Editing Challenge run

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In the fanbase, a '''challenge run''' is where a player attempts to [[Completion|complete]] a game, or part of a game, with a special goal or rules. Most challenge runs are not implemented or recognized by the game, and as such, give no in-game reward for completing them. Most challenge runs only apply to the main [[Story Mode]].

Reasons to undergo these challenges vary between players, but commonly, these type of runs help bring new goals to an otherwise finished game. For some of these challenges, there is also a sense of competition, with players attempting to outdo each other's records. Finally, given the amount of skill necessary to perform these runs &ndash; as well as the diverse tricks and glitches involved &ndash; these runs commonly entertain other fans too. The other side of performing the runs is investigating and studying ways to push their limits even further, with the discovery of new strategies or tricks.

In order to complete some of them, players have to abuse [[glitch]]es and [[sequence break]]s, and use advanced techniques such as [[Throw#Swarm trick|throwing Pikmin faster]]. Some rules may disallow glitch exploitation, however. Because of the [[Randomness|random]] nature of some of the game mechanics, some runs might contain more luck than others, and the player may end up achieving their goal more efficiently than if they had bad luck.

Professional challenge runners usually compete amongst themselves and practice constantly. In order to verify that new records are broken, players need to provide some sort of evidence, normally video footage. In recent years, players stream themselves playing for live audiences. For runs that complete the game, either to the end [[credits]], or with full completion, players might choose to do so in a single sitting, with no cuts &ndash; a "single-segment" run &ndash; or be allowed to reset and retry parts of the game &ndash; a "segmented" run.

There are special runs in which tools are used to overcome human limitations, like reflexes or accuracy, and execute the runs with near-perfect outcomes. Such playthroughs are commonly known as [[tool-assisted superplay]]s.

==Speedrun==
A '''speedrun''' is where one attempts to complete the game or a goal as fast as possible. Normally, especially in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]], a well defined plan needs to exist, and players use their skills in order to follow it as quickly as possible. In the ''Pikmin'' games, to achieve maximum efficiency, and hence, maximum speed, it is important to plan what each Pikmin should do, where the player needs to go, etc., in order to maximize productivity and ensure that minimal time is wasted. Naturally, more casual runs could forgo advanced techniques and plans, and approach the playthrough with improvisation in mind.

Some secondary goals may be dropped for the sake of speed, like skipping otherwise mandatory sections of the game. Several types of speedrun exist, with differing goals and rules. An "any%" speedrun is only focused on reaching a "real" ending as fast as possible, without caring for how many goals are completed, though a "100% run" aims to achieve full completion as fast as possible.

Some websites dedicated to archiving videos and registering records for various game speedruns &ndash; including ''Pikmin'' games &ndash; exist, such as [http://www.speeddemosarchive.com Speed Demos Archive] and [http://speedrun.com speedrun.com].

===Tricks===
The following tricks are useful for speedrunning ''Pikmin'' games:
*Some [[glitches]] can be abused to speed up or skip tasks.
*Some [[sequence break]]s can be used to skip parts of the game.
*Using some [[Throw#Tricks|throwing tricks]] to speed up throwing makes the mechanic more efficient.
*Using some [[Carry#Strategies|carrying tricks]] to speed up the way objects are carried.
*With the help of some [[Pluck#Strategies|plucking tricks and strategies]], less time is wasted pulling Pikmin from the ground.
*Using some [[Cutscene#Speeding up|cutscene tricks]] to speed up cutscenes.
*Depending on the run's goal, it may be faster to refuse [[Saved game|saving]] whenever asked, as the process of writing the game's progress adds play time.
*Should a Pikmin [[trip]] down and fall, the player can [[dismiss]] the group to make the Pikmin instantly get up and go to its position. All Pikmin can then be whistled and the journey may continue.
*In ''Pikmin 2'', because the game disables button inputs for a few seconds after a cutscene finishes, but doesn't disable the leader movement, it is slightly faster to throw a Pikmin at a new cave entrance. The Pikmin being close will trigger the cutscene, and the player can then walk up to the cave, exhausting the button lockout time in the meantime. If they find the cave with a leader, they will have to wait for the button lockout to be able to press the button to enter the cave.
*Oddly, in ''Pikmin'', Olimar walks slower if the player tilts the analog stick in a diagonal direction.{{cite youtube|m8bfdRV77Zs|demonstrating the difference in speed between walking angles|published={{date|7|April|2020}}|retrieved={{date|8|April|2020}}}} As such, it's faster to angle the camera such that the player has to tilt the analog stick in a cardinal direction in order to get Olimar where he needs. This oddity is not present in the [[New Play Control! Pikmin|''New Play Control!'' version]].

