Hey! Pikmin demo now available in Europe, latest trailer, details

Hey! Pikmin is the latest entry in the Pikmin series, and the first one on a handheld. Unlike the other ones, it’s not a real-time strategy game, but instead a platform/action game. However, you still need to throw Pikmin at everything you come across to find your way back home after crashing on a planet (yes, again).

If Hey! Pikmin has caught your interest, and you would like to try it out ahead of its release on July 28th in Europe and North America (Japan gets it two weeks earlier, on July 13th), you can now download a demo from the Nintendo eShop… though only if you have a European Nintendo 3DS. No need to worry if you only have a North America or Japanese one, there’s no doubt it will be released in Japan and North America pretty soon.

While you wait for the demo to download (or come out in your region), why not check out the latest trailer?

But that’s not all: the official website also shares some details about the game. Everything was already featured on the Japanese website, but we now have official English translation for the various key terms!

Hey! Pikmin is a side-scrolling adventure game, where Captain Olimar has to explore an unknown planet in search of precious resources he need to get back home. Fortunately, he can once gain rely on the help of the Pikmin to overcome obstacles, defeat enemies, and more.

To get back home, Captain Olimar needs no less than 30 000 Sparklium Seeds, to repair his ship. Because yes, he somehow managed to damage it again!

To control the Pikmin, you use the touch screen. All you need to do is tap in the direction you’d like to throw them and… that’s it! The action unfolds on both screens, which makes the whole game and the enemies appear quite large.

There’s several types of Pikmin in the game, and they each have their own attribute:

• Red Pikmin: Red Pikmin can handle themselves in a scrap. They’re also resistant to fire.
• Blue Pikmin: Blue Pikmin love to get wet. They can swim and breathe underwater.
• Yellow Pikmin: These yellow fellows like electricity. They can be thrown higher than other Pikmin, too.
• Rock Pikmin: Rock Pikmin are as hard as stone and can’t be squished. Fling them at anything you want to break.
• Winged Pikmin: These pretty little creatures can fly. They can also lift obstacles out of the way.

Pikmin may be fearless, that doesn’t mean they’re invicible… quite the opposite! They can die pretty easily… they’re pretty damn fragile, those poor Pikmin!

Any Pikmin you manage to guide to the end of a level is sent to the Pikmin Park, where they can search for more Sparklium Seeds and treasure for you. Naturally, the more types of Pikmin you have, the more Sparklium Seeds they will uncover.

The official website also provides additional details about the amiibo features of Hye! Pikmin:

• Pikmin amiibo (amiibo series): if you pause the game during a stage and tap this amiibo, you can call reinforcements. If you level up the amiibo (which is done by bringing Pikmin to the Pikmin Park), you can call up to 20 additional Pikmin;
• Captain Olimar amiibo (Super Smash Bros. series): if you pause the game during a stage and tap this amiibo, you can call reinforcements (4 Pikmin);
• Super Mario, Splatoon, and Animal Crossing amiibo: tap them on the world map to unlock statues to collect during bonus levels. If you collect it, you will get 200 Sparklium Seeds. NB: this also works with the Pikmin and Captain Olimar amiibo, but Nintendo doesn’t mention it for some reason. In fact, all amiibo are compatible, but those not listed simply give you 10 Sparkling Seeds a day.

Hey! Pikmin (3DS) comes out on July 13th in Japan, and July 28th in Europe and North America.