With Pikmin 4 releasing nearer to the end of this week, Nintendo has seen to it to make sure Pikmin 4 was the latest game to get the “Ask the Developer” interview treatment. Across the interview’s multiple instalments, we got to hear from the likes of Shigeru Miyamoto, Yuji Kando and more.
During the interview, Yuji Kando, Yutaka Hiramuki, Mitsushiro Kida, Taku Matoba and Shigeru Miyamoto, all mentioned in detail, their hopeful outcomes for Pikmin 4:
Pikmin Devs on their Hopeful Outcome for Pikmin 4:
Mitsushiro Kida: I think lots of people know Pikmin as characters, but have never played the games before. I’m sure some people are fans of Pikmin because of the merchandise, but I think Pikmin are at their most charming when they’re moving around in the game. The sound team also put their all into creating sound expressions that best convey that charm in this title. Those of you who might feel intimidated by the mainline Pikmin games can enjoy the game simply by observing the world and listening to the sounds made by Pikmin, so I hope you won’t hesitate to give it a try. And while enjoying the world of Pikmin, it would be great if you discovered the fun of Dandori without even realising it.
Taku Matoba: Actually, I’ve also played and completed this game multiple times for testing purposes. Not as many as Kando-san. He’s done 20 playthroughs. (Laughs) Testing usually feels tough from the second playthrough onwards, but I never got tired of this game, no matter how many playthroughs I did. I was able to move forward in the game while thinking, “Maybe I’ll give this a go next time”, and things like that. I’m proud of the work that went into creating a game that can be enjoyed over and over again. If I can add one more thing, each time you complete a series of treasure by collecting them all, you’ll get to see something special. I hope everyone will do their best to collect all of them.
Yutaka Hiramuki: We talked earlier about the battle between Pikmin 1 people and Pikmin 2 people, but I think this has become the Pikmin game I’d like newcomers to play as their first in the series. The planet where Pikmin live is a mysterious one that shows a different side of itself with every visit, but this time players arrive in an age with the strongest traces of past civilisations. You’ll be seeing plenty of familiar things that will help you feel closer to Pikmin than ever before. The story is something newcomers to the series can understand and enjoy even if they don’t know the previous games, but existing fans can enjoy it even more. You actually get a glimpse of the scary side of the Pikmin world, too. (Laughs)
Yuji Kando: Although it’s the fourth mainline game in the series, I also hope new players will give it a try. But that’s not to say we’ve forgotten about existing fans. I did 20 playthroughs while testing the game, and Matoba-san…seems to have done a bit less. (Laughs) But even the developers, as Pikmin fans ourselves, can say that we were able to put together everything nicely so that those who have played the previous titles will be satisfied once they get their hands on it. It also has plenty of content, so I recommend aiming for 100% completion. And it’s got a feature called Pebble Pitcher. If someone who’s just watching another person play the game thinks it looks fun, they can grab a Joy-Con controller and join the action to cause a little chaos. I hope parents will use it to lend their kids a hand if they get stuck.
Shigeru Miyamoto: Pebble Pitcher came up just now, but I’d love to see this game being played in the living room. Just watching the gameplay is fun in itself, so I’d be pleased if mums and dads jump in and chat about it with their kids. And above all, by mastering Pikmin, you’ll obtain Dandori skills that aren’t taught in school! (Laughs) Nintendo often creates games that require some thinking to progress, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is another example of that. So I’d encourage parents not to dismiss Pikmin simply because it’s a video game, but to enjoy it together in the living room to make it a common topic of conversation.
For the full interview, why not click here to check out Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4 – Chapter 1Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4 – Chapter 3.
Ask the Developer | Pikmin 4 (Participating Developers)
- Shigeru Miyamoto | Representative Director Fellow
- Yuji Kando | Entertainment Planning & Development Department, Production Group No.10
- Yutaka Hiramuki | Entertainment Planning & Development Department, Production Group No.10
- Taku Matoba | Entertainment Planning & Development Department, Production Group No.10
- Mitsuhiro Kida | Entertainment Planning & Development Department, Sound Management Group
