Pikmin 4 Nearly Made a Series Villain Playable

Since the original Pikmin released on GameCube, the franchise's plant-like creatures have been tormented by Bulborbs. The villains have been munching on Pikmin ever since, but Pikmin 4 very nearly made them a playable part of the game! As part of a series of interviews published on Nintendo's official website, director Yuji Kando revealed that the idea was seen as a potential hook for Pikmin 4, as previous games in the series haven't been huge sellers. From there, the team considered allowing players to ride and control various creatures, before creating a wholly new character in Oatchi.

"At the beginning of development, we were seeking what would become the selling point of this game, both in terms of gameplay features and in terms of being eye-catching. So, the first idea was that it would be interesting to have the player control a Bulborb, one of the native creatures, and have it chow down on Pikmin. The controls would be simple, yet give a sense of satisfaction to players. Above all, it'd be visually striking," said Kando.

That could have been a really interesting concept, but it makes sense that Nintendo instead decided to create a new character. Players can often be very protective of their Pikmin, and the idea of controlling and working alongside a creature that loves to eat them might not have sat well with longtime fans. The change to Oatchi seemed to work out for the best, as the space pup has become something of a mascot for Pikmin 4.

It will be interesting to see if reception to Oatchi is strong enough for the space pup to remain a part of the series! Of course, even if existing fans embrace the space pup, there's also the question of whether or not Oatchi will be able to attract newcomers to the series. Pikmin 4 just released on July 21st, so we'll likely have to wait a few weeks to see if the game proves to be a better seller than its predecessors.

Are you planning to check out Pikmin 4? Do you think a playable Bulborb would have been a good idea? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!