A teaser trailer for Pikmin 4 was shown off at the September 13th Nintendo Direct last week and has long-time fans of the series excited. Having been announced by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto all the way back in 2015, people have been waiting eagerly for Pikmin 4 to receive any updates. The game was teased up until 2017, but news about the game seemed to stop until recently. While the footage that was finally shown was brief, there is enough for fans to speculate about how Pikmin 4 is going to play and how it is going to tie into previous titles.
Fans got to see snippets of different sections of a garden environment with a familiar-looking Bulborb next to a clock, a path underneath a bench, and a patch of flowers. These kinds of levels should be no stranger to players, showcasing how small the Pikmin are in this large world. The gameplay will likely involve players using dozens of Pikmin to swarm large monsters as well as exploring a normal world from a tiny perspective. However, an official screenshot from Nintendo suggests that the gameplay that players expect could be seeing a shift in execution.
A New Third-Person Camera For Pikmin 4
In an official screenshot of Pikmin 4, a snippet of the game's action can be seen. The picture shows some aspects of Pikmin that have been in the games previously, such as throwing Pikmin at larger enemies to overwhelm them. What is different about this screenshot than what people know about Pikmin is how the camera is positioned. Rather than the camera being overhead or at somewhat of an isometric angle, the camera in the screenshot is directly behind the player. This could have some drastic implications for how Pikmin 4 controls and how the player interacts with the Pikmin.
The Pikmin series is an unconventional real-time strategy/puzzle game. As such, the player should have a good view of most of their Pikmin at all times. This is why it is helpful to have the camera at a high vantage point above the player in order to see everything. Now that Pikmin 4 has the possibility of having a third-person camera, the game could have a very different feel. With an over-the-shoulder kind of camera, that could make for a much more action-oriented Pikmin game.
Pikmin 4's New Camera Could Allow For A More Dynamic Experience
The switch in perspective is reminiscent of another series, that being Metal Gear. Up until Metal Gear Solid 3, the series has remained a top-down tactical stealth game. The series then favored a similar third-person camera to emphasize action, precise aiming, and a different awareness of the environment. Pikmin 4 could use this to their advantage in a similar way to what Metal Gear Solid 3 accomplished. Imagine that an enemy in Pikmin 4 has a weak spot that could be hard to see. A closer perspective to the ground could allow for a better view and the ability to aim Pikmin accurately. It would also allow for a more detailed look at parts of the environment, the player's Pikmin, and enemies.
Something that could be implemented into the game is the ability to switch between a top-down camera and a third-person camera. For a game like Pikmin, a strategic camera would be necessary for the type of game that it is. A complete switch in style could drive away some fans of the series if not implemented correctly. The ability to switch between the classic isometric camera and an over-the-shoulder camera would offer a dynamic experience. Each type of camera has its advantages and would offer something to the series for people to enjoy. Players could use the top-down camera to have a complete view of their environment, and they could then switch to the third-person camera when faced with one of Pikmin's toughest enemies or a puzzle in order to get a detailed look at what they are engaging with.
Fans have been waiting a long time for Pikmin 4 and are ready for it to bring something truly revolutionary to the series. By having a camera that can shift between top-down and third-person, it can offer players a choice on what type of gameplay they prefer. A third-person camera might be more accessible to newer players while a top-down camera would be there for veterans of the series, benefiting everyone. If the game is designed around this ability to switch the camera, Pikmin 4 could offer some of the most unique gameplay that the series has seen.
Pikmin 4 will be released in 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.