Upgrade

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The Exploration Kit, as seen in Pikmin 2.

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All 4 Spacesuit Upgrades in Pikmin 3.

The Exploration Kit is an assortment of devices in the Pikmin series that aid the player by the leaders new abilities, such as running faster or having a wider whistle range. In Pikmin 2, they are all obtained as treasures, namely all of the Explorer's Friend Series – except The Key – and are made useful by the ship. In Pikmin 3, they are obtained in the form of Gashapon style capsules or various phones.

In Pikmin 2, collecting the treasures that gave Exploration Kit upgrades was done by defeating the final boss of a cave, with the exception of the Spherical Atlas, which is not guarded by any enemy more dangerous than a Snow Bulborb, the Geographic Projection, which is found above ground and also in the open, and the Brute Knuckles, which is obtained from a Mamuta on a rest sublevel of the Frontier Cavern. In Pikmin 3, the spacesuit upgrades are found buried or off the beaten path. The two phones that allow for further exploration are obtained from defeating bosses, however.

Discovering New Areas

In both Pikmin games where new areas were discovered by collecting a specific object, there were only two such objects.

Sphere Chart

The Sphere Chart is the name given by the ship to the data found within the Spherical Atlas. By collecting the Spherical Atlas from the Emergence Cave, the ship is able to create charts of the Awakening Wood, allowing the player to explore that area.

Survey Chart

The Survey Chart is the name given by the ship to the data found within the Geographic Projection. By collecting the Geographical Projection from the Awakening Wood, the ship is able to create charts of the Perplexing Pool, allowing the player to explore that area.

Data Glutton

The Data Glutton is found within the belly of the Armored Mawdad in the Garden of Hope. It was emitting a signal that Alph and Brittany first assumed to be Charlie. Upon collecting the phone, Alph uses its technology to boost the signal strength of the Drake, allowing them to access the Distant Tundra.

Folded Data Glutton

The Folded Data Glutton is found within the belly of the Sandbelching Meerslug in the Tropical Wilds. It was emitting a signal that the leaders first assumed to be Olimar. Upon collecting the phone, Alph uses its technology to boost the signal strength of the Drake, allowing them to access the Twilight River.

Whistle Upgrades

These upgrades are specifically for the leader's whistle.

Mega Tweeter

The Mega Tweeter is obtained by defeating the Ranging Bloyster in the Shower Room, and collecting the Amplified Amplifier. This upgrade increases the range of the whistles of all leaders. The diameter of the visible circle on the screen increases to about 144% of its original size, thus more than doubling the area the whistle effects. This makes it easier to call scattered Pikmin to the leader's side, even when being slow in the Onions.

Pluckaphone

The Pluckaphone is obtained by defeating the Waterwraith in the Submerged Castle and collecting the Professional Noisemaker. It is an upgrade that allows the leaders' whistles to call buried Pikmin out from the ground, saving precious time that would otherwise be spent plucking them out. As well as picking newly produced Pikmin at the Onions, this is useful for calling out Pikmin that were planted by a Mamuta or transformed by Candypop Buds.

In the first trailer for Pikmin, Olimar is seen calling Pikmin from the ground, so the Pluckaphone may be an implementation of a prerelease element from the first Pikmin game.

Dodge Whistle

Main article: Dodge.

The Dodge Whistle can be found on a small cliff a short distance away from the exit to the Vehemoth Phosbat cave, where the Pikmin will carry the spoils of the battle through. It can be obtained by throwing Pikmin onto the Bouncy Mushroom between it and the path. Collecting it allows the leaders to dodge left or right, guiding the Pikmin. It is done in a straight line normally, or in a circular fashion around a lock-on target. When rolling, the leaders do not lose height, making certain sequence breaks possible.

Spacesuit Upgrades

These upgrades enhance the abilities of the leader's spacesuit more generally, either by giving them resistances, boosts, or entirely new abilities.

Scorch Guard

The Scorch Guard is an armor upgrade that makes all leaders' suits impervious to fire. In Pikmin 2, it is obtained by defeating the Emperor Bulblax in the Bulblax Kingdom, and collecting the Forged Courage. In Pikmin 3, it can be found buried on a ledge near the place where the Burrowing Snagret is confronted. With it, there is no need to worry about being hurt when destroying fire geysers, or fighting enemies such as the Fiery Blowhog or Fiery Bulblax.

Anti-Electrifier

The Anti-Electrifier, when unlocked, makes the leaders' suits immune to electricity, including electrical attacks. In Pikmin 2, it is obtained by defeating the Giant Breadbug in the Glutton's Kitchen, and collecting the Dream Material. In Pikmin 3, it can be found buried near the place where Charlie crashed onto the planet's surface, guarded by an Arctic Cannon Larva. This device is particularly useful when trying to pass by electrical hazards with a group of Yellow Pikmin.

Metal Suit Z

The Metal Suit Z increases the integrity of the pilots' suits, reducing damage taken by half. In Pikmin 2, it is obtained by defeating the Pileated Snagret in the Snagret Hole, and collecting the Justice Alloy. In Pikmin 3, it can be found on a strip of path that connects the shore near the Mock Bottom and the place where Alph crash-landed, and must be reached by throwing leaders up either side. This upgrade is useful for attempts in defeating a large Bulborb or Spotty Bulbear with leaders alone without coming to much harm.

Napsack

The Napsack can be obtained by defeating the Burrowing Snagret in the White Flower Garden, and collecting the Five-Man Napsack. This upgrade provides a quick method of returning to the Pikmin Onions above ground or the Research Pod when underground, which is achieved by holding X / once it has been obtained. When used, the leader in control falls asleep, and any nearby Pikmin, up to a maximum of four, carry him to their associated Onion, a minimum of just one being required.

