They're small, they're cute and would follow us into space. Pikmin 3: Deluxe , a strategy game with time management, is the third installment of the license by ShigeruMiyamoto. Unnoticed with the Wii U, it offers a port on Nintendo Switch and includes all the DLC. Available since October 30 on the Nintendo eshop , it falls to "pik" pending the continuation of the license. Focus on this long-awaited and always appreciated title!
Pikmin? Did you say Pikmin?
Born in 2002 on the Nintendo Gamecube, Pikmin are small creatures that nothing stops. They are curious, quick and prove to be valuable allies. These little beings with a leaf as hair stand out for their color and amazing way of reproducing using their onion. Note that each Pikmin has its own abilities, so it will be important to know how to use them at the right time and to know what they can bring you.Indeed, poor management can waste your time or worse, kill your precious companions. 
Safety first: Pikmipedia of survival
Pikmin 3: Deluxe being a strategy game with time management, reflection is essential if you want to succeed in the adventure and it starts with knowing your allies. In the main story, this installment allows you to lead five types of Pikmin. The Red Pikmin resist fire and are the strongest in combat. Blues are amphibians, and can attack both on land and at the bottom of the water. Yellow Pikmin are able to conduct electricity, they are also lighter and can therefore be launched further and higher. We also find Blacks, they are the tough ones to cook and prove to be very effective in breaking glass. And finally, the pink Pikmin, smaller than the others, but the only ones capable of flying.They are weak in combat, but are effective when it comes to carrying or lifting objects out of reach for the team on foot. 
Cooperation is invited to the Pikmin!
This is one of the novelties of the title! Indeed, the multi-coop mode allows you to play the entire adventure with two and on the same console.Also compatible with the main story, it is accessible in the middle of the game and is in the form of a screen split in two – it might have needed only one screen – the fights being animated by colors, it was sometimes difficult to navigate.Apart from this detail, there remains a nice bonus that can initiate beginners, or enjoy the game with a friend, for example. 
Unity is strength in our cute creatures!
As a reminder, the mission mode consisted of passing three tests with the help or against several friends. The goal is to accumulate a maximum of points.The three characters of the game are playable not with five kinds of Pikmin – as in the main story – but seven!The White Pikmin, who poison their victims and the Purple Pikmin, who are hardy and able to crush their enemies. 
Bingo mode, on the other hand, is played with two players. Alph or Olimar, as you wish.The two players must compete through a series of 12 stages and collect as much fruit as possible.The first player who manages to place the most fruit in his grid wins.
A similar story and in-game improvements
If the previous adventures featured Olimar and his sidekick Louie, here, it is quite different. We end up with not two but three adventurers: Alf, Brittany and Captain Charlie. The story remains the same as in the Wii U version. Koppai being starving, the three astronauts are sent to the planet PNF-404. Their goal is to find as much fruit as possible and bring it home. But now, an unfortunate incident will separate them in the four corners of the planet. They will then have to cooperate with the Pikmin to join and recover the fruits that will save Koppai, their home planet. 
Captain Olimar, are you there?
The great novelty of this title is the addition of a side story. In addition to having to find as much fruit as possible, our three heroes will come across several videos of Captain Olimar. Enough to suggest that he could be around. The side story allows us to take control of it. He has gone into a lot of debt, so he has to find something to repay his creditors. And the planet PNF-404 is full of treasures that he could resell. Obviously, his faithful little companions accompany him. Note that to be able to play the side story, you will first have to advance a little in the main story. 
More flexible time management and difficulty choosing
Players of the first games all remember the time that, let's be honest, passed very quickly. On the one hand, the tasks during the day were shortened, and on the other hand, we were sometimes forced to let our dear Pikmin be devoured. Pikmin 3 Deluxe has significantly improved this black spot and turned to a day/night cycle. The game offers us the opportunity to play at our own pace and longer, but also to reap maximum fruit. Be careful, a ration of fruit is consumed before each new day! So be vigilant about your management. 
This improvement brings a big plus in the game and allows us to extend the life of the title. You can either look for all the fruits (side quests) and move slowly through the story or go for it, and collect the number necessary for survival. Side difficulty, the game now offers the possibility to choose between three levels. A fourth level is unlocked at the end of the game but can also be obtained at the beginning. Indeed, players who have completed the demo can already choose this mode.
Optimized game mechanics.
In terms of gameplay, there is novelty in this title. Complete the approximate targeting of previous games. Nintendo now offers us the ability to launch more accurately and aim faster. As the target locks on the point of hitting, it can help the youngest or less agile. A non-negligible plus that makes the game intuitive. Note also a mode tips, the "pikmibetopedie", accessible at any time. Ideal when we want to know more about our enemies (strengths, weaknesses, habit, ect ..) 
The "Pikmibetopedie", useful to know the weak points and strengths of the enemy
Pikmin retro or current?
Let the nostalgic of the Wii U be reassured, Pikmin 3: Deluxe offers you the possibility to choose either the Wiimote/Nunchuck combo or the gyroscope. An easy-to-use gameplay where each button is well calibrated. A real comfort! It should also be noted that team management is also greatly improved, fluid and responsive. She is a significant asset when you have to change Pikmin in the middle of a fight. Another novelty that adds a longer lifespan is the addition of DLC, 36 additional missions and the collection of badges. Badges that can be earned through objectives. For example, collect all the fruits of the game, raise all types of Pikmin and many more. Enough to make this action-strategy game complete. 
Small flat on the gameplay
If Pikmin 3: Deluxe enjoys good improvements and a more present gaming comfort compared to the original, it is not without flaws. Indeed, it will sometimes happen that your Pikmin get stuck in a corner or will not be able to carry an object if an enemy is in their trajectory. You will then have to clean up upstream or with the help of another Pikmin team. Teamwork is the key to success and it is recommended to properly dispatch tasks by group. Obviously, these two defects remain rare and do not impact the pleasure of the game. 
A barely noticeable graphic improvement, but a world still enchanting.
Pikmin 3: Deluxe did not take advantage of the superior graphics offered by the Switch and the graphic realization is the same. Obviously, some textures have been improved , but outside, the graphic rendering remains unchanged, both in resolution and on the modeling of the environment and characters. However, the artistic direction between the real and the fantastic remains very pleasant for the eyes, and makes us quickly forget this little point. 
A world of giants among the Pikmin
The Drake astronauts and Pikmin remain very small in a world resembling ours. We venture through a forest that seems huge, a snowy area where each block of ice looks like an iceberg, a puddle giving the impression of being a lake and it is not uncommon that we have to climb to climb on a simple tree root. The contrast is even more accentuated when you have to collect fruits or insects, some must be carried by dozens of Pikmin so big they are! For example, an orange must be worn by five Pikmin! 
A sound production faithful to the post
As for the sound production of the game, nothing has been changed. The musical atmosphere has remained the same and it is not a problem. And in a game like Pikmin, you quickly forget about the music. The sound effects of our little heroes remain as cute as ever, and it is not uncommon to be tenderized by our Pikmin when they have trouble carrying an object or are thrown. On the other hand, it often happens that we are sad when they die before our eyes. Despite a graphic realization that could have been improved, Pikmin 3: Deluxe returns with new features, and nice surprises. A redesigned gameplay and an optimized game mechanics that bring real comfort. The title will not only allow the nostalgic to replay the adventure, but also to be a discovery for those who had not been able to play it on Wii U. Nintendo seems fond of ports, remember the release of Mario 3D All Star for the 35th birthday of our famous plumber. So, ready to join the Pikmin adventure?
Official trailer that had been presented for the release of the game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSSQ0Z6eDhU
