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, Shigeru Miyamoto, discussed what Pikmin as a series means to him:
Miamoto on What Pikmin Means to Him:
Shigeru Miyamoto: I’ve been saying for a long time that Pikmin games tend to stand out due to their world and characters, but I think they’re also interesting as a game genre. Furthermore, I want people to have this real sense that Pikmin are all around us, that they aren’t just fantasy creatures. Pikmin have no set age or nationality. They have a unique presence as creatures that exist somewhere on Earth. That’s not the case with Mario. We know he’s of Italian descent in the movie, but it’s not like you can bump into him walking down the street, because he lives in the world of Mario. (Laughs) In fact, I consider Pikmin to be Nintendo’s most global characters. Since the promotional campaign we launched over ten years ago, we’ve been saying, “Pikmin are all around us”. I think we’ve finally reached a point where people can find Pikmin in various places, not just in their imaginations. I hope more and more people become aware of Pikmin and play Pikmin games.
Absolutely. I consider video games to be just one of the worlds in which Pikmin live, while other Pikmin inhabit our reality. Right now, you can find Pikmin in Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood.
You can find them in the official Nintendo stores in Japan too. The single-flower vase is perfect for Pikmin. (Laughs)
I’d be thrilled if Pikmin cropped up in everyday conversation, like, “I wonder if Blue Pikmin will come out if it rains”, or “Do you think there are lots of Pikmin in Nintendo’s headquarters?”
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
