![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/2bed3a9afc03a/pikmin-4-oatchi.900x.jpg)
Every now and then, a long-running sequence will throw a model new function right into a sport that makes me assume to myself, “I hope that they by no means drop this”. The Melee Counter from Samus Returns; Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ crafting system; and, most not too long ago, Tears of the Kingdom’s Ultrahand and Ascend talents. I merely cannot perceive how every respective sequence can transfer ahead with out bringing these great additions alongside for the trip (albeit with enhancements and tweaks alongside the way in which).
In July 2023, I skilled it yet again. With a canine.
Oatchi was of no shock to me after I first picked up Pikmin 4. This area rescue pup (which I nonetheless imagine ought to canonically be known as ‘Pupmin’, however what are you able to do?) was revealed approach again within the February 2023 Nintendo Direct showcase and, after all, I used to be instantly on board. His fluffy little ball of a design, his wagging tail and do not even get me began on that cute little tongue. It was all sufficient to make me utterly overlook the truth that this creature solely had two stumpy little legs and no nostril — a fairly achieved feat, I am certain everybody can agree.
This Direct trailer even confirmed among the talents that Oatchi would carry to the desk: sniffing out Castaways, carrying corpses and transporting entire hoards of Pikmin throughout watery terrain on his again. However regardless of all of this, nothing might have ready me for simply how a lot I’d love the little man.
![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/999430d90d73b/pikmin-4-oatchi.445x.jpg)
![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/8a576f423a994/pikmin-4-oatchi.445x.jpg)
Let’s rewind a bit. Previous to choosing up Pikmin 4, I performed via Pikmin and Pikmin 2 after they had been shadow-dropped on Change again in June. It was after I entered the latter days of the primary sport that I realised, regardless of my love for the Pikmin, these petite crops certain are annoying. It appeared that with each nook I turned, some received caught on the wall and had been left behind; I could not even take into consideration going close to water with out listening to the fateful “walalalla” from a bunch of Yellow Pikmin who determined to take a poorly-considered dip; crossing a bridge or navigating a slim hole was a trial all of its personal. I rediscovered my love of the 2001 title, however boy did it handle to grind my gears alongside the way in which.
Smash reduce to at least one month later after I lastly had my arms on Pikmin 4 and I used to be launched to Oatchi. Throughout the first few days exploring Blossoming Arcadia, the canine companion was as I had anticipated: very cute and reasonably robust, however nothing greater than a novelty teammate with some cute puppy-dog eyes. However then Captain Shepherd — your one-stop-shop for all issues Oatchi — taught my tiny planet explorer the best way to climb onto the pup’s again and use him to higher navigate the environment, and every little thing modified.
Oatchi turned my one and solely type of transport. I hopped up ledges, crossed water (when he learnt the best way to swim) and navigated tight corners all with out a single fear of whether or not I used to be leaving any Pikmin behind alongside the way in which. My loyal troop stayed clinging onto the fluffy again, by no means deviating from the course, by no means getting left behind. In fact, I ought to notice that the Pikmin instructions have clearly improved from the primary sport — your plant friends hardly ever chuck themselves into close by water on a whim and crossing bridges is now not a headache — however in comparison with the fixed watching-your-six type of exploration that comes with strolling, using on Oatchi’s again was bliss.
But regardless of this ease of motion, my love for Oatchi doesn’t dwell or die on his skill to function as a stand-in mode of transport. You see, Oatchi isn’t just a canine companion, however a captain all of his personal.
![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/79bfb8aa9aa1b/pikmin-4-oatchi.900x.jpg)
I set free a cheer after I first realised that you may swap to Oatchi and use him as your participant character as a substitute. An precise cheer. It baffles me that Pikmin 4’s co-op is restricted solely to a Tremendous Mario Odyssey-esque pebble-pitcher mode when the prospect for some split-screen treasure looking is true there with Oatchi in tow, however maybe that is a dialogue for an additional day. In single-player, Oatchi’s usefulness can’t be overstated.
I will not go into all of Oatchi’s upgrades and new-found talents, however having levelled up his Rush and Command expertise, we had been an unstoppable staff. Like the perfect Pikmin video games at all times do, I quickly discovered myself engaged on 4 completely different duties directly, choosing up treasure with my member of the Rescue Corps and sending off Oatchi to assault oncoming enemies, take out elemental gates and choose up any stray Pikmin that received misplaced alongside the way in which. In brief, he turned the goodest boy.
Pikmin video games have at all times had this sense of tactical circulate, however with Oatchi it feels completely different. The area pup is concurrently an asset and a captain, one thing which you can command and be commanded by. That is no Louie from Pikmin 2, nor the spare captains of Brittany, Charlie and Alph from Pikmin 3 — Oatchi is the candy spot, the top of Pikmin planning.
![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/095b1e9129fa4/pikmin-4-oatchi.445x.jpg)
![Pikmin 4 Oatchi](https://images.nintendolife.com/69488a22e3878/pikmin-4-oatchi.445x.jpg)
So, the place will we go from right here? You may’t simply introduce a function as useful as this boi after which neglect all about him transferring ahead. Pikmin 4’s post-game content material demonstrates simply how essential the area pup is to the members of the Rescue Corps, and Olimar clearly feels the identical approach. Might we actually have one other Pikmin sport with out such a implausible pal alongside for the trip?
The reply is not any. No less than, I definitely hope not. In my playthrough of Pikmin 4, I watched Oatchi change from a cute companion to one thing that I constantly relied on in each single mission. Heading into one other sport with out him would really feel like enjoying with the chances stacked in opposition to you, an Eventide Island-like problem to see simply how far you’ll be able to go when your entire hard-earned instruments are taken away from you. No one actually desires that, proper?
Let’s admit it, it might be one other 10 years earlier than we get something that vaguely resembles Pikmin 5 (if such a factor will even exist), which is greater than sufficient time to determine how the sequence’ freshest function evolves from right here. Sit, keep, good boy.
What do you make of Oatchi thus far? Do you assume this pup is right here to remain? Bark your ideas within the feedback under.
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