Editing Canon

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{{for|Pikipedia's policy involving the canon|Pikipedia:Canon policy}}
'''Canon''' is any information that is considered to be "real", "official", or "true" in a fictional universe. For the most part, it is trivial to understand what constitutes as canon and what doesn't, as one needs to simply follow the storyline of a main ''Pikmin'' game. But there are some aspects outside of the [[story mode]]s that could count as either canon or not.

==Levels==
===Pure canon===
Pure canon is all information that is undoubtedly canon; events that "really happened" in the ''Pikmin'' universe. This is mostly decided by the parties that develop the games and media related to the ''Pikmin'' franchise, meaning {{w|Nintendo EAD}} and [[Shigeru Miyamoto]].

Currently, the [[story mode]]s of the first three ''Pikmin'' games &ndash; {{p1}}, {{p2}} and {{p3}} &ndash; are considered canon. {{hp}} is a spin-off game due to being a different genre and using some different mechanics from the main games, but since the story doesn't contradict the other games besides some small inconsistencies, ''Hey! Pikmin'' is generally considered canon. Bonus content, such as the [[Cutscenes#Louie's Dark Secret|reward]] obtained by completing all [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2)|''Pikmin 2'' Challenge Mode]] levels with a pink flower, can vary in canon, but whenever it does not contradict with &ndash; and makes sense within the context of &ndash; the main story mode, it is considered canon.

{{p4}} contradicts much of the information from the previous titles, and (for the purposes of documentation within this wiki) is considered within its own equally important canon.

===Debatable canon===
Some content in some games could be considered canon or not. This could be because there is not enough information to accept or reject it as "real", or it could simply be a matter of opinion.

Trophies, stickers, and other side content in the [[Super Smash Bros. series|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] feature canonical information from various games and often add extra information as well. For the most part, this extra information is created and approved by [[Nintendo]], but its position in a non-canonical piece of media makes its status ambiguous. There have also been times where things like trophy descriptions contain information that directly contradicts the canon in the games. (For a list of such cases, see '''[[Mistake#Non-canon mistakes|Mistake]]'''.) In general, though, anything said in these games can be considered canon, unless contradicted by a higher-priority source.

Some external content like the [[e-Reader|e-cards]] or the [[Pikmin Short Movies|''Pikmin'' Short Movies]] have information that matches up with the existing canon and makes sense in the ''Pikmin'' universe. However, no official word has been given on their canon, and because they do not belong to the main ''Pikmin'' series of games, their content is left as ambiguously canonical.

The amiibo compatibility in ''Hey! Pikmin'' is generally considered canon, assuming that Nintendo is believed to have existed inside the ''Pikmin'' universe. However, the Olimar and Pikmin amiibo existing in the game world sprout some paradoxes and overall don't make sense, so it's unlikely this feature is actually canon.

''Pikmin 2'''s [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2)|Challenge Mode]] is referenced in Story Mode through the collection of [[The Key]]. However, Challenge Mode also references the Story Mode, with the ship claiming to recognize The Key when you find it for the first time in Challenge Mode. However, the canonicity of this mode does not matter, as it is limited to Challenge Mode, and outside of unlocking it, it doesn't have any relevancy to the plot.

{{p3d}}'s [[Side Stories]] mode gives Olimar's perspective before, during, and after the events of ''Pikmin 3''{{'s}} canon Story Mode. [[Olimar's Assignment]], the first of these side stories, overlaps in time with Story Mode, as Olimar describes finding the cosmic-drive key at the end of the second day. In addition, the fact that the [[Distant Tundra]] is visited after the [[Twilight River]] means that for it to make sense, the Koppaites could not have cleared the first part of the [[Garden of Hope]] story in one day. While the events do line up with what's said in Olimar's [[data file]]s from the Story Mode, the locations in Side Story missions are drastically different from the Story Mode versions, much like in Mission Mode. So while the story events in Side Stories could be considered canonical to the main story, the map alterations, signposts blocking off locations, and possibly the use of SPEROs are likely non-canon. However, it can be thought that the signposts and barriers simply represent the limits of what Olimar and Louie explore and that the SPEROs could simply be placeholders for some other device used to collect items.

[[Olimar's Comeback]], the second of the Side Stories, further complicates this, as at the start of the Side Story, [[Louie]] is with Olimar. ''Pikmin 3'' has four [[Pikmin 3 voyage log|voyage logs]] that can apply to the final day depending on how much fruit is collected, and in two of these, it's heavily implied that Louie was left on the planet, meaning he couldn't be with Olimar at the start of Olimar's Comeback. Whether this means that Olimar's Comeback is non-canonical, or Olimar's Comeback only occurs if the Koppaites get specific numbers of fruits, or whether this is a [[mistake]], is unknown, further complicating the canon.

