Editing Perplexing Pool

{{game icons|p2=y}}
{{infobox area
|map               = Perplexing Pool HD.jpg
|screenshot        = 03 Site Perplexing Pool.png
|treasures         = 7
|caves             = 4
|obstacles         = {{white bramble gate}} {{black bramble gate}} {{poison white bramble gate}} {{electric gate P2}} {{seesaw blocks P2}} {{water body}} {{clog}} {{bridge P1}} {{purples required}}
|pikmin_discovered = [[Yellow Pikmin]]
|requirements      = Collect the [[Geographic Projection]]
|music             = ''[[Music in Pikmin 2#Perplexing Pool|Perplexing Pool]]''
}}

The '''Perplexing Pool''' ({{j|まどいの水源|Madoi no Suigen|Spring of Madness}}) is the third [[area]] in {{p2}}, set in a sandy wetland. It contains four [[cave]]s and seven aboveground [[treasure]]s worth a total of {{pokos|560}} in the US [[Region|version]], {{pokos|520}} in the European version, and {{pokos|490}} in the Japanese version. It is unlocked by retrieving the [[Geographic Projection]] from the [[Awakening Wood]]. [[Yellow Pikmin]] are discovered in this area. Its terrain is based on [[The Distant Spring]] from {{p1}}. 

The Perplexing Pool slowly becomes more dangerous as days pass: More enemies will appear, and ultimately, a Beady Long Legs and a Spotty Bulbear will spawn after the thirtieth day. Completing the area before this point is recommended, especially for more inexperienced players.

==Layout==
{{location map | width = 272 | height = 428 | image = PP texture.png | bg = #111 | caption = Map of all treasure and caves, along with the location of the ship, in the Perplexing Pool. | icons =
{{map icon | Hocotate ship | 139 | 305 | bg=none}}
{{map icon | cave | 76 | 226 | l=Citadel of Spiders}}
{{map icon | cave | 109 | 98 | l=Glutton's Kitchen}}
{{map icon | cave | 239 | 339 | l=Shower Room}}
{{map icon | cave | 160 | 48 | l=Submerged Castle}}
{{map icon | Gherkin Gate | 227 | 197 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Impediment Scourge | 164 | 194 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Aquatic Mine | 214 | 271 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Fortified Delicacy | 211 | 347 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Onion Replica | 109 | 360 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Optical Illustration | 43 | 151 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
{{map icon | Massage Girdle | 126 | 36 | bg = rgba(0,0,128,0.5)}}
}}
The Perplexing Pool is a complex area, with a wide variety of [[terrain]] types. Parts of the area are like a beach, while others are grassy and there are circular wooden structures around the area. It is the most aquatic area in ''Pikmin 2'' with multiple lakes spread across its length and two of the caves being submerged, making Blue Pikmin a necessity. Its layout has a close resemblance to [[The Distant Spring]] of [[Pikmin (game)|the first game]], though it does have some changes. At one point, Olimar points out how much the area has changed since his last visit, indicating that it actually ''is'' the Distant Spring.{{cite quote|{{Notes:Aquatic Mine/journal}}|Aquatic Mine's entry|Olimar's journal}} There is a big concrete area where there were only small islands and water in the original, there is no water in the middle of the area, the [[Shower Room]] is where the [[Massage Machine]] originally was, the [[Submerged Castle]] is where the [[Chronos Reactor]] was, most of the [[gate]]s are gone and there are a trio of [[Burgeoning Spiderwort]]s in the area &ndash; a pair in the middle of the area and a lone one in the water.
{{Clear}}

==Yellow Pikmin==
[[File:Perplexing Pool View.png|thumb|A view of where the Yellow Pikmin are located.]]
In ''Pikmin 2'', [[Yellow Pikmin]] are discovered in this area. The player must navigate around the stumps and use the [[scales]] to get to higher elevation. Alternately, if they are skilled enough, they can throw their Pikmin onto the ledge near the bridge to the right of the large stumps, then carefully guide them to building the bridge. Any Pikmin that fall in the water can be easily whistled back. The Fiery Blowhog in the way can be bypassed. Then, the player must fight a [[Fiery Bulblax]] with [[Red Pikmin]]. After killing the Fiery Bulblax, [[White Pikmin]] must break down a bramble gate with poison pipes inside. The Yellow Pikmin are on the other side of this gate.
{{clear}}

