n every console generation, a handful of titles never achieve the level of respect that they so rightfully deserve. I would have loved to see Rareware create a sequel to the little known, yet highly acclaimed, Blast Corps. A follow-up to Sega’s Typing of the Dead would also be a welcome addition to my library. Given both of these games’ lackluster sales, the industry quickly deemed that running into barns with dump trucks and spelling to stop zombies were failed concepts with little to no chance of returning. With Pikmin, Nintendo took a huge risk on one of the wackiest ideas that the industry has ever seen: Violent plant creatures help an alien slaughter giant bugs in a quest to recover spaceship parts. To no surprise, this offbeat release didn’t fly off of retail shelves, yet rather than retiring this unique idea, Nintendo is hoping that a second offering will attract a crowd.
Instead of tweaking the formula to have more mainstream appeal, this sequel specifically targets fans of the original with significant enhancements to the existing play mechanics. In particular, the different Pikmin troops that you control are now greatly varied in function – much like the different unit types in a PC RTS. Each Pikmin unit is differentiated by color. Red is the standard trooper that is immune to fire. Purple can lift 10 times the weight of red, but is much slower. White can unearth hidden items and is immune to toxins. Yellow is electrical. Blue, as you would guess, can wade in water.
Each of these distinct abilities is constantly called upon throughout the course of the game. The design of the original focused heavily on the player’s ability to solve puzzles and procure items within a set amount of time. In this game, Nintendo has removed the 30-day timer and shifted the focus in the direction of combat. As ingenious as the premise of having to complete the game in a set amount of days was, the pressure you were constantly under to run through stages perfectly was unbearable. You can now take your time, strategize, and scour every inch of the land without fearing that you won’t get to the end of the game.
The basis of combat hasn’t evolved at all, which is kind of a bummer; but there are more battles than before, and the variety of enemies that you encounter is far greater. With the addition of Louie, Olimar’s cohort in crime, you can now divide your Pikmin troops into two groups and switch control between your alien of choice on the fly. Early on you won’t use this ability too much, but as the difficulty escalates with each passing level, you’ll be switching back and forth more than you could imagine.
Since there are two playable characters, Nintendo has implemented split-screen multiplayer support (and don’t worry, you won’t have to use your GBA). From the outset, only versus is available, but as you progress through the single player campaign, a 30 level Challenge mode, which offers co-op play, unlocks both of these modes add serious legs to an already lengthy game. The battles that emerge from versus are an absolute riot, and although there are only 10 map designs, each time you enter the fray they are randomly generated either by the shape of the map or placement of items and enemies.
The concept may be just as extraordinary as its predecessors’s, but with a hefty dosage of multiplayer and a quest that isn’t as nerve-racking, Pikmin 2 is deserving of mainstream recognition and is easily the most noteworthy and praiseworthy GameCube product this summer.