Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
Pikmin 3 was a game for the Wii U that has now been upgraded and re-released for the Nintendo Switch. It is a strategy game where the player controls three aliens as they explore a new planet called PNF-404. The three aliens have left their home planet in search of food to bring back, but their ship crashes just as they enter the new planet’s orbit. Each alien receives help from some cute plant-like creatures called Pikmin. As the player explores the planet they will search for the missing parts of the aliens’ crashed spaceship. They will discover various different types of Pikmin, predators, and obstacles. The player will also collect giant fruit to turn into juice in order to survive.
The new and updated version of the game features changing levels of difficulty, cooperative mode, and side story modes featuring the game’s original protagonists, Louie and Olimar. All of the DLC from the original game is also available in this updated version, including the bingo game and head-to-head competition.
Planning: Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.
In Pikmin 3, the obstacles that the player faces will require planning and problem solving to overcome. This can require the player to use more than one of the main characters or multiple types of Pikmin. It may even mean a player has to postpone solving an obstacle in order to gather more fruit or grow more Pikmin first. Each of the three aliens need to eat, meaning that the player needs to plan for creating enough juice to sustain them all. Regardless of the obstacle, in order to be successful in this game the player must evaluate the obstacle and then figure out a plan of attack.
Working Memory: Recalling and retaining information in our minds while working.
There are several working memory cognitive skills that will be worked by Pikmin 3. First, it is important to be able to remember and follow directions, especially early in the game. The main characters will guide the player towards certain goals that must be met in order to advance further in the game. If the player can't remember what they are doing, they will end up running out of things to do for the day and not advancing the game. To win the game, the player must improve their direction-following skills. It is also important for the player to exercise their visual memory skills. Throughout the game they will find fruit and obstacles that they do not have the Pikmin necessary to overcome and gather. To maintain a high store of juice, the player needs to be able to remember where they saw the fruit and what obstacle was in their way. If they don't, they will run out of juice and the game will end.
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