User:Marxo Grouch/Pikmin 4 low day run

In Pikmin 4, a low day run can fall into several different categories. There is the 13 day run to complete both parts of the main story (first 9 days for Rescue Olimar, the last 3 days for Cure Oatchi, and the last day for the end cutscene). For 100% completion of all areas during the main story, there is the 14 day run. Lastly, there is the 33 day run for 100% completion of the entire game. Olimar's Shipwreck Tale has its own low day run, with the minimum being 4 days, though days in that game mode are counted separately from the main mode.

This page covers one outline for completing the main story and 100% completion of the entire game in the lowest number of days possible. This includes a low day run outline for Olimar’s Shipwreck Tale.

Author’s Notes

This project is mainly based on these two videos. Marxo Grouch (talk)

Rescue Olimar (9 days)

Day 1

Rescue Command Post

• As this is just like any other tutorial, simply follow the normal procedures. Find Oatchi, rescue Collin, enter the Burrow of Beginnings and rescue Shepherd, exit the cave and reach the S.S. Shepherd, activate the Red Onion, grow at least 11 Red Pikmin, and carry the Noble Bident, Path Creator, and Stone of Advancement in any order you wish. Once all three treasures are obtained and the Sparklium count reaches  × 300, the day ends.

Note: Like with Pikmin 3, Pikmin cannot grow into buds or flowers on the first day, so don’t waste time waiting for sprouts to bloom. However, a good idea would be to harvest the optional Pellet Posies in the area and pluck the resulting sprouts the next day once they bloom. The lack of time passing at the Rescue Command Post in general makes harvesting flowered Pikmin there optimal, regardless of the daily 12 Pikmin limit.

Day 2

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• Take all available Pikmin out of the Onion and have them carry the pile of raw material back to the S.S. Beagle.
• Travel further along to the dirt wall and have Oatchi destroy it with two rushes.
• Enter the Last-Frost Cavern.

Last-Frost Cavern

• Take out the Female Sheargrubs and have Oatchi rush into the jar blockade. Feel free to flower up any leaf Pikmin in your squad with the nectar inside the jars.
• Defeat the Snowy Blowhog and recruit the wild Ice Pikmin.
• Sic the Ice Pikmin on the Male and Female Sheargrubs up ahead while the Red Pikmin push the paper bag down.
• With the Sheargrubs dealt with, have a few Red Pikmin carry the nearby pile of raw material while at least 2 Ice Pikmin freeze the hydro jelly and the rest of them and a few more Red Pikmin carry the Refreshing Goo.
• Break the nearby jars and have five Pikmin dig up the Flarlic.
• Once the hydro jelly is frozen, rush through it and have 3 Pikmin transport the castaway.
• Return to the S.S. Beagle and retrieve any idle Pikmin, making sure you have at least 7. Have Oatchi rush into the ledge where the Director of Destiny is and order the Pikmin to carry it.
• Order Oatchi and any remaining Pikmin to help transport any valuables. Once the castaway, Flarlic, raw material, and treasures have been collected, exit the cave.

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• Defeat the Fiery Blowhog guarding the Rugged Scaffold base, but do not switch bases.
• Go to the foot of the paper bag ramp near the sleeping Bulborb. While holding , throw 10 Pikmin to near the back end of the ramp, then go around, call them back, then dismiss them. If done correctly, the Pikmin should automatically begin pushing the paper bag down.
• While the paper bag is being pushed down, head to the nearby pond and cause Oatchi to struggle to swim in the water. This will ensure that he can swim starting on day 4.
• Go up the newly accessible ramp and have all Pikmin uncover the buried Crackling Cauldron and enter it.

