Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition: Launch Day Facts From Nintendo

Quick facts

Official trailer

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Pikmin Day Direct — Nintendo of America on YouTube. Click to load the official video.

Official video from Nintendo of America. We load YouTube only after you press play.

Official source

Short answer: is Pikmin 4 Switch 2 out?

Yes. Nintendo Japan’s official news post dated 12 November 2026 is titled, in Japanese, “Pikmin 4 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy launches today,” and says Nintendo “released it today.” The official Nintendo Japan product page lists the release date as 12 November 2026 (Thursday).

In the United States, the official Nintendo US store page lists the release date as November 12, 2026, shows the digital edition at $69.99, and marks the offer as in stock. In the United Kingdom, the official Nintendo UK store page lists 12/11/2026, and Nintendo’s official eShop price data for the UK lists the game as on sale at £58.99.

Launch day: price, upgrade pack, and what you need

Official prices on launch day. These are the prices shown on official Nintendo pages during our 12 November 2026 check (America/Denver). Nintendo notes that prices can change; check the Nintendo Store or Nintendo eShop for the current price.

Sources: the official Nintendo US store, the US upgrade pack page, Nintendo’s official UK eShop price data, and Nintendo Japan’s product information.

Launch-day exam. Nintendo Japan’s 2 November demo post says that on 12 November, launch day, Dandori Academy exams are specially open even though it is a Thursday (normal exams run Friday to Sunday). That post is from Nintendo Japan; we have not seen the same note on US or UK pages.

Hardware and online. Nintendo Japan says this is Nintendo Switch 2 software and needs a Nintendo Switch 2 console. It also says an internet connection is required to sit Dandori Academy exams and to receive new exam stages. Online play requires a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Demo. Nintendo Japan’s launch post says the free demo is still available. It includes the opening story area, Sun-Speckled Terrace, plus Dandori Academy’s introductory stage and some exam stages, and you can sit the weekend exams in the demo too. Nintendo Japan’s 2 November demo post says demo save data carries over to the full game, and that Oatchi voice commands are not usable in the demo.

Pikmin Bloom tie-in. The launch post says sitting a Dandori Academy exam in the demo gives you a postcard in the Pikmin Bloom app. The same postcard can also be received in the full game by viewing the story’s exploration results from Day 2 onward for the first time; you cannot receive it twice.

Coming later. Nintendo Japan says that from December it plans to show example routes for earning Dandori Academy’s top “Master Medal” rating in the Nintendo Today! app.

Before you buy: upgrade pack, online, solo battles, and the stage schedule

Full edition or upgrade pack?

Sources: Nintendo Japan’s product information page and the Nintendo UK store. The Switch 2 Edition features need a Nintendo Switch 2. Official US and UK prices are in the launch-day price table above.

Do you need Nintendo Switch Online? Nintendo Japan says:

• An internet connection is needed to sit the weekly Friday–Sunday Dandori Academy exams and to receive new exam stages. Practice does not need an internet connection.
• A paid Nintendo Switch Online membership is needed to use the scoreboard (seeing friends’ and players’ scores worldwide) and to receive some rewards, such as user icons.
• Online Dandori Battles via GameShare over GameChat need a Nintendo Switch 2 and a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.

Nintendo UK adds that any online play modes require a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership. The Nintendo Japan pages we checked say an internet connection is needed for the exams themselves, but they do not say a Nintendo Switch Online membership is needed for them, so we are not claiming either way.

Can you play Dandori Battles solo? Yes, against the computer. Nintendo’s official Pikmin 4 multiplayer support page (for Switch 2 and Switch) says that in Dandori Battle Mode, from the title screen, you choose P1 vs CPU, P1 vs P2, or P1 & P2 vs CPU. GameShare is for two-player Dandori Battles: Nintendo Japan says each player needs a Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2, local GameShare can be received on a Nintendo Switch, and online GameShare uses GameChat.

Dandori Academy stage schedule. Nintendo Japan’s Dandori Academy page says:

• Stages roll out for one year: 72 stages in total, 6 stages × 12 drops.
• New stages arrive on the first Monday of each month (product information page).
• There are three difficulty levels, and stages released earlier can be played at any time.
• After all stages are out, you can keep practising and sitting exams.
• Each exam is one attempt. A retake ticket lets you sit it again: you get one each month, plus one for every five practice runs (up to five a month from practice).
• Medals depend on your score plus a time bonus. Nintendo says platinum is the target, and there are even higher medals beyond it.

What the Switch 2 Edition includes

The official Nintendo UK store lists these Nintendo Switch 2 Edition features:

• Give voice commands to Oatchi via the built-in microphone of Nintendo Switch 2.
• A new mode: Dandori Academy.
• GameShare support for Dandori Battles.
• Support for enhanced resolutions up to 4K in TV Mode.
• The Nintendo Switch game: Pikmin 4.

The same page says the Switch 2 Edition “is playable only on Nintendo Switch 2.” If the physical or virtual game card is inserted into a Nintendo Switch console, “you can play the Nintendo Switch version of the game, without any of the additional features exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition.”

If you already own Pikmin 4 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo says you can purchase the upgrade pack to play the Switch 2 Edition. The UK store lists that upgrade pack with the same release date, 12/11/2026. The US Direct news post said players who have Pikmin 4 on Switch can pre-order the upgrade pack on Nintendo eShop.

Dandori Academy, in official wording

Nintendo UK describes Dandori Academy as challenges that test how quickly you can collect treasure on a stage. Exams are held each week on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can practise each stage as much as you want, but you can only attempt the exam once per week. Medals are awarded based on exam performance and can unlock rewards such as user icons.

Nintendo says 72 Dandori Academy stages will be released over time, with six stages available each month, including easier stages for beginners.

The US Direct news post adds that the mode has online leaderboards and three difficulty levels. It also confirms the 72-stage plan and the Friday–Sunday exams.

GameShare: the UK store says you can compete in Dandori Battles against another player using GameShare via local wireless or online via GameChat. It lists players as Single System (1–2), Local Wireless (1–2), and Online (1–2).

Voice commands for Oatchi

The UK store says you can give nine different voice commands to Oatchi using the built-in microphone on Nintendo Switch 2, including asking him to gather Pikmin and transport treasures, and that you should praise him for doing a good job. The US Direct news post also highlights voice commands and “well-earned praise.”

Nintendo’s pages do not publish the full spoken-command list in the sources we checked, so we are not inventing one.

Demo, size, and rating

The official Nintendo UK store lists “Demo available” among the edition’s features, a 12.8 GB download size, a PEGI 3 age rating, and languages including Japanese, English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, Korean, and Chinese. We have not independently confirmed a matching US eShop demo listing in this check, so treat current US demo availability as unconfirmed here.

The UK store also notes that some online features require a paid Nintendo Switch Online membership.

FAQ

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