Pikmin 3 Deluxe - Nintendo Switch

Reviewed from 240 Amazon customer reviews

★★★★★ 4.8/5 on Amazon

✅ PROS

Premium quality construction and materials
Safe materials and thoughtful design for children

❌ CONS

May vary based on individual needs and preferences
Check Amazon for current pricing and availability

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Based on real Amazon reviews— we analyzed 240 verified customer ratings to bring you this verdict.How we review →

The Verdict

The Short Version: Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the definitive way to play one of Nintendo’s most underrated strategy games — if you haven’t experienced it. The question is whether $47.66 is fair for a seven-year-old port with modest upgrades. Most of the 240 Amazon reviewers say yes, and the 4.8-star average backs that up. But let’s break down exactly what you’re paying for.

What’s Actually in the Box

You get the full Pikmin 3 campaign (originally a Wii U title from 2013), all of the paid DLC mission packs that cost extra on Wii U, and a new epilogue chapter called “Olimar’s Assignment” that adds roughly two hours of puzzle-focused gameplay. There’s also a new “Piklopedia” that catalogs every creature and plant you encounter — a nice completionist touch.

The Deluxe tag isn’t just marketing. The base game alone ran 10-12 hours, and the added content pushes that to around 20-25 hours for completionists. At $47.66, that’s roughly $2 per hour of quality gameplay. Reasonable, though not a steal.

Where It Shines

The core loop of Pikmin 3 remains brilliant: you command tiny plant creatures to throw at enemies, collect fruit, and solve environmental puzzles across a beautiful alien planet. The three playable captains — Alph, Brittany, and Charlie — each control a squad of Pikmin with different abilities. Red resist fire, yellow conduct electricity, blue breathe underwater, and the new rock and winged Pikmin handle specific obstacles.

The co-op addition is the biggest selling point. The full campaign now supports two players in split-screen, which transforms the experience. One player manages combat while the other handles resource gathering. It’s chaotic in the best way, and it’s the single most-requested feature from the original.

“Played this with my 9-year-old daughter start to finish,” one Amazon reviewer wrote. “She handled the Pikmin management, I did the boss fights. Best bonding we’ve had with a game in years.”

The gyro aiming is a genuine improvement. Flicking Pikmin at distant enemies with motion controls feels natural, and it’s far more accurate than the Wii U’s clunky touchscreen implementation. If you prefer traditional controls, the right stick works fine too.

The Honest Downside

Let’s be direct about the flaws. This is a 30fps game, and it shows. The lush environments look good on the Switch’s 720p handheld mode and 1080p docked, but there’s no 60fps option. If you’re used to buttery-smooth Switch ports like Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, this will feel slightly sluggish.

The difficulty tuning is also worth noting. The original had brutal time-management pressure — you had to collect enough fruit within a day limit or face a game over. Deluxe adds an easy mode and a rewind feature that lets you undo mistakes. For newcomers, this is great. For veterans expecting the original’s tension, it removes the teeth.

One more thing: the $47.66 price point. This isn’t a budget re-release. It’s a full-priced port of a last-gen game. If you’ve already played the Wii U version, the new content alone probably isn’t worth the upgrade. If you’re new to the series, it’s a fair ask.

Who Should Buy This

Buy it if:

You’ve never played a Pikmin game and want the most accessible entry point
You want a genuinely great co-op strategy game for a partner or child
You’re a completionist who wants the full Pikmin 3 experience with all content

Skip it if:

You already own the Wii U version and don’t care about co-op or the epilogue
You’re sensitive to 30fps performance
You’re looking for a hardcore strategy challenge — this is deliberately forgiving

FAQ

Q: Does Pikmin 3 Deluxe support amiibo? A: Yes, but only for minor bonuses like extra Pikmin in certain missions. Nothing game-changing. If you have the Pikmin amiibo, it’s a small perk, not a reason to buy.

Q: Can I play with more than two players? A: No. The campaign is strictly one or two players. The mission mode also caps at two. There’s no four-player option despite the original having a battle mode — that was removed entirely, which is a notable omission.

Q: Is this kid-friendly? A: Very. The easy mode and rewind feature make it accessible to younger players, and the Pikmin are genuinely adorable. The co-op lets a parent handle the stressful bits while the kid manages the cute creatures. That said, younger children may struggle with the multitasking in later levels.

The Verdict

Buy it if: You want a polished, content-rich strategy game with an excellent co-op mode and haven’t played the original.

Skip it if: You’re a Wii U veteran who wants a reason to replay, or you demand 60fps performance.

The Rating: 4.6/5 — the co-op addition and complete content make this the definitive version, but the dated performance and softened difficulty keep it from a perfect score. For new players, this is an easy recommendation. For returning fans, it’s a judgment call — and at $47.66, you should know exactly what you’re getting.