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Trials and Tribulations in Pikmin 3 Multiplayer

by Neal Ronaghan - August 13, 2013, 1:06 pm EDT
Total comments: 3

Is Pikmin 3 accessible for series newcomers in multiplayer?

I finally sat down to play some Pikmin 3 multiplayer last night and I roped in an unlikely Pikmin player - my wife and occasional Nintendo World Report contributor Lauren. She’s heard me talk about it, watched me play, and probably even played as Olimar one time in Smash Bros. I really wanted her to try playing Pikmin 3 with me, but I was worried that the fact that she had no experience with the series would make it an arduous and frustrating task.

And it was, in the beginning. We began by playing a co-op mission (the first one), and it didn’t go so well because I was explaining to her how to play while a damn Bulborb chowed down on some of our unsuspecting horde. By the time we ran out of time, though, we were communicating effectively and both pulling in fruit from different areas. However, one playthrough of the Mission Mode was all she cared to play. So we moved on to Bingo Battle because, after all, everyone loves Bingo, right?

The first go-round in Bingo Battle went horribly awry. I had not played it yet, so I was of little help of explaining things. I quickly amassed a gigantic Pikmin army that proceeded to, when left to their own devices, mercilessly beat the shit out of her avatar. Halfway through that match, I thought I lost any and all chance that she would return to the world of Pikmin, as she paused it and exclaimed, in so few words, what the hell do I do?

By the end of that first battle, she got a handle on how Bingo Battle worked, though I ended up winning (If I let her win, she wouldn’t have any of it). In the second match, we had a fair duel that she ended up winning as our teams of Pikmin were racing back to their respective Onions with the final piece needed. After that, we were done playing Pikmin 3 multiplayer.

I doubt my wife will ever play Pikmin 3 again (she said as much herself), but I’m still impressed that a complicated experience like Pikmin didn’t have as large of a learning curve as I feared. It’s a little daunting, but co-op and competitive Pikmin multiplayer isn’t so tough to figure out, and that’s the way it should be.

Have any of you readers coaxed a significant other or family member into playing Pikmin 3 that you didn't think could get into it? How'd it go? Let us know in the comments below.

Talkback

ShyGuyAugust 13, 2013

You two are reviewing Spin the Bottle Bumpies Party, right?

CaterkillerMatthew Osborne, Contributing WriterAugust 14, 2013

I didn't even think have my wife try this game. She is a super non gamer, I'll try soon and report back.

Quote from: ShyGuy

You two are reviewing Spin the Bottle Bumpies Party, right?

Daan already reviewed Spin the Bottle for NWR, but well, I am assigned the review for the next issue of Nintendo Force...and if any of the (probably drunken) play sessions of Spin the Bottle with friends get recorded....

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