Summary:
Nintendo has rolled out a free Pikmin 4 update that brings Decor Pikmin, an in-game Field Camera, and two brand-new creature activity levels: Relaxed and Fierce. We break down how each feature works, how to unlock them fast, and the best ways to use them on story missions, Dandori Battles, caves, and night expeditions. You’ll learn where Decor Pikmin typically show up, how the Field Camera’s filters, frames, and stamps can help you log discoveries, and when to switch difficulty settings to keep runs smooth or crank up the challenge. We also cover transfers with Pikmin Bloom so you can build a decorated squad across both experiences. Whether you’re returning to finish treasures or starting fresh, this update adds reasons to revisit every area—and gives you flexible tools to customize the pace. Below, we outline practical routes, squad composition tips, and photo ideas to make your next rescue outing cleaner, faster, and a little more stylish.
What’s new in Pikmin 4’s free update
This update centers on three pillars that change how we explore and how we show it off: Decor Pikmin, the Field Camera, and new creature activity levels. Decor Pikmin bring personality and collectability to your squad, wearing trinkets you’ll spot in the world. The Field Camera adds a quick way to capture angles during expeditions, complete with stamps, frames, and filters that feel tailored to Pikmin’s playful look. Finally, creature activity levels—Relaxed, Normal, and Fierce—let you tune encounters on the fly. Relaxed eases the pressure for new players or completionists sweeping leftovers, while Fierce dials up aggression and makes even routine paths feel tense. Together these features nudge us to revisit earlier zones, test team builds, and share more of our discoveries.
Where Decor Pikmin fit in your adventure
Decor Pikmin don’t replace your core types; they personalize them. Think of them as themed variants that still behave like their base species. Spot a doughnut, toy, or winter hat? Chances are a Decor Pikmin is nearby or tied to that environmental hint. Because they mirror the original types, you can weave them into established routes without relearning matchups. The joy comes from collecting sets as you expand your rescue effort. If you’ve cleared the main story, Decor gives a fresh reason to comb corners and replay caves, while new players will naturally accumulate a few as they progress. The kicker: certain Decor Pikmin can transfer to Pikmin Bloom, making your Switch discoveries carry over to your mobile walks and vice versa.
Quick tips to find Decor Pikmin consistently
Scout densely decorated nooks in early areas first; updates often seed new spawns where players can reach them fast. Listen for audio cues near odd trinkets. Use Oatchi’s nose to ping nearby items after you clear immediate threats. In caves, sweep alcoves by tossing a pair of the correct type to probe safely. At night, patrol routes with Glow Pikmin as escorts and leave a power unit in reserve so you can pivot if you spot a Decor hint.
The Field Camera: your pocket photo studio
The Field Camera lives in your bag and unlocks early—perfect for chronicling first contact with Decor Pikmin or snapping creative angles of Oatchi plowing through hazards. Frames and stamps make quick mementos, but the camera can also function as a tool: freeze a moment to study creature patrols, check obstacle geometry, or mark a treasure path visually for your next sweep. You can hide characters for clean environmental shots or tilt the angle to dramatize scale, which looks great when a tiny squad faces a towering Bulborb. Because Pikmin thrives on miniature dioramas, even simple compositions feel share-worthy.
Photo ideas that celebrate Decor Pikmin
Try contrast shots: a snow-hat Decor Pikmin against a sun-splashed terrace, or a wind-up toy perched near mechanical scrap. Use leading lines—twig bridges, hose pipes, and garden stones—to draw the eye toward your subject. Stamp sparingly to keep focus on the scene, and punch in close on textures like soil, plastic, and fur for that toy-box vibe. Group photos also pop: arrange mixed species by color, then throw the Field Camera low for a heroic horizon line as Oatchi sits in the foreground like a proud sled dog.
Practical camera usage during routes
Snap a quick shot before risky fights to record enemy formations and burrow locations. Photograph puzzle setups so you can revisit with the right team later. For Dandori practice, take before/after images to compare pathing efficiency. If you’re hunting Decor sets, keep a small album of environmental cues tied to likely spawns; you’ll recognize patterns faster on your next loop.
Creature activity levels: Relaxed, Normal, and Fierce
These settings reshape pacing more than raw stats. Relaxed mode keeps creatures passive until provoked, which is perfect for treasure cleanup, scouting new shortcuts, or teaching friends and family without the stress of surprise ambushes. Fierce mode flips the mood: creatures become more aggressive, punish sloppy whistling, and force tighter formations. Because you can change activity levels from the options, you aren’t locked into a run. That flexibility encourages experimentation—clear a messy cave in Relaxed to map hazards, then go back on Fierce to test precise throws and whistle timing.
