4/5 ★ – coach's review of Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

Frankly, the trick to Pikmin 3 is to play it before Pikmin 4. Unfortunately, I didn’t follow this advice and instead had to adjust to slightly clunkier controls and a gameplay experience that now feels like a stepping stone to what I’d argue is the “optimal” version of the franchise. The three-Captain system is ambitious and well-conceived, but it’s a little clunky and hard to use as effectively as the developers likely intended. Controlling the Pikmin is already tricky, and that ties directly into my biggest frustration: how difficult it is to pass them (or not) between Captains. At its best, the system allows for rewarding synchronization, but more often than not, it just feels like a hassle. Certain design choices seem like slight missteps—why can’t you transfer an entire group of one color to another Captain? Why can you call Pikmin through walls and barriers (e.g., bridges), causing them to abandon their tasks and run headfirst into obstacles? In the main game, these quirks are just a mild annoyance, but in side missions—where every second counts—they become outright frustrating. That said, Pikmin 3 is still a fantastic game. The main campaign is short, but there’s plenty of extra content to enjoy. However, Pikmin 4 refines nearly every aspect of the experience. The main story is longer, and the additional tasks feel more seamlessly integrated, making them meaningful extensions of the journey rather than inconsequential add-ons. And I have to give a shoutout to Pikmin 4’s Oatchi—every frustration I had with the three-Captain system is resolved with his introduction. Despite my criticisms, I have to emphasize—I genuinely enjoyed playing this game, and it’s absolutely worth experiencing. But the extra missions are brutal. I’d love to stick with it and strive for platinum on every level, but at this point, my frustrations have piled up enough for me to surrender the harvest. Started: 2/2025 Finished: 3/2025