Hey! Pikmin
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Hey! Pikmin Trailers
Critic Reviews for Hey! Pikmin
This basic puzzle-platformer captures none of the depth and panic of Miyamoto's surreal strategy games, but a good deal of the charm.
Hey! Pikmin has its moments. The stages have some neat but simple puzzles, the visuals and music are solid, the inherent cute charm of Pikmin's weird alien worlds is on full display, and discovering treasures based on common household items – and seeing Olimar's confused interpretations of them – is always good for a smile. However, the lax difficulty, slow pace, and repetitive structure drag it down quite a bit. There's not a lot of meat to Hey! Pikmin, which is disappointing when compared to the required skill and replayability of the console Pikmin games. It's good for a playthrough, but this is a voyage I can't see myself taking again.
Nintendo transforms its beloved 3D strategy game into a side-scroller in Hey! Pikmin for the 3DS, and while there is fun too be had, it's a little simple in its execution.
Olimar's latest adventure isn't difficult, but it feels tedious
Olimar and his Pikmin are back for another charming adventure, but don't expect it to be as challenging as its console counterparts.
Hey! Pikmin did exactly what it needed to do, without extending itself any further. It gave me a series of interesting places, a series of clever puzzles, a series of cute vignettes and soft storybook scenery. The worst thing to say about Hey! Pikmin is, simultaneously, a recommendation — it's perfectly pleasant, well-rounded, and didn't leave me dying for more.
For fans of the series Hey! Pikmin will undoubtedly be tempting, and it also serves as a cute and accommodating introduction to the franchise for 3DS owners. Despite its strong points, though, it has that feel of a 'second-tier' Nintendo release, not helped by the limitations that 2D play places on the core concept. It's solid but a tad uninspiring, fun but unsurprising, accessible but lacking in witty design. The best Nintendo games achieve the high points with no sacrifices, but it's here that Hey! Pikmin falls slightly short.Ultimately it's a decent game, and younger gamers in particular - or those that want a gentle introduction to Pikmin - will likely get the most pleasure and mileage out of it. For everyone else it's worth going in with sensible expectations.
Hey! Pikmin isn't a long game but throughout it'll capture your heart just as regularly as Olimar captures Pikmin.
