Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.
Pikmin 4 demo live now gameplay overview trailer Nintendo Switch

Pikmin 4 Demo Is Suddenly Live on the eShop, Alongside Overview Trailer

Nintendo has abruptly released a lengthy gameplay overview trailer for Pikmin 4, in addition to announcing that a playable demo is now live on the Nintendo Switch eShop, with save data transferable to the full release. This is pretty random timing, as Pikmin 4 had received a spotlight in the Nintendo Direct that occurred just last Wednesday. Nonetheless, this demo is welcome — and probably even necessary, as Pikmin 4 will not be climbing the sales charts the way The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom did. This game needs all the help it can get to garner attention.

Recommended Videos

The overview trailer is worth watching too to get a general idea of basic mechanics, including how the different Pikmin function, differences between day and night, and new quality-of-life additions, like a rewind feature. Regarding that rewind, you can choose to wind back the clock by, for example, one minute, to undo a deadly mistake that might have wiped out a lot of your Pikmin. The trailer also just offers plenty more pretty visuals, including a random Game Boy Advance SP. That’s fun.

Pikmin 4 launches on July 21, 2023, but you can try its eShop demo now. Meanwhile, back at the aforementioned Nintendo Direct, remasters of the original Pikmin and Pikmin 2 shadow-dropped on the eShop, and a physical release will follow in September. Soon, you’ll be playing all four numbered entries in the franchise in full on Switch.


The Escapist is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.Ā Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of John Friscia
John Friscia
Former Managing Editor at The Escapist. I have been writing about video games since 2018 and editing writing on IT, project management, and video games for around a decade. I have an English degree, but Google was a more valuable learning resource. I taught English in South Korea for a year in 2018, and it was exponentially more fun than living in Pennsylvania. My major passions in life are SNES, Japanese RPGs, Berserk, and K-pop. I'm currently developing the game Boss Saga with my brother, which is guaranteed to change your life and you should buy it.