Video Games : Pikmin 2 (GameCube)

Rating: - A worthy sequel
Okay, they took the good bits from Pimin 1, and rebalanced it, added new bits and made it a lot longer.

It takes elements of a real time strategy game, but to label it just as an RTS seems... unfair. It is loads more.

The game is cutesy violent, and well polished. Little things like the evil wasp things rubbish it's hands with mallace while wandering around a map... the new perspective on our own world from a very small perspective.

If I had kids, it would be one of those games I could play with them and keep the controller moving between us. It is real family entertainment - and a socialable game. People whom watch are compelled to warn you of danger, or laugh at some of the rich dynamics in the game. For instance, there's a big red bug that rolls bolders at you. In other games, perhaps the enemies wouldn't get hurt by them. Not in this one! You can try and lead it in to other enemies or even back at itself! Discoveries and rewards like this delight players and spectators alike.

You find yourself getting attached to the little guys, and when you loose some it is sad to see there little ghost rise up and disappear. You also feel great pride when your team takes down something hundreds of times bigger then themselves!

The game as I said at the begining is rebalanced... instead of yellows throwing bombrocks (I found them quite difficult in the first one) they are elemental like the others... yellows don't get hurt by electricity. Reds are fierce and impervious to fire. Blue can't get hurt by water, and so on. There are at least 2 more pikmin types you discover during the game - and other suprises along the way.

Higely satisfying and dare I say addictive - this is one of those innovative games you just don't find outside Nintendo consoles. If you have the first (or don't), I can tell you this one is a huge improvement and would be a decent addition to your collection.

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Rating: - A superb game, ruined only by it's repetitiveness...
A game that truly appeals to all age-groups! At 26 I can quite comfortably sit down and play this game for hours on end. Although it does become a little repetitive in places, there are very few games out there that don't!

Let's be honest, there aren't all that many games out for the Gamecube over here in the UK and only a very small handful could you consider 'quality' games. For me, this game can quite comfortably sit on the Mario Sunshine, Metroid Prime, Resident Evil 4 & Paper Mario shelf!

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Rating: - Wow
This game is brilliant. The new additions of the white and purple pikmin are very welcome and add a bit more stratergy. Do you kill enemies quicker by using the super strong purple pikmin or do you poison your foes with the whites. also the addition of another person is fantastic you can now send two squads of pikmin to do different tasks (who said we men can't multi task) for example you can have one squad of pikmin taking down a wall and the other collecting treasure. This sequel has all the good points of the first, adding extra and getting rid of the time limit (yay) well woth £29.99

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Rating: - One of the greatest games of 2004
Pikmin 2 is one of the few sequels that actually improves upon every area you would want it to. The original Pikmin was by no means a bad game but there were 2 aspects of the game that bugged me slightly. (1) The time limit: you had a maximum of 30 days to recover all of Captain Olimar's ship parts. (2) The fact that in most (Pikmin) days you couldn't get that much work done. Pikmin 2 improves on both areas.

Pikmin 2 sees you returning to the Pikmin planet to search for 'treasure' to help repay your shipping company's debt. This time you are not alone. Captain Olimar is helped by a fellow employee called Louie. After one of the finest introductory videos sequences ever (honest), Olimar and Louie begin their treasure hunt. For those unfamiliar with the 1st game, the main game flow is as follows: to help you on your treasure hunt, you must grow and manage a group of tiny plant/animal style creatures called 'Pikmin'. Pikmin can be used to carry treasure back to your ship, attack enemies, build bridges, knock down walls etc. In Pikmin 2, there are 5 different colours of Pikmin (2 more than the previous game) and you'll need to work out which colours to use when to advance in the game.

The graphics in Pikmin 2 are absolutely astounding. Every level has a unique charm- and an unbelievable level of detail. For example, in the forest-style level, 'Awakening Wood', leaves gently fall from the trees and cover the ground, the water glistens in the sunlight, the plants sway in the wind and animals go about their everyday business. As all this happens, the gentle morning light changes into a bright afternoon and then to a beautiful sunset. In fact, the world in Pikmin 2, even though you are pint-sized in comparison- is totally believable. One fantastic new addition to the game that adds to this feeling is the fact that its creators have used some real-world objects as treasure. For example, your 1st item of treasure is a large 'Duracell' battery.

Okay, graphics aren't important in a game. The main point is the gameplay. Pikmin 2 is pure Nintendo magic. Growing Pikmin and hunting for treasure may not sound like fun but Pikmin sucks you in like all classic Nintendo games (Mario, Zelda, Metroid etc.). Now that there is no time limit, you really get a chance to explore every inch of the landscape. Some days, you'll maybe just want to grow some Pikmin. In other days, you may be striving to get as much treasure as you can. The lack of time limit is a godsend- and now you control 2 characters, you can delegate work to manage your days more efficiently.

Underground regions are another fantastic new addition to the game. They are split up into a number of floors which (usually)get harder as you progress. At any floor, you can choose to pull out (and leave your treasure) or delve even deeper. Its down in these regions where the real treasure is. There are no time limits when you are underground- which is useful since most of these areas require much more thinking.

Pikmin 2 is an astonishing game. The screenshots just don't do it justice. Pikmin 2 is a joy to play. The fact you are actually moving a central character with the analogue stick and dishing out orders separates it from most strategy games. This game is suitable for everyone. Its cutesy enough to appeal to kids but has a good difficulty level which is likely to challenge the most able gamers. Pikmin is a marvellous addition to the Nintendo franchise. Here's hoping for more Pikmin games in the future.

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Rating: - SOOOOO Good!
Having been reliably told that this game was supposed to be released in April 2004, the world then had to wait AGES for it to be released. BUT it was definitely worth the wait. I loved pikmin 1, although it was a little short. Pikmin 2 is far better, it's a longer game, as long as you go back and colloect everything. Although the fact that you can complete the game without collecting most of the items. And there are new coloured pikmin, with purple and white dudes. So good!

Buy it soon!