Pikmin 4 comes to Nintendo Switch on July 21, marking the first new mainline Pikmin game in 10 years. That means there are probably a vast number of Switch owners who have never played a Pikmin game and need to catch up. (Pikmin, Pikmin 2, and Pikmin 3 are available on Switch, though!) Nintendo’s new overview trailer for Pikmin 4 helps accomplish just that, explaining how the real-time strategy rescue mission/treasure hunt works.
The nearly seven-minute video walks Pikmin newcomers to the various types of Pikmin (red, blue, yellow) that have been in the series from day one, as well as those brand-new to Pikmin 4, like Ice Pikmin and Glow Pikmin. There’s also an introduction to Oatchi, the new space pup who will aid your tiny explorer on their mission, and the numerous upgrades that players can unlock and craft. Oatchi’s part battering ram, part troop transport, and will introduce a new layer of depth to puzzle-solving, based on our hands-on with the game.
Nintendo appears to be keeping details about the Night Expeditions — a feature new to 4 — still mostly under wraps. Beyond the existence of nighttime-only Glow Pikmin and monsters that go bonkers when the sun goes down, it seems like Nintendo wants players to experience Night Expeditions for themselves when the game launches.
Pikmin 4’s multiplayer components, including head-to-head Dandori Battles and two-player cooperative gameplay, also get the spotlight in the new video. If you’re playing with younger child or your new-to-Pikmin partner, there’s a feature called the Pebble Pitcher. It looks like a light, second-player addition in the vein of Super Mario Galaxy’s Co-Star Mode where someone plays backup, eliminating threats or tossing health items to the primary player. Players can also play co-op in non-story missions.
Even Pikmin veterans have something noteworthy to see here: Nintendo shows off Pikmin 4’s new Rewind Time feature, which lets you undo moments of disaster (read: mass Pikmin deaths).