===World records===
The following are the world records for various types of speedruns. Note that, unless otherwise noted, these times are for real-time runs, not in-game timer runs or [[tool-assisted speedrun]]s. The runs are split by category, and different regions of a game may have different timing methods, tools, or glitches, which all affect a player's speed; these differences are further explained on the '''[[region]]''' page.

These records were last updated on {{date|23|January|2024}}.

====''Pikmin''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Region]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! All ship parts || US
| 53:48 || "iid01" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWc4FclIyzY YouTube video] || {{date|16|July|2023}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|-
! All ship parts || Japan
| 55:55 || "iid01" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY3xZPF5N70 YouTube video] || {{date|1|June|2020}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|-
! All ship parts || Europe
| 1:07:28 || "Mokaygee" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpCKybBlYcM YouTube video] || {{date|18|March|2017}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|-
! Low Pikmin (50), all ship parts || US
| 1:29:08 || "Mokaygee" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=su3WBlvSXOo YouTube video] || {{date|5|March|2017}} || Finishes in 9 days with 50 Pikmin.
|}

====''New Play Control! Pikmin''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Region]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! All ship parts || US
| 49:47 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XM9eGHFzz4 YouTube video] || {{date|28|October|2023}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|-
! All ship parts || Japan
| 54:38 || "atmy_17" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFxdlNEuyUs YouTube video] || {{date|3|September|2023}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|-
! All ship parts || Europe
| 54:11 || "Ice cube" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D-kb6VsdRw YouTube video] || {{date|9|December|2022}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 1'' (Nintendo Switch)====
{| class="wikitable"
! Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! All ship parts
| 47:15 || "Mokaygee" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZkPDE1nzjU YouTube video] || {{date|16|December|2023}} || Finishes in 6 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 2''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Region]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Pay off debt || US
| 1:31:59 || "Jack Draz" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGNRNG-qBgU YouTube video] || {{date|24|January|2023}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! Pay off debt || Europe
| 1:42:43 || "HeartPiece" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOB5rw0Pfzc YouTube video] || {{date|23|May|2022}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! Pay off debt || Japan
| 1:39:44 || "iid01" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITjIJOmCWpo YouTube video] || {{date|11|March|2020}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! All treasures || US
| 3:58:38 || "theurbandear" || [https://www.twitch.tv/videos/572013494 Twitch video] || {{date|20|March|2020}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|-
! All treasures || Europe
| 4:39:27 || "HeartPiece" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWBc7ME1GwU YouTube video] || {{date|28|October|2021}} || Finishes in 11 days.
|-
! All treasures || Japan
| 3:30:46 || "iid01" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYcSyL-DpP0 YouTube video] || {{date|13|April|2021}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|}

====''New Play Control! Pikmin 2''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Region]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Pay off debt || US
| 1:38:33 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7k3P2fJ_bk YouTube video] || {{date|11|August|2023}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! Pay off debt || Europe
| 2:08:30 || "HeartPiece" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MGwSALM9ZA YouTube video] || {{date|19|October|2021}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! All treasures || US
| 3:52:48 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkBWoqAVRtU YouTube video] || {{date|14|April|2023}} || Finishes in 11 days.
|-
! All treasures || Japan
| 3:36:54 || "mercysnow" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKf4Ea4bL1I YouTube video] || {{date|8|July|2023}} || Finishes in 11 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 2'' (Nintendo Switch)====
{| class="wikitable"
! Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Pay off debt
| 1:55:14 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKk1t2uTO-Y YouTube video] || {{date|9|September|2023}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! All treasures
| 4:28:49 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhCpMqLmXn4 YouTube video] || {{date|5|July|2023}} || Finishes in 12 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 3''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Update|Version]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Any fruits || 2.0.0
| 44:29 || "Ice cube" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIUwUW6I6Yw YouTube video] || {{date|30|August|2020}} || Finishes in 7 days.
|-
! 33 fruits || 2.0.0
| 57:00 || "Ice cube" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai_tkYIJxlA YouTube video] || {{date|3|October|2020}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! All fruits || 2.0.0
| 1:22:54 || "JHawk4" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJqQiuaUQeg YouTube video] || {{date|3|November|2019}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 3 Deluxe''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Difficulty]] || [[Update|Version]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Any fruits || Normal || 1.1.0
| 36:52 || "Jay596" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-A4CaSmiBA YouTube video] || {{date|3|February|2023}} || Finishes in 7 days.
|-
! Any fruits || Ultra-Spicy || 1.1.0
| 45:05 || "CCCharge" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HvpQfNG40s YouTube video] || {{date|23|February|2023}} || Finishes in 7 days.
|-
! 33 fruits || Normal || 1.1.0
| 47:26 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOxBaz-cNgg YouTube video] || {{date|12|August|2022}} || Finishes in 8 days.
|-
! All fruits || Normal || 1.1.0
| 1:05:25 || "Sbudiver" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EAbv3ZiBsY YouTube video] || {{date|7|March|2023}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|-
! All fruits || Ultra-Spicy || 1.1.0
| 1:25:22 || "CCCharge" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbjiucujcw0 YouTube video] || {{date|27|February|2023}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|}

