Pikmin 3 News: Nintendo Reveals New Character and Gameplay Information As Game Approaches August 4 Release

Pikmin 3, the hotly anticipated new game from the acclaimed series, will be appearing exclusively on the Wii U on August 4, and the newest Nintendo Direct confirmed several new details about the game. This news was reported on first by IGN.

The video gives some insight about the game's characters. The game features three playable characters, Alph, Brittany, and Charlie. They crash land on a planet inhabited by the Pikmin, then the team decides to gather up the fruit and seeds found on the planet to try and save Koppai, their homeworld. All three characters can be controlled at once, and the Gamepad can be used to move around the level and keep track of all the activities on the map. Players will be able to play Pikmin 3 in a wide variety of ways. Players can use the Gamepad in conjunction with a television, or just use the Gamepad solo. Players can also play using the tradition Wii Remote to play Pikmin 3.

While Nintendo gave several new details about the game, there is still some mystery to Pikmin 3. The game's Challenge and Multiplayer modes are still under wraps, though Nintendo has promised another Nintendo Direct that will shed some light on those game modes.

Pikmin 3 is the follow up to the previous game in the series, which was released in 2004 on the Gamecube. Pikmin 3 introduces two new types of Pikmin to the series. One is a super-strong rock-type Pikmin, and the other is a pink Pikmin capable of flight. The European market will be getting the game early, on July 26, reversing the common trend in video games that has North America and Japan receive a game first.  Pikmin 3 has been in development since 2008, when it was originally slated for the original Wii. We will report on any future Pikmin 3 news as the game gets closer to release.