So on a whim, I decided to try the port of Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2 on Switch. I am very passionate about these games, and know them like the back of my hand, playing and completing each version multiple times. I have a problem. With these new ports, I was naturally curious about how these would run, and also how well they’d hold up today, since it has been a hot minute since my last playthroughs.
For the most part, these versions of the game are more or less the same games. Both games still have their same mechanics, design, upscale graphics, and even the same glitches are here too. The key difference is that they’ve added modern features, mainly found in Pikmin 4. Pikmin 4 has this hybrid of control schemes, where in the overworld, your cursor remains stagnant, with the ability to lock on to targets too. Only when you whistle or throw Pikmin, is when motion controls are enabled, for a more precise kind of input. Pikmin 1 + 2 uses the same idea. The only problem, and the biggest problem with this new control scheme, is that there’s no lock-on feature. So you have to precisely aim your cursors onto enemies, ship parts, and treasure. And as I’m sure every fan of motion controls knows, if you need to mash a button while aiming with motion controls, you’re shaking the controller to press the button over and over, which means it’ll be harder to aim. This meant I played both games with just the stick.
Now for hot take time: I actually prefer the old GameCube style controls more than the pointer controls on Wii. I know I’m in the minuscule minority with this one, but that’s just how I preferred these games. I grew up with both games on GameCube, and when Pikmin 3 came out, I had to play with the GamePad and the GamePad only. Pikmin 4 nailed the mixture of practicality with the GameCube controls, and the precision and easiness of the motion controls, but that’s because the game was built with that control scheme in mind. Forcing these controls into Pikmin 1 + 2 doesn’t feel right. You can thankfully turn this off, but perhaps if they had kept the lock-on feature, or tweaked it to be less sensitive, then this might’ve been a great addition to the game.
Other than that, these games are still fantastic. Pikmin 1 was tense, challenging, but super rewarding if you can pull off Dandori to its fullest. With tons of replay value, trying to beat the game in less and less days makes for one of the best games in the series, with the first entry alone. Pikmin 2 is… a change. Two playable captains and removing the time limit made for a game with better management and planning, and the areas you explore are, in my opinion, the best areas out of them all in the series. Yeah the game still has its awful RNG filled caves, throwing bomb rocks at you left and right, and enemies that will make you reset the game because they kill 80% of your squadron. Despite this however, I have such a soft spot for this game. I like it more than Pikmin 1 because despite all the unfair rules the game throws at you, I still think it’s a step up from the original game, making it bigger and better in many (not all) ways. But can I say these are the best ways to play these classics?
I actually don’t find these games to be the definitive versions of Pikmin 1 and 2. These are absolutely the most convenient way to play, and not bad versions at all. If you want to start the series, you can easily start with the Switch versions. The entire series is on Switch, so it’s easy to pick up (we aren’t counting Hey Pikmin, I don’t like Hey Pikmin). I would say the Wii versions are the best ways to play, since they have the new play controls and all that. Plus, it might just be a me thing, but I had some weird performance issues. Pikmin 2 especially ran at 30 fps, had some glitches I’ve never seen before, and just felt off. But nonetheless, these are two great games every Nintendo fan should play, and now’s the best time to get into one of the goats of Nintendo franchises.