Nintendo has officially declared November 1st as Pikmin Day, an annual celebration of the beloved puzzle-strategy franchise. The announcement came from series creator Shigeru Miyamoto during a special video presentation that also revealed new developments for "Hello! Pikmin," "Pikmin 4," and "Pikmin Bloom."
Miyamoto explained that the date November 1st was chosen for Pikmin Day due to its numerical appearance (11.1), which resembles the original red, yellow, and blue Pikmin standing together. This new annual tradition will coincide with the release of new content and updates related to the Pikmin universe.
New "Hello! Pikmin" Animated Shorts
A new animated short, part of the upcoming "Hello! Pikmin" series, was showcased. The humorous clip depicts a red Pikmin attempting to steal a baseball from a seemingly sleeping toad, only to discover the amphibian is not asleep and is quite hungry. Miyamoto stated that Nintendo plans to release one new "Hello! Pikmin" animated short per month through the Nintendo Today app and other platforms, with the collaboration of Nintendo Pictures.
This follows the successful reception of a previous Pikmin-themed animated short, "Close to You," released last year, and a series of shorts from 2014, indicating a long-standing interest in animated content for the franchise from Miyamoto.
"Pikmin 4" – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and Dandori Academy
The "Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy" will launch in November, offering new features exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. Players will be able to command Oatchi, the canine companion, using voice commands through the Switch 2's microphone. The Dandori Academy mode introduces new strategic challenges, with limited-time exams available every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. A total of seventy-two Dandori Academy stages are planned to be released over time, with leaderboards to foster competition among players.
A free demo for "Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy" will be available on November 2nd, allowing players to experience the opening area and two Dandori Academy challenges.
"Pikmin Bloom" Introduces Secret Caves
Nintendo's mobile game, "Pikmin Bloom," will receive a new feature called Secret Caves this winter. This mode will allow players to send their Pikmin into caves to battle enemies and collect treasures, adding a new layer of collectibles to the game. Access to these Secret Caves will require maps, which can be obtained through in-game postcards and by playing the Dandori Academy challenges in "Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition."
Fuka Koshiba Joins as Pikmin Spokesperson
In addition to game-related news, Nintendo has enlisted popular Japanese actress Fuka Koshiba as a spokesperson for the Pikmin franchise. Koshiba, known for her acting career and her hobby of knitting Pikmin-themed headwear, will help build excitement for the series moving forward.