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Pikmin 2(JP) is a video game for the Nintendo GameCube that was released in 2004. It's a direct sequel to Pikmin, a video game that was released on the GameCube as a launch title. It was well received by both critics and gamers alike, arguably more than the original, which was considered an innovative yet highly demanding game, partly thanks to the dramatic time limit, something that this game has mostly been rid of. The premise of the game involves collecting treasures to pay off the debt of Hocotate Freight, and then to rescue Louie.
The game includes two new types of Pikmin, including White Pikmin and Purple Pikmin, but they are harder to get because they lack a corresponding Onion.
A number of treasures in Pikmin 2 are of actual Nintendo products, such as the Dream Architect, which is actually a Game & Watch system of Ball, or the Prototype Detector, which is actually a Love Tester.
Plot[]
To best explain the plot of the second instalment in the series, it's best to take a look at the first. In Pikmin, Captain Olimar was travelling the galaxy when a small meteor smashed into his ship. He went tumbling down to the planet below, which is considered to be earth to many fans. There, he realized that his air supply was short - and would only last for 30 days. On top of that, thirty of his ship's parts had scattered across the surrounding area, and there was seemingly no way out.
That is, until he met a Pikmin. He came to realize that these Pikmin creatures were willing to follow their new master, and thus a symbiotic relationship was formed. The Pikmin were willing to gather all of the ship's parts, and Olimar was off once more.
Now skip ahead to the second instalment, Pikmin 2. Olimar returns back to his home planet. There, he learns that the company he works for, Hocotate Freight, has gotten itself into a bit of debt. The president of the company chooses to close his business down, until he finds that the planet that Olimar crashed landed onto was full of treasures. With that, he sent Olimar and his co-worker Louie to go out and find more so that they could repay their debt and open the company once more.
The duo then landed back, where they gained the trust of the Pikmin once more. The companions found enough treasure to get out of debt, but once they did Louie went missing. Olimar and the president returned and fought a ferocious beast named the Titan Dweevil, which had engulfed poor Louie. Following this, Olimar and his teammates head back to their homes, thus ending the game.
Gameplay[]
The game includes a total of four main areas, each one with a multitude of underground levels and treasures to collect. The game includes a total of 201 treasures, which are located both in the dungeons and above ground.
In the beginning, Captain Olimar and his companion Louie will be required to gain the help of the Pikmin once more. At first you'll just have one type - Red Pikmin, though as you progress through the game you'll find more, including the Blue Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, and formerly mentioned purple and white ones. The relationship between the captain and his army are highly symbiotic - Captain Olimar needs their help to keep his boss' company alive, while the Pikmin need the help of him and Louie to keep their species alive. Overall, however, the Pikmin fully realize who's in-charge, and respect their commander by doing what he requires of them.
Essentially the Pikmin will follow around Olimar or Louie, or both of them together depending on the situation. When they come across an enemy, they're capable of attacking it using their wide-range of attacks. The most basic way to launch an attack is to toss the Pikmin on top of the opposing force, though you'll occasionally have to surround them by using the C-Stick. Once the enemy is dead, it's suggested that you command the Pikmin to take it to one of their onions, which will reproduce more of the species.
Rather than there being a set amount of days to finish your goal, the player has an unlimited amount of time, though it should be noted that once you start a new day up, the player will have a set amount of time to complete your goals, though they are always free to return if they fail. This does not apply to underground areas, where time stays put.
Once an enemy or pellet gets sent into an Onion, which is essentially the Pikmin's ship (there are three in all - a red, blue, and yellow one for the corresponding Pikmin). The item or creature will then be sucked into the Onion, which will cause Pikmin to be ejected and shot into the ground. Olimar and Louie must then pluck them out, though the longer you wait, the stronger they'll be.
Generating purple and white Pikmin is a little more difficult, and keeping a healthy population is even more tough. The only way to come in possession of these two colors of Pikmin is to venture underground. Occasionally you'll find purple and white flowers, which indicates that you're now able to get Purple and White Pikmin, though to do so you'll have to sacrifice some of the others in your group by tossing them into the flower. Each flower can take up to five Pikmin, and once you've done so it'll disappear. You'll then be able to pluck the Pikmin out of the ground. Since they don't have their own Onion, they prefer to sleep in the Dolphin come night time.
The player is only allowed to only have one hundred Pikmin out at a time, though the other remaining Pikmin can be stationed in the Onions or the Dolphin. At the end of the day, Olimar and Louie will head for the ship to end the day, though the only Pikmin that will survive during this time are -
- The ones under Olimar or Louie's command.
- Pikmin at the landing site; active or inactive.
- Pikmin who you've yet to pluck out of the ground.
