D World Deluxe over this.
@kepsux Nice! I JUST finished Bloodstained about an hour ago, maybe Pikmin 3 will be my next game.
@DavidMac same - I have 1 and 3 on my Wii U and can get 2 for £16
The other game Peer discussed is Star Fox Zero
I’ve only played about six engaging minutes of Pikmin before, so would love 1-3 on the Switch! Or bring it to the NSO if that’s still a thing (I last used it months ago...)
A Pikmin trilogy on the Switch would be a Day 1 purchase for me, love the franchise.
Never owned a wii u so these ports on switch is amazing
NoA websites get taken down all the time. Now the Japanese versions seem to live forever. There are even still a ton of GCN websites.
Here is Chibi-Robo https://www.nintendo.co.jp/ngc/ggtj/
Pikmin 3 is a fantastic game but one issue they defenately need to address is a left handed mode. All they needed to do was allow you swap over the shoulder buttons from left to right. I found it so hard as a "dirty leftie" to use the stylus in my right hand. It didnt feel natural at all. I think I had an even harder time with wonderful 101. Try telling a leftie to draw a neat circle or sword shape with their right hand 😂
So, why does IGN's Chief Content Officer know which ones they are? 🤔
PS: I hope is Pikmin as well. Either 3, 4 or that Trilogy thingy
Pikmin triology, hell yeah!!!
@rjejr I didn't say anything about Pikmin 1 & 2, but I think those would be great to remaster and bring to the Switch!
Pikmin 3 was most certainly not Gamepad only (I actually preferred playing it with a Wii controller and Nunchuck). I'm sure others disagree with good reason, but my point is that they'd need to rethink the control scheme and/or shoehorn the Joycons into a new role — why both? Why not remaster 1 & 2 or just release 4?
As I recall, ZombiU was not well received on PS4 or XB. Splatoon kind of makes my point that they're better off making a new game than adapting an old one — they didn't rerelease the same game on Switch.
Either way, Nintendo is gonna do their own thing, as always. Will be fun to see regardless — I'll just be happy to see any Pikmin activity on Switch
@Incoherent1 Pikmin 3 wasn't "Gamepad only" but you could play it "Gamepad only" simply by hitting the minus button.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/633263-pikmin-3/66915049
So, if you COULD play it Gamepad only, then you CAN play it on the Switch.
As for all those game snot selling well, well who was buying Wii U games on the PS4 or Xbox anyway?
And yes, Splatoon 2 is a NEW Spaltoon game, but it's based on the old game which REQUIRED the Gamepad, and Spaltoon 2 didn't, so Pikmin 3 probably wouldn't require it either w/o too much effort on their part. But it would still be the same game, just the Gamepad only version.
And nto saying it would be better w/ only 1 screen, I like multiple screens, but it would be playable. That's why I brought up Pikmin 1 and 2, they were both Pikmin games playable with only 1 screen and normal controls. Then they updated them to "New control" which allowed for Wiimote usage, which made the games better. But you can still play them without Wiimotes.
@rjejr I disagree with the assertion that a Gamepad only mode = Switch compatible; that doesn't click for me given the factors like docked mode on Switch, stylus with the Gamepad, etc.
But anyway, no need to split hairs. I think we'll all be happy with some Pikmin — any Pikmin — on Switch. Hopefully it happens!
@rjejr IMHO the gamepad wasn't even useful on Pikmin 3. Miyamoto encouraged using Wii controllers (I didn't), and the whole Gamepad functionality was limited to showing two things at once, but in a context you couldn't really watch 2 things at once....mapping it to Select (-) wouldn't even be so different.
@Incoherent1 If controls allow gamepad only, why wouldn’t you be able to play docked with either the pro controller or joycons? It’s not like you need touch screen controls. I’ve played every Pikmin game with every control scheme available. Some are better than others, but all work just fine. Pikmin 3 could play just fine with just a traditional type of controller.
