I’ve been a fan of the Pikmin series since the original game came out on the Gamecube back in 2001. I have played every game released in the franchise since then, other than the latest game, Pikmin 4. As such, when it was announced that Pikmin 1+2 was coming to Switch, I was very excited. Now, having played Pikmin 1+2 ahead of its September 22nd physical release, I’m glad that the franchise now has a home on the Switch.

Pikmin 1+2 is a bundled version of Captain Olimar’s first two adventures. The first, (Pikmin) details his first contact with the Pikmin creatures as he crash lands on their planet. He has 30 days to reclaim all his ship parts before he runs out of oxygen and is unable to make it home.

The second game (Pikmin 2) picks up directly after the first game. Captain Olimar’s employer (Hocotate Freight) is in financial ruin, and thus they send Olimar and his assistant Louie back to the planet to collect more “artifacts” to get themselves out of debt. In both games, you’ll need to utilize the Pikmin’s unique capabilities to solve environmental puzzles and defeat enemies.

As far as performance goes, both games play very well. This isn’t much of a surprise though since both games came out on Gamecube. Surprisingly, the visuals have aged well. Of course, Nintendo had to change the names of certain items in-game due to copyright reasons. The “Duracell battery” for example is now an “energy producer”.

The best part though, is that the fun and magic of the first two Pikmin games really hasn’t diminished. Sure, I’m still not a fan of Pikmin 1’s 30-day time limit, but there’s still a sense of enjoyment and discovery to be had. Pikmin 2 is more my speed without a time limit involved, but both games still capture that sense of magic that the first two games had.

Both games have fantastic, strategic gameplay. They’re accessible too, since the text is legible and there isn’t any voice acting to deal with. People with visual impairments might have a few issues here and there, but they are as accessible as they could be for their age. As far as remasters go though, they did a pretty great job of restoring these Gamecube classics.

If you’re looking to complete your Pikmin collection on Nintendo Switch, this is a fantastic bundle. These are also great gifts if you want games to play with family members. The holiday shopping season is on its way, and I honestly think it is a great option for Switch owners. Whether you’re a Pikmin fan or not, Pikmin 1+2 is definitely worth your time.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Pikmin 1+2 was provided by Nintendo for this review.

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Pikmin 1+2

$49.99 USD
9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

  • Two Great Games in One Package
  • Great Performance
  • Fun Strategic Gameplay
  • Visuals Still Look Good

Cons

  • Not Super Accessible for the Visually Impaired

Alexx Aplin

Alexx has been writing about video games for almost 10 years, and has seen most of the good, bad and ugly of the industry. After spending most of the past decade writing for other people, he decided to band together with a few others, to create a diverse place that will create content for gaming enthusiasts, by gaming enthusiasts.

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