Oh my god, I can’t recommend this game enough! Pikmin Bloom is so downright heartwarming, and freaking adorable.
It is the newest augmented reality game from Niantic, and is co-developed with Nintendo. If you haven’t downloaded it, yet — get on it!
The game is available now for both Android and iOS Devices. It was first announced a few months ago, but it’s finally releasing worldwide!
As you can tell from the name, the game is part of Nintendo’s iconic Pikmin franchise.
Pikmin Bloom provides a fresh spin on the geolocation, AR formula that Niantic is known for.
Instead of running around catching and battling Pokémon, or fighting wizards with magic, it’s more laid-back.
Pikmin Bloom instead has you growing the cute Pikmin from seedlings, taking care of them, and then helping them plant flowers around the world!
The game is so incredibly wholesome, and you can’t help falling in love with the Pikmin straight away. The entire game is so vibrant and colourful.
There are also plenty of different Pikmin types, and dozens (if not hundreds) of special ones to collect. So it’ll keep you busy!
It’s always so exciting when you grow a new Pikmin, or get one with a special outfit.
In the best way, Pikmin Bloom feels less like a game, and more like a social or community app, with a focus on exercise.
It’s a great way to get motivated for a walk or a run, and is the perfect addition to any hike.
The game also doesn’t ask for your attention 24/7. Instead, it plays in the background and counts your steps.
Most of the features in the game are based around steps, and being a background activity.
Steps in this game are used to grow flowers, and of course — grow Pikmin. You then send off any grown Pikmin to collect more seedlings and food.
Any collected food gets turned into Nectar, which you feed to your little plant army of Pikmin to produce flower petals.
These petals are then used to plant a variety of different flowers on your map — which other players can also see!
It’s even possible to plant flowers together with your friends! Which is why this game feels more like a social app than a typical video game.
There’s no battling enemies, or needing to min/max optimise. Pikmin Bloom is extremely laid-back, and all the players work together!
Pikmin Bloom even has a built-in diary entry system, so you can log how your day is going. You can even attach photos and notes.
So it’s a great way to record your memories! These photos can even get attached to Pikmin, which is a great way to personalise them.
I’ve been playing Pikmin Bloom non-stop with my girlfriend, logging our dates and any cute events into the diary.
The game also has an adorable postcard system! So you can share any cool landmarks you visit with your friends.
There are only two negatives that I’ve found in the game. First of all, there’s no option to turn off or censor location names.
Whilst this isn’t a problem for most people, it makes it hard to create videos and content on.
Secondly, I’d love to see more outfits added to the game, or the option to buy more! But I’m sure this will come further down the line.
I definitely see myself playing Pikmin Bloom for a long time. It even makes up for Niantic shutting down Catan: World Explorers.
Pikmin Bloom is the perfect background game, and the monetisation model is also extremely fair.
The game’s progression system is also handled really well. It slowly introduces you to more mechanics, features, and Pikmin types as you level up.
Levelling up isn’t a chore like it is in Pokémon GO, either. There is no experience system, instead it’s tied to tasks and steps.
This game is also the perfect way to breathe some fresh air into the Pikmin franchise, and garner more interest. Because of Bloom, I’m actually going out to buy Pikmin 3 Deluxe later this week…
That concludes my Pikmin Bloom review. Just like a flower, this game is blossoming! You can download it on the Google Play and iOS App Store now.