====''Pikmin 4''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" | Category
! colspan="5" | Record
|-
! Goal || [[Update|Version]]
! Time || Author || Video || Date || Notes
|-
! Rescue Olimar || 1.0.2
| 1:15:05 || "Jay196" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlRGLFXDirY YouTube video] || {{date|21|January|2024}} || Finishes in 10 days.
|-
! Cure Oatchi || 1.0.2
| 2:07:25 || "JHawk4" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xCM-nkjwY YouTube video] || {{date|30|October|2023}} || Finishes in 13 days.
|-
! All Areas 100% || 1.0.2
| 4:23:58 || "Googs" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL_pl8OqYY8 YouTube video] || {{date|6|November|2023}} || Finishes in 14 days.
|-
! Olimar's Shipwreck Tale || 1.0.2
| 25:53 || "JHawk4" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMxf_06ZB3o video] || {{date|3|January|2024}} || Finishes in 5 days.
|}

====''Hey! Pikmin''====
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Category
! colspan="4" | Record
|-
! Goal
! Time || Author || Video || Date
|-
! Defeat the [[Berserk Leech Hydroe|final boss]]
| 2:59:20 || "April_lapispik" || [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYZZRtU0bCQ YouTube video] || {{date|28|July|2022}}
|}

==Low day==
A '''low day''' run is a type of challenge run where a player aims to complete a ''Pikmin'' game in as few in-game [[day]]s as possible. This is normally tied to a speedrun, but not necessarily so, as not only can the strategies be different between the two (sometimes resulting in a different day total), but this challenge also imposes no real limit on time. For instance, given that day time does not pass in [[cave]]s in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', a player attempting a low day run does not need to worry about speed while underground, as long as they do not deviate from the day's plans.

The following are links to articles detailing low day runs:
*''Pikmin'': '''[[6 day run]]''' to obtain all thirty [[ship part]]s.
*''Pikmin 2'': '''[[5 day run]]''' to obtain all 201 [[treasure]]s, 3 day run to reach the credits (theoretically possible in 1 day).
*''Pikmin 3'': Usually '''[[10 day run]]''' to obtain all fruits. However, there is a glitch that allows [[Winged Pikmin]] to become invincible if they are whistled one frame before they die, which allows them to pick up the two blue-required fruits so that [[Twilight River]] can be completed in a single day. Therefore, '''[[9 day run]]''' to obtain all fruits, '''[[7 day run]]''' to reach the credits.
*''Pikmin 4'': A low day run of this game can fall into several different categories:
**Rescue Olimar (End Credits): 9 day run to earn 7,000 [[Sparklium ]] and reach Olimar in [[Hero's Hideaway]], 3 days of which must be [[night expeditions]] to obtain 4 glow saps and heal the required [[Leafling]]s (the first two expeditions must take place in [[Sun-Speckled Terrace]], then the third can be any area with 2 Lumiknolls).
**[[Olimar's Shipwreck Tale]]: 4 day run, one day spent in each area visited. Days in this game mode are counted separately from the main story.
**Cure Oatchi (Final Boss): 13 day run, the first 9 days of which are spent rescuing Olimar while obtaining 11,000 Sparklium, plus 3 more days to get to at least 13,000 Sparklium, find the [[Koppaites]], and reach the [[Ancient Sirehound|final boss]]. Unlike after rescuing Olimar, the next morning in the [[Rescue Command Post]] is counted in the final stats.
**All Areas 100%: 14 day run, similar to curing Oatchi as there is enough time to get all treasures, castaways, and Onions in the same number of daytime trips. However, any extra glow sap obtained before finding Olimar will automatically be used on another Leafling, so an extra night expedition is required after rescuing him. It is not required to cure all Leaflings or finish [[Trial of the Sage Leaf]] to see the "All Areas 100% Investigated" message.
**All Missions (Full Game 100%): 33 day run, consisting of 12 days to reach the final boss plus 6 days for the [[Mission (Pikmin 4)|Fit for a Feast mission]], 13 days for the remaining night expeditions, 1 day for Trial of the Sage Leaf, and 1 last day in Rescue Command Post to finalize all missions and formally end the game by speaking to [[Bernard]].

