Game Rant: Pikmin 2

Developer: Nintendo EAD
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms and Release Dates (US): Nintendo Gamecube (August 30, 2004)
Genre: Real-Time Strategy

Pikmin 2 is the sequel to the first game released 3 years earlier, does it improve over the first game?

The plot of the Adventure mode continues from the first game. After Olimar escapes, he returns to Hocotate, only to find that Hocotate Fright is in debt after a shipment of Pik-Pik Carrots were stolen. When the President finds out that the trinket Olimar brought back for his kids is worth Pokos, he sends Olimar back to the mysterious planet with Louie in tow, where they must collect treasures to pay off the debt. The second part of the game begins when the Debt is paid. The rocket launches from the planet, once on the way to Hocotate, Olimar realises that he left Louie behind. When Olimar arrives, he explains how Louie is still down there as well as more treasure. The President decides to accompany Olimar back to the strange planet to find Louie and to salvage all of the treasure.

The gameplay is basically the same as the first game, with improvements. Other than the 1st day (which is the tutorial), you have the whole day (roughly 13 minutes) to spend in an area to collect as much as the Treasure as you can and grow more Pikmin. At the end of the day, you have to make sure to have all your Pikmin under your control or at the landing site or they get left behind to get eaten. You use the Pikmin to fight enemies and carry treasures and defeated enemies and pellets back to the landing sites to register the Treasures and grow more Pikmin. There are 4 overworld areas to explore, each with its own hazards, treasures, goodies, and caves. Unlike the previous game, there is no Day limit, you can take as many days as needed to retrieve all the Treasures. You also have 2 Pilots to control, so you can split up the work force and get more done. There are also 2 Sprays you can make by collecting 10 of one type of Berry, one spray will Power-Up your Pikmin for a short time and the other will Freeze enemies for a time. If a frozen enemy is defeated, they leave behind no body and spit out nectar instead. Along with the topside world, there are also Caves to explore, each of varying depths. In caves, time does not advance, so you can spend as much time as you can. When you enter a cave, only the Pikmin you have with you can go, no back-ups. You exit a cave by finding a geyser on the bottom of the cave or on a sub-level higher up on larger caves.

You have the 3 colored Pikmin from the first game returning. Red Pikmin are Fire-proof. Blue Pikmin can swim in Water. Yellow Pikmin have been altered slightly, they still can be thrown high, but this time the are Electric-proof and no longer able to pick up Bomb Rocks. There are also 2 new Pikmin colors in this game, both can only be found in Cave areas by throwing other Pikmin into the respective Candypop Bud. Purple Pikmin are the strongest in combat, and when carrying things, are equal to 10 of any other color of Pikmin. White Pikmin are the lightest and fastest, Poison-proof, and can find hidden Treasures and Objects buried in the ground. Purple and White Pikmin don't have Onions, they are stored in your Rocket and can only be produced from Candypop Buds. There is also a 6th type found only in caves called a Bulbmin. If you have less than 100 Pikmin with you on certain caves, a Parent Bulbmin can be seen leading Bulbmin. Defeat the Parent to recruit the Bulbmin with you. Bulbmin are resistant to all elements (water, fire, electricity, poison), but they cannot leave caves. Figuring out the right team of Pikmin to take with you on a cave venture or for overworld exploring requires strategy.

Along with the Adventure mode, there is 2 Player Battle and a Challenge Mode. 2 Player Battle is available from the start, it puts 2 players against each other. Player 1 is Olimar with Red Pikmin, and Player 2 is Louie with Blue Pikmin. There are 2 normal win conditions. You can win by collecting 4 Yellow Marbles or by collecting your Opponent's Marble. You can also win if the opposing player runs out of Health or Pikmin. Each player can have up to 50 Pikmin on the field, making 100 total. You can select a handicap before each match to give each player a set amount of Pikmin to start with. You can also collect Cherries on the field to spin a roulette wheel to help you or hinder your opponent, you can store up to 4 spins in your stock box. The Freeze spray works slightly different, it buries your opponent's Pikmin when you hit them with it instead of Freezing them. Pikmin can attack each other and the opposing players, but they never do any damage. When a Pikmin falls by an opposing Pikmin, they respawn as a seed in your opponent's onion, so they can be used by your opponent. There are 10 different arenas to choose from with varying hazards and layouts. This mode can be fun, trying to outwit your opponent and picking the right tactic for the easiest win. Challenge Mode is unlocked when The Key treasure is collected in Adventure Mode. This mode gives you a selection of Caves to explore, each with varying hazards, depths, Pikmin, and Sprays available. The objective here is to collect as much treasure as you can and exit via the geyser on the lowest level before time expires. You start each Cave with a set time limit, and earn bonus time every floor you go down to. You earn points for Treasure collected (enemy bodies count as treasure), Time Left, and Pikmin left. If you clear the cave with no Pikmin loss, it counts as a Perfect, and gives you a Purple flower instead of a White Flower, and by getting all Perfects, can unlock a special movie sequence. Challenge Mode can be played with 1 Player or 2 Players. Challenge more is fun with a 2nd player, trying to coordinate strategies for maximum points, and is just as fun solo. I only wish the Adventure mode could be played in 2 Players.

Bottom Line: Pikmin 2 takes everything from Pikmin, makes it better, and fixes all of the problems. Pikmin 2 is especially fun when playing the 2 Player Challenge Mode. This is definitely worth a Play or Buy.