[[Prima Games]] is a company that makes official strategy guides for various games, including ''Pikmin''. On top of containing walkthroughs and tips, some guides include some extra information about aspects of a franchise; in the ''Pikmin'' series' case, this could be extra descriptions of enemies, for instance. It's clear that these guides are produced in collaboration with the developers, seeing that their guides usually contain maps and charts that were rendered using 3D models or in-game images, but in some cases, the extra information presented in the guides is not backed up by the canon game, and there have been times where the guides have contained incorrect information, like the time requirements for all of the [[Defeat Bosses!]] missions. Regardless, Prima Guides are deemed official by Nintendo.

===Non-canon===
[[File:Pikmin3 battle.png|thumb|Amongst other things, [[Bingo Battle]] is not canon. It would not make sense for [[Alph]] and [[Olimar]] to gather [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] and fight against one another by filling up a bingo card.]]
Some aspects in the games are not canon whatsoever. They belong to the game, but are considered to "not have happened" in the ''Pikmin'' universe.

The [[Super Smash Bros. series|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]] feature games that are considered non-canon for the franchises that take place in them. This is clear due to the fact that, naturally, ''Pikmin'' does not share a universe with the likes of ''Mario'' or ''The Legend of Zelda''. It is also implied multiple times throughout the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series that the fighters are not their original characters, but rather toys brought to life by Master Hand.

''[[Pikmin Adventure]]'', despite being directly related to the ''Pikmin'' franchise, is not canon. It does not, in any way, relate to [[PNF-404]] or the actual [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]], but rather, it is an attraction in the ''[[Nintendo Land]]'' theme park, themed around the ''Pikmin'' franchise.

{{pb}} is not canon, due to having no connection to the story or characters of the other ''Pikmin'' games. In fact, a developer of ''Pikmin Bloom'', Rika Nakajima, stated in a Nintendo Life interview that ''Pikmin Bloom'' takes place in a separate universe from the rest of the series.{{cite quote|We’re always discussing ideas of what should be included in the Pikmin Bloom universe, but that kind of topic requires careful consideration. We have our own universe, and Pikmin 4 and the main series has their own too, even though we use the Pikmin IP. Pikmin Bloom is a more peaceful game compared to the originals, you know. Our Pikmin aren’t going to die. *laughs* That differentiation is always there so we’re always careful with what this experience should be like.|Senior Product Manager Rika Nakajima|Nintendo Nintendo Life interview([[https://www.nintendolife.com/features/pikmin-bloom-devs-on-the-joy-of-human-connection-and-the-absence-of-bulborbs]])}}

Activities that happen on an alternative game mode in a ''Pikmin'' game are not considered canon. Said game modes were created for the purpose of entertaining the player, and for the most part, they do not follow the main Story Mode's canon. For instance, it is canon that Captain Olimar landed on [[PNF-404]] and had to gather his missing [[ship part]]s, not that he chose to begin a [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin)|challenge]] where he had to cultivate the most Pikmin possible in one day.

[[Unused content]], [[prerelease information]], [[mistake]]s, [[sequence break]]s, and [[glitch]]es are not canon. They are content that the game developers did not intend to provide to the players in a finalized game, and should not count as such for the purpose of deciding the canon.

== ''Pikmin 4'' ==
''Pikmin 4'' is the fourth game in the mainline Pikmin series, and the most recent installment in the ''Pikmin'' franchise. At this moment, it is unclear where ''Pikmin 4'' fits into the prior games' timeline, if at all. Evidence within the game seemingly contradict events from the original ''Pikmin'', while seemingly implying ''Pikmin 2'' to be either in the past or future, and ''Pikmin 3'' is heavily implied to be future events.

=== Developer interviews ===
In regards to the game's placement, Yutaka Hiramuki (one of ''Pikmin 4'''s planning directors) says "(he'll) leave that to the players' imaginations".{{Cite quote|This game begins with Captain Olimar once again crash-landing on an unknown planet. However, what makes the game different from the previous ones is that he sends out a distress signal, and the Rescue Corps comes to his rescue, but they also crash-land. As the newest recruit, the player embarks on an adventure to rescue the castaways. To make it easier for newcomers to get emotionally invested in the world of Pikmin, we designed the game so that players themselves would become the Rescue Corps' new recruit. So, even if you're not familiar with past titles, you'll be fine. Of course, we've put thought into developing features that add to the fun for players of the previous titles, so they've got plenty to look forward to. As for the story's timeline, I'll leave that to players' imaginations. (Laughs)|Yutaka Hiramuki|Ask the Developer Vol. 10, Pikmin 4-part 2 ([[https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/ask-the-developer-vol-10-pikmin-4-part-2/]])}} Hiramuki states that Olimar has "once again" crashed on PNF-404, however it isn't clear what he means. In a ''Pikmin Bloom'' interview with Nintendo Life, Senior Product Manager Rika Nakajima stated that "We have our own universe, and ''Pikmin 4'' and the main series has their own too". It is unclear whether this means they are part of the same universe or not. 

