Nintendo and Niantic collaborate again on a mobile game after the most celebrated Pokémon Go: Pikmin Bloom is the materialization of the universe created by Miyamoto in an experience that mixes augmented reality with physical activity. This game is already in testing. And we have been able to test the APK.
Niantic marked a before and after in mobile games thanks to Ingress, the title based on reality that combined physical action with virtual. That approach was transferred to Pokémon Go, a game that ended up laying the foundations of the genre. There are many who came later, some from Niantic itself (Harry Potter: Wizards Unite) and others from outside companies (The Witcher: Monster Slayer, for example). Now, to show that open universes combine perfectly with the touch screen, Niantic repeats the formula with Pikmin Bloom, a title that aspires to be endearing.
Pikmin Bloom now available as a test release
Pikmin has been a classic in the Nintendo universe since it first appeared on the Nintendo Game Cube. Created by the mythical Shigeru Miyamoto, developer of Mario or Zelda, the game proposes a puzzle mechanic where Pikmin creatures play a priority role, a kind of hybrid between plant and animal. These creatures combine their abilities to organize tasks: the more Pikmins there are, the easier it will be to evolve in the game.
Translating the Pikmin approach to a mobile game of interaction with the real world is not exactly easy. In Niantic they managed to make Pikmin Bloom an extension of the console classics: the setting, characters and mechanics are well inspired. With the particularities imposed by titles like Pokémon Go: to evolve you have to walk.
Pikmin Blooom begins its testing period with a selective release (soft launch) in Singapore and Australia. However, the APK works fine, so it is possible to test the game in other countries. It is translated into Spanish, allows you to log in from Spain (we have chosen the Nintendo account) and enables the test and the first steps. The problem is that maps are not active for non-launch countries, so the experience is not complete. Still.
Find Pikmins and let them follow you as you stroll
As in console games, in Pikmin Bloom too we will have to locate new creatures that will be added to our group. As we walk through the real world we will observe that the Pikmins will be running around happily on the virtual plane. We will be able to personalize their name, feed them and interact minimally with them.
Our character carries a backpack in which we will have to “raise” the Pikmin shoots (seedlings) until they become adult enough to walk on their own. We will find these Pikmins as we walk through the real world mobile in hand. AND for them to grow we will also have to walk, just like hatching eggs in Pokémon Go.
Pikmin Bloom promises a playful experience combined with the charisma of the creatures and the atmosphere of the original universe. Flock of Pikmins to collect, challenges that will appear throughout the game, record of rides, we can plant virtual flowers … Once Niantic releases the game worldwide we will find traces of other players in the virtual plane.
As is obvious when it comes to the type of game, Pikmin Bloom requires constant connection to play and access to GPS. The battery drain is high. And there is always the risk of going down the street with your phone in hand, something typical of this type of game.
Pikmin Bloom is only active in Singapore and Australia, although you can download the APK for your mobile from APK Combo (global maps do not work yet). The file is virus-free and official from Niantic.