Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Demo Arrives Nov 2 After Pikmin Day Direct

A free demo of Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy arrives on Monday 2 November, Nintendo confirmed in a surprise Pikmin Day Direct on Saturday 31 October. The full Switch 2 edition follows on 12 November. In the same 14:00 UTC (10:00 am ET) broadcast, Shigeru Miyamoto declared 1 November an annual Pikmin Day, revealed Secret Caves for the mobile game Pikmin Bloom and launched a series of animated shorts called Hello! Pikmin.

The video description warned there would be no new game announcements, and there weren't. This was a showcase for things already in motion, but it did add dates and details players didn't have before. According to GameSpot and Game Informer, the demo includes the opening area and two Dandori Academy stages. Nintendo hasn't given a time for the demo to go live.

Why 1 November

Miyamoto said the date was picked because 11.1 looks like the original red, yellow and blue Pikmin standing side by side. Nintendo is marking the first one with a Nintendo Treehouse Plays stream of the Switch 2 edition at 9:00 am PT on Sunday 1 November. US clocks go back an hour that morning, so that's 17:00 UTC (12:00 pm ET), not 16:00.

What the Switch 2 edition adds and costs

Nintendo's US eShop lists two ways to get the new version, both releasing on 12 November:

Both add sharper visuals in TV and handheld mode, voice commands for Oatchi through the Switch 2 microphone, and Dandori Academy. That mode is a set of Dandori exam stages that earn medals, with 72 stages released over time. GameSpot reports that you can practise a route, then get a single attempt at a timed exam on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Dandori Battles also support GameShare, so a friend without the game can join locally or over GameChat. The eShop gives an estimated size of 12.8 GB for the Switch 2 version and 1.2 GB for the upgrade pack.

Pikmin Bloom and Hello! Pikmin

Pikmin Bloom's Secret Caves let you send a large squad into an underground area with a Cave Map, which sometimes comes with a postcard. The Pikmin fight creatures and come back with treasure for a new Treasure Catalog. Pikmin that get hit don't die; they recover after a while. Niantic's post lists the feature as coming soon without a date. Playing the Pikmin 4 demo or full Switch 2 game unlocks Bloom rewards, including a Cave Map, special postcards and an Oatchi-Rider costume for your Mii.

Miyamoto and actress Fuka Koshiba introduced the first Hello! Pikmin short, made with Nintendo Pictures. GameSpot reports another short is due later in November, with monthly shorts from December. Game Informer says future shorts will appear in the Nintendo Today app.

Confirmed and not confirmed

Confirmed: the 2 November demo, the 12 November release, US prices, Dandori Academy's 72 stages, Pikmin Bloom Secret Caves and Bloom rewards. Not confirmed: the demo's release time, a date for Secret Caves, and whether progress carries over from the demo to the full game. Nintendo also didn't say anything about Pikmin 1 or 2 coming to Nintendo Switch Online.

If you already own Pikmin 4, our guide to upgrading to a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition explains how upgrade packs work. Short on space? See our Switch 2 microSD Express card guide or setting up a Switch 2. Specs are on our Nintendo Switch 2 console page.

In India, the Treehouse stream starts at 10:30 pm IST on 1 November; Nintendo doesn't list an INR price.