Highlights
- Pikmin 4 introduces new Pikmin types and a customizable protagonist, along with exciting changes to the core gameplay loop.
- The Onion in Pikmin 4 is one of the best changes to date, with notable differences in unlocking Pikmin that adds challenge and modernizes the game.
- The new Flarlics in Pikmin 4 increase the player's party size and provide a unique progression system, adding to the enjoyment of the game.
Nintendo tries to shake up the formula a bit with each Pikmin game, and Pikmin 4 is no different. Not only does the game introduce new Pikmin types and the franchise's first-ever customizable protagonist, but it also features a plethora of exciting changes to the core gameplay loop. While most of these changes are minor, Pikmin 4 also makes some major changes to the Onion that need to be carried over to future games.
Onions play a key role throughout the Pikmin series, but Nintendo has not really decided how it wants them to work. Almost every game changes them a bit, and Pikmin 4's version may be one of the best changes to date. While it works remarkably similarly to Pikmin 3's iteration, there are still some notable differences with unlocking Pikmin that really help set it apart. It is a welcome change that keeps it a challenge while also modernizing it, and that only makes Pikmin 4 stronger.
Pikmin 4's Onion is the Best One Yet
Since the very first Pikmin, Onions have served as a vital part of the gameplay loop. Not to be confused with the food, these Onions are the nests of the various Pikmin types. Each type has its own nest, and it is up to the player to find them all. They are often scattered around the game world and require a puzzle to unlock. As players discover them, they can build up their Pikmin armies so that they can conquer even greater foes.
Pikmin and Pikmin 2 gave each Pikmin type their own unique Onion that sat by the player's landing site. The colors of the Onions correspond to the type of Pikmin they produce, and each one was propped up by three skinny legs that helped keep it above the ground. They were discovered around the world and each was unlocked just by approaching it. Once they were unlocked, they would join the rest of the Onions and could start spawning their Pikmin type if supplied with the correct plant.
Pikmin 3 removed the individual Onions and replaced them with one big Onion. Players still had to solve a puzzle to unlock them, but the puzzles were more unique. Unlocked Onions would then merge together at the end of the day into one giant universal Onion. It would take on the form of a more machine-like Onion with swirling colors representing the Pikmin it could spawn. This made Pikmin management a lot easier, but it lost a bit of its uniqueness in the process.
Pikmin 4 took Pikmin 3's version and expanded upon it greatly. There is still only one universal Onion, but unlocking new ones works a bit differently. Instead of just solving a puzzle, players must actually make their Pikmin carry new Onions back to the main one before they can use it. Once the new Onion arrives, it will merge with the main one and the new color will appear as a small segment. Eventually, this plant-like ship will look like a rainbow Onion that spews all sorts of Pikmin.
Pikmin 4 also features a new type of Onion known as a Flarlic. Flarlics are smaller colorless Onions that are also strewn about the world. Instead of giving players new Pikmin, Flarlics increase the player's party size. This helps give players a reason to explore every single inch of the level and also gives Pikmin 4 a unique progression system that other games did not have.
Pikmin 4's Onion is not only very convenient but unlocking new Pikmin is also a bit more challenging. This makes the feature a lot of fun, and the unique plant-based aesthetic of the ship only makes it better. While Nintendo will likely change it again for the eventual Pikmin 5, hopefully it builds upon Pikmin 4's version instead of throwing it away for something new.
Pikmin 4 is available now on Switch.
