Pikmin (Ohga Shrugs)

Pikmin is a series of strategy games designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and published by Nintendo.

Concept
Pikmin puts the player in command of an army of tiny plant-like creatures called Pikmin. Pikmin come in a variety of colors, with each color denoting a special ability. Players use them to explore a planet in real time, collecting resources and fighting enemies along the way. Unusually, the scope is very small, with blades of grass towering over most characters. The ultimate goal of the games is to collect items using teams of Pikmin.

History
Pikmin was conceived as a life simulation game. However, as the idea evolved, it became a real-time strategy set on a small scale. The game was revealed at E3 2001, and was a launch title for the GameCube in some territories. The game, which notoriously gave players a 30 in-game day time limit to succeed in collecting 25 parts, was nevertheless renowned for its creativity and showcasing the GameCube's impressive power.

Development of Pikmin 2 began soon after the original game, and it was ultimately released in April 2004. The game added new mechanics and had a more open ended focus, encouraging exploration by getting rid of the time limit. To this day, it is often considered the greatest console RTS ever created.

The Pikmin series laid in limbo for some time, with a third installment not appeaaring for years. Some consolation was had in late 2011, when an HD port of the first two games called Pikmin Anniversary was released.

Pikmin 3 is expected to be released sometime in 2013.

Reception
Both entries in the Pikmin series are considered among the best strategy games in console history. Furthermore, the three entries in the series released have sold a combined total of 5 million copies.