Highlights
- Oatchi, the new dog-like companion in Pikmin 4, is a game-changer that adds depth and excitement to the core gameplay loop.
- Oatchi's abilities, upgrade track, and usefulness in various situations make it an adorable and crucial ally for players.
- Oatchi's inclusion in Pikmin 4 is a risky move by Nintendo, but it has paid off as fans quickly fall in love with it, making it a core part of the gameplay loop.
It seemed like the Pikmin series' core gameplay was already well-defined, but Nintendo wanted to shake things up a bit with Pikmin 4. Not only did the studio introduce the game's first customizable character and added the brand-new Ice Pikmin mix, but it also threw in an adorable new creature known as Oatchi. This dog-like creature changes the core gameplay loop drastically, and Pikmin 4 players may not know what to do without it.
Oatchi seems to be one of the biggest selling points of this new Pikmin game, and it does a wonderful job of that. Its abilities help make the puzzles a bit more interesting, it can speed up travel immensely, its upgrade track gives players something new to work towards, and it serves as an adorable companion throughout the story. While it felt like there was no room in the Pikmin franchise for another trusty ally, Nintendo has proved everyone wrong with Oatchi, and hopefully, it will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Oatchi Was a Great Addition to the Pikmin Series
Before Oatchi, players only used Pikmin to help them get through the game world. Three games put the Pikmin front and center, but Nintendo made it pretty clear that it wanted to change that with Pikmin 4. Most of the trailers for the game put Oatchi at the forefront, and it featured prominently in most of the promotional art. It seemed like Nintendo had big plans for this dog, and it seems to have paid off.
Introducing a game-changing feature like Oatchi after three games is a risky move, but Pikmin fans everywhere have quickly fallen in love with it. It is not only extremely adorable, but it is also very useful for almost every single aspect of the game. Players can use it as a mount, it can take the place of Pikmin, and it can also be a crucial ally in every fight. It is as loyal as a dog, but may be a bit more useful than one.
One of the best parts of Oatchi is the upgrade track that Nintendo included. Throughout Pikmin 4, players can collect upgrade points known as Pup Drive. Pup Drive is earned when players save castaways, and then it can be spent at the Rescue Corps landing site to make Oatchi stronger. Players can increase its strength, attack power, and healing factor. They can also unlock abilities that let it pluck Pikmin, swim through water, and even collect stray Pikmin throughout the game world. As players upgrade Oatchi, they can also unlock even stronger versions of these various abilities. Almost every core ability has a more powerful version and unlocking them all can make Oatchi virtually unstoppable.
Players also have the ability to actually control Oatchi directly whenever they want. This not only lets them run around as a fluffy dog, but it also gives them a second commander if they need one. This makes some puzzles so much easier and can also help speed up various tasks as the day timer ticks down. While controlling the main character is usually better, Oatchi is also an extremely useful protagonist in many situations.
Oatchi seems like a fantastic addition to the formula and one that every future Pikmin title needs. Since it is so useful, it feels strange going back to past Pikmin games before Oatchi was created. Nintendo has made it such a core part of the gameplay loop that Pikmin fans may not know what to do without it, and hopefully, future games lean into this too.
Pikmin 4 is available now on Switch
