Editing Pikmin extinction

A '''Pikmin extinction''' occurs when the player does not have any more [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] of a given type. There are two types of extinction: a partial one, which is declared when all Pikmin of one type are lost, and a total one, which happens when there are no Pikmin of any type left whatsoever. Pikmin become extinct if none of that type exist, either by being killed, or if all of one type are converted via [[Candypop Bud]].

In {{p3}}, if all of a certain type of Pikmin is lost, the Onion will immediately create a new Pikmin of that type. This will even happen if there are sprouts of the same type in a different area. If this loss happens via [[sunset]], then the Onion will spit out seeds for the affected Pikmin at the morning of the next day. In {{p4}}, only Pikmin types that the main Onion has merged with can respawn new Pikmin if all of that type is lost; any Pikmin type that is fully lost without their Onion type fused will result in it being permanently lost until more are found within caves. If all [[Glow Pikmin]] are lost during a [[night expedition]], the [[Lumiknoll]] will spawn five new ones.

 

Caves in ''Pikmin 4'' treat Pikmin extinctions similarly to ''Pikmin 2'', however, if all of one type of Pikmin is lost, a partial extinction is declared, and the game will prompt the player to rewind to a previous time before they had lost the Pikmin type. However, the player may also choose to continue without that type, although in most cases progression will be made more difficult if not impossible.  

It is impossible to obtain a total extinction during the day in {{p3}} and {{p4}}, since the Onion instantly shoots a seed whenever a type goes extinct. Even trying to wipe out all Pikmin at once with a [[bomb rock]], for instance, will still make the Onion go through the partial extinction progress for each type, one at a time. Losing all Pikmin during the sunset is possible, and will simply act the same as if several sunset partial extinctions have taken place, with the added detail that Alph will write down on the [[Pikmin 3 voyage log|voyage log]] that the crew is now without any Pikmin. Losing all Pikmin in [[Dandori Challenge]]s or [[Dandori Battle]]s will not result in a failure, although the [[leafling]] hosting a Dandori Challenge will notify the player that they are out of Pikmin.

When an Onion from an extinct type spits out seeds, a cutscene takes place that focuses on the Onion, and then [[Captain Olimar]]{{cite quote|When the Pikmin become {{color|extinct|red}}, the Onion releases a single {{color|seed|green}}. How does the Onion know that the Pikmin have all been lost? I do not understand this mechanism, but I have no time to try to decipher its riddle. I must do all I can to protect the {{color|lone|red}} Pikmin. And, of course, I must prevent such an extinction from ever happening again!|Captain Olimar|a [[Olimar's monologs|monolog]]}}, the [[Hocotate ship]]{{cite quote|Disaster averted! All your Pikmin were wiped out yesterday, but their Onion just released a seed! If Pikmin were machines, they could simply be repaired, but... This single Pikmin is a precious rarity. I advise you to take better care of it.|the Hocotate ship|a [[Hocotate ship's dialogs|dialog]]}}, or one of the [[Koppai]]tes{{source needed}} comment on it, in each of the three games respectively. This cutscene can also happen on the day following the first [[#Total extinction|total extinction]] instead. In ''Pikmin'', Olimar will only comment the first time it happens, but comments will be made every time in the other games.

Normally, [[Day#First day|day 1]] serves as a tutorial for each game, so the developers tried to avoid the possibility that the player could lose their Pikmin on day 1. Nonetheless, day 1 extinctions can be performed in the first 3 main games.