=== Treasure names ===
Schnauz references treasures and sales pitches from ''Pikmin 2'', reciting the sales pitch for the [[Cupid's Grenade]] and stating he has heard it before. Schnauz also talks about how the [[Gyroid Bust]] is popular on Hocotate in his notes for the [[Ancient Statue Head]], which would be impossible unless the events of ''Pikmin 2'' occurred. Schnauz also says the Ancient Statue Head is popular on Hocotate, which is also impossible unless the events of ''Pikmin'' and ''Pikmin 2'' happened already and an explorer other than Olimar, Louie or the president brought it back to Hocotate. However, a voyage log from Louie implies that the golden pikpik incident was premeditated and will occur in the future, though it is possible that this is an old voyage log written before the events of ''Pikmin 2''. This is also possible for the rest of Olimar's voyage log, as it could be a compilation of logs from ''Pikmin'', ''Pikmin 2'', and ''Pikmin 4''. However this is unconfirmed. Although, it is implied that Olimar’s log is out of order as Olimar is inside the house in the "Untitled" log, but first mentions the house in the very next log and only enters it later.

=== Olimar's Shipwreck Tale ===
Olimar's Shipwreck Tale is a mode in ''Pikmin 4'' where Olimar recounts his adventure before the events of ''Pikmin 4''. This mode is a "tale" or "retelling" of these events. In Shipwreck Tale, Olimar acts like he hasn't encountered Yellow or Blue Pikmin or their Onions before. However, it is possible he is instead bewildered by the new type of Onion he is encountering, and his dialog about Yellow Pikmin might just be a jab at how they gain or lose abilities every game in the first three Pikmin games. It is also possible Shipwreck Tale is unreliably narrated and after transforming into a Leafling Olimar forgot the events of ''Pikmin'' and ''Pikmin 2'', since he lost his memories of what happened during his mission to recover ship parts in ''Pikmin 4''.

=== Koppai ===
Koppai's food crisis is not mentioned, however many characters speak of how Koppai is on the verge of a food crisis. Three Koppaites, [[Yorke]], [[Nelle]] and [[Don Bergman]] are castaways in ''Pikmin 4'', and are on the planet to find treasure to save their planet from poverty and starvation. While this would mean Koppai did not discover PNF-404 in ''Pikmin 3'', this does not actively contradict anything in ''Pikmin 3''. In fact, Olimar's entry for the [[Mechanical Harp (Memory Song)]], a treasure that plays a music box rendition of ''Pikmin 3'''s main theme, he states that despite it's calm melody, the music worries him, and he thinks it could be a warning for "unexpected troubles in the future". This is, of course, refering to Olimar's capture and attempted escapes from the Plasm Wraith in ''Pikmin 3'', heavily implying that ''Pikmin 3'' is still canon and takes place after ''Pikmin 4''.

=== Pikmin Garden ===
Pikmin Garden is the franchise's home site in Japan. It has multiple sections, one of them being a series of reports from [[Chet]], a researcher in ''Pikmin 4''. These reports include screenshots and details from ''Pikmin 4'' as well as the first three games, including the old Onion designs, Mushroom Pikmin and Bulbmin. In the first report Chet says that Charlie, Brittany and Alph have gone to PNF-404 to solve a food crisis, once again implying ''Pikmin 3'' is still canon. In his third report, he shows "rare footage of Olimar's first encounter with Pikmin", which is footage of Olimar encountering the Red Onion in ''Pikmin''. It is unclear if Chet's reports are even canon, however they don’t seem to contradict information from ''Pikmin 4'' or the original trilogy. In fact, the reports, as well as the rest of the website, uses special models and renders of the Pikmin, new treasures, and other creatures throughout the website, meaning that the developers of ''Pikmin 4'' had some part in the site's development.

