Nintendo releases free Pikmin 4 demo on Switch 2 eShop

Nintendo released a free demo for Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy on the Switch 2 eShop on Nov. 2, 2026. Nintendo announced the demo during the surprise Pikmin Day Direct on Oct. 31, 2026, which was already Nov. 1 in Japan. The free demo gives players a chance to try the game before the retail launch on Nov. 12.

The demo includes the Sun-Speckled Terrace, the first main area of the base game, plus two Dandori Academy challenge stages. Dandori Academy is a timed treasure-collection mode where players gather items such as fruits and vegetables within a stage. The mode tests planning and treasure-collecting skills, and practice sessions are available before weekend exams.

Progress from the demo transfers to the complete game, so players do not need to replay the opening stage. Players who enjoy the demo can continue their progress when they buy the full game. The full game launches on Nov. 12, 2026, both physically and digitally, with pre-orders already open on the Nintendo Store and eShop.

Players can issue nine different voice commands to Oatchi, the Rescue Corps’ dog. Nintendo Treehouse presented the game on Nintendo’s official YouTube channel, demonstrating Dandori Exams on three difficulty levels, including an Empress Bulblax encounter.

Dandori Academy will expand to 72 stages and features online leaderboards. Weekend exams run on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, giving players a single attempt to post their best time. The mode concludes with an exam that players must pass to progress, and it awards medals according to performance.

Nintendo demonstrated Dandori Academy using the Gargantuan Garden stage as an example, showing players collecting gold nuggets and other treasures before the clock runs out. Passing the exam unlocks cave maps and other rewards tied to Pikmin Bloom. Existing Pikmin 4 owners on the original Switch can buy an eShop upgrade pack rather than purchasing the full Switch 2 edition.

Pikmin 4 originally shipped for the Nintendo Switch in July 2023, the first mainline Pikmin game in a decade. With more than 3 million copies sold, it is the best-selling game in the franchise. Nintendo announced the sales milestone during the Pikmin Day Direct.

Nintendo revealed the demo during the Pikmin Day Direct, which Shigeru Miyamoto hosted on Oct. 31, 2026. Miyamoto declared Nov. 1 as an annual Pikmin Day, explaining that the date 11/1 resembles the three original red, blue, and yellow Pikmin from the 2001 GameCube game. Actress Fuka Koshiba co-hosted the broadcast, and Nintendo named her a new Pikmin ambassador.

Miyamoto said, “If you imagine those three Pikmin as the number one, that makes November 1st, Pikmin Day!” The complete Pikmin Day Direct presentation is available on the NintendoAU YouTube channel.

Nintendo Pictures revealed a new animated short film series titled Hello! Pikmin during the Direct. Two episodes are available now on the Nintendo Today app and other Nintendo channels, with more episodes releasing monthly from December. The broadcast showed the initial short, and Koshiba introduced it.

Pikmin Bloom will receive a Secret Caves update in Winter 2026, letting players send Pikmin into caves to battle creatures and collect treasure. In the app, cave maps come attached to postcards. Linking the game to Pikmin Bloom lets players send their Dandori Academy exam results to the mobile app for special in-app rewards.

All four mainline Pikmin games are available to play on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The lineup includes Pikmin 1, Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Pikmin 4, giving players access to the full series history on current Nintendo hardware.