==Low Pikmin count==
Some challenges require the player to complete the game with the lowest number of Pikmin possible.

The following are links to articles detailing low Pikmin challenges:
*''Pikmin'': '''[[50 Pikmin challenge]]''' to reach the [[credits]] or get a 100% completion with 50 Pikmin. Some areas can be beaten with less Pikmin,{{cite youtube|zbfKSVFvlCg|of a completed 44 Pikmin run of ''[[The Forest of Hope]]''}} however 50 is the minimum required to beat the game. (In the Japanese version, the minimum is 85 due to the [[Secret Safe]] being heavier than in other versions.)
*''Pikmin 2'': '''[[101 Pikmin challenge]]''' to get a 100% completion with 101 Pikmin. The debt can be cleared with as little as 35 by using light treasures and the respawning enemies in caves, but to even reach the first cave, 35 Pikmin are needed to crush the main [[bag]] on [[day]] 2. Also see the [[#Emergence Cave challenge|Emergence Cave challenge]] below.
*''Pikmin 2'': 37 Pikmin challenge to collect all the treasures except for the [[Doomsday Apparatus]] with only 37 Pikmin. 35 are initially required plus only one Yellow and Blue Pikmin whistled away from the group they're found in. This allows for a full run, without the task of growing 100 Purple Pikmin, but with the added challenge of having less Pikmin to work with.{{cite youtube|rRF7jgOi23E|of a completed 37 Pikmin run in ''[[Pikmin 2]]''}}
*''Pikmin 3'': '''[[42 Pikmin challenge]]''' to reach the [[credits]] or get a 100% completion with 42 Pikmin.
*''Pikmin 4'': 0 Pikmin grown to reach the credits. Throwing Pikmin at a [[Candypop Bud]] and escaping the sublevel without collecting the sprouts will not increase the number of Pikmin grown or the number of Pikmin lost. In addition, Pikmin that are ejected from the [[Onion]] after a [[Pikmin extinction]] will only count if the sprout is plucked. The usage of [[Glow Pikmin]] also does not count.{{cite youtube|GfSkxvxJB9A|of a 0 Pikmin run|published={{date|17|August|2023}}|retrieved={{date|18|August|2023}}}} Without the trick to reduce the total to zero, only 7 Pikmin are needed to reach both the credits and final boss, while 91 Pikmin are needed to collect all treasures and complete all missions. 90 Purple Pikmin are needed for the [[Golden Vaulting Table]], which Oatchi can reach by abusing the collision of Ultra-Spicy Berries. All other types can be reduced to zero by converting them to Purple Pikmin, but the Onion will produce seeds for up to 3 types which have had their Onion fused (only 1 seed if only the Red Pikmin Onion has been found at the time).

==Low day low Pikmin count==
The superlative challenge runs of a ''Pikmin'' game not only complete the game in as few in-game [[day]]s as possible, but with the lowest number of Pikmin as possible. Some runs will prioritize having a low day count, while other runs will prioritize having a low Pikmin count. However, the most exceptional of playthroughs manage to minimize both simultaneously.

