There’s no other series quite like Pikmin. The series' unique combination of strategy, time management, and exploration can be a bit tough to get your head around, and Pikmin 4 adds even more elements to the mix, including a new doggy friend Oatchi, returning caves, and more. Each in-game day only lasts around 15 minutes and getting the most out of them can feel overwhelming at first, but we’ve got some pointers that ought to help you out. Here are some tips for maximizing your time…

　　

Study the map closely

Pikmin has a very helpful, easily-readable map system that marks absolutely everything you need to know about, including treasures, enemies, caves, and even secret shortcut information. Areas you haven’t been to yet will be obscured under a “fog of war,” but once you pass through all the relevant points are marked. Take some time to study the map at the beginning of each day and you should never be lost or at a loss for something to do.

　　

Clear out the baddies, then get to work

The biggest headache you’ll run into in Pikmin is when you set your Pikmin to task – building a bridge, retrieving an item ect. – and have them run into a nest of enemies. Time and precious Pikmin lost! The good news is, enemies don’t respawn in Pikmin 4. Take ‘em out, and they stay gone. As such, I find it’s best to explore the map and clear all the enemies first (the map marks enemies, so you’ll know if there are any left). You’ll occasionally have to retrieve resources to build a bridge or something like that, so make sure the path to your base is clear before you do that. Once all the enemies are gone, you’re free to multitask without worrying about any of your Pikmin and can retrieve almost everything in a busy day or two.

　　

Make full use of your good boy Oatchi

A mistake even veteran Pikmin fans will likely make is underutilizing your new canine companion Oatchi. Yes, you can ride on his back and use him to smash certain objects or jump up small ledges, but you shouldn't just leave it at that. As long as you keep upgrading Oatchi, he can be nearly as useful, both offensively and in terms of retrieving items, as your entire Pikmin crew. Dividing up tasks between Oatchi and your Pikmin is one of the key strategic elements of Pikmin 4.

　　Find a big treasure? Have Oatchi drag it home. Are your Pikmin busy retrieving resources, breaking down a door, ect? Do some solo exploring with Oatchi – he’s strong enough to take out any small to mid-size enemies on his own. You can even issue commands to Oatchi, so he’ll go to certain points and perform tasks on his own. If Oatchi is just running around beside you most of the time, you need to be giving him more to do.

　　

Move your base frequently

Pikmin 4’s levels are easily the series’ biggest, but thankfully, the game allows you to immediately move your field base to one of several locations around the map. Do this often! The shorter the distance your Pikmin have to lug stuff, the more you get done!

　　

Make use of gear

Pikmin 4 allows you to purchase various gear back at your base that can be used out in the field, and some of it is quite useful. For instance, the Survey Drone, which lets you get a bird’s eye view of the map, and the Treasure Gauge that highlights nearby treasures and castaways, are very useful for planning your day and not to be overlooked.

　　

Save caves for the end of the day

While time moves much slower in caves, it does pass (about 1/6 as fast as on the surface). So a particularly-long dungeon dive can still eat up a significant amount of your day. That said, as far as I know, you can’t actually run out of time in a dungeon. You may immediately be greeted with the countdown timer when you emerge from the cave, but the time won’t run out within the cave itself. So, if you’ve got a cave you want to explore, best to maximize your time, then go spelunking when the day’s almost over.

　　And there you have it! A few tips to keep you on track and make the most of every day.

　　Pikmin 4 is available now on Nintendo Switch. You can check out Wccftech’s Pikmin 4 guides here and our full review here.