Nintendo Reveals Developer Insights on Pikmin 4
Nintendo has recently released the final part of its Ask the Developer interview series, focusing on Pikmin 4. In this installment, the development team shared their personal thoughts on the beloved franchise.
Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary designer and creator of Pikmin, expressed his deep connection to the series. He described the Pikmin as “Nintendo’s most global characters” and emphasized his desire for players to perceive them as creatures that could exist in the real world:
“Pikmin games tend to stand out due to their world and characters, but I think they’re also interesting as a game genre. Furthermore, I want people to have this real sense that Pikmin are all around us, that they aren’t just fantasy creatures. Pikmin have no set age or nationality. They have a unique presence as creatures that exist somewhere on Earth. That’s not the case with Mario. We know he’s of Italian descent in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but it’s not like you can bump into him walking down the street, because he lives in the world of Mario. In fact, I consider Pikmin to be Nintendo’s most global characters. Since the promotional campaign we launched over ten years ago, we’ve been saying, “Pikmin are all around us.” I think we’ve finally reached a point where people can find Pikmin in various places, not just in their imaginations. I hope more and more people become aware of Pikmin and play Pikmin games.”
While we at Nintendo Life are big fans of Pikmin, we find it hard to agree that they are the “most global” characters compared to iconic figures like Mario. However, Pikmin has undeniably amassed a dedicated fanbase worldwide.
Miyamoto also touched on the idea that Pikmin exists beyond video games. He hinted at their appearances in Super Nintendo World and even teased a possible cameo in the upcoming Mario Movie. It’s clear that Pikmin are becoming increasingly prominent across various platforms.
With the mention of other worlds, some speculate that a Pikmin movie might be in the works. Only time will tell if this is the case.
The final part of the Pikmin 4 interview series explores the game’s connection to nostalgia, its potential to spark family conversations, and insights from sound director Mitsuhiro Kida on bringing the Pikmin to life. To read the full interview, click here.
Do you agree with Miyamoto about Pikmin’s global reach? Where would you like to see these characters appear next? Let us know in the comments.