PIKMIN 3DS

File this alongside Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash under ‘Nintendo series unexpectedly transformed into underwhelming side-scroller’. Olimar’s back with his adorable army of carrot-people, this time in an action-platformer that prizes quick thinking. The Pikmin retain their powers: blues can explore underwater, reds can stomp out obstructive fires, and yellows can be flung up and over obstacles that stretch to the top screen. The need to make swift choices in stressful situations might partly explain why the puzzles appear to be disarmingly simplistic, while its fuzzy looks are worryingly reminiscent of 2014’s Yoshi’s New Island.