when funny man miyamoto was developing pikmin, he said that he wanted it to be “the next mario.” well that doesn’t make any sense because there’s no fucking goombas in this game

in terms of sales numbers, pikmin ended up becoming more like the next metroid, but it certainly rivals mario in terms of creativity and innovation

this game is an absolute joy to play. it tickles parts of my brain that i didn't even know could be tickled. i hate being micromanaged in real life but when it comes to games i either love or hate it and boy do i love it here. the rewind function was something i didn't think id ever use, but i found myself frequently taking advantage of it, as i was surprised to enjoy the pressure i felt that came from having to manage my time efficiently.

there are so many amazing ideas here and the way they are all brilliantly executed and intertwined together is an absolute marvel, especially considering how old this game is. every part of each area is a little puzzle that often depends on other parts of the map (sometimes even spanning between stages), all forming together to make one big puzzle, the pieces of which fit together perfectly. it is so satisfying to progress through this game and i love how it isn't linear. the fact that it is short and sweet only left me wanting more, but still beyond satisfied with the time i spent with it

this game's age does show, as the mechanics can be a bit janky at times but they're overall quite polished, and pikmin tripping or falling into the void was more funny to me than it was frustrating. it gave me a sense of realism that i didn't expect from a game like this and only immersed me more in my role as a space man with a big nose

i wish i grew up with this series as a wee lad because commanding up to 100 little guys to recover ship parts, fight goblins, and more is so damn fun. you've gotta play pikmin or else you're dumb