Pikmin are adorable little veggie-like creatures that sprout from seeds planted by their Onion spaceships (yes, they look like berries and are called Onions). Once Pikmin grow, they’re beholden to their progenitor. They’ll follow whoever propagated them into the jaws of death, literally, and it’s a good idea not to let that happen.
That’s because Pikmin help Alpha, Brittany, and Charlie out in a number of ways. They unblock paths, carry important objects back to the spaceship, swarm deadly enemies, and have abilities unique to their species.
As the video Nintendo released shows, pink Pikmin can fly. That makes them handy for taking out airborne menaces or snagging items that would otherwise be out of reach. Rock Pikmin use their heft to bust down sturdy walls quickly, and they can’t be squashed.
The three returning red, blue, and yellow types are resistant to fire, water, and electricity respectively. So it’s best to have as many Pikmin in a team as possible, not just because moving heavy objects is tough for just one or two of the lil’ critters.
Fortunately, environments have little numbered and colored pellets Pikmin can take back to their Onions to sprout more of themselves. They can also harvest the remains of their enemies to grow even more Pikmin.
When they aren’t building bridges and scavenging the corpses of their foes, Pikmin like to chill out and enjoy the scenery. Pikmin 3 Deluxe offers a photo mode so players can capture them in these natural settings.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe brings the main game plus new chapters and multiplayer features to Nintendo Switch on October 30. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more Pikmin news as it lands.