=== Discrepancies & Possible Solutions ===

*In Olimar's voyage log, one of his entries describes him as a bad swimmer without his space float, while he describes himself as an excellent swimmer in ''Pikmin''. However, he might've just been trying to look good or oversell himself when he called himself an "excellent swimmer".
*Olimar's entry on the [[Gold Nuggets]] describe gold existing on Hocotate, despite his entry for the [[Lustrous Element]] stating that it does not, but a metal similar to it does. This could mean that the Lustrous Element isn’t actually made of gold, but it is unclear.
*All scientific names and implied family names, such as Ploister or Water Slime, from the ''Pikmin'' Player's Guide and ''New Play Control! Pikmin'' Prima Guide aren't used in ''Pikmin 4'', and instead new scientifc names are used. While the canon of these strategy guides is debatable, Olimar has reclassified creatures and their scientic names before, and this could be another example of this.
*Olimar says Rock Pikmin are new in Olimar's Assignment, however this could just be because Rock Pikmin have a gray stem in ''Pikmin 3'' and not a black one like they are in ''Pikmin 4''.
*In ''Hey! Pikmin'', Olimar states that he doesn’t know how the Red Pikmin's fire resitance works exactly. However, in ''Pikmin 4'', Olimar gives a detailed explanation for how it works. It is possible ''Hey! Pikmin'' is before ''Pikmin 4'', however the existence of the [[S.S. Dolphin II]] makes this unlikely. Purple and White Onions also exist in ''Hey! Pikmin'', which Olimar says haven't been discovered yet in ''Pikmin 4''. This could also just be because Olimar doesn’t know how the "flame-resistant cellulose" works.
*In ''Pikmin 3'', Olimar says that he has been to PNF-404 twice before. Given how close the events of ''Pikmin'' and ''Pikmin 2'' are, he could count that as one trip, and his time on the planet in ''Pikmin 4'' as the second trip. This would explain why Olimar didn't count his trip where he came back to PNF-404 to save Louie and recover the rest of the treasure in ''Pikmin 2''.
*In Olimar's Voyage Log V2, exclusive to ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe'', Olimar states that the last time he was on the planet, he brought back so much money it saved his company from debt. However, if ''Pikmin 3'' takes place after ''Pikmin 4'', then this would not be the last time he visited the planet. It is possible that while Louie and Olimar were away in ''Pikmin 4'', Hocotate Freight fell into debt again, and that Olimar used the treasure the [[S.S. Shepherd]] collected to pay off this debt as well, however this is unconfirmed.
*In ''Pikmin 2'', the S.S. Dolphin is sold off. A data file from ''Pikmin 3'' showcases Olimar's desire to get it back. However, if ''Pikmin 2'' takes place before ''Pikmin 4'', then Olimar should not have the S.S. Dolphin. However it is highly likely that after the amount of money they made in ''Pikmin 2'', the president bought the ship back, only to sell it off again when they went into debt in ''Pikmin 3''. This would also explain why Olimar still refers to himself as the captain of the S.S. Dolphin in ''Pikmin 3'', since the ship was only just sold off.
*If ''Pikmin 2'' takes place after ''Pikmin 4'', numerous things would be different. [[White Pikmin]] and [[Purple Pikmin]] wouldn’t be new, the ship would already know about the [[Waterwraith]] and [[Ultra-Spicy Spray]], etc. Given that Nintendo made numerous changes to the text of ''Pikmin 2'' when it was ported to the Nintendo Switch, ''Pikmin 4''-related or not, such as renaming the Caustic Dweevil to the Hydro Dweevil or tweaking dialog from the ship and Olimar, the fact they didn’t change dialog or Treasure Hoard notes to be more vague about the creatures and objects mentioned above to fit into this new timeline seems to mean ''Pikmin 2'' is either not after ''Pikmin 4'' or that ''Pikmin 2'' is not canon and that events similar to ''Pikmin 2'' are.

==Gameplay==
Some media, like movies, have a specifically defined canon, in which what happens in the movie is objective truth in the movie's universe, and cannot be altered. Games, however, vary according to each player's experience, so some aspects of the gameplay cannot be correctly considered canon or non-canon.

For instance, it is no truer that "Captain Olimar first recovered the [[UV Lamp]] and then the [[Massage Machine]]" as it is the other way around. For this, common sense dictates that varying truths are not accounted for in the lore. Following the previous example, it is canon that Captain Olimar recovered his [[ship part]]s, but their order of collection is not confirmed. There are times where such events are confirmed in a different game, however, normally in the form of a [[leader]] outright saying it (e.g. in [[Olimar's notes|his notes]] in ''[[Pikmin 2]]''). Naturally, this does not change what a player might have actually done in their playthrough, but it does define the "standard", canon-wise.

The ending obtained in a game is also not relevant to the decision of the canon. Rather, the events that unfold in a following game decide which ending is the canon one.

==Endings==
So far, only two ''Pikmin'' games have multiple endings.

