Video Game Review: New Play Control! Pikmin
Just about everyone you know owns a Wii, at least that’s what the sales data seems to indicate. Last generation, Nintendo lagged behind Microsoft and Sony’s towering competition, but are limping no longer. Instead, they’ve taken a Mario leap over and above any available console, and the fact that your Grandmother has played one might make you cringe, but it makes Nintendo very happy.
Yet, there were quite a few games that Nintendo was proud of on its outdated Gamecube, and many of them not old sold well but were critical darlings. The question begs; what to do with them now? Clearly the backwards compatibility function of the Wii begs for these diamonds in the Gamecube rough to be mined and resold, but how can you go back to a game pad after learning how FUN it can be to use the Wii mote?
Nintendo’s answer is the “New Play Control!” series of games. These are slightly discounted games that were previously released on the Gamecube, but updated with controls that utilize the Wii mote system. This week we tested both “Pikmin” and “Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat” with the New Play Controls.
Pikmin.
First up was Pikmin. Surely one of the BEST Gamecube games and one that was surely underplayed. In case you were under a rock last gen, or just too young to appreciate this game, it was a beautiful game that combined a strategy and an adventure aspect, and really felt like Nintendo in it’s prime.
In the game you control Olimar, a marooned spaceman who uses “pikmin”, or a plant-like animal native to the planet he’s crashed on, in order to find the pieces of his spaceship in order to take off.
The game was inventive and original for several reasons when it first came out. Most notably, the game must be completed in 30 “days” which last about 15 minutes in real time. If the player does not complete the game, Olimar dies. Second, once you’ve established your base of various colored pikmin, you have to pick out which ones will help you complete your tasks.
The not-quite-linear strategy really was new in 2001, and one cannot help feel that this game was ahead of its time. That really helps when playing it now in 2009, where even the graphics aren’t dated as much as you’d think; Pikmin is still relevant and most of all still fun.
However, what’s important in this Wii release is the control scheme. The Gamecube controller was a nice fit for this game, but the cursor really begged for a Wii mote stye control and playing this game makes you love the nunchuk-wand combination all over again. It really seems to fit this game, and everything is laid out perfectly to compliment the gameplay. There are no silly maneuvers to make with your hands to complete an on-screen activity, other than shaking the remote to help activate some Pikmin, so it’s not annoying or tiring on the arms.
Pikmin New Play Control really is the epitome of re-releasing a Gamecube game for the Wii. The new controls really help the game, and the welcome addition of being able to save (an oversight on the original) makes this one a great game (again) to play. The only negatives were the same things that were annoying in the original; landscapes and scenery that were difficult to see around, and sometimes the Pikmin don’t like to move where you want them to.
Graphics: Surprisingly still beautiful, Nintendo really knows how to develop for Nintendo. 7.5
Presentation: The control scheme really helps, and being able to start over on a day you’ve completed make this one great fun! 8.0
Gameplay: A game like none-other, it makes you long for the Pikmin 3 release, or at least will make you buy the re-release of the original sequel, Pikmin 2! 9.0
Value: $29.99 for a Nintendo-made game that is worth playing? 10 out of 10.
SCORE: 86%! B+
