We’ve all been waiting for Nintendo to bust out that killer app that’s going to get people to start buying the Wii U. With third-party publisher support for Nintendo’s next-gen offering starting to dry up, it’s up to Nintendo to give people a reason to pick the Wii U over the rest.

I wouldn’t call the Pikmin franchise one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises, nor would I consider Pikmin a Nintendo IP that will sell scads of consoles. However, the critics really like this game. It might not be terribly innovative but it uses the Wii U Gamepad and that’s more than we can say about a bunch of current Wii U offerings.

Destructoid (95%): Pikmin 3 isn’t everything that Pikmin has ever been before, but it’s still the best representation of the concept to date… The series’ signature creepy, cartoon-like take on real trials of life is there in full force, bolstered by incredibly beautiful graphics, an unexpectedly involving story, tons of secrets, and new ways to play, all while never straying from the spirit of the original game.

The Escapist (90%): The ending may not be the best thing ever, but it can’t tarnish the incredible enjoyment you’ll get out of Pikmin 3. This is probably the best game yet on Wii U… There is absolutely no reason a Wii U owner shouldn’t buy Pikmin 3. Armchair puzzlers, tacticians, and lovers of all things cute will be hugely rewarded, as will those who play with their loved ones or family.

IGN (88%): Pikmin 3 is a delight. There’s nothing else like its gentle combination of exploration, strategy and discovery, and it made me feel both empathy and responsibility for virtual creatures that most games would treat as disposable fodder. It transported me like few other games can, giving the feeling of being a stranger in a strange (but oddly familiar) world. It’s over too soon, but it leaves a lasting impression.

Edge Magazine (80%): Twelve years after the original and nine after the sequel, little has changed – but little really needed to. It may not sell systems on its own, but it’s a fine addition to a sparse software library that brings one of Nintendo’s most vibrantly characterful series into the HD era and, critically, makes convincing use of the GamePad. And that, pending the arrival of a true system seller, is what Wii U needs most of all.

Quarter to Three (60%): Like many decent sequels, especially when they’re on a Nintendo system, Pikmin 3 is just more Pikmin. The basic experience doesn’t differ from the usual slight cute puzzles, all very Nintendo, all very Wii, all very candy colored and conveniently soluble and cheerfully chirping and rather irresistable, all very Pikmin.