Pikmin 3 is meant to make players want to play again.
A 3DS and GBA Pikmin game were both made and scrapped according to an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto.
Miyamoto says it wasn't until the Wii U version that he felt better about the projects, stating that the GBA and 3DS projects "were versions that I wasn't really happy with until we came to this version on the Wii U and I finally felt like I was able to create the Pikmin game that I wanted to create."
Miyamoto also revealed his desire to make Pikmin 3 a more replayable game, feeling that no one went back to the original Pikmin after playing. Though Pikmin 2 was made easier in his opinion, his goal is to broaden the appeal of the gameplay." Whether you are going for high scores, experiencing a story, or playing multiplayer," he says, "regardless of what your personal play style preferences, you'll be able to find something in there for you."