Pikmin 4 vs Pikmin 3: What’s changed?

Pikmin is finally back with the release of Pikmin 4.

This edition brought about many changes to the franchise and is available on the Nintendo Switch family of consoles, including the Switch OLED and Switch Lite. 

Pikmin 3 graced our screens ten years ago and was released on the Nintendo Wii U. We want to take a closer look at these two titles and see all the core differences and if the latest Pikmin game has changed for the better, or the worse.

Keep reading to find out how these games diverge so you can decide which game you want to play more. 

Pikmin 4 comes with Oatchi the Rescue Pup

One of the biggest upgrades to Pikmin 4 is the introduction of Oatchi, the Rescue Pup. Oatchi is originally from the planet Giya and is described as a Grub-dog. Players meet Oatchi at the very beginning of the game and he helps them along on their journey. 

Oatchi can be used alongside Pikmin to pick up treasure, take down enemies and even sniff out missing crew members. Players can even upgrade Oatchi over the course of the game using Pup Points; these points can make him stronger, faster and more resistant to damage, making him a vital member of the crew. 

Pikmin 3 does not come with Oatchi or any other Rescue Pup to aid players on their journey. Our review claims that Oatchi is extremely cute and constantly offers an adorable helping paw and we imagine he would be sorely missed when returning to the previous game. 

Pikmin 4 has more Pikmin

Pikmin 4 introduces two new Pikmin. The third instalment of the game came with seven different Pikmin types, including Yellow, Red, Blue, Winged, Rock, Purple and White. 

Pikmin 4 adds two new members to the team, Ice and Glow Pikmin. Ice Pikmin can freeze water and can freeze certain types of enemies. Not only does this make them vital in battles, but it allows non-water-type Pikmin to cross bodies of water.

Glow Pikmin only appear in Nighttime Expeditions, but can also be used in caves during Daytime missions; they can fly and groups of them can transform into large, green orbs which cause massive damage to nearby enemies.

Night-time Expeditions in Pikmin 4

Pikmin 3 allowed the player to roam around in the daytime. Tasks included finding treasure, fighting off rivals and building up reserves for your crew. 

Pikmin 4 includes many of these mechanics, but it also introduces a new type of level: Night-time Expeditions. These levels take place at night in the same core areas as the Daytime Expeditions, but the gameplay is completely revamped.

The goal is to harvest Glow Sap by protecting structures called Lumiknolls; enemies will go out of their way to attack the player and the Lumiknoll, so you have to make sure that you have enough Glow Pikmin to warn them off. 

Pikmin 4 has no overall time limit

The very first Pikmin game came with a strict 30-day time limit. Pikmin 3 eased up on this mechanic somewhat by instead requiring players to collect reserves to keep their crew alive. Players need to find fruit each day to keep going, and if they happen to run out, then it’s game over. 

Pikmin 4 does not have a strict time limit, nor does it demand you collect reserves to keep your crew alive. This means players are able to come back and replay levels as many times as they want. It’s even possible to rewind time if you made a costly mistake that you want to fix.

There is a time limit for each day in Pikmin 4, with players needing to return to their base before sundown to ensure that they aren’t snapped up by enemies. However, this time limit was also present in Pikmin 3, making its successor more laid back in tone and adding another layer of replayability to each save file.