Indeed.Sayaka Maizono said:Mission mode is basically a strategic treasure collection of fruit and dead enemies, which includes those seen from Pikmin 2 (Cupid's Grenade, Combustion Berry, Citrus Lump, etc). I think it's a nice little throwback.
Also, if this is how it's going to be in the final version, it's going to be like a combination of Pikmin's and Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode in the sense that you're going overground (Pikmin) while trying to build up the highest score you can (Pikmin 2).
It would also be really nice if we could see some gameplay from the actual storyline of the game, as opposed to the footage we've seen from Mission Mode.