New Roots – How Pikmin 4 Helped Me Move Abroad
Soapbox features allow our writers and contributors to express their opinions on hot topics and random things that have been on their minds. Today, on Pikmin 4On her first wedding anniversary, Alana thinks that half-plant, half-animal creatures called Pikmin have helped her navigate the world…
I define many of the biggest moments in my life in terms of context. What did I do, what movies did I like, where did I live, and – perhaps most importantly – what games did I play? It’s just human nature to attach memories and moments to objects or things, whether they’re positive or negative. Personally, it helps me form attachments that go beyond “Hey, that video game was pretty cool!”
Just over a year ago, I moved to the US from my small apartment in a seaside town in England, nearly 4,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, to live with my partner. As soon as we got together, I knew that one of us would have to move, and it just so happened that I was the one heading west. I didn’t bring a lot of stuff—shipping boxes are really expensive, so I’m pretty picky about what I keep and what I sell or give away to family members. Somehow, I managed to cram my entire life into six large boxes and two suitcases. The physical objects I own are all sorted and divided into rooms, categories, etc. It feels like weird.
I didn’t have much planned when I first arrived in my new home, miles away from where I was born. Unpacking (finally). Spending time with my significant other (and cat). Petting the cat (a lot). And buying my first video game as a US resident – Pikmin 4.
I knew I’d love Pikmin 4, but I didn’t expect it to be one of those things that “defines” life. The stress of packing, unpacking, adjusting, homesickness – all I needed was a big army of half-plant, half-animal creatures.
Pikmin 4 is admittedly a lot less stressful than other games in the series. There’s still a daily time limit and a plethora of creatures that will put Pikmin and my buddy Oatchi in danger. But one thing that has always defined Pikmin is their determination. These little guys, whether they have leaves or flowers blooming on their heads, will do anything for you, including collecting and managing all those Treasures.
Treasure is my favorite thing here. Pikmin game. “What household items can we cram into the game to power a spaceship?” That’s how I envision the pitch for the carefully curated Pikmin Treasures list. And “What else can we call a peach that’s not a ‘soft butt’?” The answer is a fake butt, folks.
My character, the newest recruit to the Rescue Team, has taken up residence on PNF-404 to save the rest of the Team, including Captain Olimar. This unusual, Earth-like planet is my character’s new home – it’s like I’ve landed in a strange but familiar Midwestern city. It’s a lot like the UK, but with wider streets, different accents, and different shops.
Everything in Pikmin 4 is huge. Garden benches are now skyscrapers, buckets are the size of caves, and stairs are impassable mountains of wood and varnish. I recognized all of these things, and as I walked through Sun-Speckled Terrace, Serene Shores, and Hero’s Hideaway, I eagerly dragged my Pikmin around to inspect all these oversized objects.
It was the same feeling every time we drove around town or went to the grocery store – some things were basically the same as the ones at home with one small difference that I would point out and find funny. Most houses in the US are made of wood or have a boarded exterior, which is not common in the UK. So whenever I saw a brick house, it was a small déjà vu. Some brands, fruits, and vegetables have different names, while others stay the same but come in different variations. In America, I feel like a little Pikmin—or Rescue Corps agent—in a big, strange world.
All the objects we see every day have a completely new use.
In the world of Pikmin 4, tubes and cardboard boxes become platforms or objects to push around and progress. You can pull roots and trees to create new paths. Fans can launch Pikmin across large gaps. All the everyday objects we see have a whole new use, showing the lovely creative energy Nintendo seems to pour into everything. It also gave me a whole new perspective on things I would otherwise take for granted.
I’m not here to gush about pipes, don’t worry (Mario’s warping pipes have their own fictional pipeline system), but the setting of Pikmin 4 has helped me adjust to the strange yet familiar life I’ve moved to in the U.S. The only real difference with this move is that my family isn’t around – and they’re just a phone call away – but I can’t help but be excited about all the “new” things in my new home.
But that doesn’t make the move any easier. Even though family is just a buzz or a video chat away, there are still thousands of miles between me and where I grew up. The memories I made seem more distant because I’m not IN the sleepy seaside town where I grew up. Luckily, Pikmin 4 reminded me of something important that I brought with me from my old hometown: material.
These games have always loved objects. Batteries, cookies, candy, and toys. Fruits, vegetables, string, and soap. There is something strangely comforting about watching these little creatures carry tubes of paint and grapes back to the ship. They do it with great care, requiring a certain number of creatures (and sometimes the help of Oatchi) to carry them properly. To these determined little creatures, and to the Rescue Team, every item is precious.
Calling the ship’s power Sparklium also seems intentional. Sparklium is found in Treasures that Pikmin bring back to the ship. Imparting magical energy to random objects like picture frames and computers makes those normal, everyday objects special. Suddenly, the pencil on my desk has the power to re-energize the SS Shepherd. The treasure is in Pikmin 2But that’s to pay off the debt – in Pikmin 4, everything is Magic.
I was thrilled to find these Treasures in Pikmin 4. While the stage and obstacle designs piqued my interest, these Treasures taught me to love the things I brought to my new home. I took the Buddy Displays (i.e. picture frames) out of their boxes, examined all the scratches and blemishes, and studied the artwork and photos inside them in a new light. My gold Legend of Zelda progress stone (yes, a GBA SP) that had been with me for nearly 20 years, somehow felt different in my hands.
…in Pikmin 4, everything is Magic.
Pikmin 4 also reminded me of all the things I did not kept.: from immediate house moves, moving out of the family home, or simply growing up and outgrowing those things. One of my favorite collections is the Roundabout Express Series, which includes pieces of toy train tracks. You can’t get every piece of track or train in one place, but I can’t help but smile every time I pick up another piece of the set. Life Station, which is what the game Train Station is called, is the perfect name for that little toy. reality A thing is a place where life intersects and passes by, where life continues, or somewhere that can serve as the starting point of an adventure. It was one of the last places I stopped before boarding the train to the airport.
This game about collecting items, caring for little creatures, repairing a ship, and reuniting a crew taught me the value of objects and how to love the little things. But it also gave me a consistent presence in this new life while delivering these messages. Directing Pikmin to collect these items and explore these new lands reflected and enriched my experience of moving abroad. And when I was stressed or needed to slow down, I could settle in with my little Pikmin.
A year ago, I was like my pink-haired Rescue Corps newbie – I was in a strange yet familiar place, surrounded by objects, items, and creatures that were either new and fascinating to me or strange yet comforting. I had my own little, fluffy cat companion (I loved an Oatchi) and a whole new life waiting for me. Pikmin 4 made that transition much easier, and as a result, it will always be a very special video game to me.
