Pikmin 3
Platform: Wii U
Developer: Nintendo
Rating out of five: ****
Pikmin returns after an extended hiatus and delivers exactly what any fan would expect: the continued corralling of the titular helpful herbivores, all wrapped-up in glossy HD visuals courtesy of Wii U.
Series stalwarts Captain Olimar and Louie are this time ousted as principal leads by a brave trio of new astronauts, Captain Charlie, Brittany and Alph.
The three have crash-landed on the planet Koppai, leaving them seeking both their ship's missing parts and a source of food. Division of labour is the order of the day, then, and it's here where the console's unique functionality comes to the fore, with players able to set separate destinations for each character by use of the touchscreen map.
While the addition of rock and air pikmin adds to an already rich dish, it's the wistful charm of witnessing your pikmin fetching, carrying and bashing monsters that is the chief selling point.
Pikmin 3 might be little more than a spruced-up take on its predecessors, but it's still nothing less than essential for Wii U owners. - The Independent