Nintendo has just revealed a fresh version of yesterday’s mysterious animated short film ‘Close to You’ that featured a toddler taking their first steps — now with a small army of Pikmin visible.
To be clear, this is the same short film as yesterday, albeit a new version where its previously-invisible Pikmin creatures can be seen by our eyes.
Currently, the film is only available via the company’s Nintendo Today smartphone app, though we’re expecting it to roll out more widely very shortly. The original version of the movie lies just below (Pikmin still invisible).
Yesterday, IGN speculated this film was a teaser for a new Pikmin project based on several musical cues from the Pikmin series heard throughout the animation. Additionally, the movements of household objects appeared extremely similar to the movements of the scavenging Pikmin creatures, which collect human items in various past Pikmin games.
So, what exactly is Nintendo teasing with this new animation? The company has released a series of Pikmin short films before — and it may be this is all it is. But Pikmin fans are certainly hungry for more, with several likely options on the table. Nintendo may well be teasing an all-new entry in the Pikmin series for Switch 2, or alternatively an expanded Switch 2 re-release for 2023’s brilliant Pikmin 4.
Pikmin 4 took the garden strategy franchise inside a human house for the first time, something that this new animation obviously expands upon. Despite beating franchise records, the game has not (yet) received any DLC, and Nintendo has recently announced expanded versions of several Switch 1 games for relaunch on Switch 2. Could Pikmin 4 be about to get the same treatment?
More to follow…
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
