While 2023 may be the year of Zelda for Nintendo, it’s not nearly the biggest comeback of the year for a Nintendo franchise, that honor belongs to Pikmin 4. It’s been ten years since the release of the last Pikmin game, and the long-awaited sequel is already Nintendo’s most inventive game of the year. While Pikmin 4 retains most of the elements the series is known for, it’s also the most approachable entry yet, largely through choices like eliminating the time limit. If you’re looking to jump into a new intergalactic adventure on Nintendo Switch, here’s how long you can expect to spend with Pikmin 4.
How Long Is Pikmin 4?
If you’re just looking to complete the main story of Pikmin 4 and aren’t interested in doing side content, you can expect to spend roughly 8-10 hours. This is comparable to other games in the series, but where Pikmin 4 really separates itself is with side content.
If you’re planning on completing all of the side quests available, your playtime with Pikmin 4 can nearly double, leading to roughly 15-17 hours. Unlike past installments, you don’t have a strict time limit in Pikmin 4, meaning you can take as long as you want.
The game is separated into different days, with each day lasting about 20 minutes of real-world time. Past Pikmin games would end at Day 30, but this time around you keep exploring and doing whatever you want long past that. Interestingly, however, once you’ve rolled credits, you’ll have even more to do.
Pikmin 4 Post-Game and How Long to 100 Percent
Pikmin 4 actually has a surprisingly robust post-game, adding on a brand new story scenario after you’ve beaten the “main” game. This post-game adds on two massive new areas and helps tie up some lingering plot threads, so it’s absolutely worth doing. At the same time, it can add 5-10 more hours of gameplay, depending on how much you want to do, as once again, there are a number of sidequests.
This means, in total, you’re looking at about 25-30 hours for total playtime in Pikmin 4, more on the high end if you’re looking to do everything in the game. At the moment, there’s no New Game Plus option, so you’ll have to make a fresh start if you want to play through again.
Pikmin 4 is available now on Nintendo Switch.
