Pikmin 4 is the most delightfully disturbing game I’ve ever played

OPINION: As someone that’s never picked up a Pikmin game before, I am shockingly happy to report that Pikmin 4 is one of the most adorable and creepy games I have played in a long time.

Nintendo’s various franchises – for the most part – all have the same thing in common; they’re incredibly adorable. Whether you’re watching Kirby plod along the green meadows of Pop Star in Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe or training up your blushing Pikachu in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Nintendo has mastered the concept of cuteness.

And Pikmin 4 is absolutely no exception. I’ve never played a Pikmin game before, but I have seen enough of the franchise to have an idea of what I was getting into. But after getting to preview the game with Nintendo last week, I am thrilled to say that this is a game with an edge, and it isn’t afraid to throw some pretty creepy imagery at the audience.

For the uninitiated, Pikmin 4 follows a group of travellers that are lost on a mysterious planet. Your character is tasked with rescuing the fallen crew, exploring the terrain and, of course, picking up as many Pikmin as you can along the way. These tiny little creatures help you take down enemies, search for treasure and solve puzzles, with more Pikmin allowing you to take on more tasks.

There is also Oatchi, the Rescue Pup. He is arguably one of the cutest parts of this game; with only two legs and no visible nose, this sweet little scamp can smash through obstacles, attack enemies and carry you and your entire Pikmin crew on his back.

This is all to say that I got very attached to my crew, both Oatchi and all of my Pikmin. Not only does Nintendo do a great job of supplementing new areas with more information on how you can use these allies for different tasks, but the start of the game puts a lot of emphasis on keeping your crew safe.

So at the start of my preview, I was feeling pretty confident. Oatchi was by my side and I had around 10 Red Pikmin following behind me, when all of a sudden, I heard a brutal yelp. Unbeknownst to me, this game has no problem killing off your Pikmin, and it’s not necessarily nice about it either. Pikmin can drown, burn, freeze or just get eaten up by the plethora of enemies you meet along the way.

The first time this happened, I was treated to a lovely cutaway of my Pikmin screaming in terror, with the rest of my crew informing me of how to get them to safety; the answer being to almost always whistle them back over. Not only that, but my crew then came up with witty remarks such as “Is that the sound of a Pikmin screaming?”, as the ghost of my fallen buddy descended off-screen.

More upsettingly, Oatchi can suffer the same fate. Unlike the Pikmin, he gets knocked out instead of being killed off, but it doesn’t make the cutscenes of him yelping and failing around in the water any easier to deal with. My experiences here were all limited to the first level, Sun-Speckled Terrace, but I can only imagine what horrors await in the rest of the game.

All of this is wonderfully contrasted by the colourful level design, energetic music and endearing characters. During the preview, it was stated that Nintendo is trying to create a relaxing experience for gamers, with this entry specifically being tailored to coax new players into the franchise.

As a new player, I think that this has been done brilliantly. Unlike Kirby’s Return to Dream Land and other cutesy Nintendo games, there is a genuine level of stress involved in keeping your Pikmin and trusty dog safe. Not only does this result in some hilarious moments, but it makes the game worlds more engaging than I ever expected.

Pikmin 4 isn’t doing anything groundbreaking, but I am genuinely thrilled to see such an objectively sweet-looking game giving players something to worry about. That added layer of stress is part of the reason why I’m still playing along well after my preview session and, currently, loving every minute. Keep an eye out for my full review in the coming weeks.