Having Pikmin 1 on Switch is Fantastic

When Pikmin 4 launches in just a few weeks all console Pikmin titles will now be available on the Nintendo Switch, and more Pikmin fans that’s pretty amazing. However, sometimes going back to old games isn’t as glamorous as you might want, so does Pikmin hit the right cords to give you those nostalgic feelings AND still play decently well? Let’s take a look.

Pikmin is running in 1080p when docked, and in 720p when handheld. You’d be forgiven if you wondered if anything has changed since the GameCube launch because there doesn’t appear to be a lot of graphical changes in the game outside of it now being available in wide screen. Kudos here to Nintendo, though, as the image doesn’t appear to be stretched to accommodate that wide screen look.

There has been some upscaling on the character models, and those do look just a bit better than they did back on the Nintendo GameCube, but that upscaling doesn’t impact the environments in anyway (and in fact, might instead highlight their blockiness). If you are lookin gift a Metroid Prime level remaster here, you are going to be disappointed – this isn’t it, but it also doesn’t really need to be.

Pikmin controls and plays just as well as it did so many years ago on the Nintendo GameCube, and picking up the controller for the first time with this release brought back so many positive memories. Gathering up those Pikmin into the Onion for the first time was so nostalgic, and every bit of the game I played brought back positive memories. I continued to say, “Oh I remember doing this!” over and over again.

What I enjoy most about this rerelease is that I can share it with my kids. Lochlan, who is only 9, has no recollection of PIkmin 1 and 2 – he’s never played them before. To be able to introduce them to him on the Nintendo Switch is phenomenal, and it has already created some amazing father-son moments. It is funny, however, to get his take on the game and the way it plays.

“This doesn’t look very good dad. It’s fun, but looks so bad.”

Well Lochlan, that’s how GameCube games looked, my son!

The only downside to Pikmin getting rereleased? That 30 day window to beat the game is atrocious, and I wish it didn’t exist!