Nintendo producing Pikmin cartoons for 3DS

Nintendo is readying a set of Pikmin animated shorts for 3DS, with Shigeru Miyamoto personally overseeing the production.

Polygon reports Miyamoto is currently working with an external animation studio. The Nintendo legend apparently created mock-ups using the 3DS Fliptnote Studio, and sent them over to the animation director to discuss.

Miyamoto confirmed the Pikmin videos could be sold "if they’re popular." He also reassured that his game design work with Pikmin won’t be sacrificed, stating "that absolutely won’t happen. It’s just a fun side project with Pikmin."

Miyamoto’s aim for the shorts is to give the Pikmin characters more personality. The animations are expect to launch some time ahead of Pikmin 3, which still lacks specific release dates (beyond the first half of this year) following multiple delays.