The creator of Pokémon GO (Niantic) has released a new game together with Nintendo: Pikmin Bloom. But what are Pikmin and what can you expect from this game? iPhoned tells you!
All about Pikmin Bloom
Since Pokémon GO, Niantic has been trying to replicate the wildly popular game’s unprecedented success, with mixed results. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite and Transformers: Heavy Metal did not turn out to be the hits the company had hoped for. Partly because they came out during a pandemic, in which people were actually urged to stay at home.
Now it’s the Pikmin’s turn to get you walking. Niantic has once again collaborated with the Japanese game maker Nintendo. The result is Pikmin Bloom.
What is Pikmin Bloom?
Pikmin is a Nintendo game series for Nintendo consoles. The games are about an astronaut who ends up on a planet where Pikmin lives. These are little cheerful creatures that help the astronaut to travel further.
Pikmin are a cross between plant and animal. They are small and have arms and legs. They come in different colors and a leaf or flower grows on top of their heads. In Pikmin Bloom, the goal is to collect this Pikmin.
Does Pikmin Bloom look like Pokémon GO?
If you’ve played Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom will probably look familiar to you right away. The game feels (at the moment) a bit more stripped-down. Instead of throwing pokeballs or completing battles for specific locations, Pikmin Bloom focuses on walking.
A Pikmin starts as a seedling that you put in your backpack. You will harvest this after a certain number of steps. Then your collected Pikmin will walk outside with you and find pieces of fruit.
What about the petals?
If you tap the fruit that the Pikmin have collected for you, you turn it into nectar. Nectar is the food of the Pikmin. If you throw this at the creatures, they will eat it and their flower will grow in different colors. When a flower glows, it’s time to pick the petals. These petals can then be used when you are outside. Flowers will then grow where you walk and other players of the game will also see these flowers.
The special locations in the world (in Pokémon GO these were the gyms) in Pikmin Bloom are giant flowers that you grow by planting small flowers around them. If a large flower blooms, you get extra nectar.
Is it possible to play Pikmin Bloom together?
The world you play in is an open world, just like in Pokémon GO. That means that you fill the world with flowers together with other players. While scattering petals, it is possible to add fellow players who are near you. You then work together and see each other on the screen.
Is there nothing more to do?
As mentioned, Pikmin Bloom is mainly focused on walking and making that activity more fun. Unlike Pokémon GO, you’re not supposed to constantly look at your screen to monitor the environment. Your steps are also included if you do not have the app open (just give the app permission in advance). In a later phase it will be possible to send Pikmin away on expeditions for rewards, so that you also have something to do in between when you are not outside for a while.
Is Pikmin Bloom fun?
Pikmin Bloom is a completely different game than Pokémon GO. Although the games are similar in interface, style and the way you use the world, they are completely different experiences.
Pikmin Bloom mainly makes walking outside a bit more fun. The game motivates you to go outside and make your steps. Are you looking for a game in which you are just as actively engaged in all kinds of assignments as in Pokémon GO, then you will come home from a cold fair. Are you looking for a cheerful pedometer, then Pikmin Bloom is a great app to download. The only question is whether the game will remain fun in the long run.
Is Pikmin Bloom free?
Yes, Pikmin Bloom is free to download and free to play. Just like in Pokémon GO, in Pikmin Bloom there is a shop with various items to speed up certain processes.
There are also special Pikmin to be earned. For example, it is already possible to get a Pikmin with a Mario cap by connecting a Nintendo account to the game. In the future it will undoubtedly be possible to earn or buy other special items or Pikmin.
Download Pikmin Bloom
At the time of writing, the Pikmin Bloom rollout has just begun. That means the game is now available for download.
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