==Caves==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Image
!Name
!Sublevels
![[Treasure]]s
![[Hazard]]s
|-
|[[File:P2 Citadel of Spiders Sublevel 2.png|100px]]
|[[Citadel of Spiders]]
|5
|11
|{{fire}} {{electricity}}
|-
|[[File:Glutton's Kitchen.jpg|100px]]
|[[Glutton's Kitchen]]
|6
|14
|{{electricity}}
|-
|[[File:Shower Room sublevel 3.jpg|100px]]
|[[Shower Room]]
|7
|14
|{{fire}} {{water}} {{electricity}} {{poison}} {{explosion}}
|-
|[[File:Submerged Castle sublevel 4.jpg|100px]]
|[[Submerged Castle]]
|5
|13
|{{fire}} {{water}} {{electricity}} {{poison}} {{explosion}}
|}

==Objects==
===Treasures===
{{columns|2|
*{{icon|Gherkin Gate|y}} (US and Europe) / {{icon|Idea Assistant|y}} (Japan)
*{{icon|Impediment Scourge|y}} (US and Europe) / {{icon|Lightning Bolt|y}} (Japan)
*{{icon|Aquatic Mine|y}} (inside the Toady Bloyster)
*{{icon|Fortified Delicacy|y}}
*{{icon|Onion Replica|y}}
*{{icon|Optical Illustration|y}} (US) / {{icon|Abstract Masterpiece|y|v=EU}} (Europe) / {{icon|Yell Battery|y}} (Japan)
*{{icon|Massage Girdle|y}}
}}

===Enemies===
{{columns|2|
*{{icon|Beady Long Legs|y}} &times; 1 (starting day 31, and respawns on days ending in 1 when killed)
*{{icon|Dwarf Bulbear|y}} &times; 6 (2 appear on day 11 by [[Citadel of Spiders]], 2 more appear on day 21 by the [[Fiery Bulblax]], 2 appear on day 31 with the previous 4)
*{{icon|Fiery Blowhog|y}} &times; 1
*{{icon|Fiery Bulblax|y}} &times; 1 (disappears on day 31 or after being defeated)
*{{icon|Hermit Crawmad|y}} &times; 2
*{{icon|Honeywisp|y}} &times; 2
*{{icon|Mitite|y}} (randomly come out of [[egg]]s)
*{{icon|Ravenous Whiskerpillar|y}} &times; 3
*{{icon|Toady Bloyster|y}} &times; 1
*{{icon|Shearwig|y}} &times; 11 (3 appear on day 11, replacing a Yellow Wollyhop)
*{{icon|Skitter Leaf|y}} &times; 5
*{{icon|Spotty Bulbear|y}} &times; 1 (starting day 31, and respawns on days ending in 1 when killed)
*{{icon|Swooping Snitchbug|y}} &times; 2
*{{icon|Water Dumple|y}} &times; 7
*{{icon|Withering Blowhog|y}} &times; 1
*{{icon|Wolpole|y}} &times; 5 (disappear on day 31 or after being defeated)
*{{icon|Yellow Wollyhop|y}} &times; 6 (one of which is replaced by a trio of Shearwigs on day 11)
}}

===Vegetation===
{{columns|2|
*{{icon|Burgeoning Spiderwort|y|v=spicy}} &times; 1
*{{icon|Burgeoning Spiderwort|y|v=bitter}} &times; 2
*{{icon|Shoot|y}} (small) &times; 9
*{{icon|Shoot|y}} (large) &times; 7
*{{icon|Seeding Dandelion|y}} &times; 7
*{{icon|Fiddlehead|y}} &times; 5
*{{icon|Nectar weed|y}} &times; 2
}}

===Obstacles===
{{columns|2|
*{{icon|Black bramble gate|y}} &times; 2 (both gates have 126,000 HP each)
*{{icon|Burgeoning Spiderwort mold|y}} &times; 1 (grows over the pair of ultra-bitter berry bearing Burgeoning Spiderworts)
*{{icon|Clog|y}} &times; 1
*{{icon|Electric gate|y|v=P2}} &times; 3 (all three gates each have 48,000 HP)
*{{icon|Poison white bramble gate|y}} &times; 1 (has 30,000 HP)
}}

