Hey Everyone and welcome back! I'm Anton and in this video we are going to be reviewing Pikmin 3 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch. Pikmin is one of my favorite Nintendo series, so I just had to get the deluxe port. If you’ve played the original version or are thinking about jumping into the series, this review will highlight the new additions and differences between both versions.
Story & Concept
A team of explorers journeys to a mysterious planet to find food to save their home planet from extinction. However, as they initiate the landing sequence, the ship ends up crashing. Alph, Brittany, and Charlie have to unite with each other once again and find the missing parts of their ship while collecting fruit to survive.
This is where the Pikmin come into action. Living in an Onion, these creatures serve as your army to fight enemies, solve puzzles, and collect items. You must balance your Pikmin types and numbers carefully, as different tasks require different Pikmin counts.
Pikmin Types & Gameplay
The classic Red (Fire), Blue (Water), and Yellow (Electricity) Pikmin return, creating a lot of strategy. The game introduces two new types: Rock Pikmin (break glass/crystals) and Flying Pikmin (aerial attacks/transport). They are great additions that don't feel gimmicky.
Purple and White Pikmin from Pikmin 2 are also in the game, but disappointingly only in Mission and Bingo Battle modes. Each area is beautifully crafted with minute details, making it feel like walking in real-world locations. Bosses raise the bar even higher, requiring unique strategies to beat.
The Deluxe Upgrade
With the Switch being a runaway success, Nintendo has ported many Wii U titles. Pikmin 3 Deluxe brings several quality-of-life changes. The biggest change is controls. The Wii U used the GamePad/Wiimote pointer, but the Switch uses Gyro/Sticks. Nintendo has added multiple control options that work surprisingly well, though they take a bit of time to get used to.
Charging attacks is now much easier (hold X and release), and Lock-On handles better. You can also pause Pikmin tasks with a whistle double-tap. Difficulty options like Ultra Spicy Mode add replayability, and Achievements (Badges) give you more goals to chase.
New Content: Piklopedia & Side Stories
By far the biggest additions are the Side Stories, showing what Olimar and Louie were up to. These function like Mission Mode stages on main maps. It's fresh content, though not a whole new game.
Also, the Piklopedia is finally back! You can read character entries on every enemy, with Brittany discussing appearance and Louie discussing... how to cook them.
Modes: Bingo Battle & Missions
Bingo Battle is a competitive multiplayer mode where you collect objects to fill a bingo card. It's intense—you can even use cherries (like Mario Kart items) to mess with your opponent. It's fun and addictive but tragically local-only. Nintendo, we need Online Bingo Battle! Pikmin 99 please?
Mission Mode tasks you with collecting treasure, battling enemies, or defeating bosses under a time limit. It requires map memorization to master.
Verdict
If you want to play Pikmin 3 again and love the new additions, I really recommend getting this. For newcomers, it's the perfect place to start. It streamlined everything that made the original great. Pikmin 3 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch gets a 9/10.