When to switch to Relaxed
Toggle Relaxed when you’re cataloging Decor spawns, chasing final treasures, or learning multi-step puzzles where a stray patrol can snowball losses. It’s also great for night expeditions when you’re short on resources—use the lull to rebuild Glow Pikmin and stabilize your defenses. If you’re helping a younger player, keep Relaxed on for the main path and flip to Normal only for bosses once they’re comfortable coordinating with Oatchi.
When Fierce is worth it
Use Fierce to make old paths relevant again. Aggressive patrols force better squad splits, smarter Oatchi commands, and refined throw arcs. In Dandori Battles, the added pressure rewards faster decision-making and tighter risk control. It’s also a fun testbed for species-specific micro like winged ferry routes or rock-Pikmin armor breaks while enemies press harder than usual.
How Decor Pikmin and Pikmin Bloom work together
The update links your console adventure with Pikmin Bloom by allowing specific Decor Pikmin to transfer. If you already enjoy Bloom’s collectible flair, this is a gentle bridge: decorate crews on the go, then mirror that personality back in Pikmin 4. From a completion standpoint, this link adds new goals that extend beyond your save file. It also gives you reasons to revisit real-world walks after unlocking new themes in-game. If you’re fresh to Bloom, the transfer feature is a simple on-ramp—unlock a few decorations in Pikmin 4, then see them appear in your mobile garden.
Smart ways to plan around transfers
Build a themed squad for album shots—winter hats for snowy caves, sweets-themed looks for kitchen zones, mechanical toys for workshop areas. Take Field Camera photos of each set so you can track what you still need. If a piece eludes you, switch exploration to Relaxed, do a clean sweep of small corners, and check any odd trinket displays. When you secure the missing Decor, celebrate with a photo line-up before sending them to Bloom.
Keeping duplicates useful
Duplicates aren’t wasted. Use them in riskier routes so you protect a rarer decoration from accidental losses. Duplicates also make cute chessboard photos: alternate two Decor styles by color and arrange a checker pattern around a treasure for an easy, eye-catching shot.
Patch 1.1.0 changes that affect everyday play
Beyond the headline features, the patch integrates clean quality-of-life touches. The Field Camera lands in your bag early in the story, so you don’t need special conditions to try it. Activity levels can be toggled from the options menu, which means you can switch mid-expedition if you hit an unexpected spike. These conveniences make the update friendly to both marathon sessions and quick after-work runs. Even if you’re between big objectives, grabbing a couple Decor variants and snapping a few photos feels rewarding.
Recommended squad compositions post-update
On Relaxed, lean into utility: carry extra yellows for wire puzzles, a healthy winged group for hauling over hazards, and a handful of rocks for armor checks. On Fierce, bias toward survivability and control: reds for raw combat, rocks for staggers, and a compact winged unit for opportunistic hauls while Oatchi ties up threats. Keep your whistle upgrades prioritized; sharper regrouping offsets Fierce’s chaos more than raw numbers do.
Oatchi micro that shines with the new settings
In Relaxed, send Oatchi ahead as a scout to tug treasure loose and return without provoking enemies. In Fierce, park Oatchi to body-block narrow lanes, then whistle-swap to toss rock Pikmin at weak points. The difference in patrol behavior makes these little micro decisions feel fresh, even on maps you’ve memorized.
Route ideas to showcase the Field Camera
Pick one favorite area and build a three-stop photo circuit: an establishing shot from a high perch, a mid-range action shot during a hazard clear, and a close-up of a Decor Pikmin posing with a thematically matched prop. Snap the trio in under ten minutes as a warm-up before you dive into heavier objectives. If you keep a habit of quick “photo laps,” your album turns into a visual travelogue that also doubles as a handy memory aid for secrets and shortcuts.
Making Dandori feel new again
The camera adds a post-match ritual: take a picture of your resource layout at the 30-second mark and compare it to your best runs. Meanwhile, Fierce raises the stakes in custom practice sessions. Try a “no whistle panic” drill—if your formation breaks, don’t mash whistle; instead, reposition Oatchi and use throws to pull squads back under pressure. This builds muscle memory that pays off in real matches.
Night expeditions with style
Set Relaxed to stabilize your base early, then switch to Normal or Fierce for the final two waves when your defenses are ready. The camera loves luminous effects, so photograph Glow Pikmin rings just as they pulse. Aim for silhouettes of Decor Pikmin against glowing spores—it’s an easy, moody shot that never gets old.
