Pikmin 4 is finally here. A follow-up to the 2013 released Pikmin 3, Pikmin 4 is the latest game to come out from Nintendo EPD and Eighting. Officially released on July 21, 2023, even the demo version of the game has received positive reviews from both fans and critics, with praise for its level design, soundtrack, and visuals. Pikmin 4 has been a long-awaited Nintendo title, and its global release has been a blessing for many. However, there are some fans who want the game on PC. And one of the best ways to play Nintendo Switch games on PC is through Yuzu.
Yuzu has been seeing constant updates over the past couple of months. The emulator is now even available for mobile devices, making it the third most popular Nintendo Switch emulator for smartphones besides EggNS and the no-longer-in-development, Skyline. The mobile version is somewhat lacking compared to Skyline when it comes to game compatibility, but we are sure that it will soon catch up or even surpass it at some point. The PC version, however, is in a league of its own. And thanks to it, you will now be able to play Pikmin 4 on PC.
How to play Pikmin 4 on PC via Yuzu Emulator?
Before trying out anything, you need to check if your PC will be able to run Yuzu or not. Here are the minimum requirements for Yuzu:
CPU –
- Minimum: Intel Core i5-4430 / AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Recommended: Intel Core i5-11400 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600
GPU –
- Minimum for Windows: NVIDIA GeForce GT 1050 4GB / AMD Radeon RX 550 4GB
- Recommended: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 5500 8GB (with “Force maximum clocks” enabled)
iGPU –
- Minimum for Windows: Intel UHD Graphics 730 / AMD Radeon Vega 3
- Recommended: Intel Iris Xe Graphics / AMD Radeon 680M
RAM –
- Minimum with dedicated graphics: 8 GB
- Minimum with integrated graphics: 12 GB
- Recommended: 16 GB
- Optimal: 32 GB
Note: For the purpose of this guide, we will be assuming that you already have the Pikmin 4 files with you.
Also, remember that you should have your own copy of Pikmin 4 on your Nintendo Switch prior to trying to play it on your PC using the Yuzu Emulator. Piracy is not something that Nintendo takes lightly, and we, in no way, promote it.
- If everything checks out, then the first thing you need to do is head over to the official website of Yuzu and download the latest .exe file from there.
- After your download is complete, go ahead and install the emulator on your PC. It’s generally recommended that you install it on the C drive instead of other drives. Complete the installation by going through the entire installation wizard.
- Before you open Yuzu, make sure that you have access to the prod and title keys. The firmware version 16.0.3 is also needed. You can get these from your Switch or somewhere online. Additionally, don’t forget to save them in a separate folder with an appropriate name. For the purpose of this guide, we will name ours: NSKeys.
- After you have your prod and title keys, go ahead and open Yuzu. Now, click on the File option located at the top of the screen, and from there, choose the “Open Yuzu Folder” sub-option.
- Now, head to the keys folder, delete the keys that are there in the folder, and replace them with the ones you just downloaded and stored in the NSKeys folder. Once that’s done, close the emulator and then promptly relaunch it.
- After this, open the Yuzu Folder again, and navigate to the following directory: nand>system>Contents>registered. Now, you will need to copy and replace the files inside the Firmware 16.0.3’s .zip file here.
- At last, add the Pikmin 4 game files to Yuzu, and you will be good to go.
Preferable Settings
When it comes to performance, we suggest you head over to the Graphics settings of the emulator and from there, apply the following settings–
API Settings
- API – Vulkan/Open GL (whichever suits best)
- Device – (Your GPU)
- Shader Backend – GLSL
Graphics Settings
- VSync Mode – On
- NVDEC emulation – Use global configuration (GPU Video Decoding)
- Fullscreen Mode – Use global configuration (Exclusive Fullscreen)
- Aspect Ratio – Use global configuration (Default (16:9))
- Resolution – 1x (720p/1080p)
- Window Adapting Filter – AMD FSR
- Anti-Aliasing Method – SMAA (or none if you don’t like anti-aliasing)
- FSR Sharpness – (Your choice)
Advanced Graphics Settings
- Accuracy Level – High
- ASTC recompression – Uncompressed (Best Quality)
Checkmark the following and leave the rest as it is –
- Enable Reactive Flushing
- Barrier feedback loops
- Use Fast GPU Time (Hack)
- Use Vulkan pipeline cache
Once you apply these settings, click Ok, head back to the main menu of the emulator, and launch the game on your PC. With that said, we hope this guide was able to provide you with all the information you needed. For more guides like this, check out DigiStatement. Also, read: How to play Pikmin 4 on PC via Ryujinx Emulator?
