Discover the Hidden Paradise: Pikmin Fans Bring to Life Scrapped Story Area in Pikmin 3

A dedicated group of Pikmin fans has successfully recreated some of the cut content from Pikmin 3. This accomplishment comes after a series of passionate efforts by the fandom, including grassroots advertising campaigns for Pikmin 4.

Pikmin 3 is widely recognized as the standout entry in the franchise, praised for its stunning visuals, well-designed levels, introduction of new Pikmin types, and evolved gameplay style. However, some criticism has been directed towards its sudden ending and the absence of the iconic caves from the previous games. Despite these critiques, the community eagerly awaits the release of Pikmin 4, while also fondly reminiscing about Pikmin 3 and its Deluxe port leading up to the sequel's arrival.

Video games, no matter their level of completion or critical acclaim, often have discarded content, including additional entries in the Pikmin series. In Pikmin 3, there was originally a location showcased in the E3 2012 announcement footage. This area was intended to serve as the sixth main stage and the true finale of the game. It depicted Captains and Pikmin navigating a river, tossing each other to dismantle a pillar obstacle in order to proceed. However, these elements did not make it into the final version of the game. Recently, a group of fans managed to recreate this unused area, as showcased in a YouTube documentary by VantageEmblem.

The video, which spans over sixty minutes, explains that perfecting this recreation took several months. The fans had limited resources to work with, only possessing the original E3 2012 footage, some unused path maps, and a few abandoned enemy sprites from Pikmin 3 Deluxe. Despite these limitations, the final recreation presented in the video is commendable. The narrator speculates that this level may have been in the early stages of development, crafted before all the game mechanics had been finalized. Consequently, it was ultimately discarded due to the developers' desire for every major mechanic to be adequately represented.

It is disappointing to find out that your favorite game may have had content that was not included in the final release, regardless of the developers' intentions. However, with the growing transparency from game developers in recent years, it has become easier to understand why certain content was cut. Furthermore, thanks to the thriving modding community, fans now have the opportunity to recreate these concepts themselves if the developers choose not to. This is exemplified in the case of Pikmin 3 Deluxe, which is now accessible on the Nintendo Switch.