Oatchi ( Japanese: オッチン, Hepburn: Otchin) is fictional character who first appeared in Nintendo's 2023 real-time strategy video game Pikmin 4 for the Nintendo Switch. Oatchi, a breed of creature dubbed "Space Dog", is a member of the Rescue Corps; a group of intergalactic individuals tasked with rescuing Captain Olimar. Oatchi is one of the two playable characters in the game's main story and is partnered up with the player character in order to explore the Pikmin planet alongside the Pikmin to find Olimar.

In Pikmin 4, Oatchi can be commanded by the player to perform tasks to aid in exploring such as destroying obstacles, carrying items and defeating enemies. Oatchi can also act as transport for both the player and the Pikmin. These abilities can be upgraded as the player progresses through the game. Additionally, Oatchi can act as a second captain, meaning he can command his own squad of Pikmin which can be used for puzzle solving.

Several media publications have given Oatchi praise for his adaptability and usefulness in the game, with some declaring that it was hard to go back to previous instalments due to the lack of Oatchi.

Character design

Oatchi is a "Space Dog", a bi-pedal alien species that has the appearance to that of a dog. He has a yellow coat of fur, a tail with a white ball at the end that resembles a dandelion's seedhead and lacks a visible nose. VG247 likened Oatchi to that of a grub-dog, a reoccurring family of creatures in the Pikmin series such as the Bulborb, although added that Oatchi is far too canine-like compared to grub-dogs. ^[1] of His appearance varies slightly to another Space Dog that appears in Pikmin 4; Moss, a larger green dog-like creature with a leaf growing on its tail who lives on the Pikmin planet and is capable of using the same abilities as Oatchi. ^{[2] [3]} Oatchi is a type of Space Dog known as a Rescue Pup, a breed raised on the planet Giya for generations under the Shephard family for the Rescue Corp. ^[4]

The character of Oatchi was created as a result of the series' low sales, causing developers to consider ideas for a new selling point for Pikmin 4 for both gameplay and being "eye-catching". During an Ask the Developer interview with Nintendo, Pikmin 4 co-director Yuji Kando mentioned how during the early stages of the game's development, developers toyed with the idea of having the player control a Bulborb. With this mechanic the player would be able to consume Pikmin, which developers believed would simple to control, be visually striking and give satisfaction to the player. As development furthered, developers considered the possibility of being able to control various creatures as well as letting the player ride them, however Kando commented that "it became difficult to weave it all into a coherent game". ^[5] Instead, developers opted to add Oatchi as a partner to the player character, where he is both able to command Pikmin but also the equivalent to the power of 10 Pikmin when fighting and carrying objects as a sort of "Super Pikmin". ^[6] Designer Yutaka Hiramuki stated the reason why developers chose a dog as the player's partners was to solve two problems at once; have him be able to be incorporated into the game's narrative as a Rescue Corp member in order to sniff out castaways and have the player be able to train the player to increase Oatchi's utilities such as transport. ^[5]

Appearances

Main appearance

Oatchi's first appearance is in 2024's Pikmin 4 as companion to the player character and secondary captain to the Pikmin. Oatchi is a Rescue Pup and member of the Rescue Corps, an intergalactic organisation tasked with helping out stranded explorers, referred to in-game as "castaways". At the beginning of the game, the Rescue Corps sends out a team with Oatchi led by Captain Shephard tasked with rescuing series protagonist Captain Olimar from the planet PNF-404. However, upon arrival to the planet the team crash land on the planet and are separated from each-other. The Rescue Corps proceed to task the player character, a new recruit to the organisation, to rescue the now stranded team. Reaching PNF-404, the player character encounters and teams up with Oatchi to scout out the nearby members of the Rescue Corps team. Upon finding a colony of Pikmin near the Rescue Corps' ship, they cooperate with the player and Oatchi in exploring the planet and finding Captain Olimar.

Later on in the game, the Rescue Corps are able to find and rescue Olimar. Trying to leave the planet and return home, the team realise Oatchi is unable to leave the surface of the planet after contracting an illness that sprouts a leaf on his tail similar to the leaves on a Pikmin's head. Being unable to leave, the Oatchi and the player search for a cure for the illness. They end up finding the necessary ingredients after battling and defeating a giant dog-like creature, which had the DNA able to create a cure for Oatchi in order for them to return to space.

Other appearances

Oatchi has made cameo appearances in other instalments of the Pikmin series. To celebrate the release of the Pikmin 4 demo in June 2023, Niantic announced that players who have completed the demo would receive an Oatchi-based costume for the player's Mii in Pikmin Bloom. ^[7] Oatchi also makes an appearance in the 2023 browser-based mobile game Pikmin Finder. ^[8] Outside of the Pikmin series, Oatchi appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2024 as a spirit, a collectable obtained by playing matches under certain conditions. ^[9]

Reception

Following his appearance in Pikmin 4, Oatchi garnered largely positive reception from critics with publications such as IGN Japan, Nintendo Life and Destructoid declaring him as one of the best video game characters of 2023. ^{[10] [11] [12]}

In July 2023, Japanese manufacturing company San-Ei announced a seven inch tall Oatchi plushie would be released on Amazon Japan the following September. ^[13]

Notes

References

External links

• Oatchi on Play Nintendo