===Tools===
*{{icon|Bridge|y|v=P1}} &times; 3 (all three are long bridges)
*{{icon|Seesaw blocks|n=Seesaw block|y|v=P2}} sets &times; 3

===Others===
*{{icon|Egg|y}} &times; 9 (3 fall from the sky only on day 4 near Beady Long Legs's location, 3 appear between [[Citadel of Spiders]] and the Yellow Pikmin spot on days 11-30, and the other 3 are always by [[Glutton's Kitchen]])
*[[Rubble]] &times; 2

==Piklopedia and Treasure Hoard==
[[File:Piklopedia Perplexing Pool map.jpg|thumb|Map of the area as it appears in the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]].]]
The [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]] and [[Treasure Hoard]] version of this area, which can be accessed by placing [[Hocotate ship|the ship]]'s icon on top of the area and entering the archives, is similar to the in-game Perplexing Pool, but with the critical difference of having a large, round, open arena as the landing site, instead of a rectangular closed-off room. That circular region is also surrounded by an irregular beach of sand, surrounded by scrap metal. The following differences can also be noted:

*There is a crack to the southwest of the landing site, indicating the presence of a [[clog]].
*There is a large metal tube protruding off the ground in the water, to the southeast of the landing site, instead of two plastic tubes.
*The sand plot near the [[Chronos Reactor]] from [[The Distant Spring]] is present, and the nearby block with a [[Golden Candypop Bud]], also from The Distant Spring is also present, but sunken into the ground.
*In-game, there's a square dead-end to the right of the Submerged Castle's entrance that has a stone block on one of its walls. This block is absent on the Piklopedia version.
*Part of the original landing site from [[The Distant Spring]] is present, but it's mostly covered up by sand, except for part of the Red Onion's original spot.
*The tree in the Yellow Pikmin discovery site is not present.
*The stone block buried to the northwest of the landing site is not present.
*The wooden structures near the [[Glutton's Kitchen]]'s entrance and the [[Optical Illustration]] are not present.
*The large stone ramps at the north that provide a one-way access from the lake are absent on the Piklopedia version.
*The ground at the western river and the center of the area is at the same level, so it is possible to walk from one to the other at will. In the in-game area, the center's terrain is higher.
*In-game, there is a gap to the northeast of the landing site that requires a [[bridge]] to cross. It is absent in the Piklopedia variant.
*In-game, there is a flat stump found to the west of the Glutton's Kitchen entrance. The stump is cut much higher in the Piklopedia version.
*The stone structures that have the [[Gherkin Gate]] on top of it have a jut from the [[The Distant Spring]] present, the left ramp is wider, and the spot where Pikmin could be thrown to collect the treasure is more rectangular.
*The structure that previously had the [[Repair-type Bolt]] in the The Distant Spring lacks the second sand ramp leading out of the water and the walls preventing Pikmin from exiting the wall's top from the left side.
**The pillar that had the ship part itself is not smaller in this version, so the mapping around that pillar isn't skewed as a result.
**A leaf present in the background is also placed over the pillar, instead of being further from it.
*Most of the trunks at the north of the landing site don't have walls, or have lower walls than in-game.
*The inaccessible area to the south of the [[Shower Room]] entrance is a lot more detailed than shown in-game.
*The moss texture used on the stone structures in the area is much cleaner than shown in-game.
*The shadow projection used in the area is overall much darker than shown in-game.

{{clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
03 Site Perplexing Pool.png|The landing site.
PP boss.png|The [[Beady Long Legs]] and [[Spotty Bulbear]] near the landing site.
PP spiderwort.png|Part of the western path with a [[Burgeoning Spiderwort]] in the distance.
PP stumps.png|A pair of stumps on the western part of the area.
PerplexingPoolYellowOnionGround.jpg|The area where [[Yellow Pikmin]] are first found.
PP glutton's kitchen.png|The entrance to the [[Glutton's Kitchen]].
PP northwest.png|The northwestern corner of the area.
PP northeast.png|The northeastern corner of the area.
PP maze.png|The maze at the east with some Burgeoning Spiderworts.
PP bloysters.png|The area with the [[Toady Bloyster]].
PP shower room.png|The entrance to the [[Shower Room]].
PP tube.png|A tube that separates the western and southwestern areas.
</gallery>

