It took a while, butPikmin 4is finally on its way. The next major game in thePikminfranchise has been the subject of fan discussions and wishlists for years. The early announcement of it by series creator Shigeru Miyamoto in 2015 didn’t help matters, nor did the releases ofHey! PikminandPikmin Bloom. However, the 2021 release ofPikmin 3 Deluxeforeshadowed the series' oncoming revival, andPikmin 4itself was announced a year later.
This is great news forPikminfans around the world, and the solid sales ofPikmin 3 Deluxemeans that number is steadily growing. Unfortunately, the only certainty at the moment is thatPikmin 4is coming soon. Not only is the exact date unknown, but so is almost everything else. The typical three primary colors of Pikmin have been seen, along with theseries mascot enemy, the Bulborb. Aside from a potentially new captain and a lower default camera angle, no other details have been released forPikmin 4yet. There are lots of questions to answer, and one of them is how bomb rocks are going to work in the new game.
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How Bomb Rocks Have Been Used in Pikmin Thus Far
Bomb rocks are anotherPikminstaple, appearing in every numbered titleas well asHey! Pikmin. They exist to destroy barriers and rare enemies that cannot be damaged in any other way. They are also useful for dealing massive damage to just about everything else. Experts can use bomb rocks to speed through walls that would normally take Pikmin several minutes to bash down. Players need to be careful, however, as explosions are the one type of damage that will instantly kill Pikmin with no chance to recover them.
How bomb rocks are implemented has changed from game to game. In the originalPikmin, only Yellow Pikmin could pick up bomb rocks. These Pikmin are treated as a special group, standing apart from other Yellow Pikmin when the army is dismissed. Bomb rock-wielding Pikmin will throw their rocks at nearby enemies or drop them beside destructible walls when thrown at the corresponding object. This feature was intended to give Yellow Pikmin an additional utility, as electrical hazards didn’t exist inPikmin 1. InPikmin 2, Pikmin can’t pick bomb rocks up; the enlarged stones are simply environmental hazards or tools for certain enemies.Only in 2-Player Battlecan bomb rocks be held, and just by captains.Pikmin 3andHey! Pikminallowed all Pikmin to take up bomb rocks, and3also gave Pikmin about to be eaten an explosive counterattack.
There Are Many Ways For Pikmin 4 To Adapt Bomb Rocks
For such a varied mechanic, bomb rocks have become an integral part of thePikminexperience, and players already expect to see them inPikmin 4. Chances are good that they will behave likePikmin 3’s bombs by allowing any type of Pikmin to carry them, but more could be done with the explosive ore.Pikmin 4could introduce a new Pikmin typefocused around dealing with bomb rocks, especially the larger ones fromPikmin 2that normal Pikmin can’t grab. These Bomb Pikmin could absorb kinetic energy and expel it later at enemies or objects. A puzzle designed for them could involve a group detonating a rock stuck in the earth, then brought to a heavy obstacle that can be pushed away by their stored energy.
Speaking of which, purely hazardous bomb rocks in the form of traps and certain enemies could be brought back. Creatures that throw bomb rocks remain interesting foes, as their timers give players the chance to get out of the way and potentially invoke some friendly fire. A captain upgrade that allows players to pick up bomb rocks themselves would also be interesting, although it would probably need to be placed late in the game.Pikmin 4has lots of room to expand, and the uses for bomb rocks can change and grow along with it.
Pikmin 4will be released in 2023 for the Nintendo Switch.
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