I saw Josh/WiiFolder/BitBlock post this and flailed and posted it on Facebook because it blew my mind.
This was the only NPC! game I was looking forward to (besides MP Trilogy, but I missed that; OOPS), since I never experienced it on Gamecube and all the GCN copies were like $40 at Gamestop. And by all, I mean, I rarely saw it.
Stoked. And can't believe it either. 3 years later? Whoa. Too bad this doesn't necessarily mean other old games *cough*DISASTER*cough* will be brought over too, it's probably just to promote Pikmin 3, but that's really cool.
@motherbra1nAll the NPC! games are useless, but this game is at least hard to find if you skipped it during the Gamecube's life span. Especially with most Gamestops dropping Gamecube games.
For me, personally, the closest one that has it is 40+ miles away and all of them say LOW STOCK meaning they have probably only one copy, maybe.
And the game is $40. Used.
On eBay it goes for $40-$50 for used and over $180 for new copies.
Amazon has the game for $50 used and $150 new.
So it's not entirely useless. It's an affordable, NEW copy of the game for $20-30 (I think the old NPC! games were $30 when they came out?).
It's also a marketing tool for when Pikmin 3 is shown at E3 and probably a launch/near-launch title.
Miyamoto will show of Pikmin Wii U and Reggie will be like "But you don't have to wait to experience Pikmin in your homes until this fall. We will also be releasing, on the Nintendo Wii, a new way to play PIKMIN 2... *this* month" (or give a real date).