===Other images===
<gallery>
Perplexing Pool.png|In the [[Piklopedia (Pikmin 2)|Piklopedia]], the layout of the Perplexing Pool is slightly different.
Pikmin 2 Perplexing Pool Wireframe Transparent.png|Texture of a wireframe depicting an early version of the Perplexing Pool, used as a part of the Piklopedia and [[Treasure Hoard]]'s backgrounds.
Pikmin 2 Perplexing Pool Wire-frame.png|Altered version with an added black background, allowing for easier viewing of the wireframe.
Madoi snap.jpg|Official overhead map.
Perplexing Pool HD.jpg|High definition overhead map, taken with in-game screenshots.
Perplexing Pool Full.png|Overhead view of the full area model, including non-playable sections.
PP paths.png|[[Carrying]] paths in the Perplexing Pool.
Early Perplexing Pool.jpg|[[Wolpole]]s, [[Captain Olimar]], [[Louie]], and [[Blue Pikmin]] in an [[Pikmin 2 prerelease information|early version]] of the Perplexing Pool. The [[Shower Room]] can be seen ahead. Also note the [[Male Sheargrub]], which never appears in the final version of the level.
Early Perplexing Pool 2.jpg|A different image of the early Perplexing Pool.
Pikmin 2 perplexing pool.gif|A map of the Perplexing Pool.
Makeup of Perplexing Pool.png|The pattern for [[The Distant Spring]] laid on a map of the Perplexing Pool.
PP texture.png|The texture used for the [[radar]].
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*The section of the map where Yellow Pikmin are first found has three circles of dappled light on the ground, tinted red, yellow, and blue. This section was originally the landing site of the map as seen in [[Pikmin 2 prerelease information#January 2004 Japanese Demo Disk|an early trailer]] and the Onions would respectively be located on the same spots as these circles.
*The Perplexing Pool was originally going to be called "The Perplexing Spring".{{cite web|https://tcrf.net/Pikmin_2/Early_English_Script#Names|Pikmin 2/Early English Script|The Cutting Room Floor}}
*While walking through the area, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVPj1tX41L8 bear cicadas], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq07ZYZRUDQ nii-nii cicadas], and {{w|Hyalessa_maculaticollis|min-min cicada}} calls can be heard. In the evening, they are replaced with {{w|Tanna japonensis|evening cicadas}}.{{cite youtube|nCbOGNLkQQs|showing cicadas native to Japan that can be heard in the level}}
*If the Perplexing Pool is visited on the fourth day - the earliest possible day it can be unlocked - a trio of [[eggs]] can be seen falling from the sky if a Leader or Pikmin wander near the [[Beady Long Legs]]'s spawn point. This is the only case in the overworld where an object (other than the aforementioned Beady Long Legs) can fall from the sky, since all other objects that fall do so in caves. If one opens the game files to look at the definition that creates those eggs, they can find a comment reading {{j|ハテナタマゴ３Ｉ|Hatenatamago 3 I|Question egg 3I}}.

==Names in other languages==
{{Foreignname
|Jap=まどいの水源
|JapR=Madoi no Suigen
|JapM=Spring of Perplexity
|FraA=Source troublante
|FraAM=Perplexing spring
|FraE=La Source Troublante (GameCube version)<br>Source Troublante (Wii and Switch version)
|FraEM=The Perplexing Spring<br>Perplexing Spring
|Ger=Die Mythische Quelle (GameCube and Switch version)<br>Mythische Quelle (Wii version and Switch version's loading screen)
|GerM=The Mythical Spring<br>Mythical Spring
|Ita=Sorgente sconcertante
|ItaM=Perplexing spring
|SpaA=El Arroyo Desconcertante<br>Arroyo Desconcertante (area selection menu)
|SpaAM=The Disconcerting Stream<br>Disconcerting Stream
|SpaE=El Arroyo Desconcertante (GameCube version)<br>Arroyo Desconcertante (Wii and Switch version)
|SpaEM=The Disconcerting Stream<br>Disconcerting Stream 
|ChiTrad=圍聚水源
}}

==See also==
*[[Yellow Pikmin]]
*[[The Distant Spring]]
*[[Serene Shores]]

==References==
{{refs}}

{{featured|{{date|30|March}}|{{date|18|April|2008}}}}

{{Perplexing Pool}}
{{P2 areas|eeeeff|000044|000044}}

[[Category:Perplexing Pool| ]]