That's what I thought. While the series has been around for more than a decade (debuting in 2001 with the original 'Pikmin' for the then-current generation GameCube console), it's remained one of Nintendo's best-kept secrets — never possessing the star power of 'Super Mario Bros.' Or the cultural ubiquity of 'Super Smash Bros.' And to the uninitiated that only know Nintendo as the company that makes 'Mario Kart' games, that's a shame, because, well, 'Pikmin 3' is one of the best video games I've played in years.' Pikmin 3' begins with the three astronauts you control being marooned on a mysterious planet during a space expedition they were conducting in search of food. As you begin to explore your new Earth-like surroundings, you encounter a series of brightly colored bug-eyed sprites (the titular Pikmin) that look like a cross between Wall-E and the These ridiculously, almost painfully, adorable critters become the main tools in your arsenal to scavenge for rations. Navigating the hazardous terrain of each gorgeously-realized level in the game's single-player campaign requires tactful use of the Pikmin to do everything from build bridges and tear down walls to slay gigantic spiders.

Need to break through a wall of ice? Try hurling a group of the hefty Rock Pikmin at it. Want to conduct an electrical charge to light up a room and scare away bats? Send Yellow Pikmin into the high-voltage zone. Just don't send either of them into the water; that's what the Blue Pikmin are for. And unlike other real-time strategy games like 'StarCraft' or 'Command & Conquer,' your commander in 'Pikmin 3' is literally in the trenches next to the foot soldiers, deftly (or, in my case, clumsily) aiming the different-colored Pikmin at enemies or pieces of fruit.

Combat is NintendoThe phrase 'herding cats' comes to mind when trying to describe 'Pikmin's' gameplay, which helps explain what makes this game feel unique and comfortably familiar at the same time. Like any good Pixar movie, it artfully balances equal parts of joyfulness and pathos to tell its story. The cutesiness of the Pikmin can seem sugary to a fault at first, but the game's central objective — gathering food for survival — jolts every puzzle with emotional urgency. And for what appears to be a children's game at first glance, 'Pikmin 3' is hard. Now there's a face that pretty much anybody can love. NintendoThe manual labor invested in making each day of 'Pikmin 3's' campaign successful sets it apart from pretty much any other strategy game I can remember playing recently, as the simply beauty of the game's animations and the ruthless difficulty of its mechanics make you for more emotionally invested in keeping your troops alive than, say, a match of 'StarCraft 2' ever does. But there's something else that's equally important that sets 'Pikmin 3' apart from other placeholders of the real-time strategy genre: it's coming out exclusively for the Wii U console.

Each level in NintendoAs I've reported, times now, Nintendo's new-ish console hasn't been doing the company much good. Less than a year on the market, the Wii U's sales. Nintendo itself has now that it is to blame for the persistently weak Wii U sales, and even suggested that it to throw into its predictable mix of games.A brand new Nintendo franchise sounds intriguing. But after playing 'Pikmin 3,' I'm not so sure if churning one out simply for the sake of making something new is such a good idea.

As Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter told me back in April, the company already has plenty of IP. What's important is what Nintendo chooses to do with it. 'Pikmin 3' may not be 'new' in the sense that Nintendo fans have been able to toss around these adorable little creatures since the early 2000s. But it's new in the sense that the 'Pikmin' series is still evolving, still growing and improving over time, whereas every new 'Super Mario Bros.' Game is basically the one before it with slightly better graphics.

Command a legion of adorable Pikmin in a fight for survival; Enlist armies of Pikmin to solve puzzles and defeat monsters; Explore a beautiful, living world.

Simply put: I could leave gaming behind content with the fact that I never got the chance to play the next Mario game that Nintendo will inevitably release. Not so with Pikmin. I don't know if 'Pikmin 3' is enough on its own to convince curious gamers to invest in a Wii U. But it's the first game that made me truly appreciate the new console. As one video game writer put it to me on Twitter recently: 'I want to want a Wii U.' Well, 'Pikmin 3' is a start.Yannick LeJacq is a contributing writer for NBC News who has also covered technology and games for Kill Screen, The Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic.

You can follow him on Twitter at @YannickLeJacq and reach him by email at: Yannick.LeJacq@nbcuni.com.

All Pikmin share a set of basic skills. As you explore an area, you’ll use Pikmin to battle enemies, destroy obstacles, and transport objects. Most Pikmin are vulnerable to common hazards like fire, water, electricity, and crushing damage. Understanding the unique strengths and weaknesses of each Pikmin type is the key to overcoming the game’s many challenges.

Red Pikmin

Unique Strengths:
High attack power
Immune to fire
Unique Weaknesses:
None

Due to their superior attack power, Red Pikmin perform very well in most combat situations. Because these Pikmin are immune to fire, however, they are particularly important when you need to overcome one of the game’s fiery hazards.

Yellow Pikmin

Unique Strengths:
Immune to electricity
Can connect Electrodes
Can be thrown higher than other Pikmin
Increased digging speed
Unique Weaknesses:
None

When thrown, Yellow Pikmin can be used to reach platforms and ledges that are inaccessible to other Pikmin types. These versatile Pikmin can also overcome electrical hazards, as well as activate the Electrodes scattered throughout the game. Although any Pikmin can unearth buried objects, Yellow Pikmin can do so at a much faster rate.

Blue Pikmin

Unique Strengths:
Immune to water
Unique Weaknesses:
None

The Animal Crossing games are essentially all about being social; the main point is to make friends with the animals in the game. Animal crossing pocket camp gulliver guide.

Blue Pikmin are the only Pikmin type that can safely enter the water. Gather a squad of Blue Pikmin whenever you encounter a submerged enemy, object, or obstacle.

Rock Pikmin

Unique Strengths:
High attack power when thrown
Immune to most crushing attacks
Can shatter crystal objects
Unique Weaknesses:
Cannot cling to most objects or enemies
Falls down after each attack
Bounces past target when thrown

Rock Pikmin can destroy the crystal-based objects, obstacles, and enemies located throughout the game. When thrown, Rock Pikmin are capable of dealing a massive amount of damage to their target, but they do considerably less damage when they’re left to attack on their own. With their durable bodies, Rock Pikmin are particularly useful when battling enemies that would trample or crush other Pikmin types.

Winged Pikmin

Unique Strengths:
Flight
Aerial combat
Can pull Flukeweeds
Unique Weaknesses:
Low attack power

Because Winged Pikmin can fly, they’re able to perform a variety of tasks that other Pikmin just can’t handle. Winged Pikmin can carry items over hazards and obstacles, they can manipulate special objects, and they can pull the Flukeweeds scattered throughout the game. These tiny Pikmin also play an important role in many combat situations—although Winged Pikmin have very low attack power, they’re able to chase down enemies that might elude stronger Pikmin types.

Learn more: read about the writing of the Pikmin 3 Official Game Guide.

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