50 Pikmin challenge

A 50-Pikmin run is a playthrough of Pikmin with only 50 Pikmin, the minimum possible number. Like the 6-day run or the zero-death run, it is recommended that you have completed the game at least once before attempting due to its challenging nature. Until the Gluon Drive is collected, it is only possible with no Pikmin deaths and is therefore harder than the zero-death run.

Walkthrough

Day 1

The Impact Site

• Grow 25 Red Pikmin (allow them to flower).
• Collect the Main Engine.

Day 2

The Forest of Hope

• Grow 14 Red Pikmin (for a total of 39).
• Kill the 2 Dwarf Bulborbs near the Dolphin.
• Collect the Shock Absorber.
• Grow 10 Yellow Pikmin.
• Collect the Eternal Fuel Dynamo (with 39 reds and 1 yellow).
• Destroy the stone wall next to the Yellow Onion.
• Destroy the stone wall next to the Dolphin.

Day 3

The Forest of Hope

• Kill the Bulborb near the black gate blocking the Nova Blaster.
• Destroy the black gate blocking the Nova Blaster.
• Destroy the black stone wall blocking the Extraordinary Bolt.
• Collect the Whimsical Radar (distract enemies).
• Collect the Extraordinary Bolt (distract enemies).
• Kill the Bulborb near the Nova Blaster.
• Collect the Nova Blaster.

Day 4

The Forest Navel

• Collect the Automatic Gear (with 14 reds and 1 yellow).
• Build the 2 ramps leading to the Fiery Blowhogs (use Red Pikmin only).
• Build the ramp leading to the Gravity Jumper (use Yellow Pikmin).
• Get the Pikmin that collected the Automatic Gear and use them to help build the 2 ramps (not the yellow).
• Collect the Gravity Jumper using all of the Red Pikmin (build the rest of the nearby ramp if necessary).
• Have the Yellow Pikmin grab 9 bombs.
• Destroy the black stone wall near Beady Long Legs' arena.

Day 5

The Forest Navel

• Have Yellow Pikmin grab 6 bombs.
• Destroy the stone wall next to the Dolphin.
• Destroy the white gate next to the ship until a nearby Pellet Posy grows.
• Kill a Pellet Posy to lure the Breadbug.
• Kill the Breadbug by throwing Pikmin on top of it.
• Collect the Space Float.
• Begin to destroy the gate blocking the Analog Computer (using Red Pikmin).
• If time permits, begin building the bridge leading to the Libra.

Day 6

The Forest Navel

• Kill the Puffstool (using Red Pikmin).
• Collect the Omega Stabilizer (distract the Sheargrubs, Shearwigs, and Wollywog).
• Discover the Blue Onion and pick the Blue Pikmin.
• Flower the Blue Pikmin.
• Finish destroying the gate blocking the Analog Computer or building the bridge leading to the Libra (using Red Pikmin).

Day 7

The Forest Navel

• Pick all red and yellow Pikmin.
• Dismiss the group near the destroyed black stone gate near Beady Long Legs' arena.
• Convert 10 Red Pikmin into Yellow Pikmin using the Candypop Bud.
• Have Yellow Pikmin grab 10 bombs.
• Destroy the stone wall leading to Beady Long Legs' arena.
• Destroy the black gate near Beady Long Legs' arena.
• Pick 10 Yellow Pikmin and dismiss them near the arena.
• Defeat Beady Long Legs.
• Collect the Guard Satellite using Red Pikmin (distract Sheargrubs).
• Pick Blue Pikmin.
• Regroup with the Red Pikmin.
• Take all Pikmin to the Libra.
• Collect the Libra.
• Convert 10 Yellow Pikmin into Red Pikmin using the Candypop Bud.

Day 8

The Distant Spring

• Kill the Shearwigs near the Massage Machine by luring them into the water and punching them.
• Begin to build the bridge to the Massage Machine.
• Kill all 3 land-based Puffy Blowhogs.
• Kill the Armored Cannon Beetle.
• Kill all Swooping Snitchbugs.
• Have Yellow Pikmin grab 10 bombs from the skull near the Ionium Jet #2.
• Destroy the black stone wall next to the Dolphin.
• Have Yellow Pikmin grab as many bombs as possible from the skull near the Gluon Drive (don't wake the Spotty Bulbear).
• Destroy as much of the stone wall near the Gluon Drive as possible.

Day 9

The Distant Spring NOTE: For time purposes, the parts do not need to be completely collected; they can be brought close enough to the ship (within the distance from the black stone wall to the ship) for easy collection later when time permits.

