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How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 87 | 25 |
| Creator reviews (2 tracked) | – | 83 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 93 | 523 |
| Backloggd ratings | – | 91 | 750 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.7, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 50,413.1 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (113)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Pikmin 4 is the best the series has produced so far. It brings with it elements that have worked before to give us a complete package that keeps the magic of Pikmin alive.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“Pikmin may be a somewhat overlooked Nintendo franchise, but it’s also consistently one of their best. Pikmin 4 is arguably the best game in the series, making it a perfect place for newcomers to start. And if you’ve played the previous games, it’s a fantastic reward for your patience between releases.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Give Pikmin 4 enough of your time and these small joys work beautifully in tandem with the soothing repetition of real-time planning and execution, sustaining a pleasantly stimulating flow.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pikmin 4 is a sumptuous strategy adventure that serves up tons of fun for returning fans of the franchise whilst also adding lots to entice new players into giving it a try. Oatchi is the star of the show in our eyes, a very good boy who is woven cleverly into the core of the puzzle action. Series-best dungeons, a hugely inventive overworld, night missions, Dandori battles, and post-credit goodies only sweeten the deal. Yes, the co-op is disappointing, and the campaign's not gonna be challenging enough for some diehard fans, but overall Nintendo has nailed it here, serving up a magical Pikmin adventure that we reckon could see the series finally getting all of the attention it fully deserves.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pikmin 4 may not be GOTY candidate, is not on everyone's lips and will probably not gather a massive following. However, its simple, carefree pleasure in great quantities is more than enough to make it worth your time.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“Nintendo has grown and evolved the Pikmin franchise to become one of their best franchises with Pikmin 4. Excellent in terms of visuals and very accessible to all audiences, it is an entertaining, relaxing, and immersive game that will put your organizational skills into practice in a hyper-realistic and charming world.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“There is nothing out there that plays or feels quite like Pikmin. This might be part of the reason why it hasn't "exploded more in sales," as Shigeru Miyamoto put it in a July Nintendo Ask the Developer interview, pertaining to, though not directly, a little bit of that "difficulty" he describes. It could also be posited that there is a factor of abstraction to being the sole agent in control of every facet of one's own fate (a factor that was attributed erroneously to The Last Guardian as a criticism, too), preventing it from mass appeal. It's not helped by the fact that Pikmin 4 has been put out at a time relatively close to Nintendo's behemoth The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and an otherwise already hugely stacked year for video games. Make no mistake about it, though, Pikmin 4 is one of the best video game releases of 2023.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Pikmin 4 is a blast, and a game I never expected to be quite as intensely engrossing as it is. From stunning visuals to hugely endearing gameplay, it's a fresh return for the series. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“As a newcomer (mostly) to the series, Pikmin 4 has been fantastic to experience. It oozes charm, and I love how it eased me into the action throughout the campaign. While Pikmin 3 Deluxe didn't click with me, I'm glad I got into the series with Pikmin 4, and will be playing Pikmin 1 and 2 in the near future on Switch. This is a gem, and another essential from Nintendo in 2023.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Pikmin 4 captures the essence of the franchise, even if it doesn't redefine the gaming landscape. While it doesn't revolutionize gaming, it delivers the familiar real-time strategic gameplay and introduces interesting changes. The open philosophy in level design and beautiful atmosphere will immerse players in a miniature world. Though it may be too easy and lacks an intriguing story, Pikmin 4 is a solid addition to the series.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Pikmin 4 is everything I could’ve wanted from a new Pikmin game and more. It is simultaneously a return to form with a heavy focus on Dandori and also a leap forward with entirely new mechanics and big improvements to returning mechanics. There are some flaws, nighttime missions are a drag and the early tutorials are dreadfully slow, but those warts don’t outweigh everything Pikmin 4 manages to achieve. This is a new standard for Pikmin; all we can do now is hope it doesn’t take another ten years for Pikmin 5.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“I went from liking Pikmin to loving Pikmin with Pikmin 4. It’s just one of those games that I think is near flawless. It may have lost some of its difficulty, but I think all the things we gained in exchange are worth it.”
read full review ↗
Gamepressure
Pure Nintendo
Slant Magazine
Nintendo Life
GRYOnline.pl
Cubed3
Gfinity
LevelUp
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD…and 101 more tracked reviews.