===''Pikmin''===
There are three endings in ''Pikmin'', depending on how many ship parts the player collected and whether the player recovered the 25 mandatory parts. The canon ending is the "good" ending, where Captain Olimar successfully recovers all 30 ship parts. Evidence for this is in ''Pikmin 2'', where Olimar has brought a souvenir home for his [[Minor characters#Olimar's son|son]], something that only likely happened after the collection of the Secret Safe, which is even implied by Olimar himself.{{cite quote|{{Notes:Secret Safe/monolog}}|Captain Olimar|[[Olimar's monologs|a monolog]] about finding the [[Secret Safe]]}} In addition, it's revealed that Olimar's wife eventually finds a "secret cash stash"{{cite quote|Today, as I cleaned the bedroom, I found your secret cash stash. With thanks, I'll accept it gladly. I'll just pretend I didn't see that journal of yours...|[[Olimar's wife]]|a piece of [[mail]]}}, which can be assumed to be the Secret Safe. The ship's appearance in ''Pikmin 2'' also supports this, as the antenna on the top of the Dolphin isn't bent and the lights on the sides are purple, which is only possible if Olimar collected the Secret Safe. The manual for ''Pikmin 2'' also confirms that Captain Olimar did succeed in completely repairing the S.S. Dolphin.

===''Pikmin 3''===
There are four endings in ''Pikmin 3'', and a game over state, depending on how much fruit the player obtains and if they ran out of juice or not, as explained [[Pikmin 3#Endings|here]]. At this point, none of the endings have been confirmed or denied to be canon. However, [[Olimar's Comeback]] complicates this, as Louie and Captain Olimar are together at the beginning of the Side Story. Two of the voyage logs on the final day imply that Louie was left behind on the planet.{{cite quote|Our mission is over, and we're returning with all the edible matter available in this planet's explorable areas! We shall return to Koppai with our heads held high! The other Hocotatian we rescued, Louie, has vanished, which is troubling. I thought he'd boarded the S.S. Drake with us, but maybe we left without him? Still, from what we've seen, I'm sure he'll be OK wherever he is...|[[Alph]]| the [[Pikmin 3 voyage log|voyage log]] if all 66 fruits are collected}}{{cite quote|We've done pretty well! We're all still alive, and we've got _ pieces of yummy edible matter to take back to Koppai with us. We've also picked up a stray Hocotatian, and we're on our way to drop him home. He tells me that if you add a sauce called 'mayonnaise' to vegetables it makes them taste good... I hate veggies, so it'll take another food crisis to get me to try that!|[[Brittany]]|the [[Pikmin 3 voyage log|voyage log]] if between 33 and 53 fruits are collected}} If these voyage logs are trusted, this could imply that either Olimar's Comeback is not canon, or these two endings are not canon.

== Overview of the canon ==
{{spoiler|the plot of all the Pikmin games}}
[[File:Main Engine retrieval.png|thumb|200px|Retrieving the first ship part.]]
[[Captain Olimar]] decides that he has been overworking himself at his job at Hocotate Freight and that he needs to go on a vacation. With no destination in mind, he lets his ship, the S.S. Dolphin, make its own way through space. He switches his ship to autopilot and gets up to make a cup of tea, when suddenly his ship malfunctions and hits a meteor. Captain Olimar was then thrown against the control panel and blacked out, while his ship crash-lands on a nearby uncharted planet. He wakes up to discover that he lost thirty parts of his ship. He also discovers that he has only thirty days of remaining battery power in his life support systems, and without it he will die due to oxygen being present on the planet, which is an element that is extremely lethal to Hocotatians. After exploring the [[The Impact Site|area]], Olimar finds a dormant [[Onion]]. When Olimar approaches the Onion, it seems to awaken, and spits out a seed. Olimar plucks the seed, discovers [[Red Pikmin]], and utilizes their abilities to get back the [[Main Engine]], which allows him to pilot the S.S. Dolphin once again. During his expedition on the planet, Olimar comes across [[Yellow Pikmin]] and [[Blue Pikmin]], in that order. After defeating the [[Emperor Bulblax]] and obtaining his last ship part, the [[Secret Safe]], he manages to fully repair his ship. Captain Olimar grabs a "[[Shizakipiki Soda|shiny alien platter]]" as a souvenir for his kids, before blasting off back to [[Hocotate]].

[[File:TheDebt.png|thumb|left|200px|The 10000 Poko debt.]]
After returning to Hocotate, Olimar lands at the Hocotate Freight offices. When his ship touched down, he learns from his boss, the president of Hocotate Freight, that [[Hocotate Freight|the company]] had to take out a loan from [[Happy Hocotate Savings & Loan]] to repay the loss of a cargo of [[pikpik carrot|golden pikpik brand carrots]]. [[Louie]] reported that a ravenous space bunny ate the shipment, but it is later revealed that they were actually eaten by Louie himself, as he couldn't suppress his powerful hunger. [[The president]] explains their situation to Olimar, who finds out that the S.S. Dolphin was sold to help repay the loan and that the remaining debt is 10,100 [[Poko]]s. In shock of the loss of the S.S. Dolphin, Olimar accidentally drops his souvenir on the ground. As the souvenir rolled into Louie, the [[Hocotate ship]] was able to suck it up. It analyzed the piece of treasure to be worth 100 Pokos, which lowered the remaining loan to 10,000 Pokos. Olimar explains that there are more treasures on the planet, and as a result the president sends Olimar and Louie back to the planet to collect more treasure in hopes of paying off their debt.