Beginner-friendly flow for new players
Start on Relaxed to learn throws, whistles, and Oatchi’s jumps without surprise wipeouts. Use the Field Camera as a journal—one photo per treasure route, no exceptions. Treat Decor Pikmin as souvenirs of milestones; each one reminds you what hazard you overcame. After a region or two, bump to Normal for bosses. Once you’re comfortable juggling split squads and Oatchi tasks, sample Fierce on a cave you know well. The elasticity here is the point: the update ensures you can grow at your pace and still see everything.
Completionist to-do list after updating
Make a checklist of Decor themes you’ve seen and which ones you still need. Sweep every previously cleared cave with Relaxed on to check for new nooks you rushed past earlier. Add one Fierce victory per session to keep your combat edge. Finish with a photo that features your newest Decor set and a small trophy pile—it’s a neat way to mark progress without grinding.
Sharing your adventure tastefully
When you share photos, pair them with short captions that call out a trick or route. “Oatchi ferried rocks while wings snagged the high wire treasure” tells a story and helps others replicate it. If you’re posting a Decor checklist, keep spoilers light—blur boss arenas and focus on cozy environmental corners. It keeps the charm intact for friends discovering the update for themselves.
Troubleshooting common questions
If the camera isn’t in your bag yet, advance to the next morning after updating; it appears early in the story and is added to existing saves upon returning to the Rescue Command Post. Can’t decide on a difficulty? Use Relaxed during exploration phases and kick up to Normal or Fierce for boss re-matches. Unsure whether a Decor item counts toward a set? Snap a photo, then check your squad management screen—tracking progress visually helps you notice variants you might otherwise ignore. And if a Fierce route feels punishing, don’t hesitate to back out, switch levels, and rebuild your squad. The update is designed for that flexibility.
Why this update is a great excuse to return
Pikmin 4 always rewarded curiosity. Decor Pikmin give that curiosity a collectible arc, the Field Camera turns discoveries into keepsakes, and activity levels let you set the mood without restarting. Whether you’re chasing one hundred percent, teaching a friend, or craving a tougher loop, these additions weave neatly into what makes Pikmin sing—tiny heroes, big obstacles, and a garden that keeps surprising you.
One last idea before you head out
Pick a favorite Decor Pikmin and build a “cover shoot” moment: stage a foreground prop that matches their theme, place Oatchi as a living backdrop, and tilt the camera just enough to make them look tall. It’s a quick ritual that turns every session into a story—and it’s the kind of story you’ll want to tell again tomorrow.
Conclusion
The free Pikmin 4 update lands with features that feel both playful and practical. Decor Pikmin add collection goals without complicating matchups, the Field Camera doubles as a memory aid and creative outlet, and creature activity levels let you control the tempo from gentle scouting to white-knuckle skirmishes. Use Relaxed to learn and clean up, Fierce to sharpen execution, and the camera to capture the moments in between. Thread in transfers with Pikmin Bloom and you’ve got a living scrapbook that spans your couch and your daily walks. It’s a warm invitation to return, experiment, and see familiar soil from a fresh angle.
FAQs
- How do I get the Field Camera?
- It’s added to your bag early after updating. For existing saves, return to the Rescue Command Post and proceed to the next morning to receive it.
- Can I switch creature activity levels mid-game?
- Yes. Open Options and change between Relaxed, Normal, and Fierce whenever you need to adjust the pressure.
- Do Decor Pikmin play differently from standard types?
- No. They mirror their base species but wear themed decorations, so you can slot them into existing strategies.
- How do transfers with Pikmin Bloom work?
- Certain Decor Pikmin obtained in Pikmin 4 can be transferred to Bloom. Check in-game prompts and linked-account instructions to move eligible Decor between the two.
- Is there anything to prepare before trying Fierce?
- Prioritize whistle upgrades, practice tight formations, and bring rocks or reds for reliable control. Test on a familiar cave first.
Sources
- Pikmin 4 sprouts a free update on Nintendo Switch this November, adding Decor Pikmin and more, Nintendo, October 22, 2025
- Pikmin 4’s free content update is out now, here are the full patch notes, Nintendo Life, November 11, 2025
- Pikmin 4’s surprise new update is officially out, adding photo mode and Decor Pikmin, Video Games Chronicle, November 11, 2025
- Pikmin 4 free update adds photo mode and more next month, Polygon, October 22, 2025
- New features are coming to Pikmin 4!, Nintendo UK, October 27, 2025
