Pikmin has had some form of multiplayer component since the second game, but it wasn't until Pikmin 3 that it became a main feature. Pikmin 4 takes it even further, however, and does not allow you to play online. Instead, co-op in this title is restricted to local only. Depending on what mode you're playing, the way co-op works will be different as well, so let's go over how to play with friends in Pikmin 4 so you can enjoy the adventure together.
How to play co-op in Pikmin 4
If you want to play the story mode of Pikmin 4 in co-op, you can do it whenever you want. The game will ask you if you want to play with one or two players upon first launch, but it is still possible to do after that point.
Step 1: Load your single-player game.
Step 2: Open your Pause menu.
Step 3: Select Co-op Mode on the top right.
Step 4: In this mode, the second player will control what is called a "Pebble Pitcher" who can use a cursor to shoot rocks or items at enemies or things in the environment to help the main player out, somewhat like how the co-op worked in Super Mario Galaxy.
Step 5: The other multiplayer mode isn't just co-op, but can also be competitive.
Step 6: From the title screen, choose to play "Dandori Battles."
Step 7: Here you can pick to either play by yourself against a computer, against your friend, or team up with your friend against a computer. Whichever way you decide to play, the rules of the game will remain the same.
While we do wish you could play the main campaign in a more full-featured co-op mode, it is still nice that there is some option to get a little help and let someone else join in on the Pikmin fun.
