Pikmin Bloom

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Pikmin Bloom
Pikmin Bloom App icon.png
Developer(s)Niantic
Publisher(s)Niantic
Director(s)
SeriesPikmin
Platform(s)iOS, Android
Release
  • AU/SEA: October 26, 2021
  • NA: October 28, 2021
  • JP: November 1, 2021
  • EU/WW: November 2, 2021
Genre(s)Augmented reality, location-based game

Pikmin Bloom is a 2021 augmented reality mobile game in the Pikmin series, developed and published by Niantic. Like Pokémon Go, it rewards players for spending time outside. The player's real-world movements are rewarded with items for Pikmin creatures. Its worldwide rollout began in late October 2021.

Gameplay[]

Pikmin Bloom is an augmented reality mobile game in the Pikmin series. For wandering and spending time outside, players are rewarded with items can either grow or feed Pikmin creatures[2] that appeared throughout the main Pikmin trilogy. The walking player is depicted as a Nintendo Account Mii (or one with limited customization for those without such an account) leading Pikmin, creating a trail of blossoming flowers on the map, and the Pikmin can find items. This includes fruit and costumes. The Pikmin grow flowers on their heads when fed, which in turn can be used to plant more flowers on the map.[3] Players can explore to collect flowers of different pigments specific to a location. There are planned, collaborative multiplayer events involving large flowers.[2]

The game is free-to-play. Like Niantic's Pokémon Go, the player can use real-world money to purchase virtual coins to boost progress.[2]

The player can take real photographs with virtual Pikmin. The lifelogging component, inspired by Olimar's daily ship logs from the first Pikmin game, encourages the player to make and caption photos for daily calendar entries. The game app connects with Apple Health and Google Fit to count steps but has no smartwatch connection.[2]

Development[]

Niantic developed Pikmin Bloom under license from Nintendo after having previously collaborated on Pokémon Go.[2]

It was first announced in 2021.[2] Global rollout began in Australia and Singapore on October 27, 2021,[3] North and South America on October 28,[4] Japan on November 1,[5] and lastly it was available worldwide by November 2.[6]

Niantic has planned retail location partnerships.[2]

Reception[]

Early reviewers likened Pikmin Bloom to a gamified fitness experience, similar to fitness apps that convert daily steps taken into coins and minigames.[9][2]

Some Android users using Android 11 or 12 at the game's launch reported delayed notifications including SMS messages.[10] Initial reports of the delayed notifications were reported during beta testing.[11] Niantic acknowledged the issues on November 5[12] and released two updates which minimize the delayed notifications.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ "Nintendo teams with Pokemon Go studio Niantic on AR apps". Business Times (Singapore). Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Stein, Scott (October 26, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom: How Niantic and Nintendo's new game mixes walking, memory and AR". CNET. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Diaz, Ana (October 26, 2021). "New Pikmin AR game coming from Pokémon Go developer Niantic". Polygon. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  4. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (October 28, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom Is Now Available In The Americas". Nintendo Life.
  5. ^ Pikmin Bloom Japan, Official Twitter Page (November 1, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom coming to Japan the 1st of November". Twitter. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Reynolds, Matthew (October 27, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom release date: When is Pikmin Bloom releasing in the UK, US and worldwide?". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  7. ^ "Pikmin Bloom for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Red Ventures. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  8. ^ Lane, Gavin (November 2, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom Review". Nintendo Life. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  9. ^ Grodt, Jill (October 26, 2021). "Pikmin Bloom: Early Impressions". Game Informer. Retrieved October 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Sholtz, Matthew (November 3, 2021). "Notifications feeling sluggish? This popular Android game may be to blame". Android Police. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  11. ^ Schoon, Ben (November 10, 2021). "Niantic's new Pikmin Bloom game seems to cause notification issues for some Android users". Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  12. ^ "[Investigating] (Android) Notification delayed in some devices (Nov 5th, 2021)". Pikmin Bloom Support Community. Niantic. November 5, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  13. ^ "Release Information - v34.1 (Only Android today)". Pikmin Bloom Support Community. Niantic. November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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