Dandori Academy Is The Perfect Addition To Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition For Major Pikmin Fans

Published Nov 10, 2026, 9:32 AM EST Pikmin 4's Switch 2 Edition brings some welcome upgrades to the original game, but whether they're worth the cost depends on your love for Pikmin. Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy Review: A Worthwhile Treat For Dedicated Pikmin Fans While Mario might be the face of Nintendo, there’s no doubt that Pikmin also holds a special place in Shigeru Miyamoto's heart, as evidenced by the recent Pikmin Day Nintendo Direct. Although there is still no word that we’ll be getting Pikmin 5 anytime soon, Pikmin 4 is thankfully getting some new features to help tide players over as part of the Pikmin 4 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition plus Dandori Academy. Whether you’ve already played the original and are considering the $10 upgrade pack, or never picked it up and are thinking about grabbing the full Switch 2 Edition now, it’s important to know what to expect. Switch 2 Editions aren’t a new idea, as several games have already received the same treatment, but no two have been exactly alike. Tears of the Kingdom’s Switch 2 Edition reduced load times and introduced compatibility with the Zelda Notes app. Meanwhile, games like Mario Party Jamboree received an entirely new game mode that utilized the Switch 2’s exclusive features. Pikmin 4’s Switch 2 Edition falls somewhere between those two. Good Boy, Oatchi! Pikmin 4 was already a decent-looking game when it released on the original Switch, so it should come as no surprise that even though it displays in 4K when docked, there’s no truly noticeable difference in visuals between the Switch 2 Edition and just playing the original version on your Switch 2. At least not one significant enough to note. That said, even though the visuals didn’t need an upgrade, there are a few welcome changes to the gameplay. Alongside the addition of GameShare support for Dandori Battles, the biggest change comes in the primary game mode, more specifically, to Pikmin 4’s adorable alien pup, Oatchi. Rather than relying solely on your button inputs to command Oatchi, you can now say the command directly into the mic. However, I did have to mess with the feature’s settings a little before I could use it properly. Default settings don’t filter out background noise, so the sounds of my TV and toddler were causing Oatchi to rush around wildly without a direct command. Then, filtering out too much sound forced me to yell directly into the mic for the command to work. However, once I found the sweet spot for my environment, it became a surprisingly useful feature. For one thing, Oatchi didn't appear to take time to charge up his Rush when obeying voice commands, so it’s quicker and more convenient, which is great when targeting moving enemies. I ended up using it more than I anticipated, and appreciated that it was optional so I could turn it off when I didn’t want to disturb anyone. It might be a small change, but it’s a fun and welcome one. Given the minor changes to Pikmin 4’s base game, the addition of Dandori Academy is the main reason to pick up its Switch 2 Edition. Dandori Academy is an additional game mode that can be accessed from the game’s title screen and played without progressing the primary story mode at all. It consists of timed mini-games that test your skills at collecting treasure and delegating tasks to your Pikmin. You’re free to do practice mini-games as often as you’d like, but every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday there will be an Exam Event. The exams are a way to show how well all your Dandori practice has paid off, especially since you only get one attempt per exam, and you’ll be awarded a medal based on your score. Certain scores can even earn you points towards rewards, including for the Pikmin Bloom mobile app. You do need an active Nintendo Switch Online membership to share high scores online and access specific rewards, so keep that in mind if you plan to participate in exams. There are three difficulty levels for the exam – Elementary, Advanced, and Graduate – with two exams per difficulty. Overall, the Dandori Academy mini-games aren’t that different from everything you do in the main game. That said, the time limit does add some intensity, and I appreciate that there’s no single right way to earn a high score, so you do have to challenge yourself to use different strategies. For example, some players might prioritize collecting treasure at the start, while others focus on increasing their Pikmin count first. I also found that even Elementary difficulty proved a bit of a challenge, so if you’re worried that things will be too easy, I don’t think that should be a major concern. If you’re like me and find collecting treasure one of the most fun parts of Pikmin, it’s easy to spend hours in practice mode, which also benefits you beyond just improving your skill. Completing multiple practice sessions earns you Redo Passes, which will allow you to retake an exam if you don't get the score you want. There is a cap on these, so you can’t farm them indefinitely, but it is nice that your hard work earns you a second chance on an exam you might’ve accidentally botched. A Great Upgrade, But Not A Must-Buy For Everyone Overall, Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition improves on everything that was already great about Pikmin 4. It’s still a charming game that offers more hours of fun gameplay than some of Nintendo’s other titles, now with a few extra features to improve the game’s quality of life. As for whether it’s worth the upgrade or extra cost, I think that comes down to how interested you are in Dandori Academy. Since the exams themselves require you to hop into the game every weekend, and you need Nintendo Switch Online to enjoy the full benefits, I worry that most players might not be all that interested. All the mini-games are incredibly fun, don’t get me wrong. I just can’t realistically see myself or many others logging in every weekend to participate in exams beyond the first month or two, so I can only recommend this to those who genuinely love Pikmin, utilize the Pikmin Bloom app, or have been looking for a way to ease the wait for the unannounced, but increasingly likely, Pikmin 5. Systems Released November 12, 2026 ESRB Everyone 10+ / Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Nintendo EPD, Eighting Publisher(s) Nintendo Multiplayer Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer Genre(s) Puzzle, Strategy, Real-Time Strategy Pros & Cons Oatchi voice commands make guiding your pup even easier. Dandori Academy practice mini-games are a fun way to enjoy the best aspects of Pikmin 4 GameShare Support has been added for Dandori Battles Dandori Academy Exams are a scheduled event that players have to log on for every week or miss out on. Limited upgrades to the main game mode leave me wanting more