Pikmin Day announced: Pikmin 4 demo on November 2

Nintendo has named November 1 Pikmin Day. The Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition demo arrives on November 2, plus Hello! Pikmin shorts and Pikmin Bloom Secret Caves.

FireGhost

October 31, 2026, 07:50 PM5 min read

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Nintendo has made November 1 the official Pikmin Day. In a surprise Pikmin Day Direct, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed Hello! Pikmin, a new animated series, and confirmed a free Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition demo for November 2. Pikmin Bloom is also getting Secret Caves.

The presentation dropped without warning on Nintendo's YouTube channels on October 31. As Nintendo Life put it, there was no big new game. But fans still got concrete news: a demo date, a mobile update and a new run of short films.

Key facts

Pikmin Day: every November 1 (11.1)
Hello! Pikmin: monthly animated shorts made with Nintendo Pictures
Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition demo: November 2, free
Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy: November 12, 2026
Pikmin Bloom: Secret Caves coming soon (this winter)

Why is Pikmin Day on November 1?

According to Polygon, Miyamoto explained that the date 11.1 resembles the original red, yellow and blue Pikmin standing in a row. Nintendo plans to celebrate it every year from now on. The series itself turns 25 this year.

What is Hello! Pikmin?

Hello! Pikmin is a new series of short animations Miyamoto is making with Nintendo Pictures. The first clip shown in the Direct has a red Pikmin trying to steal a worn baseball from a toad that seems to be asleep. It is not, and it is hungry. Nintendo will release one short per month through the Nintendo Today app and other channels, and Nintendo Life says the first arrives on November 1.

Nintendo Pictures released a Pikmin short called "Close to You" a year ago, and Miyamoto's team made three Pikmin shorts back in 2014.

Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy (Source: Nintendo of America (YouTube))

What is in the Pikmin 4 Switch 2 Edition demo?

Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy launches on November 12, 2026, according to the official Pikmin Bloom site. The free demo lands on November 2 and includes the opening area plus two Dandori Academy challenges.

This version adds Switch 2-specific features. You can now give voice commands to Oatchi, the puppy-like companion, through the Switch 2's built-in microphone. Dandori Academy adds tests that ask you to optimise your strategy. Polygon reports limited-time exams every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with leaderboards, and 72 Dandori Academy stages released over time.

Secret Caves are coming to Pikmin Bloom

Niantic's mobile game Pikmin Bloom is getting a new feature too. To enter Secret Caves you need a Cave Map, which can sometimes arrive with a postcard. Once you have one, you send a large squad of Pikmin underground and they find their own way through.

When they meet a creature, a battle starts and you command your Pikmin to attack. If the creature is about to strike, blow your whistle to pull them back. Pikmin that get hit do not die; they leave the fight and recover after a while. Treasures you win go into a new Treasure Catalog.

Pikmin Bloom Secret Caves art showing a Pikmin squad facing a creature in a cave — Pikmin Bloom's new Secret Caves feature (Source: Niantic / Pikmin Bloom)

Linking Switch 2 and mobile

Players who play the Pikmin 4 demo or full version and meet certain requirements will earn rewards in Pikmin Bloom, including a Cave Map, special postcards and an Oatchi-Rider costume for their Mii. The full game also includes Pikmin Bloom-themed Dandori Challenge stages.

It is a busy November for Nintendo. Ocarina of Time on Switch 2 launches on November 5, while FromSoftware's Switch 2 exclusive has been delayed to 2027. On mobile, Pokémon UNITE's end of service is also in the news.

Frequently asked questions

When is Pikmin Day?

Nintendo has named November 1 as Pikmin Day, an annual celebration. Shigeru Miyamoto says the date 11.1 looks like red, yellow and blue Pikmin standing side by side.