[[File:P2 Louie missing.jpg|thumb|200px|Louie is missing from his cockpit.]]
While landing, they fly through a small blizzard in the [[Valley of Repose]], and try to maneuver through some tree branches. Unfortunately, Olimar hits one of the branches, and Louie falls out of his cockpit, into the snow below. The Hocotate ship barely manages to land, and ejects Olimar out of his cockpit. He gets up and rediscovers Red Pikmin. After a while, the duo are able to reunite and salvage a [[Courage Reactor|piece of treasure]]. During their search for treasure the following days, Olimar and crew discover [[Purple Pikmin]] and [[White Pikmin]], and rediscover [[Yellow Pikmin]] and [[Blue Pikmin]], in that order. Meanwhile back on Hocotate, the president realizes he bought the loan from [[All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks]] instead of Happy Hocotate Savings & Loan. After being constantly harassed by debt collectors over the phone, he goes into hiding, living under a bridge with animals for a short time until he is kicked out by a group from the government offices. He then goes on the run, while eating grass to survive. The president is finally caught however, and is seemingly tortured and threatened to be buried in Hocotate Swamp if Olimar and Louie don't repay the loan soon. Luckily, they collect enough treasure to repay the debt and return to Hocotate, but during the trip back to their home planet, Louie gets left behind. After arriving at Hocotate Freight and emptying the Hocotate ship of all its treasure, Olimar informs the president that there is more treasure left on the planet. The president then orders Olimar and Louie to go back to the planet, but then realizes that Louie was actually left behind. The president decides to join Captain Olimar, and the two return to the strange planet. They recover Louie from the [[Titan Dweevil]], and after collecting the rest of the treasure on the planet, they soon go back to Hocotate.

[[File:P3DX Promo Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Alph sees a Red Pikmin for the first time.]]
Some time after this, the planet of [[Koppai]] is in the midst of a planet-wide food crisis. They decide to send unmanned scout vessels, called [[SPERO]]s, out into space to search for planets that contain edible matter. The final SPERO returns with data indicating that one planet has "unlimited food resources". Koppai names the mysterious planet "PNF-404", and proceeds to send three explorers to PNF-404 in search of food. Unbeknownst to them however, Olimar and Louie also return to the planet to collect more treasure, as [[Hocotate Freight]]'s new business venture failed miserably and the company has fallen into debt once again. Olimar and Louie start their search for treasure in a [[Flower Garden|garden]]. The next day they go to a [[Inside Forest|forest]], but at the same time, the Koppaites' ship, the [[S.S. Drake]], mysteriously fails, causing the Koppaites to lose control of their ship, and forcing them to make an emergency escape into different [[area]]s. [[Captain Charlie]] wakes up in the [[Distant Tundra]], finds [[Yellow Pikmin]], and eventually loses them when he's confronted with the [[Vehemoth Phosbat]]. [[Alph]] then wakes up to find himself in the [[Tropical Wilds]], encounters [[Red Pikmin]], and reunites with the S.S. Drake. He then learns that they cannot return to their home planet without the [[cosmic-drive key]], which is nowhere to be found on the S.S. Drake. On the same day, during the start of Olimar and Louie's expedition in the forest, the two come across the cosmic-drive key, which Olimar takes as a souvenir for his son.

