Hey! Pikmin Reviews
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.
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.
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.
Hey! Pikmin is an incredibly fun platformer that's easy to pick up and doesn't take a ton of hours to finish like many games that have come out this year. While I was able to get through the game in a couple of days, reaching 100% completion on each level will take some time and serious dedication. Fans of older Pikmin titles and even Nintendo 3DS owners that have never tried the series before are in for a treat with Hey! Pikmin — I highly recommend it.
A new Pikmin for a new generation of players that haven't had the chance to try this adorable vegetables. It may not be the prettiest or more varied Pikmin game out there, but still retain the series' fun.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Hey! Pikmin is a different, funny, clever and heartwarming Pikmin game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Hey! Pikmin is a little too simplistic for its own good, especially early on, but Arzest does a fantastic job of distilling what makes this series so special into bite-sized chunks. The transition cutscenes that play out like physical comedy shorts and the adorable little noises really sell it.
Much like Chibi Robo! Zip Lash was a bit of a flop in converting a primarily 3D franchise into 2D, Hey! Pikmin makes errors of its own. While the antics of the Pikmin seen in the levels are adorable and the game is visually pleasing, I just couldn't get over the way the Pikmin behaved when I was playing. It's otherwise a rather bland and forgettable adventure that Pikmin fans can quite easily skip.
Despite being a spin-off, Hey! Pikmin fulfills expectations offering a number of platforms and puzzles enough in an adventure where humor is the most remarkable. However, it could be up to or fairly close to the other installments of the saga if it offered more innovation or the difficulty was not perceived easy.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
A 2D portable Pikmin was probably never a good idea, and this uninspiring effort does little to prove otherwise.
Simple yet cute, and they often brought a smile to my face.
The 3ds version of Nintendos beloved Pikmin series is a bit of a disappointment. The level design feels lazy, the graphics is outdated and the mechanic overall isn't nearly as fun as the previous Pikmin games.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Hey! Pikmin is a good portable spinoff which tries to rethink the classical formula of the series in 2D, but significantly limits the interactivity and reduces the variability of gameplay. Boss battles and stylishness of the game smooths overall experience, but if you play on a normal 3DS, you can subtract one point from the final grade
Review in Russian | Read full review
Hey! Pikmin is a fun 3DS game, one of Nintendo's better handheld platformers recently, but still not up to the quality and polish we'd expect from console Pikmin titles. Pikmin fans might be a bit disappointed by this one, but anyone willing to give it a shot will find a surprisingly deep and fun little adventure to while away the hours.
Hey! Pikmin is a radical shift for Nintendo's quirky RTS series. It changes or eschews many of the series' longtime mechanics in favor of a 2D platformer-adventure. Longtime fans might be disappointed, but Hey! Pikmin has the same charm and quality that garnered the original games a cult following—just in a more accessible, bite-sized form factor this time.