The following are descriptions of some playthroughs in each game:
*''Pikmin'': A '''6-day 50 Pikmin''' [[tool-assisted superplay]] was completed by "TRR".{{cite youtube|PRhKs4GMMD4|of a 6-day 50 Pikmin TAS in {{p1}}}} A human has not managed to do this yet. Currently, the best a human has done is a '''50 Pikmin 8-day''' completion by "Mokaygee",{{cite youtube|Maacr6-FCeE|of something like day 2 of Mokaygee's 50 Pikmin 8-day run}}{{cite youtube|wVoEDeQpPXk|of day 3 of Mokaygee's 50 Pikmin 8-day run}}{{cite youtube|6MxXalQWMwo|of days 4-8 of Mokaygee's 50 Pikmin 8-day run}} and a '''6-day 80 Pikmin''' completion, also by "Mokaygee".{{cite youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}j2qMYb44Esk&list{{=}}PL1tbaKnaSPjfvSes3AV144l9ShdHxOb48|Playlist of Mokaygee's 6-day 80 Pikmin completion|YouTube}} In the Japanese version, where the minimum number of Pikmin is 85, a 6-day 85-Pikmin run has been completed by "iid01".{{cite youtube|https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list{{=}}PL8krakCdC_69Iqf_Q-69GcSCbwRX0KKw5|Playlist of iid01's 6-day 85 Pikmin completion|YouTube}}
*''Pikmin 2'': A '''6-day 101 Pikmin''' completion was done by "HSS0136".{{cite youtube|zBCT23iF1u0|of a 6-day 101 Pikmin completion in {{p2}}}} This playthrough even manages to skip discovering [[Yellow Pikmin]], making this the most difficult challenge in ''Pikmin 2'' completed by a human. If the [[Doomsday Apparatus]] is skipped, one can do a '''37 Pikmin 7-day''' completion, which "HSS0136" has also done.{{cite youtube|rRF7jgOi23E|of a 37 Pikmin 7-day completion, skipping the [[Doomsday Apparatus]]}} Currently, no attempts have been made at minimizing the Pikmin count in a 3-day debt repayment playthrough.
*''Pikmin 3'': Unfortunately, this game is the only ''Pikmin'' game where completing the game in minimal days and the minimal Pikmin count simultaneously isn't possible. A '''42 Pikmin 11-day''' completion was done by "Ice Cube".{{cite youtube|I6Nbx70NzLk|of a 42 Pikmin 11-day completion in {{p3}}}} A '''10-day 46 Pikmin''' completion was also done by "Ice Cube".{{cite youtube|m_kA2EwtTO0|of a 10-day 46 Pikmin completion in ''Pikmin 3''}} However, simply beating the game with minimal days and a minimal Pikmin count is possible. A '''7-day 42 Pikmin''' playthrough was also done by "Ice Cube".{{cite youtube|8ShGOIdUdyU|of a 7-day 42 Pikmin playthrough of ''Pikmin 3''}}

==Low in-game time==
{{p2}} has an in-game time counter that displays the time it took to repay the debt or to collect all treasures on the [[high scores menu]]. The game only begins counting time when a [[saved game]] is loaded, and writes the time when it is saved. Because the time it saves is only saved with the granularity of a minute, if a player saves the game within one minute of loading it and then loads the newly-saved save game, the timer will keep the same number of minutes on record and assume no time has passed. This means the final result may not match the real time the playthrough took, and can be abused to get times as low as 18 minutes for an all-treasure completion.{{cite youtube|fpVKMgk7RwM|completing sublevel 3 of the [[White Flower Garden]] in under a minute}}{{cite youtube|6-tMPXP69JY|m=10|s=36|demonstrating a change in the low-in-game-time route involving the [[Temporal Mechanism]], [[Pink Menace]], and [[Spiny Alien Treat]]}}{{cite youtube|nMSybTmlERo|of a tool-assisted speedrun completing sublevel 2 of the [[Submerged Castle]] in under 2 minutes}}{{cite youtube|3Ni0ro_9Zeg|of a tool-assisted speedrun completing sublevel 5 of the [[Subterranean Complex]] in under 1 minute}}{{cite youtube|XKwnXSBlyGU|of a tool-assisted speedrun completing sublevel 5 of the [[White Flower Garden]] in under 1 minute}}
The best all treasures Low IGT run that has been achieved by a human (as of 2022) is a 20 minute run by PiePusher11{{cite youtube|p642yIjlluY|Pikmin 2 All Treasures Low IGT run in 0:20 by PiePusher11}}.

==Zero death==
[[File:Pikmin 3 zero death run.jpg|thumb|250px|Example of a completed zero death challenge, in {{p3}}.]]
{{main|Zero death challenge}}

A '''zero death challenge''' is when a player attempts to complete a game without a single one of their [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] perishing. All games keep track of the number of Pikmin deaths for each file. Using [[Candypop Bud]]s does not count towards this number. Others challenges are often done in conjunction with this one, either because their rules specifically require no Pikmin to die, or because Pikmin deaths may mean a small delay in having to grow some more.

==100%==
A '''100% playthrough''' is when the player completes all secondary goals in the game on top of the normal [[completion]]. It's normally considered that a "100% run" is a playthrough in which all [[Saved game|recordable]] goals are obtained. For the ''Pikmin'' games, the most basic form of a 100% run is to collect all of the main collectibles in the game, and not just the ones that give the main characters a good result and end up with the game's [[credits]]. More hardcore definitions of 100% would include all [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] entries or [[data file]]s, for instance. There is nothing in the ''Pikmin'' games that can only be obtained on specific times, and will require the player to start a new run to obtain &ndash; anything can be obtained at any time, provided there are enough [[day]]s left. The [[Smoky Progg]] can be missed, but nothing is stored in record for its encounter or defeat.

The most basic form of these type of runs are acknowledged by the game, where the player gets all collectibles: doing so will usually give a different ending from the usual one. Although [[gear]] in ''Pikmin 3'' is not necessary for the game to give out the best ending, it is usually included in most 100% playthroughs.