If a Pikmin does not fall under one of those categories at the end of the day, then they'll ultimately be eaten by the enemies that come out when the sun sets.
Pikmin's abilities[]
Each coloured Pikmin has their own special ability, which will be listed below.
The Red Pikmin are capable of withstanding fire, while the others can't, and will usually die unless the player blows their whistle to put out the flames. They're the first Pikmin that the player obtains at the beginning of the game, and their special trait is having a nose. The Blue Pikmin can swim through water, while the others will drown if they attempt it. They're the last Pikmin found in the game, though they're certainly required to get many of the treasures that are found in bodies of water. Their special trait is having a mouth or gills. The Yellow Pikmin have two special abilities in the game. Their first is being able to withstand electricity, which will help against electric enemies and electric fences. This is great because electricity instantly kills any Pikmin in contact with it (except for yellow, of course).They're also able to go farther when thrown, which is needed in order to get treasures high up. They're special trait is their ears.
The Purple and White Pikmin are new to the series. Purple Pikmin are the heavy weights. They're ten times stronger and weigh more than any other Pikmin, and thus will be very slow. They also won't be thrown far when launched, though their powerful attacks make up for this. White Pikmin are infused with poison, and will inject it into enemies once the enemy eats them. They're also understandably immune to poison, which will help when encountering certain points of the game, and their red eyes allow them to see treasure buried underground. Bulbmin are a special type of Pikmin that resembles a Bulborb that can only be found in a few of the underground segments. Unfortunately they can't be brought back to the surface, though their strength and immunity to many elements make them a key ally to have on the team whenever the player can find one.
Multiplayer Mode[]
Pikmin 2 introduced a new multiplayer mode that was absent from the original game. While it's limited to only two players, it was praised by critics. In this mode, one player controls Olimar while the other manipulates Louie.
Before the players start the battle, they'll have to choose which arena they'll fight on, which includes the Battle Field, the War Path, Carpet Plain, Angle Maze, Colosseum, Rusty Gulch, Brawl Yard, Tile Lands, Dim Labyrinth, and Hostile Territory, each one offering new challenges and different enemies.
The goal of the multiplayer mode is to collect four yellow marbles or defeat your adversaries using their army of Pikmin. In all, there are four ways to win, and they include beating the opposing captain, defeating all of the enemy's Pikmin, collecting four yellow marbles, or collecting the enemy's marble.
Development[]
Development of a sequel was first confirmed by Shigeru Miyamoto in December 2002, about a year after Pikmin released. The game was originally planned to be released in Autumn 2003, but it was delayed to make further changes. Pikmin 2 is directed by Shigefumi Hino in graphics design and Masamichi Abe in game design. Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka were the producers. The soundtrack was composed by Hajime Wakai, while Kazumi Totaka served as sound director. His medley Totaka's Song appears twice in the game.
The 30-day limit of the original Pikmin was removed to provide a more leisurely pace for gamers. Developers also considered having multiplayer gameplay, but they found it imposed limits on the game. As a result, multiplayer gameplay was relegated to its own seperate mode.
Reception[]
Pikmin 2 received positive reviews from critics. GameRankings gave an aggregate score of 89.44% based on 58 reviews, while Metacritic gave it an aggregate score of 90 based on 54 reviews. Several sources have listed it as one of the greatest GameCube games of all time. GameSpot called it the best GameCube game of August 2004, GamePro called it one of the top five GameCube games, and IGN placed it sixth on their 2020 list of top twenty GameCube games. In addition, Nintendo Power put it 47th on its list of Top 200 Games for Nintendo consoles, and Official Nintendo Magazine rated it the 29th greatest Nintendo game of all time.
Many critics praised the game as superior to the original Pikmin, praising the game's graphics and removal of the 30-day limit. Some disagreed, with Nintendo World Report saying the removed limit makes players "lazy", and X-Play saying the graphic improvements were marginal at best. Some minor criticisms were also levelled at the lack of LAN play and the game's camera controls.
Pikmin 2 was nominated for "Best Strategy Game" by X-Play in 2004, but the award went to Rome: Total War.
In its first week, Pikmin 2 sold nearly 162,000 copies, selling 483,000 total in the country. In total, the game has sold around 1.12 million copies.
External links[]
- Pikmin 2 at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Pikmin 2 at GameFAQs
- Pikmin 2 on the Pikmin Wiki
| Pikmin | |
|---|---|
| Main series | Pikmin (NPC) • Pikmin 2 (NPC) • Pikmin 3 (DX) • Pikmin 4 • Pikmin 1+2 |
| Spin-offs | Pikmin 2-e • Hey! Pikmin • Pikmin Bloom • Pikmin Finder |