Let’s get blooming! A look at Niantics latest app game.

Pikmin Bloom, a new Niantic game, was released October 26th and already has over a million downloads in the Google Play store.

The first Pikmin game was released by Nintendo on that same day in 2001 for Game Cube. It is a puzzle and strategy game focused on growing an army of tiny plant-like creatures called Pikmin. You explore the world, fight the local fauna, collect food, and tackle obstacles.

The new Pikmin Bloom has similar mechanics to the other Niantic games, Wizards Unite and Pokémon Go. The main goal is to encourage getting out and walking. You collect things from your environment and there are large locations to engage with. In Pokemon Go, you had Pokestops, the Pokemon you encounter, and the gyms. In Wizards Unite, you encountered fights, earned energy from inns, got potion ingredients from your surroundings, and fought Death Eaters in giant towers.

In the newest game you collect seeds that will grow into Pikmin, those Pikmin find fruit which you turn into nectar to feed them, and then they grow flowers that you pluck. You’ll get such a rush of serotonin each time you blow your whistle and all the Pikmin rush.

Unlike Niantic’s other two hits, there is no PVE in Pikmin Bloom; at least not yet. So how then do you leave your mark if there is no one to vanquish?

You plant flowers!

All across the map, you can see the flowers you plant as you walk and the flowers planted by other players. There are large flowers at locations like our local park and monuments that will bloom once enough flowers are planted around them; something everyone playing in that area can see. You can also choose to go on a planting walk with a friend, seeing both of your flowers put down and each other’s Mii characters in the app as you walk.

If you are looking for something chill to encourage walking, give Pikmin Bloom a try. Let’s add a little color back into our world!