Editing Boss

[[File:Burrowing Snagret P4 icon.png|thumb|The [[Burrowing Snagret]] is a boss present in all four games.]]

The definition of a "boss" seems to change with each game. In {{p1}}, the game seldom makes a distinction between a boss and a regular enemy. In {{p2}}, bosses are given bigger slots on the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] and a specific [[music]]al theme, with some having unique ones. In {{p3}}, bosses are clearly identified as such by the game itself,{{cite quote|Boss enemies you hurt will maintain their damage! Whittle their health down, and defeat them the next day!|[[Loading]] screen tip|the US [[Region|version]] of {{p3}}}} and are divided between main bosses and '''mini-bosses''', with both having unique musical themes and the former having even having unique [[cutscenes]], as well as needing to be defeated to progress the game's story. {{p4}} provides little distinction between bosses and enemies, other than inconsistent music changes. {{hp}} has bosses with unique cutscenes and music, and defeating them is necessary to advance to the next [[sector]].

Four other enemies are often considered bosses by fans due to their rare appearances and boss-like level of difficulty:

In {{p2}}, there are twelve bosses, most of which exclusively use a [[Music in Pikmin 2#Common boss battle|special musical theme]] when fighting against them. Three use their own unique theme, specifically: the [[Titan Dweevil]], the [[Waterwraith]], and the [[Giant Breadbug]]. They also appear in a larger bubble on the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]]'s listing. These bosses are usually found in [[cave]]s, with at least one being found on the final floor presented as the final challenge (save for the [[Emergence Cave]]). When first defeated, many reward the player with a piece of [[gear]] for defeating them. Some bosses can be also found in specific spots in overworld [[area]]s. The following bosses are listed in Piklopedia order, which is roughly the order they are intended to be encountered in:

* {{icon|Giant Breadbug|y}}

There are no mini-bosses in this game, though the Burrowing Snagret and Emperor Bulblax have variations with lower [[Health|HP]], which appear in places where they aren't fought as final bosses of a cave. The Empress Bulblax also has a lesser variation with lower HP and fewer attacks than the "primary" version. Late in the game, earlier bosses are sometimes fought again and act as mini-bosses of a cave, such as in the [[Hole of Heroes]]. Additionally, the [[Fiery Bulblax]], which may have originally been [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)#Trivia|intended as a boss]], is occasionally considered a mini-boss by fans, as it is a relatively difficult enemy.

In {{p3}}, the six main bosses are clearly labeled by the game, and their battles are considerably larger and more complex than with most other enemies. Most are fought within special arenas separated from each of their [[area]]'s main sections and all have special [[cutscene]]s for encountering and defeating them. They normally have clearly defined vulnerability and invulnerability phases, commonly attacking during the latter. Since these bosses are meant to be fought with clear phases, the game may sometimes lock their [[health]] to a certain point, and only let the Pikmin damage it further after it moves on to the next stage. Main bosses will not restore their [[health]] as the days go by, and their corpses will also last until the next [[day]], but not any longer. Every one that is defeated drops an important object to the progression of the story, thus the game often pushes players toward fighting them as their next objective. These bosses can be re-fought in special [[Mission Mode]] stages. The following is a list of bosses in this game:

While other games may have what can be considered such, ''Pikmin 3'' is the first to distinctly define mini-bosses by using a different music theme – a remastered version of the boss theme from ''Pikmin 2''. Unlike the main bosses, their health will be reset at the start of a new day, and their corpses last only for the day they were defeated on. In [[Story Mode]], these do not give out something plot-critical when defeated, and instead drop a [[fruit]]. The following are mini-bosses in ''Pikmin 3'':

 

In addition, the [[Calcified Crushblat]], [[Medusal Slurker]], [[Peckish Aristocrab]], and [[Spotty Bulbear]] are sometimes considered mini-bosses by fans due to their difficulty, rare appearances, and the fact that they protect a fruit or drop one when defeated, but they do not play the mini-boss theme.

{{p4}}'s definition of a boss is unclear and inconsistent. There are three main ways they can be defined: by the [[music]] cue that commonly accompanies them when they are encountered, by the things they drop when defeated while [[Ice|frozen]], and by their relationship to [[numbered gate]]s. However, these definitions are inconsistent with what most players would count as bosses – the music method is complicated by the fact that some enemies use different themes for different encounters (for example, a [[Sovereign Bulblax]] uses a major boss cue at the bottom of the [[Subterranean Swarm]] and within the [[Cavern for a King]], but uses a minor boss drumbeat when encountered in the [[Giant's Hearth]]), the frozen drops method doesn't count some enemies that would commonly be considered bosses, and the numbered gate method is a classification of fights, not types of enemies.

In terms of progression, none of these bosses are specifically required to be defeated to complete the story, except for the final boss, the [[Ancient Sirehound]]. Many of them guard [[castaway]]s, either inside of them or behind [[numbered gate]]s, requiring the boss to be defeated to rescue them. Boss battles being part of progression (seen in ''Pikmin 3'') is replaced with [[Dandori Battle]]s against [[Olimar]] and [[Louie]], all of which are required to complete the game's story.

==== Major bosses ====

Major bosses in ''Pikmin 4'' can be defined by the dramatic sting that begins and ends their unique battle themes, similar in tone to the boss themes of ''Pikmin 2'' and ''Pikmin 3''. The official title for this track is "Battling an Even Stronger Creature". This also includes enemies that have completely unique battle themes that do not include any element of the sting, specifically the [[Giant Breadbug]] and [[Ancient Sirehound]].

==== Minor bosses ====

These are bosses that are typically fought above ground or at the bottom of short caves. They are typically accompanied by a drumline cadence, with the official title for that track being "Battling a Stronger Creature".

==== Tough enemy encounters ====

Sometimes, a tougher enemy acts as a boss in easier caves or a mini-boss partway through of a cave. They typically use a slower battle theme in these instances, officially titled "Battling a Strong Creature". These are not particularly bosses on the same level as the ones above, and are more situational encounters. Some enemies which are typically not bosses (such as the [[Dwarf Bulborb]]) are fought in some of these encounters alongside other enemies, and can be considered bosses under this definition because the battle music doesn't end until all the enemies in the encounter are defeated.

In [[Olimar's Shipwreck Tale]], all large enemy encounters use the same theme – a rendition of the boss theme from ''Pikmin 2''. This makes it easy to define what counts as a boss in this mode.