Nintendo makes Nov 1 Pikmin Day, reveals Hello! Pikmin shorts

Nintendo used a short Pikmin video on Saturday to give the series its own holiday. Presented by Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto, the showcase declared November 1 an annual "Pikmin Day" and announced a new animation project, according to Polygon. The franchise is now 25 years old.

Why November 1

Miyamoto explained that the date written as 11.1 resembles the original red, yellow and blue Pikmin standing next to each other. Nintendo plans to celebrate it every year.

Hello! Pikmin animated shorts

The biggest new project is Hello! Pikmin, a series of short animations Miyamoto is making with Nintendo Pictures. The first clip shown featured a red Pikmin trying to steal a worn baseball from a toad that turns out to be very much awake. Nintendo plans to release roughly one short per month through the Nintendo Today app and other channels. It follows the Pikmin short "Close to You", released a year ago.

Pikmin 4 on Switch 2: demo on November 2

Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy launches in November. Switch 2 owners can call the dog-like companion Oatchi with voice commands through the console's built-in microphone. The new Dandori Academy mode adds strategy tests, with limited-time exams every Friday, Saturday and Sunday and leaderboards; 72 stages will roll out over time. A free demo with the opening area and two Dandori Academy challenges arrives on November 2.

Switch 2 game storage is a common question for new owners; our explainer on microSD Express cards covers what the console needs.

Pikmin Bloom gets Secret Caves

The free mobile game Pikmin Bloom (Android and iOS) gets a Secret Caves feature this winter. Players send their Pikmin into caves to fight enemies and collect treasure for a new in-game collection. Cave maps come from in-game postcards and from playing Dandori Academy challenges in the Switch 2 version.

Nintendo also named Japanese actor Fuka Koshiba, known for knitting Pikmin-themed hats, as a spokesperson for the series. Playing on PC instead? Our PC game controller buying guide covers the pads that work best for Nintendo-style games.