If there was one game I was really looking forward to getting a Nintendo Switch 2 update, it was Pikmin 4. It’s not even like the Switch 1 version really needed it, being a beautiful-looking, well-running game that was absolutely STUFFED with content. But the allure of decreased loading times, improved frame rates, and maybe some bonus levels certainly ensnared my imagination.
In some ways, Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy is a little perfunctory, but in others it feels like exactly the kind of add-on that suits the whole game’s vibe. At its core, it gives players a plethora of new challenges, but also makes them optional in a way that players don’t really need to engage with them if they don’t really want to—both in the micro and macro sense.
“…Pikmin 4 allows players to go at their own pace and take each day one at a time, while still finding ways to emphasize the necessity of preparation.”
If you watched the June 9th, 2026 Nintendo Direct, then you’ll know what to expect from this add-on. Outside of the required frame rate and resolution bump, the biggest inclusion in Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy is the titular game mode. For those unfamiliar with Pikmin 4, Dandori is the sacred art of organizing your tasks in the most efficient way possible. Players are given weekly Dandori challenges where they can earn medals based on how well they score. And while these medals can be exchanged for prizes, the purpose of the Dandori Academy feels more, to me anyway, as a way for players to challenge their own abilities.
It’s an interesting thing about Pikmin 4, just how much freedom it gives the player. The first three games keep players on edge with their ticking-clocks which makes the organization and planning so much more important. But Pikmin 4 allows players to go at their own pace and take each day one at a time, while still finding ways to emphasize the necessity of preparation. This can be seen in the Dandori Challenges that exist in the main game, but also in the optional post-game Olimar story where the clock is reintroduced.
The Dandori Academy allows players to hone their Dandori skills, which they can then take back into the main game to play more effectively—even if the game itself isn’t forcing them to do so. It gives Pikmin 4 a somewhat arcade style where players are essentially playing for bragging rights—whether they’re showing off their Dandori Academy scores, or just showing off how few days it can take them to clear the game. At the same time, it’s helping them improve overall as they learn the most effective ways to approach each level and plan their days accordingly.
Outside of that, Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy offers the essential upgrades one would expect. There’s the aforementioned 60fps frame rate bump which does genuinely make the game look a lot better—especially one that consists of 100 little guys running around at all times. In addition to this, the resolution climbing to 1080p on handheld and 4K in docked makes an already gorgeous game look even better. All the little details really pop and it makes this giant mundane world feel so much more alive.
“In addition to this, the resolution climbing to 1080p on handheld and 4K in docked makes an already gorgeous game look even better.”
The vocal commands for Oatchi are a fun little addition as well, although your mileage may depend on how you play. If you’re playing in docked mode, your system may have a hard time hearing your voice without a headset or mic. It’s definitely a feature that works better in handheld, but even then, since all of Oatchi’s commands are mapped to buttons, it’s easy to forget you even have them if you played the Switch 1 version a lot.
Ideally, Pikmin 4: Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy should have been a free update, but at $9.99 ($14.99 CAD) its not as egregious as some of the other Switch 2 updates I’ve looked at. If you love Pikmin as much as I do, it’s definitely worth a look for the added challenges and increased fidelity.
- Guide plantlike Pikmin on an enhanced expedition for Nintendo Switch 2!
- Partner with Oatchi, your dependable space dog, and give him voice commands