• Continue building the bridge to the Massage Machine with Blue Pikmin.
• Kill all the Bulbears except the one near the Massage Machine using Red Pikmin.
• Destroy the gate and build the ramp near the Armored Cannon Beetle's arena using Red Pikmin.
• Collect the UV Lamp using Yellow Pikmin.
• Finish destroying the stone wall near the Gluon Drive.
• Collect the Bowsprit (distract Shearwigs).
• Collect the Pilot's Seat (distract Shearwigs).

Day 10

The Distant Spring

• Finish building the bridge to the Massage Machine.
• Convert 34 Red and 6 Yellow Pikmin into Blue Pikmin using the Candypop Bud.
• Pick the 40 Blue Pikmin and flower them.
• Kill the Puffy Blowhog with the Interstellar Radio (lure it towards the Massage Machine before killing).
• Collect the Interstellar Radio using 20 Blue Pikmin.
• Collect the Repair-Type Bolt with the remaining Blue Pikmin.
• Collect the Massage Machine.
• Kill the Shearwigs next to the water-based bridge near the Gluon Drive.

Day 11

Distant Spring

• Pull out all the reds and yellows and begin building the land-based side of the bridge nearest to the Gluon Drive.
• Collect Ionium Jet #2 with 15 blues (distract water dumples).
• Convert 20 blues into yellows in the Candypop and pick them.
• Toss the 20 yellows up to the Chronos Reactor to get it down.
• Convert 20 yellows into blues in the Candypop and pick them.
• Collect Chronos Reactor.

Day 12

Distant Spring

• Lure the Wollywog nearest to the Gluon Drive towards the Zirconium Rotor
• Pull out all the Pikmin and build the bridges nearest to the Gluon Drive
• Collect Gluon Drive
• Lure the Wollywog that used to be near the Gluon Drive towards the unfurled bridge
• Lure the Wollywog that is closest to the Zirconium Rotor into the corner where the two tree stumps meet so that it is closer to the Zirconium Rotor
• Lure the Wollywog that is closest to the white gate blocking the route to the Zirconium Rotor closer to the spot where the Pilot's Seat used to be
• Destroy the white gate that is blocking the Zirconium Rotor using all the blues
• Collect Zirconium Rotor using all the blues

Day 13

Forest of Hope

• Pull out all the blues
• Begin destroying the water gate near the Radiation Canopy using 11 blues
• Kill the 2 dwarf bulborbs nearest to the ship
• Kill the sheargrubs near the bridge (lure the males into the water)
• Destroy the land-based bridge using all of the blues
• Begin destroying the bridge to the Sagittarius using 20 blues
• Push the box blocking the route to the Snagrets using the 10 blues that are doing no task
• Help build the bridge blocking the Sagittarius using the 10 box-pushing blues
• If the water gate near the Radiation Canopy is destroyed before the Bridge, then begin to destroy the black gate blocking the Radiation Canopy
• Collect Sagittarius
• Pull out all the Pikmin
• Kill the Bulborb near the Radiation Canopy
• Destroy the black gate blocking the Radiation Canopy
• Get the Armored Cannon Beetle to open its wings and then quickly start to collect the Radiation Canopy
• Distract the Armored Cannon Beetle until the Radiation Canopy is out of its range
• Continue collecting the Radiation Canopy

Day 14

Forest of Hope

• Kill the Snagret with the Geiger Counter using blues
• Collect the Geiger Counter

Day 15

Impact Site

• Pull out all the yellows and blues
• Have the yellows grab 4 bombs
• Destroy the stone wall
• Use the remaining bomb on the gate and begin destroying the gate (with 4 yellows and 21 blues)
• Kill the Pearly Clamclamp with the Positron Generator using the 20 taskless blues
• Collect Positron Generator
• Flower up any unflowered Pikmin

Day 16

Forest Navel

• Kill the fiery blowhog nearest to the undestroyed black stone wall with 5 reds
• Collect Ionium Jet #1 using 15 blues
• Begin killing the Fiery Blowhog 2nd nearest the ramps with the 5 reds
• Lure the Wollywogs away from the Anti-Dioxin Filter
• Collect Anti-Dioxin Filter

Day 17

Forest Navel

• Pull out 30 blues and 5 reds
• Using the blues, get the Analog Computer out of the water
• Flip the Flint Beetle over to get some nectar
• Convert 30 blues into reds and pick
• Flower up using Flint Beetle nectar
• Collect Analog Computer

Day 18

Distant Spring

• Collect any parts not collected

Day 19

The Final Trial

• Destroy all of the obstacles blocking the route to Emperor Bulblax
• Convert 10 blues into reds
• Wait until they flower, then pick the reds

Day 20

The Final Trial

• Kill Emperor Bulblax
• Collect Secret Safe

Trivia

• This challenge cannot be fully completed in the Japanese version, because the Secret Safe requires 85 Pikmin to lift it.