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In 2011, Pikmin 3 – the sequel to the very well-received 2004 release of Pikmin 2 – arrived on the Wii U. Of course, that console didn’t perform too well.
So, as was the case with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo has crafted a deluxe version of what could have ended up being a lost game, with Pikmin 3 Deluxe arriving on the Nintendo Switch on 30 October 2020.
With the real-time strategy puzzler here, and available to play as a demo on the hybrid console, it’s time to get to grips with all the controls on the Nintendo Switch.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe Basic Controls
If you’re playing Pikmin 3 Deluxe in handheld mode, with a Pro Controller, or the grips, you’ll have a few additional controls to use as opposed to playing with a single Joy-Con.
However, with one Joy-Con in single-player or co-op, you still have the most important controls available.
For these Pikmin 3 Deluxe controls, the left and right analogue are noted as (L) and (R), with the directions on the d-pad listed as Up, Right, Down, and Left. Pressing an analogue to trigger the button is labelled as L3 or R3.
| Action | Handheld / Grips / Pro Controller Controls | Single Joy-Con Controls |
| Move | (L) | (L) |
| Look Around | (R) | N/A |
| Reset Camera / Focus Ahead | ZL | L3 |
| Order Pikmin Charge | X | Up |
| Switch Leader | Hold Y, select with (L) | Right |
| Use Item | Hold Y, select with (L) | Right |
| Dismiss Pikmin Squad | Hold Y, select with (L) | Right |
| Throw | A | Right |
| Lock On | ZR | SR |
| Throw Across Gap | ZR, A | SR, Right |
| Cancel Lock On | B | Down |
| Pluck | A (once) | Right (once) |
| Cancel Plucking | B | Down |
| Blow Whistle | B | Down |
| Expand Whistle Range | Hold B | Hold Down |
| Move Whistle Target | Hold B, move with (L) | Hold Down, move with (L) |
| Save Panicking Pikmin | Hold B, move with (L) | Hold Down, move with (L) |
| See Hints | Up | N/A |
| Dodge Left | Left | N/A |
| Dodge Right | Right | N/A |
| Select to Throw (Pikmin or Crew) | L or R | SL |
| Pause Menu | + | -/+ (Player 2) |
| Open KopPad | – | -/+ (Player 1) |
How to play Pikmin 3 Deluxe in co-op
With Pikmin 3 Deluxe comes a way for you to take on the real-time puzzles with some extra helpers. In the Story Mode, you can draft in your friends and family to play in local co-op.
It’s very easy to do so, but you’ll first need to progress enough in the Story Mode to have multiple leaders at your disposal. Once you do, go into the Pause Menu (press +), and then select Play Co-Op from within the menu.
Having selected Play Co-Op, you’ll see the sync controllers screen, where you can bind a new player using dual or single Joy-Con controllers.
How to use the camera in Pikmin 3 Deluxe
To gain access to the camera in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, you’ll need to open the KopPad (press -) and scroll over to the camera option by pressing ZL or ZR to scroll. On the camera option, press A to activate the camera.
Within the camera mode, you can’t move the feet of your leader, but everything around you continues to be active. You do have a few other controls to use with the camera set, as seen below:
| Camera Action | Switch Controls |
| Move Camera View | (L) |
| Zoom In | (R) upwards |
| Zoom Out | (R) downwards |
| Auto Focus | A |
| Flash On/Off | ZL |
| Take a Picture | ZR |
| Exit Camera Mode | B |
How to switch characters
Hold Y and and flick (L) to switch characters in Pikmin 3. Switching characters will be required to solve puzzles and become more effective in collecting fruit. As you progress through the game, you will encounter elevator puzzles where you will need to throw a character and Pikmin onto a platform to reach fruit.
As the game progresses, you’ll learn about the strengths of the different Pikmin and their upgrades, but these basic controls will see you through all of your explorations in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
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