Pikmin 1 And 2 Head To Nintendo Switch Today
Originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in 2001 as a launch title, strategy-puzzle game "Pikmin" was a big departure from any of Nintendo's established franchises, placing you in the role of a commander of a small army of helpful plant critters. Rather than taking action yourself, it was all about dividing up tasks and caring for your Pikmin as you quest to recover the parts of your broken rocket.
With the release of "Pikmin 4" right around the corner, it's a good time to try out the original games if you haven't yet — doubly so thanks to Nintendo's newest pair of HD ports. During the Nintendo Direct presentation today, alongside some new details on "Pikmin 4," Nintendo announced that HD versions of both "Pikmin" and "Pikmin 2" will be made available on the Nintendo Switch.
It is not clear whether these HD ports are fresh overhauls of the original GameCube games, or touch-ups of the ports that were released for the Nintendo Wii in 2008. Regardless, with these new ports, alongside the port of "Pikmin 3" released in 2020, it is now possible to enjoy the entire "Pikmin" series from the start on the your Nintendo Switch.
Pikmin and Pikmin 2 differences
The original "Pikmin" game focused on the stranded Captain Olimar, who makes use of the populations of red, blue, and yellow Pikmin to traverse the mysterious alien world his ship crashes on. Olimar has to find the ship's missing parts before his life support runs out.
"Pikmin 2" introduced Olimar's partner, Louie, who could be controlled by a second player for co-op play, as well as the heavy purple Pikmin and poisonous white Pikmin. Rather than recovering missing parts, the goal of "Pikmin 2" was to unearth valuable items from the alien world in order to pay off a debt.
The new versions of "Pikmin" and "Pikmin 2" will be available for digital download later today on the Nintendo Switch Shop, either separately for $29.99 each, or in a joint bundle for a discounted $49.99. Additionally, a physical version containing both games will be available for purchase from most major retailers starting September 22, 2023. For the record, "Pikmin 3 Deluxe" is currently available on the Switch in both digital and physical formats for $59.99, while "Pikmin 4" will be releasing next month on July 21.