Nobody Expected This RTS Series to Become a Massive Franchise 24 Years Ago

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Nintendo has consistently created popular games, establishing itself as a leader in the industry. Beloved characters like Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, and Samus have remained popular for decades. While Nintendo continues to introduce new games, its most famous franchises consistently outperform them.

But there was one significant exception to this trend, launching twenty-four years ago and becoming a huge success for Nintendo. This unusual strategy game featured a distinctive style and a subtly dark atmosphere, challenging players to survive in a difficult world while experiencing both the beauty and harshness of nature. It became a surprising hit and has grown into one of Nintendo’s most successful original games of the 21st century.

How Pikmin Grew

First released over 24 years ago, Pikmin has become a defining game for Nintendo in the 21st century, despite initially being one of their more unusual titles. The idea came from Shigeru Miyamoto’s love of gardening and his vision of tiny creatures collaborating to achieve a shared objective, but it took a while to come to fruition. During the shift from the Super Nintendo to the Nintendo 64, Shigefumi Hino and Masamichi Abe explored various game ideas that eventually led to Pikmin.

One concept involved players commanding numerous A.I. characters using chips that programmed actions like attacking or defending. Junji Morii later contributed, and his initial sketches of small, plant-like creatures heavily influenced the final look of the Pikmin. The game’s creators aimed for a similar unsettling cuteness found in Tim Burton’s films, resulting in a distinct and memorable visual style.

As Nintendo developed the GameCube, a demo called Mario 128 showed the console could display over 100 characters simultaneously, highlighting its impressive capabilities. This led to full development of the game with Hino and Abe directing, and Miyamoto guiding the overall vision. When the game was officially revealed, it surprised many as it featured real-time strategy gameplay – a departure for Nintendo’s usual titles.

Pikmin Blossomed Into A GameCube Hit

Released early in the life of the Nintendo GameCube, Pikmin stood out with its bright colors, large environments, and original gameplay. The game centers on Captain Olimar, a space traveler who crashes on a planet and must fix his ship before the planet’s toxic air becomes deadly. While exploring, Olimar discovers the Pikmin, the planet’s native creatures, which he can command to help him. Players race against the clock to find spaceship parts, creating a sense of urgency not often found in other Nintendo games.

With its unique look, Pikmin offered a fresh take on a story about the often-brutal world of nature, filled with difficult puzzles and challenges where Pikmin could easily become prey. The game was a critical and commercial success, selling over a million copies in its first year and earning praise for its beautiful graphics, creative gameplay, and demanding difficulty. Pikmin resonated with both players and reviewers, proving to be a surprisingly captivating new game from Nintendo and launching a whole series of sequels.

Over Two Decades Later, Pikmin Is Still Growing

The Pikmin series has become one of Nintendo’s most successful original creations of the 21st century. The first game was a hit with critics and sold well, leading to a sequel, Pikmin 2. The sequel broadened the gameplay, letting players explore more freely instead of rushing against the clock. The popularity of Pikmin even led to its main character, Olimar, being added to the Super Smash Bros. lineup, solidifying his status as a Nintendo icon.

The Pikmin series continued to grow with new releases and re-releases on consoles like the Wii, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo 3DS. This included direct sequels such as Pikmin 3 for the Wii U and Pikmin 4 for the Switch, as well as the spin-off Hey! Pikmin. The series also expanded to mobile platforms with games like Pikmin Bloom and Pikmin Finder. Over time, Pikmin has become a well-established and beloved part of the Nintendo family, fitting comfortably alongside iconic franchises like Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda.

Pikmin was an unusual real-time strategy game that initially felt like a showcase for the new console it was on. But thanks to the imaginative work of some of Nintendo’s most talented designers, the game’s look and feel blended perfectly with other Nintendo titles. Though it seemed like an odd addition when it first came out, Pikmin has become a beloved and important part of Nintendo’s legacy.

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2025-12-03 01:10