@Flipbot Not saying you couldn't, just that I don't think it'd be ideal
@NEStalgia I liked sitting the Gamepad down and having the map always on it while I played w/ the Wiimote Plus and Nunchuck.
@rjejr Yeah, that's how you were intended to play it, too. Still, unlike a DS with both screens right there, I'm not sure the brain was really able to focus on both displays at once....so flipping between the displays on button press, as Splatoon was changed to do, I'm not sure would affect gameplay very meaningfully.
@NEStalgia I still haven't' played Splatoon 2 beyond maybe a demo or test or something, my library's copy got borrowed and never returned, but I figure if it can work on Splatoon it can work on Pikmin 3. Or Pikmin 4, where that is 4 years after being nearly complete.
@rjejr Please understand...
If Pikmin 2, 3 or 4 have added online battles then my life is complete.
If we don’t get a Pikmin 4 this year, I don’t think it’s real. And if it is, it wasn’t nearly as far along as we suspected. I know what Miamoyto said, but I’m wondering if he was referencing Hey Pikmin on 3DS instead.
@MoonKnight7 we might not if people keep spoiling stuff so let's hope people be smart soon..
if its not Pikmin 4 I think people are going to be really mad
@MoonKnight7 "if he was referencing Hey Pikmin on 3DS instead"
I had 1 of my usual overly excessive posts the other day, which finally lead me to believe Hey! Pikmin was never the Pikmin 4 that Miyamato was talking about and Nintneod just likes to drive me mad. I think somebody told me they Pikmin 4 team went on to make Animal Crossing instead.
Post #74 about halfway down the comments.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2020/01/ign_founder_offers_hint_at_one_of_the_rumoured_wii_u_ports_coming_to_switch
Relevant bits:
Pikmin 4 timeline for those out of the loop.
Sept 2015 "close to completion"
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/09/pikmin_4_is_very_close_to_completion_though_its_platform_is_unclear
June 2016 at E3 "still in development"
https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/07/07/miyamoto-pikmin-4-fell-down-list-of-priorities-but-is-still-in-development
June 2017 at E3 "it's progressing"
https://www.polygon.com/e3/2017/6/14/15804766/pikmin-4-update
And for those like me who have been arguing Hey! Pikmin on 3DS was actually the game Miyamoto was talking about in 2015 and 2016, well Hey! Pikmin released in July 2017 and in June 2017 he said Pikmin 4 was still progressing so he must have meant it wasn't Hey! Pikmin, which was announced in September 2016.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2016/09/a_new_pikmin_game_is_coming_to_3ds
@NEStalgia That should be the subtitle of the new game -
Pikmin 4: Please Understand
@rjejr Wasn't that the subtitle for Hey! Pikmin already?
@rjejr
Ah that makes some sense. I mean it’s been so long that everything is starting to mix together.
@MoonKnight7 If only Nintendo had some way, like a video they could make, where they directly told us what they were doing.
@NEStalgia No, I think it was -
Hey! Pikmin: We're Not Pikmin 4
@rjejr Unless it was Hey! Pikmin: We're not Pikmin 4: Yes we really are! Or is that for the Switch port?
@NEStalgia Switch port title. Definitely the Switch port title.
But only b/c "Hey! Pikmin: We Were Pikmin 4 But Then We Weren't But Now We Are Again DX" is too long to fit on the box.
@rjejr If Guilty Gear and BlazBlue can fit their titles on the box *SO CAN PIKMIN!
@NEStalgia But Nintneod has already established Pikmin has a very big font.
Man, just saw that 3DS box art, Nintendo went all out on the Hey! in Hey! Pikmin, comic dialogue cloud, really?
@DavidMac technically you can play Pikmin 1 and 2 on your Wii U as they both had Wii releases.
@Incoherent1 Pikmin 3 certainly is GamePad only. That's pretty much the only way I play it.
Port incoming.
In retrospect, we now know that the website was taken down because of the port. I'll keep this in mind the next time a subdomain gets suddenly taken down.
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