==Low%==
A '''low% challenge''' is when a game is completed (or some other goal is reached) while progressing as little as possible. What counts as "progress" is arbitrary in games that don't show an in-game completion percentage, but it usually refers to unlocking or collecting anything permanent.

===''Pikmin'' low%===
In ''Pikmin'', this challenge only requires the player to collect the 25 mandatory [[ship part]]s and ignore the 5 optional ones.

===Emergence Cave challenge===
An '''Emergence Cave challenge''' is a challenge where a player repays the debt in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'' using the [[Emergence Cave]] as a primary source of money, and without entering any other area in the game. Because [[Enemy|enemies]] in caves respawn and are worth a small amount of [[Poko]]s, it is possible to eventually complete the game using just the first cave.

In a normal playthrough, the [[Courage Reactor]] must be collected on [[day]] 1 before the game can proceed, but by using [[Glitches in Pikmin 2|glitches]] such as causing an extinction on day 1, even that treasure can be skipped. The rest of the run depends on repeatedly harvesting the 11 [[Snow Bulborb]]s, for {{pokos|2}} each, resulting in at least 413 run-throughs of the cave if the [[Utter Scrap]], [[Citrus Lump]], [[Quenching Emblem]], and [[Spherical Atlas]] are collected as well.

With this, it is possible to unlock the Wistful Wild at the same time the [[Perplexing Pool]] is unlocked. The area selection screen will only unlock the Wistful Wild when it unlocks the Perplexing Pool, meaning that the [[Geographic Projection]] must be collected before the Wistful Wild can be entered. If the Spherical Atlas is collected in the same trip that the debt is repaid, the [[cutscene]] where the ship announces that they must head to the new area plays first, and the cutscene for the debt completion plays right afterwards, still on the same day.

This run has been completed within the first in-game day through the use of multiple exploits.{{cite youtube|IeaBDk4W7AA|of a player completing the Emergence Cave challenge|published={{date|19|May|2021}}|retrieved={{date|3|May|2022}}}}

===No fruit challenge===
In ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', a '''no fruit playthrough''' is when one completes the game without collecting any whole fruit, only parts. The simplest way to do this is to execute the procedures for a normal 7 day speedrun, but only collect parts of the [[Crimson Banquet]] and any other partitioned fruit to make 3 bottles, giving the player just enough juice to reach the end of the game by day 7.{{cite youtube|8ShGOIdUdyU|of a no fruit run of ''Pikmin 3''}}

==Onionless==
An '''Onionless''' playthrough is when the player must never withdraw Pikmin out of an [[Onion]] (including the [[Hocotate ship]] in {{p2}}). This means that when Pikmin enter an Onion, they will never be seen again in the playthrough, and the player effectively starts with 0 Pikmin when landing in a new [[area]]. In the first 3 games, a handful of glitches are required in order to complete the challenge.

;''Pikmin'':
Early on in the challenge, an [[out of bounds]] glitch is required in [[The Forest of Hope]] in order to reach the Yellow Onion,{{cite youtube|U8Wp0VcLS30|of an out of bounds glitch in The Forest of Hope}} since Red Pikmin cannot be withdrawn from the Red Onion. The player must complete the entire area with just Yellow Pikmin, which is possible with various [[glitches]]. In [[The Forest Navel]], the player must approach the Blue Onion right away and grow an entire army from 1 blue sprout. Candypop Buds must be used to make other Pikmin types, and so that the player has 0 Blue Pikmin when arriving in [[The Distant Spring]]. This way, the Blue Onion will make a sprout in The Distant Spring, and the player can once again grow an army in order to complete this map. Lastly, the player must obtain 15 Pikmin in [[The Final Trial]], but they only start with 1 Blue Pikmin sprout (if they arrive with 0 Blue Pikmin). The only way to obtain the required number of Pikmin is to throw the Blue Pikmin into a Candypop Bud of a different type, and repeat the process 15 times so that the Blue Onion makes a total of 15 sprouts. Then, the player can kill the [[Emperor Bulblax]], and harvest its five 5-pellets in order to have 40 Pikmin to carry the [[Secret Safe]] (note that the Secret Safe weighs 85 in the Japanese version, so this challenge is not possible to complete in this version). In this game, Onionless playthroughs are considered more interesting with the additional rule that no Pikmin deaths are allowed.