[[File:P3D Distant Tundra Impact Cutscene.jpg|thumb|200px|The S.S. Drake crashing in the Distant Tundra.]]
Olimar and Louie head to a [[River|river]], and Olimar realizes that a number of his [[Data file|logs and notes]] have gone missing. Olimar also buries the [[Scorch Guard]] here, along with [[Area Hints (Exploration Notes)#To future visitors|a log]], as he states that he doesn't need it anymore. Meanwhile, Alph makes his way to the [[Garden of Hope]], where he gets [[Rock Pikmin]] and reunites with [[Brittany]]. Before they begin their expedition in a [[Tundra|tundra]], Olimar finds Charlie's impact site and leaves the [[Anti-Electrifier]] with [[Area Hints (Exploration Notes)#To the survivors|a note]], due to the area having "many electrical contraptions". After defeating the [[Armored Mawdad]], Alph expands the S.S. Drake's receiver range using the Data Glutton, and Alph and Brittany discover the Distant Tundra. While landing in the Distant Tundra, Alph mishandles the ship and Brittany is thrown overboard. She falls into a cave where she discovers [[Yellow Pikmin]]. Olimar and Louie finally collect enough treasure to repay their new debt, but Olimar picks up a reading of a [[Plasm Wraith|golden object]] in the [[Formidable Oak]]. He ignores Louie's refusal to go to the area, and they go to the Formidable Oak the next day. While Olimar records his log, he gets captured by the [[Plasm Wraith]], and Louie runs away. Olimar attempts to escape the Formidable Oak several times, but the Plasm Wraith repeatedly knocks him unconscious, since his [[spacesuit]] puts him in forced-sleep. After escaping from the Formidable Oak Louie somehow ends up in the [[Twilight River]] while the ship itself crash-lands in the Garden of Hope, losing several of its [[Ship part|parts]] in the process.

[[File:P3 ending take-off.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The S.S. Drake leaving PNF-404.]]
Meanwhile, Alph and Brittany reunite once more in the Distant Tundra, take down the Vehemoth Phosbat, and rescue Charlie. They then track down a signal coming from the Tropical Wilds, and after defeating the [[Sandbelching Meerslug]], Alph expands the S.S. Drake's scanning range again via the Folded Data Glutton. They locate Twilight River using their ship's expanded range, then head off to this newly discovered area to pursue a signal they received. They find [[Winged Pikmin]], and pick up a message from Louie asking for help. They manage to rescue Louie, who was captured by the [[Scornet Maestro]], only to have him land the S.S. Drake in the [[Garden of Hope]] and steal all their juice and Charlie's rubber ducky the very next day thinking that he had been kidnapped. The trio chases the thief, and along the way, find [[Blue Pikmin]] through a path that Louie managed to open with unknown explosives. Meanwhile, Louie attempts to make his escape via the totaled Hocotate ship but he is eaten by the [[Quaggled Mireclops]] instead. The trio eventually discover and defeat the Quaggled Mireclops, and take Louie back with them, now tying him up. Louie reveals the location of Olimar, and the explorers set out to rescue him at the [[Formidable Oak]]. The final fight happens against the [[Plasm Wraith]], and afterwards, Olimar returns the cosmic-drive key, and the whole cast leaves the planet.

[[File:ThePod.jpg|thumb|200px|Olimar and Louie arriving on the planet once again.]]
After arriving back on Hocotate, Olimar and Louie are ordered by the president to immediately return to PNF-404 to recover the Hocotate ship. They land on PNF-404 via a [[Pikmin Reunion#Escape Pod|pod]], making a rough landing in the [[Tropical Wilds]]. The two spend the day producing Pikmin for the rest of their time on the planet. The next day, Olimar is homing in on a signal and assumes it is one of the ship parts. Unfortunately, Olimar miscalculated and landed some distance from the Onion. After sweeping through the area in an attempt to locate the origin of the signal, Olimar and Louie can't find the ship part they came for. During the third day they explore the Garden of Hope, clearing the area of any dangerous creatures as they search for their wrecked ship. After clearing the area of hostiles, Olimar and Louie discover part of the Hocotate Freight ship. Olimar realizes that many of the ship's parts were scattered around the planet, and they set off to search for them. On the fourth day they find and recover the [[Main Engine]] in the [[Distant Tundra]].

[[File:P3D Olimar's Comeback Ending.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Olimar and Louie leaving the planet once again.]]
The next day, Olimar and Louie attempt to track down a signal from another ship part and recover treasure from inside a cave. The two somehow get separated, but reunite before the end of the day. On the sixth day they collect treasure in [[Twilight River]], but at the end of the day Louie eats half the fruit they found. Olimar then asked and harshly ridiculed Louie on his excessive appetite, resulting in Louie running away. The next day, Olimar searches for Louie and, after reuniting, Louie apologizes for what he did. On the eighth day, Olimar and Louie go on another expedition to collect treasure. Olimar picks up a faint signal presumably coming from one of the Hocotate ship's parts. However, after exploring, it turned out to be a signal from a fruit, which was produced by the Fruit Finder. On the ninth day, they follow signals into a cave below ground, and discover and collect the [[Chronos Reactor]] in the [[Formidable Oak]]. On the final day, the radar picks up signals from the remaining ship parts. Olimar finds a point where all the signals from parts converge, and learns that the cluster of ship parts were eaten by indigenous life-forms. Olimar and Louie retrieve the last few parts, the [[Nova Blaster]], [[Repair-type Bolt]], and [[Analog Computer]], and finally repair the Hocotate ship. They finally leave PNF-404 via the Hocotate ship and head home to Hocotate.