Crackling Cauldron

• Sublevel 1
  • Head towards the opposite part of the cave, ignoring the Fiery Blowhog.
  • Have 3 Pikmin dig up the Illumination Goo and 5 more carry the Deceptive Snack while taking out the Shearwigs.
  • Pluck the nearby Yellow Pikmin sprouts and head further up ahead, whistling the nearby wild Yellow Pikmin and ignoring the Fiery Blowhog.
  • Throw the 10 Yellow Pikmin at the dangling Dusty Bed to bring it down, making sure to take care of the Shearwigs that emerge.
  • Have 10 non-Yellow Pikmin and Oatchi carry the Dusty Bed while any other non-Yellows in your squad will deal with the nearby pile of raw material.
  • Order the 10 Yellow Pikmin to destroy the electric gate. It’s also at this point that the nearby nectar eggs can be destroyed.
  • Once the gate is down and all treasures have been transported, head to the next sublevel.
• Sublevel 2
  • Have a Red Pikmin extinguish the nearby sizzling floor while you head down the opposite path.
  • Take out the Shearwig near the electric gate and have 5 non-Yellow Pikmin transport the pile of raw material.
  • Going down the nearby pathway, order Oatchi to attack the dirt gate with a rush before moving on to the area with the castaway. Take out the Shearwig and have any Red Pikmin in your squad extinguish the sizzling floor as you pluck the nearby Yellow Pikmin.
  • With the floor clear, call back Oatchi and have 3 Yellow Pikmin carry the castaway. Return to the dirt gate and destroy it with another rush.
  • Beyond the dirt gate, have your Red Pikmin extinguish the sizzling floor near the Cookie of Nibbled Circles and S.S. Chocolate while having Yellow Pikmin carry those very treasures.
  • In the next chamber over, have the Red Pikmin start digging up the Daughter of the Earth. Then throw any non-Red Pikmin out of your squad and traverse over the sizzling floor to the small alcove with some Yellow Pikmin sprouts to pluck.
  • Once the sizzling floor around the Daughter of the Earth has been extinguished, order Oatch and all nearby Pikmin to start digging up the treasure as you head for the cave exit. Once the castaway and all treasures have been obtained, exit the cave.

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• At this point, the day can be ended. However, the player may choose to search for any above ground treasures they can currently access, including the Flarlic and the Yellow Onion. The following sections will assume that the day was ended immediately after exiting the Crackling Cauldron.

Day 3

Rescue Command Post

• Learn Buff level 3 and Super Buff level 1.
• Purchase the Charging Horn from Russ.

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• Mount Oatchi and head for Hectic Hollows.

Hectic Hollows

• Sublevel 1
  • Take in 20 Yellow Pikmin and 10 Ice Pikmin.
  • Defeat the Dwarf Bulborbs, carry them back to the S.S. Beagle, and have the Yellow Pikmin start building the climbing wall.
  • Go to the ledge with the Ice Pikmin sprouts. Dismiss the squad and have the player character pluck the sprouts while Oatchi freezes the nearby water with the Ice Pikmin brought in.
  • Knock down the Mama Doll Head with a rush and have Oatchi carry it.
  • Switch back to the player character, whistle back the Ice Pikmin freezing the water, and climb up the now complete climbing wall with the Yellow Pikmin in tow.
  • Have a Yellow Pikmin break the nectar eggs while 2 Ice Pikmin freeze the nearby hydro jelly.
  • Order all the remaining Yellow Pikmin to charge at the pile of raw material while defeating the nearby Dwarf Bulborbs, but make sure there are enough Pikmin to help the two wild Ice Pikmin push the paper bag down.
  • Throw Ice Pikmin at the hydro jelly near the paper bag. Then switch to Oatchi (once the Mama Doll Head is either collected or close enough to base) and have him rush into the frozen hydro jelly. Use the paper bag Pikmin to carry the Empty Vase inside.
  • Smash open the other hydro jelly to reveal 5 wild Ice Pikmin. Then smash open the jars nearby to reveal the way to the next sublevel. Once all treasures are collected, head further down.
• Sublevel 2
  • Defeat the Tusked Blowhog and obtain the wild Ice Pikmin inside the nearby jars.
  • Throw 10 Yellow Pikmin at the Aspiration-Ritual Pole, then use a rush to knock down the castaway.
  • Have all Pikmin prioritize the transportation of these two things. Once they're collected, exit the cave.

