Pikmin Bloom: Early Impressions – Game Informer

News on Niantic’s latest AR title has been scarce recently. The company first announced the project back in March but has been relatively quiet about the app since. For this iteration of the developer’s familiar formula, the Pokémon Go creator partnered with Nintendo to make the titular creatures in the Pikmin series your walking buddies, and it looks like they’re ready to take their first steps.

The newly titled Pikmin Bloom rolls out in select regions today, with its worldwide release coming in the following days. The game was in its initial stages of development when I went for a walk. So far, Pikmin Bloom feels like a gamified exercise app as opposed to Niantic’s Pokémon Go which feels more like a mobile game that happens to involve walking, and it seems like this is what the creators were going for. Niantic Tokyo Studio director of UX design Madoka Katayama explained in a recent preview event that the game’s goal is to enhance your typical walking experience. So, if you’re already hoofing it to school or work, Pikmin Bloom is there to make your journey more delightful. Pikmin Bloom app has the same charming vibe as the Pikmin series. And the adorable, help-seeking plant-based characters are equally cute on smartphones than on Nintendo platforms. The app’s gameplay is interesting, but it remains to be seen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZeIQEZIPv8

Pikmin Bloom starts with you setting up your avatar. There are limited customization options available, but they allow for some basic customizations. Even before getting into the meat of the experience, it’s easy to see how the game captures the original IP’s pleasant mood. The music is soft, but upbeat. And the familiar sound effects of the Pikmin remain as adorable as ever.   

You will first receive the red Pikmin seedlings. By planting them in your special Pikmin-growing backpack and walking the specified amount of steps, you’ll grow fully-formed creatures. If you are a fan of Pokémon Go, this process works a lot like egg incubators. You can take these Pikmin along along on your travels, collecting seeds or fruits and they will follow you. These fruits can be harvested for nectar and used to give you some food or make flowers.

Flower petals fuel the game’s most unique aspect: planting flowers. When you open the app and have petals on hand, you’re able to turn on flower planting. You can leave behind a trail, which will help your Pikmin to grow quicker and mark your way as you travel through the world. These blossoming paths will also be visible by other players. They can then add their own blooms to the map. You will be able to see the huge, closed flower buds in the game. So far, I’ve seen them appear in places that are also Gyms or Poké Stops in Pokémon Go, and Pikmin Bloom’s version of these locations asks players to plant a certain number of flowers in the designated space around the large, closed bloom to make it blossom.

You can create an app that will keep track of all your activities, give achievement badges for growing certain amounts of Pikmin, and allow you to add pictures or notes. The points you earn from your actions can be converted into levels that will allow you to unlock different creatures and give you access to a variety of perks, such as more Pikmin being part of your active walking group, more useful items, and the ability for them all become better.

I’ve only had a short time with Pikmin Bloom, but my initial impression is there isn’t much to do, though that might be by design. You are not actively searching for anything, and there’s no combat. In fact, if you connect the game to a fitness app to record your steps in the background, you don’t really have much reason to open the game except to pluck Pikmin out of your backpack or turn on flower planting. It’s entirely possible that might change as you level up, and Niantic has promised a monthly Community Day, which may add more to the gameplay. Pikmin Bloom is a great way to add some cheer to your daily walk, whether you are already walking every day or just looking to take a group of friends for a casual stroll. The game is out on Android and iOS as a free app in Singapore and Australia today, and the creators promise Pikmin Bloom will release in other regions soon.