It’s been close to a decade since we’ve received a new Pikmin game. In fact, the franchise skipped an entire console generation with the Wii (unless you count the Gamecube re-releases), but such a long wait did not go without reward. There was cause for excitement when Pikmin 3 was unveiled at E3 2012, and even more so when it was clear it was the pet project of series creator and renowned designer Shigeru Miyamoto.
And to little surprise, the game is wonderful. It’s the most mechanically refined Pikmin experience to date, with charming new Pikmin types to command, comical main characters to play, frantic multiplayer to partake in and a gorgeous new coat of high-def paint to tantalize your eyes.
And despite an underwhelming conclusion to an excitedly climactic story build-up, Pikmin 3 stands as not only one of the Wii U’s finest games, but one of Shigeru Miyamoto’s as well.