A full playthrough has been completed by "Mokaygee" in 23 in-game days.{{cite web|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}QG26LW-s1ME&index{{=}}2&list{{=}}PL1tbaKnaSPjdwSVF-fU3ygRfK5ZYxqAbs|Playlist of an Onionless ''Pikmin'' playthrough|YouTube}} 23 days is believed to be the lowest number of days needed to complete this challenge by a human, but "Mokaygee" has made a [[tool-assisted superplay]] completing The Forest of Hope in 1 day Onionless,{{cite youtube|K4Tttv76bUQ|of [[The Forest of Hope]] in 1 day Onionless (TAS)}} and "TRR" has made a tool-assisted superplay completing The Forest Navel in 1 day Onionless,{{cite youtube|WILs-tDbII8|of [[The Forest Navel]] in 1 day Onionless (TAS)}} making 21 days theoretically possible.

;''Pikmin 2'':
There are a few obstacles in an Onionless playthrough in this game. First of all, the Red Onion must produce a sprout on day 2, and when arriving in [[Awakening Wood]]. Otherwise, the player will be unable to obtain Pikmin for the rest of the playthrough. In order to start day 2 with 0 Red Pikmin, a [[glitch]] called "day 1 extinction" is required.{{cite youtube|IieBje4CqMo|of day 1 extinction}} Also, in order to arrive in the Awakening Wood with 0 Red Pikmin, all of the player's Red Pikmin must be killed, or converted to Purple Pikmin. Lastly, the player must grow 100 Purple Pikmin in 1 day in order to collect [[Doomsday Apparatus]]. Doing this is not hard, it simply requires the player to visit [[Cavern of Chaos]] 20 times, which is tedious, but doable.

A full playthrough has been completed by "Grassdigger" in 7 in-game days.{{cite web|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v{{=}}J5M2X900BIk&list{{=}}PLSM88llr5kvv6FGF2yJanJXFvfdMkzm-A&index{{=}}2|Playlist of an Onionless ''Pikmin 2'' playthrough|YouTube}} A handful of glitches were utilized in order to complete the challenge in just 7 days, including the "rest skip" glitch.{{cite youtube|ChcaITxJxJs|of the rest skip glitch}} Unfortunately, a [[6 day run]] does not seem possible under Onionless restrictions, as Awakening Wood simply takes too much time to complete. Note that the player who completed the challenge had 1 death during the playthrough. However, it is possible to do a deathless Onionless playthrough thanks to a different glitch.{{cite youtube|G8gKxF_ZpfE|of Day 1 Extinction with 0 deaths in ''Pikmin 2''}} Unfortunately, a deathless Onionless playthrough currently requires 8 days to complete, as 1 more day is needed in Valley of Repose in order to obtain enough Pikmin to crush the 35-weight bag. No one has completed a deathless Onionless playthrough of ''Pikmin 2'' yet.

;''Pikmin 3'':
In this game, a deathless Onionless run is impossible. There is no way to make progress in the [[Garden of Hope]] if there are Red Pikmin in the Onion. However, because "AshEevee" found a way to kill Pikmin on day 1,{{cite youtube|5Z7KuPo76I4|of killing Pikmin on day 1 in ''Pikmin 3''}} an Onionless playthrough is still possible. On day 1, the player can remove all obstacles to the ship, then kill all of their Pikmin. Unlike the 2 previous games, the Onion will make a sprout immediately, but the player must leave it behind so that they can have a red sprout in the Garden of Hope. Going forward, it's best to leave all Pikmin buried or left behind at the end of each day, so that the player can start each new area with 1 of each type of Pikmin sprout. The [[Formidable Oak]] proves to be a challenge, because the player starts with 5 Pikmin, and there is no way to grow more. However, if the player uses the Candypop Buds inside the oak, the player can cause extinctions for the different types of Pikmin, making the Onion produce more.

A full playthrough has been completed by "JHawk" in 10 in-game days.{{cite youtube|8vHA2-mKye0|of ''Pikmin 3'' Onionless all fruits in 10 days}} All fruits can still be collected in the optimal number of days under the Onionless restriction. "JHawk" uses various [[glitches]] to save time, mostly ones that also appear in speedruns of this game, such as clipping leaders through walls, or charging Winged Pikmin at fruits in high places. Regardless, [[Garden of Hope]] and [[Tropical Wilds]] were tight on time, he says. However, [[Formidable Oak]] was the most difficult day, as he only obtained 18 Pikmin from farming extinctions, and it takes about half of the day to even start the boss battle, leaving only the other half of the day to beat the boss with very few Pikmin. Technically, it's also possible to complete the game Onionless in 7 in-game days, though this follows from simply playing the first 6 days like in JHawk's playthrough, then completing [[Formidable Oak]] on day 7 in the same way as day 10 of the playthrough.