[[File:S.S. Dolphin II talking.jpg|thumb|200px|The S.S. Dolphin II talking to Olimar.]]
Some undetermined amount of time after this, Captain Olimar is flying through space on his new ship, the [[S.S. Dolphin II]], and comes across a field of asteroids. He tries to dodge them, but fails and crash-lands on an [[Hey! Pikmin planet|unknown planet]] where he discovers that the Pikmin and other creatures from PNF-404 live on this planet too. To get his ship back in working condition, he has to recover some [[treasure]]s found throughout the land, so that the S.S. Dolphin II can extract their [[Sparklium]] to fuel the rocket. While exploring the planet, he rediscovers Red Pikmin, Yellow Pikmin, Blue Pikmin, Rock Pikmin, and Winged Pikmin. At some point, Olimar realizes that the ship lost an important ship part, the [[Sparklium Converter]]. Through some effort, him and the ship figure out that the piece lies in [[The Final Stretch]]. There, he comes face to face with the [[Berserk Leech Hydroe]], and using the help of some Red Pikmin, manages to defeat the creature, expose the parasitic [[Leech Hydroe]], and recover the missing part. With the S.S. Dolphin II refueled and the Sparklium Converter recovered, Olimar gives the Pikmin one final goodbye, and heads home safely.

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=== ''Pikmin 4'' ===
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Olimar goes on a lone vacation on the S.S. Dolphin. The S.S. Dolphin gets hit by a meteor and crashes on an [[PNF-404|unknown planet]]. Olimar has a limited number of days due to the remaining battery power in his life support systems, and has to collect all 30 parts of his ship that were lost during the crash. Suddenly, he finds an [[onion]], and discovers the Red, Yellow and Blue Pikmin (as well as discovering White Pikmin, Purple Pikmin, Rock Pikmin, Winged Pikmin and Ice Pikmin at some unspecified point). While exploring the [[Blossoming Arcadia]] (as he names it), he meets a plant-space dog hybrid whom he names [[Moss]]. Moss helps Olimar find his ship parts, and soon the S.S. Dolphin is fully repaired, and he sets off to escape the planet. However, Moss stows away inside the S.S. Dolphin, resulting in her coming down with an extreme sickness due to a strange connection she has with the planet. The ensuing struggle to return Moss to the planet coincides with Olimar's life-support system finally giving out, crashing Olimar back on the planet. In an act that ultimately revives him, Olimar is brought to the Onion by Moss and his own Pikmin, and is transformed into a [[leafling]]; after which he is brainwashed with the teachings of [[Dandori]] and has his ID scrambled and replaced with a simple [http://HTTP%20404 Error 404 Page not Found] message.

[[File:Rescue Corp Crashed Ship.jpg|thumb|200px|Rescue Corps find their wrecked ship.]]
Before his takeoff and ensuing crash, Olimar was able to release a distress signal including his voyage log about the planet across the universe, resulting in the [[Rescue Corps]] flying to the planet to make contact. This also, however, results in many other unrelated parties attempting to land on the planet for their own motives. Every single one of them is stuck on the planet; all either crash-landing or being stranded on the planet some other way. [[Pikmin 4 player character|One particular member of the Rescue Corps]] is eventually able to make a successful landing, and sets to work saving the other Rescue Corps members, the many castaways (including those who have been transformed into Leaflings), and Olimar himself.

[[File:Sick Oatchi.jpg|thumb|200px|Oatchi under the effects of the sickness.]]
Eventually, Olimar is found and cured, but the space dog of the Rescue Corps, [[Oatchi]] comes down with a similar condition to that of Moss, preventing them from leaving the planet. They are informed that a veterinarian from the planet [[Koppai]] has also crash-landed on the planet. Arriving in a new area, they find a Koppaite with [[Louie]], who was sent by the president to find Olimar but ended up being distracted by the prospect of creatures to eat; he and Moss abduct the Koppaite and run away. In spite of his interference, they are able to rescue her. She informs them that they will need DNA from an unaffected space dog, and they recall that Louie's voyage log mentioned that there was one in the deepest part of a cave in the area. The Rescue Corps finds both Louie and the [[Ancient Sirehound]] in the cave, and are attacked by them. They are victorious, and while the Sirehound itself escapes it leaves behind its collar, which has enough fur on it for a cure to be made. 

With everyone cured and rescued, they all manage to escape the planet, leaving Moss and the Pikmin behind.

{{refs|note}}

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==See also==
*[[Story Mode]]
*[[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]]
*[[Olimar's voyage log]]
*[[Data file]]
*[[Side Stories]]

==References==
{{refs}}

[[Category:Real world]]
[[Category:Pikmin]]