Pikmin (GCN)

Could this be the "definitive" Nintendo game...

Game of the Day

Name: Pikmin

Released: 2001

Developer: Nintendo

Platform: Nintendo GameCube

Back in 2001, a Japanese video game designer by the name of Shigeru Miyamoto decided to create a new Nintendo IP called Pikmin. Miyamoto, who has been responsible for some relatively unknown games such as Super Mario Bros., F-Zero, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Donkey Kong, Star Fox 64 and Wii Sports, took on what would be regarded as one of his most unique and challenging games. In this game, you play as the character Captain Olimar from the planet Hocotate who, while flying to his intergalactic vacation in his spaceship - the SS Dolphin, collides into a comet and crashes on an unknown planet. With just 30 days to collect his spaceship parts before his life support stops working and consequently dies, he acquires help from the native inhabitants he calls Pikmin. Get all that? Good. One of the great things about this game is how small it makes you feel, it provides a different perspective of the world and really makes the mundane seem that much more intimidating. It's a rare thing to see games approach this style of gameplay but this game along with The Minish Cap and even Shadow of the Colossus (which in case you have never heard of it is basically about a guy who's trying to restore the soul of a recently deceased loved one and the only way he can do is by defeating colossi and absorbing their souls) really show how effective it is. However, what I personally love about Pikmin is the puzzle aspect where depending on the colour of the Pikmin determines their abilities and usefulness in progressing to get your ship parts. It's not a difficult concept to understand which means that casual gamers can get into this game plus it has the appeal of the Zelda series so there's something for everyone. This game is definitely one of the most interesting games to come from the GameCube era and was the start of quite a successful franchise that has since spawned two sequels (Pikmin 2 for the GameCube and Pikmin 3 for the Wii U) and as such is today's game of the day.