;''Pikmin 4'':
{{Game help|p4|Is such a run possible in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale?}}
[[Oatchi]] is heavily utilized here. Collecting Onions is recommended so when the day starts, the player can replenish Pikmin numbers quickly. Note that if Oatchi carries something to the Onion, it will always sprout Pikmin of the scarcest type that has an Onion integrated.

==Specific rules==
In order to vary the traditional game rules, some players enforce their own rules. Given the complexity of the game mechanics, several of these rules can be made up and combined, with the following being the most common ones:
*Pacifist: except where mandatory, [[enemy]] deaths must be avoided. Pikmin can be sustained using the likes of [[pellet]]s.
*Full deaths: the opposite of pacifist; a player attempts to kill every enemy they come across, and in the case of caves, every enemy of every sublevel.
*No Pikmin attacks: except when mandatory, Pikmin should not be used to defeat enemies. Other ways to kill enemies include [[punch]]es, [[bomb rock]]s and luring them into abysses.
*No sprays: [[spray]]s may not be created and/or used.
*No flowers: Pikmin must not reach the [[Maturity|flower stage]]. Sometimes, the bud stage is equally prohibited.
*No glitches: [[glitch]]es may not be used. Normally used in conjunction with other runs that benefit greatly from glitch exploits.
*No [[gear]]: players do not obtain any optional upgrades.
*Low Piklopedia: players avoid filling up the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] by minimizing encounters with the fauna and flora in ''Pikmin 2'' or ''Pikmin 4''

Other types of rules can also be invented by players, such as prohibiting the use of [[swarming]], playing with one hand, playing using one's feet, or playing blindfolded.{{cite youtube|VYIxayM8bMY|of a player playing through the [[Bulblax Kingdom]] blindfolded}}

==Other challenges==
;Specific Pikmin number
Some challenges may require the player to obtain a specific number of Pikmin by the end of the game. This could either be the lowest amount possible (see [[#Low Pikmin count|low Pikmin count]] above), the highest amount possible before the days are over, or a specific count for specific types, like 0 [[Blue Pikmin]]. In addition, these playthroughs could also aim to complete a [[cave]] with the lowest amount of Pikmin of each type that one can bring to it.{{cite youtube|I1ywOpQucc8|of a player completing [[Cavern of Chaos]] with the least amount of Pikmin: 20 Reds, 5 Whites, 5 Blues}}

;Fastest game over:
This challenge run requires the player to reach a game over or a bad ending in the fastest way possible. In the case of ''Pikmin 2'', where a game over is not possible, a [[Pikmin extinction]] is often a suitable substitute.

;Blue Juice speedrun:
For ''Pikmin 3''{{'s}} Story Mode, this challenge run requires the player to obtain vibrant blue-colored juice as quickly as possible, as explained [[Fruit#Juice|here]].

;Battle Bingo:
Although similar to [[Bingo Battle]] in nature and name, this type of run requires two or more players to complete tasks on a made-up bingo card. The first player to form a Bingo wins. A common rule is to have a "missile" destroy a randomly picked square, and invalidate it for both cards; this usually happens every 5 minutes.

;Low score:
For [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2)|Challenge Mode in ''Pikmin 2'']], a player may attempt to obtain the lowest score possible on a level, while still finishing it successfully. Because [[The Key]] is worth 100 Pokos, and each Poko is worth 10 points, the lowest amount of points possible in Pokos is equal to the number of sublevels times 1000. To complete the level, at least 1 Pikmin must be left alive, and seeing as each Pikmin is worth 10 points, the minimal amount of points from Pikmin is 10. Finally, if the player uses the [[geyser]] on the last sublevel when the timer shows "0" (possible for a brief moment), they will receive no time bonus. Since all time in the caves cumulatively adds up, holes in each non-final sublevel can be entered with any amount of time left.

==See also==
*[[Challenge Mode (Pikmin)|Challenge Mode (''Pikmin'')]]
*[[Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2)|Challenge Mode (''Pikmin 2'')]]
*[[Mission Mode]]
*[[Day]]
*[[Sequence break]]
*[[Randomness]]

==External links==
*[https://www.speedrun.com/pikmin Speedrun.com page for the ''Pikmin'' series]
*[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbLfswHl_MIJ5-tAHplI1WpzXv9ijT3PN A YouTube playlist with several tricks and strategies for speedrunning ''Pikmin'']
*[http://chr.mn/pik4/ The Leaderboards of Pikmin Series Challenge & Mission Mode], a community record-tracking website

==References==
{{refs}}

[[Category:Challenge runs|Challenge runs]]