Nintendo has re-released the heartwarming “Close to You” animated short film, shared yesterday on its Nintendo Today! mobile app. This time around, however, there’s something noticably different: Pikmin. The brand shared the original four-minute short around 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. The second upload, essentially a shot-for-shot re-release, reveals that the once-invisible sprouts were with Baby the whole time.
‘Close to You’
On Tuesday, Oct. 7, Nintendo released a heartwarming animated short via its Nintendo Today! application. The four-minute short, called “Close to You,” told the story of a small blond tot trying to reunite with their pacifier. The clip was also posted to the Nintendo of America YouTube account, where it’s garnered more than 400,000 views in just 24 hours. Nintendo launched the video without any qualifying information, and while the touching short can bring a tear to your eye without context, the clip left fans scratching their heads. No dialogue, no subtitles, no informative blurb? No clue.
On Wednesday, the brand shared the video via the app once more. This time, though, something’s changed — Pikmin, which are normally invisible to the human eye, can be seen throughout the shot-for-shot re-release. By the end of the second short, Baby and Mom hug once again, only they’re surrounded by watchful Pikmin scattered throughout the room.
Nintendo shared the first version on its Nintendo of America YouTube account, but the second Pikmin-loaded short is only available via the brand’s app. Since its release earlier this year, Nintendo has increasingly utilized its Nintendo Today! app for big announcements. After today’s fresh new short, it’s clear they’re not deviating from that plan anytime soon.
At the time of writing, Nintendo has not confirmed why this short was released. Fan hypotheses include possible ties to The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, additional content for the Pikmin Bloom mobile game, or an early cinematic glimpse of Pikmin 5.
About Pikmin
The Pikmin game franchise follows intergalactic pilot Olimar and various crewmates (including the annoyingly aloof Louie) as they work to study and understand the mysterious Pikmin species. The tiny critters vary in color, each hue indicating their in-game capabilities. Blue Pikmin are skillful swimmers, Yellow Pikmin are super-agile, and Red Pikmin are powerful and fireproof. The later games introduce other types, but the original Pikmin from 2001 comprises the creatures in primary colors only.
The IP’s creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, has worked on the series since its debut on the Nintendo GameCube nearly a quarter-century ago.
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