New Play Control! Pikmin
© 2009 Nintendo of America
Some things get better with time; and in this case, it's Pikmin. Originally designed by Nintendo's lead designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, this edition of Pikmin marks the fourth -- and the best -- we've reviewed. Our first Pikmin title was in December, 2001. In the story, you play as Captain Olimar, whose spaceship has crashed on an exotic planet and broken into pieces. The planet is inhabited by small, plant-like creatures called Pikmin, who behave like sheep. You lead them to swarm dangerous predators, demolish barriers, plant additional Pikman seeds, and eventually bring back the missing pieces of your ship before time runs out. The control system is complex, but a well-designed, learn-as-you-go tutorial walks you through the hard parts. Before you know it, you're hooked. Those familiar with previous editions of Pikmin (or Logical Journey of the Zoombinis) will recognize the innovative one-player problem solving format that has been enhanced with the Wii's motion controls. Progress is saved automatically in one of four game-save slots. Some reading is required. In this one-player edition, exclusive to the Wii, you control up to 100 Pikmin at once using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk (required) to place the cursor on the screen. Each Pikmin has special abilities, such as Red Pikmin are immune to heat and fire, and blue Pikmin can survive in water. Our tester, Daniel (age 9) called this "one of the best games ever for the Wii". And he's played a lot of them. He thought it was a lot of fun, especially being able to explore the planet while trying to recover parts of your ship.
$30, Wii
Teaches: strategy, math, some reading, logic
CTR Rating: 96%