This may seem like a useless ability, as it is possible to walk back to the Onions, taking more than four Pikmin as well; in actuality, the leader is carried back as quickly as if all flowered White Pikmin were holding him, regardless of the type or maturity of the actual Pikmin doing the carrying. The practical application of this is that it saves precious time: additionally, while one leader is being returned to the landing area, the player can control the other, thereby getting a little extra done.

This ability is similar to that in Pikmin, which is activated by holding Paddown / . Up to five Pikmin subsequently carry Olimar away, in doing so rendering him impervious to attacks. If any Pikmin carry Olimar to one of their Onions, the Onion will spin like it is making more Pikmin, but it actually sends out fireworks and Olimar is safely returned to the ground. This function does not exist in Pikmin 2, even though the Pikmin can carry Olimar to an Onion.

In the first game, lying down made Captain Olimar completely impervious to attacks. This is not true in Pikmin 2, save for the rocks that are spit by Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae and Decorated Cannon Beetles. If the leader in the Napsack is picked up by a Dweevil and this beast wanders off the sublevel into the abyss, a glitch occurs.

Rocket Fist

The Rocket Fist can be obtained by defeating one of the Mamuta in the Frontier Cavern, and collecting the Brute Knuckles. It enables a new, stronger punching combo attack for use by the leaders, which makes defeating enemies with leaders alone much easier and more efficient. Without the upgrade, the A / button will produce a simple right punch. Once this treasure has been collected, pressing A / a second time will perform a left-hook, and a third time launches a devastating wind-up punch. Due to a glitch, punching while moving makes the attacks come out faster, which greatly boosts the Rocket Fist's effectiveness.

This third punch has the strength of roughly three normal punches, and can dispatch a smaller enemy, such as a Dwarf Red Bulborb, with minimal effort. It is capable of reaching flying enemies and other obstacles high in the air, such as Puffy Blowhogs, if positioned directly under them.

The power-up will not affect the inactive leader, as his attack speed is programmed to be just slow enough not to trigger the function. Using the leader's attacks together will still boost the total damage by a fair amount, and is suggested to be used often, though with careful watch for counter attacks so the inactive leader can move in advance.

Rush Boots

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 2. Particularly: A speed comparison value would be nice, i.e. measure how fast a leader is before and after the boots.

The Rush Boots can be obtained by defeating the Empress Bulblax in the Frontier Cavern, and collecting the Repugnant Appendage. It is a modification to the leaders' footwear that allows them to run more quickly, at the same speed as flowered White Pikmin. The Rush Boots also renders the blowing attack of Puffy and Withering Blowhogs ineffective against leaders. The ship explains both functions as the result of lowered air resistance. It can provide to be a minor hindrance however, as the Pikmin's speed is not increased alongside the leader's, so they fall behind, are harder to control and often get stuck when going around corners.

Solar System

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 2. Particularly: The Pikmin Wiki page claims this has the opposite effect on sublevel 10 of the Cavern of Chaos. Confirm.

The Solar System can be collected by defeating the Man-At-Legs in the Subterranean Complex, and collecting the Stellar Orb. It is a device that will illuminate any sort of darkness inside a cave's sublevels. This way, it is possible to see things that are very far away when underground. The name does not refer to where the Earth is located, but really means a system that produces solar or light energy.

Treasure Gauge

The Treasure Gauge indicator that appears on the bottom right of the screen. It is currently activated.

See more: HUD.

The Treasure Gauge is a helpful device found in Pikmin 2 that helps with tracking down every treasure in the game, no matter if is out in the open, an enemy has it or it is buried. It is obtained by collecting the Prototype Detector from the Empress Bulblax in the Hole of Beasts. When it is in the Exploration Kit, a gauge appears on the HUD. In it, there is a needle that wiggles continuously when a treasure is in the current field or cave, and the closer the current leader is to a treasure, the farther to the right it goes, and the harder it beeps. It can be interfered with by the Antenna Beetle, the only Exploration Kit upgrade to be specifically targeted in gameplay.

Gallery

This article or section is in need of more images. Particularly: Some of the other utilities, such as the Mega Tweeter or Napsack You can help Pikipedia by uploading some images.

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  Olimar using the Rocket Fist.

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  A different angle of Olimar using the Rocket Fist.

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  Screenshot of Pluckaphone being used.

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  Alph encounters the Dodge Whistle.

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  The Metal Suit Z is encountered by Charlie.

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  Brittany finds the Anti-Electrifier.

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  Brittany finds the Scorch Guard.

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  The Dodge Whistle once returned to the Drake.

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  The Metal Suit Z once returned to the Drake.

• Anti-Electrifier.jpg

  The Anti-Electrifier once returned to the Drake.

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  The Scorch Guard once returned to the Drake.

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  Location of Dodge Whistle.

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  Location of the Metal Suit Z. In this case, it is on a ledge next to Charlie.

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  Location of the Anti-Electrifier.

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  Location of the Scorch Guard. In this case, it is on the ledge right next to Alph.

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  The Data File for the Dodge Whistle.

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  The Data File that corresponds with the Metal Suit Z.

• Anti-ElectrifierDataFile.jpeg

  The Data File that explains the Anti-Electrifier.

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  The Data File for the Scorch Guard.

Trivia

• The pieces of the kit come into effect as soon as they are collected. This is most easily observed with the Treasure Gauge or the Solar System. However, if the cave is escaped, rather than using the geyser, in Pikmin 2, the power-up is revoked.
• The ship in Pikmin 2 claims that the Metal Suit Z will make enemy bites and being stepped on produce minimal pain. This is a gross simplification on its part, intended to avoid having to explain its intricacies in detail. All sources of pain will be reduced dramatically, not just those two sources, and enemies like Shearwigs and Wollywogs will still produce a significant amount of damage.