Pikmin now has its own holiday: Nintendo has officially declared November 1 Pikmin Day and released a surprise Pikmin Day Direct on Saturday, October 31. The spotlight is on Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy, which launches on November 12. As a big fan of the little plant creatures, this genuinely made my day.

Pikmin Day: why November 1?

Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto explains it himself in the presentation, and it is delightfully playful: the red, blue and yellow Pikmin made their debut in the first Pikmin, released for Nintendo GameCube in 2001. If you imagine those three Pikmin standing side by side as the number 1, you get 11/1, in other words November 1. According to Miyamoto, Pikmin Day will be celebrated every year starting this year.

One thing up front: no new games were announced in the Direct, and Nintendo points this out in the video description as well. Instead, there was a detailed look at the Switch 2 version of Pikmin 4, news about the smartphone app Pikmin Bloom and a little surprise for everyone who simply finds Pikmin adorable.

Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy: what is new

The Nintendo Switch 2 Edition launches on November 12, 2026. According to Nintendo, it includes the full Nintendo Switch version of Pikmin 4 plus an upgrade pack with new features for Nintendo Switch 2. If you already own Pikmin 4, you can also buy the upgrade pack on its own. Here are the new features at a glance:

• Improved visuals: higher resolution graphics on Nintendo Switch 2.
• Voice commands for Oatchi: use the system’s built-in microphone to give commands to your loyal space dog, such as “Rush” and “Go to work” in the Direct.
• Dandori Academy: an extensive series of exam stages in which you collect treasure like fruit or vegetables as fast as possible and earn medals.
• Dandori Battles via GameShare: challenge friends locally or online via GameChat, even if they don’t own the game.

For me, Dandori Academy is the highlight. You can practice a stage as often as you like, plan your route and look for shortcuts. Miyamoto’s example is to have a single purple Pikmin carry a treasure instead of several Pikmin. The actual exams take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and you only get one attempt. A total of 72 stages will be released over time, with different difficulty levels.

Free demo from November 2

If you want to try it first, you will not have to wait long: a free demo of Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy arrives on November 2. According to Miyamoto, it includes the game’s opening area and two Dandori Academy stages. He also points out that all four mainline games in the series, from Pikmin to Pikmin 4, are playable on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch. If you have missed the series so far, now is the perfect excuse.

Pikmin Bloom gets Secret Caves, plus Hello! Pikmin

The smartphone app Pikmin Bloom gets something too. With the Secret Caves update, you send your Pikmin into hidden caves, where they explore on their own and battle creatures. You can find the cave maps you need attached to postcards, among other places, and special maps can also be earned through Dandori Academy exams in Pikmin 4. Treasure you win goes into a new collection. The update is planned for this winter.

Finally, Miyamoto introduced Japanese actress Fuka Koshiba, who will help make Pikmin even better known. There is also Hello! Pikmin, a new series of short animated films created together with Nintendo Pictures. The first episode, titled “Frog”, is already available on Nintendo’s official YouTube channel.

Watch the Pikmin Day Direct

You can watch the full presentation here. All details about the Switch 2 version are also available on the official Nintendo product page.

My verdict: a dedicated Pikmin Day is exactly the kind of charming idea I love about Nintendo. I will grab the demo right away on November 2 and give Oatchi plenty of praise. Will you take on the weekend exams at Dandori Academy? Let me know in the comments.

Images of Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition