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Pikmin
2
The original Pikmin was one of the few highlights of the Gamecube's first year. Though it was really just a kid-friendly
RTS, the art design and innovative controls made it a blast to play. With the brilliant Shigeru Miyamoto sticking around for the second installment, Pikmin 2 looks to improve on the original in every way possible, including greatly expanding the game mechanics.
Pikmin 2 involves the further adventures of Captain Olimar, who now has to use his Pikmin herding skills to gather valuable treasures from the surface of a planet. This time, however, Olimar is not alone. An assistant has come with his, meaning the player can work on multiple tasks at the same time a little more efficiently than in the first game. The presence of an assistant also means Pikmin 2 can be played by two players in Co-op mode.
Regardless of whether the player is going it alone or with help, Pikmin 2 has added a lot of value over the first release. The rather limited enemies of the first game have been expanded to over
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sixty. There are a handful of new Pikmin with new powers--all the
originals return also. Perhaps the most startling feature is that there is now no time limit, making it possible to explore until your heart's content. It remains to be seen if this lack of time limit will weaken the overall impact of the game. I know the time limit really kept the pressure on the first time around, and I was always striving to cut down my time when replaying the game.
Pikmin 2 is almost upon us, and it looks to be at least as hot as the original release. The lack of time limit and the co-op mode could mean a very different experience. If we get any more info before the upcoming release, I'll pass it along.