A free demo of Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy lands on the Switch 2 eShop on Sunday, November 2, ten days before the full game’s November 12 release. It was the main news in the surprise Pikmin Day Direct, which Nintendo of America posted on its YouTube channel on Saturday, October 31, hosted by Pikmin creator Shigeru Miyamoto.
There was no new game. Instead Nintendo made November 1 an official yearly “Pikmin Day”, showed a cave feature for the mobile game Pikmin Bloom, and started a series of animated shorts called Hello! Pikmin.
Table of Contents
Pikmin Day Direct at a glance
| Announcement | Date | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Pikmin Day (yearly) | November 1 | Every year from 2026 |
| Hello! Pikmin animated shorts | Roughly one a month, first one shown in the Direct | Nintendo Today app and other Nintendo channels |
| Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition free demo | November 2 | Nintendo Switch 2 eShop |
| Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy | November 12 | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Pikmin Bloom Secret Caves | “Coming soon” (reported as this winter) | iOS and Android |
Why November 1 is Pikmin Day
Miyamoto said the date was picked because 11/1, written the US way, looks like the original red, yellow and blue Pikmin standing side by side, Polygon and Nintenduo report. The Direct also pointed out that all four mainline games, from the GameCube original to Pikmin 4, can be played on Switch and Switch 2 today.
A timed Dandori Academy challenge; two of these are in the free Nov 2 demo. Image: Nintendo
Pikmin 4 Switch 2 demo: what’s in it and how to get it
According to Game Informer, Polygon and Nintenduo, the demo includes the game’s opening area plus two Dandori Academy challenges. Look for it on the Switch 2 eShop on November 2; no unlock hour was given. When we checked Nintendo’s US store at 15:18 UTC on October 31, the demo wasn’t listed yet.
The Switch 2 Edition adds voice commands for Oatchi through the console’s built-in microphone, with lines like “Rush” and “Go to work”, plus Dandori Academy, a set of timed challenges built around collecting treasure and planning efficient routes. Limited-time exams run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with leaderboards. Game Informer says you get one attempt to post your best time.
On Nintendo’s US store, the full edition is dated November 12 but has no price or pre-order button yet. If you already own Pikmin 4 on Switch, the Upgrade Pack is listed at $9.99 for the same date. For everything else arriving that month, see our list of Switch 2 games coming out in November 2026.
On Switch 2, Oatchi can take voice commands through the console's microphone. Image: Nintendo
Pikmin Bloom is getting Secret Caves
Niantic’s walking game is adding Secret Caves, according to an official “Coming Soon” video on the Pikmin Bloom channel. Polygon and Nintenduo say it arrives this winter, while Game Informer says later this year. You’ll need a cave map first. Maps come with in-app postcards, and Pikmin 4’s Dandori Academy exams also unlock special cave maps. Your Pikmin then explore the cave, fight creatures, and bring back treasures for a new in-app collection. Pikmin Bloom is free on iOS and Android.
Hello! Pikmin shorts and a new ambassador
Miyamoto is working with Nintendo Pictures on Hello! Pikmin, a series of short animations. The one shown in the Direct follows a red Pikmin trying to steal a baseball from a toad that isn’t really asleep. Polygon reports Nintendo plans about one short a month through the Nintendo Today app and other channels, and Nintendo Life says the first arrives on Pikmin Day. Japanese actor Fuka Koshiba, who knits Pikmin hats, joins as the series’ spokesperson.
What’s next
Pikmin Day is Sunday, November 1. Nintendo Everything also reports a Nintendo Treehouse Plays stream of the Switch 2 Edition that day at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET (17:00 UTC, after the US clock change). Then come the demo on November 2 and the launch on November 12. Our November 2026 release calendar and this week’s new Switch 2 games have the rest of the month, and our October Indie World recap covers Nintendo’s other showcase this week.
Sources: Nintendo of America (Pikmin Day Direct), Pikmin Bloom (YouTube), Nintendo US store, Polygon, Game Informer, Nintendo Life, Nintendo Everything, Nintenduo.
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Featured image: Nintendo
