Nintendo Makes November 1 Pikmin Day, Explains Why

Nintendo now has an official Pikmin Day, and it’s November 1, a date Shigeru Miyamoto explained at the start of a dedicated Pikmin Day Direct over the weekend. Written as 11.1, the date is meant to resemble the original Red, Blue, and Yellow Pikmin standing in a line. Nintendo also showed a new trailer for Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy, which arrives November 12 exclusively on Switch 2, and shared details about a winter update for the Pikmin Bloom smartphone app and a new series of short films called Hello! Pikmin. A free demo for the Switch 2 Edition is available on the Nintendo eShop as well, covering the Sun-Speckled Terrace opening area from the main story and two stages from Dandori Academy.

As for what’s actually new in the Switch 2 Edition, Dandori Academy puts players through timed stages where they have to plan ahead and collect fruits and vegetables as quickly as possible. There are also exams held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday that reward players with in-game medals. The Switch 2’s built-in microphone lets players give voice commands to Oatchi, the Rescue Pup, who recognizes nine different commands, including “Rush!” and “Go to work!” In my Pikmin 4 review, I called the game a delightful gem that deserves more attention, and Oatchi was a big part of that, since he sniffs out objectives and keeps players from getting stuck for long. There’s also a Nintendo Treehouse: Plays video that shows off Dandori Academy gameplay and some of the other additions.

Pikmin Bloom is getting a new adventure this winter called the Secret Caves, where players send large groups of Pikmin to explore, battle creatures, and collect in-game treasures. Entering a cave requires a cave map, which players may receive alongside postcards. Players who link the app to the Switch 2 Edition can also send their Dandori Academy exam results to Pikmin Bloom for special in-app rewards, including a cave map. Miyamoto was joined during the presentation by actress Fuka Koshiba, who is known for knitting Pikmin-inspired hats and sharing them on Instagram. Nintendo says she’ll be helping introduce the series to more people.

Finally, Nintendo Pictures, the studio behind last year’s Close to You shorts, is working with Miyamoto on an ongoing series of short films called Hello! Pikmin. The first two episodes are available now on the Nintendo Today! app and Nintendo’s other channels. Nintendo also launched the Pikmin Ability Collection on Pikmin Day, featuring merchandise inspired by each Pikmin type’s abilities, available exclusively at Nintendo New York, Nintendo San Francisco, and the Nintendo Store. All four mainline Pikmin games, including the HD versions of the first two, are currently playable on Switch and Switch 2, and the full Pikmin Day Direct is available on YouTube.

Pikmin Day Direct