So I consider myself a very casual Pikmin fan. I haven't played the first 2 since they came out for the GameCube, and have only played some of the 3rd one back on WiiU. So with Pikmin 4 around the corner and Nintendo shadow dropping the first two on Switch, I figured it was time for a replay.
I just completed Pikmin 1, and what an absolutely fantastic experience. I think back when I was a kid playing the first one may have been just a bit too much strategy for me to comprehend. But now may years later, I just absorbed myself into it.
Pacing out every day to explore the areas and devise a strategy of what I could reasonably tackle, judging if I should spend the day going straight for ship parts or doing pikmin harvesting... It all comes together with such an incredible sense of flow. The 30 Day time limit really makes you consider all of your actions. And it seemed like an intimidating limit at first, but the 30 Day cycle was much more forgiving than I expected. Even if I had a rough day, I could at least put my Pikmin away and just run around and assess the areas as Olimar.
And even as just an upscale, the visuals are brilliant. I love that early GameCube era look of games like this and Luigis Mansion.The way the environments and camera are designed do a great job making you feel like a tiny man in a big strange world.
I feel like I've fallen in love with a franchise all over again. I'm starting Pikmin 2 tonight, and can't wait to play 4 next month. If you haven't tried out this series, please do yourself a favor and grab at least the first game on the eshop. It's a perfect slice of pure Nintendo.
How do they hold up without nostalgia to help out?
I find older games that people like to gush over, like Super Mario 64 and Ocarina of Time, don't hold up for me (without nostalgia) nearly as much as it does for those with nostalgia - almost always because the camera, menu, or movement controls are so hopelessly outdated that the game is frustrating to play.
Might that apply to Pikmin 1 and 2 too, or are they pretty good to try out even for someone with no nostalgia for them?
I would say so yes! To be fair, I didn't really have heavy nostalgia for these games myself. I had them on GameCube but they were never a big focus for me. Although I tend to spend a lot of my time playing more retro/older titles rather than new ones, so I have a soft spot for anything that has a bit of history to it. I think if you can find a groove with the gameplay loop, Pikmin can still be a lovely time. If you haven't spent much time with pikmin in general, maybe download the Demo for 4 and see how you like it first!