I've been commanding hundreds of cute, colorful Pikmin in Pikmin 3 for the Wii U, which releases Aug. 4. Here are some thoughts on the game.

To simply put it, Pikmin 3 is the best looking Wii U game to date, and probably will be for a while. While the ground textures aren't anything special, everything else is polished beautifully. Fruit looks very realistic, the lighting effects are superb and the frame rate doesn't miss a beat.

While the game can be controlled using just the GamePad, the most efficient way to play is with the Wiimote and Nunchuck. Pointing at the screen to aim Pikmin and round them up with the whistle is much smoother this way. But the GamePad does have its uses. You can see a map of the area on the touchscreen and it's a great way to send your explorers to a location automatically.

Check out my full review at www.theoaklandpress.com.

Get even tinier thoughts at www.twitter.com/JeffHoard921.