Pikmin

By JON MINIFIE

(Herald rating: * * * * * )

Shigeru Miyamoto was the genius behind such Nintendo classics as Mario, the Zelda series and Donkey Kong. Miyamoto's latest offering stands out as the most striking title on Nintendo's new system.

Pikmin places you in the troubled shoes (or space boots) of Captain Olimar, a tiny spaceman whose ship is struck by a meteor and forced to crashland on a mysterious planet.

When he awakens, he is stranded, his ship badly damaged and with enough oxygen to last only 30 days. In that time, 'Olimar must recover all the missing parts and repair his broken ship.

Recovering 30 missing parts in 30 days won't be easy for a lone astronaut. Enter the strange beings known as Pikmins. These odd creatures appear initially as weeds or flowers that must be plucked from the earth. Once you've weeded one of them out, you'll notice they follow you around, waiting for instruction. They are somehow compelled to help you, to do your bidding which, although unexplained, is welcome news considering your plight.

So with your new allies the Pikmins (who come in a variety of colours, each with a unique ability) your quest to rebuild the ship begins. You can increase the number of Pikmins under your control by instructing them to collect various objects and return them to the Pikmins' ship, known as the Onion.

This produces new seeds that will grow into Pikmins once you yank them from the dirt.

But with so many Pikmins at your command comes the weight of responsibility and, sadly, there are several ways for these Pikmins to meet their maker.

Many drown, others are blown up and some are eaten alive by the creatures that inhabit this strange world. To avoid this fate, be sure to have all your Pikmins safely back in their ship by nightfall.

Pikmin is one of the most addictive console games around. Its simple, puzzle-solving gameplay will appeal to all ages, from the hardcore to those gamers with a passing interest, and even those among you who have never picked up a controller in your life. All will succumb to the undeniable charm of Pikmin.

GameCube, $129.95

Email: jon@tenthplanet.co.nz