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• TBA

Day 4

Blossoming Arcadia

• TBA

Day 5

Serene Shores

• TBA

Day 6, 7 and 8

• After Yonny is rescued the player will have access to night expeditions, and these can be done at any time. At least three night expeditions must be completed to progress with the main story. The first two must take place at the Ancient Arches and Rugged Scaffold bases in Sun-Speckled Terrace, while the third expedition can be set in any base with two Lumiknolls, either Misshapen Pond in Blossoming Arcadia or Water's Edge in Serene Shores.

Day 9

Hero's Hideaway

• TBA

Note: If any leaflings were rescued prior to rescuing Olimar, the player will need to go on a fourth night expedition as any extra cures obtained on the third night expedition will be used on another leafling. This effectively bumps the minimum number of days for rescuing Olimar to 10 if the player is aiming for immediate 100% completion of each area.

Cure Oatchi (13 days)

Day 10

Giant's Hearth

• TBA

Day 11

Primordial Thicket

• TBA

Day 12

Primordial Thicket

• TBA

Day 13

Although the story can technically be completed in 12 days, the next morning in the Rescue Command Post after defeating the Ancient Sirehound is counted in the final results, effectively making it 13 days.

Night Expeditions and Fit for a Feast (Day 13 - 31)

With the story now completed, it is now time to prioritize 100% completion. Any remaining night expeditions can be completed in any order the player chooses and at any time. Fit For a Feast has the player returning to every location to collect creatures for Louie, and can also be done at any time albeit in a fixed order. These day expeditions can also be used to collect anything in the area that the player missed, such as leaflings or stray treasure, and to complete other side missions. The order of locations detailed below is in the order of caves recommended by Louie.

Fit for a Feast Day 1

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• Go to the first sublevel of Hectic Hollows and collect 4 Dwarf Bulborbs.

Fit For a Feast Day 2

Blossoming Arcadia

• Go to the second sublevel of Secluded Courtyard and collect 2 Yellow Wollyhops.

Fit for a Feast Day 3

Serene Shores

• Go to either the second or third sublevel of Seafloor Resort and collect 1 Peckish Aristocrab.

Fit for a Feast Day 4

Giant's Hearth

• Go to the first sublevel of Cradle of the Beast and collect 1 Fiery Bulblax.

Fit for a Feast Day 5

Hero's Hideaway

• Go to the fifth sublevel of Plunder Palace and collect 1 Giant Breadbug.

Fit for a Feast Day 6

Primordial Thicket

• Go to the eighteenth sublevel of Cavern for a King and collect 1 Sovereign Bulblax.

Olimar’s Shipwreck Tale (4 days) and Trial of the Sage Leaf (Day 32)

Although Olimar's Shipwreck Take can be accessed at any time after rescuing the Hocotatian himself, it is optimal to do it after learning the Infinite Rush skill, which is useful for optimizing time in this mode. The mode also has a useful rewind feature for restarting days where not everything was collected.

15 Days Left

Sun-Speckled Terrace

• TBA

14 Days Left

Blossoming Arcadia

• TBA

13 Days Left

Serene Shores

• TBA

12 Days Left

Hero's Hideaway

• TBA

Trial of the Sage Leaf

Once Olimar's Shipwreck Tale is complete, the Trial of the Sage Leaf is made available in the Rescue Command Post. As the day ends upon exiting the cave, it must be completed in one go to ensure preservation of the minimum number of days needed to complete the game.

Day 33

Day 33 is the final morning spent on PNF-404 in this run. It should be spent finalizing all side missions available. After this is done, the player must talk to Bernard to formally end the game by leaving the planet.

See also

• Low day run
• Challenge run