Pikmin 3

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{{Infobox enemy
{{Infobox enemy
|image = Pikmin3 Rawr.png
|image       = Sandbelching meerslug.png
|size = 250px
|size       = 200px
|pikmin3 = y
|icon        = Sandbelching Meerslug icon.png
|areas = [[Tropical Wilds]]
|custom_icon = y
|weight = 20
|pikmin3    = y
|max_pikmin = 30
|name        = Gastropoidae anguilii
|seeds = 50
|family      = Meerslug
|attacks = Eats Pikmin, launches boulders
|attacks     = Shoot clumps of sand, create sand pit and eat Pikmin
|areas      = [[Tropical Wilds]]
}}
}}
The '''Sandbelching Meerslug''' is the third boss of ''[[Pikmin 3]]'' and the boss of the [[Tropical Wilds]]. It is a giant worm capable of shooting boulders and creating sinkholes. After rescuing Charlie, the leaders go to the Tropical Wilds to investigate a signal, which they believe to be [[Captain Olimar]].


==Attacks==
The '''Sandbelching Meerslug''' ({{j|オオスナフラシ|Oo Suna Furashi|Giant Sand Rainer}}) is a [[boss]] in ''[[Pikmin 3]]'' and the third major boss encountered in [[Story Mode]], at the [[Tropical Wilds]]. It is a light brown eel-like creature resembling a {{w|lamprey}}, with very small eyes, thick purple lips and two rows of large sharp teeth. Further down its body, it gets wider and harbors spike-like protrusions. It is one of the largest bosses in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]] to date.
The Sandbelching Meerslug will either create a sinkhole to suck in the player's Pikmin or to launch boulders to crush the Pikmin. As it loses health, these attacks steadily become more dangerous: the Meerslug will create a sinkhole the size of the arena, or will create sinkholes with sharp drops; it will also shoot boulders progressively faster.


==Strategy to defeat==
Upon attempting to [[Dig|dig up]] the [[Folded Data Glutton]] buried in the center of the arena, the Meerslug appears from beneath the sand, eats the device, and begins to attack the leaders and the Pikmin. It tunnels beneath the side, causing waves of sand to appear across the surface, which signifies its location. It will try to trap and eat Pikmin by creating a sinkhole in the sand that sucks them in. The most effective way is to throw a bomb rock into its open mouth. The eating attack it performs at the bottom of its sinkhole does the most damage to leaders out of any attack in the game, taking out thirty percent of a leader's health in a single chomp. It can also spit balls of sand, which can plant Pikmin. These planted Pikmin can still be eaten by the Meerslug. Upon its defeat, it will spit out the Folded Data Glutton as well as the [[Crimson Banquet]], which breaks into pieces upon hitting the ground.
The Sandbelching Meerslug is most vulnerable when it exposes itself. When it rises up to shoot boulders, the player should charge all their Pikmin at the Meerslug. Doing so will cause it to pop out of the sand, allowing the player's Pikmin to attack it. If it creates a sinkhole, the leaders and the Pikmin should retreat, or risk being sucked in by the Meerslug. A riskier strategy is to charge all of the player's Pikmin at it while it's at the bottom of the sinkhole; if done correctly, the Meerslug will be forced out with no casualties. Alternatively, bomb-rocks can be thrown into its mouth while in a sinkhole to deal a large amount of damage; the player must be careful with bomb rock carrying Pikmin so as to not get squished by the Meerslug when it is popped out, lest the player risks losing a part of their army.


Once the Meerslug is below 50% [[health]], it will sometimes circle around the arena; when it does so, it will create a massive sinkhole. When it's spiraling in, the player should use the described strategies above. At this point, it is also capable of creating sinkholes with sharp drops, making it impossible to get out of if caught. The Sandbelching Meerslug also shoots boulders much faster, but the [[Dodge Whistle]] is useful for evading the boulders. Continue to attack the Meerslug in this way, and it will die. Upon death, it releases the [[Folded Data Glutton]], which unlocks the [[Twilight River]], and it releases the [[Crimson Banquet]], a watermelon, which gives the Koppaites 3 days' worth of juice.
Recovering its corpse can prove to be a difficult task at times. Due to the game's physics, it is possible for the creature to flail intensely{{cite youtube|LLkKIgaj-XQ|demonstrating the corpse flailing about}}, and at times, it can get stuck inside a wall, unable to be carried.{{cite web|https://web.archive.org/web/20171016102909/https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAADVHkcgX2_JA|Miiverse post where a user complains of a stuck Sandbelching Meerslug|Wayback Machine}}
 
==Stats==
{{enemy stats
|weight3 = 20
|carriers3 = 30
|seeds3 = 50
|value3 = N/A
|hp3 = 10000
|regen3 = Unknown
}}
 
{{notes|p3dpalphus=y|p3dpalpheu=y|p3dpbrittanyus=y|p3dpbrittanyeu=y|p3dpcharlie=y|p3dplouie=y|p3dpolimar=y}}
 
===''Pikmin 3'' Prima Guide===
{{transcript|The Sandbelching Meerslug is located in the Tropical Wilds. This creature has two basic attacks. While burrowed in the sand, the Sandbelching Meerslug creates a large pit that traps victims until they can be devoured. When the creature emerges from the sand, it attacks its targets by spitting large projectiles.
 
When the Sandbelching Meerslug emerges from the sand, send a large squad of Pikmin charging in to attack. When the creature takes enough damage, it's launched into the air and temporarily incapacitated.
 
When the Sandbelching Meerslug creates a large pit, you can either avoid the attack or toss a Bomb Rock into the creature's mouth to temporarily incapacitate the creature.
 
Whenever you manage to incapacitate the Sandbelching Meerslug, send your Pikmin charging in to deal heavy damage.|block=y}}
 
==Behavior==
The Sandbelching Meerslug moves quickly and does not show itself while on the move. Due to its enormous size, however, it can easily be seen burrowing just below the layer of sand in its arena. It will chase any [[leader]]s or Pikmin down and then follow up by emerging from the sand, where it will spit sand balls, and at the same time be left vulnerable, or burrow deeper into the sand and create a sinkhole to bring Pikmin down to its mouth, where they are eaten at a considerable rate. When damaged enough or fed a [[bomb rock]], the Meerslug will be forced from the ground and lay as a massive target for all Pikmin for a moment. Afterwards, it will burrow back into the ground and repeat its attacks.
 
The Meerslug has a few basic attacks, but has many ways of executing them. It will either create a sinkhole to draw in and eat any Pikmin, including those which are buried, or shoot boulders of sand (hence its name) to bury the Pikmin. As its [[health]] gets lower, the attacks get more dangerous:
*At about half of its health, it will spiral around the arena, and turn the whole location into a sinkhole.
*Below half of its health, it will abruptly come to a stop and create another sinkhole. This time, the sinkhole is so steep that it is impossible to climb out of it.
*It can start shooting out giant sand boulders, which can bury many more Pikmin.
*It can fire many smaller boulders in rapid succession.
 
==Defeat Bosses!==
The Sandbelching Meerslug is the third opponent in [[Defeat Bosses!]], and the player is given 13 minutes to kill it. The entrance/exit to the sandy arena is blocked off by a "keep out" sign. The player starts with Alph (player 1's starting leader), Brittany (player 2's starting leader), and Charlie. Their order in ''Pikmin 3'' is Alph, Brittany, Charlie, and in ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe'' the [[action menu|order]] is Brittany, Charlie, Alph. The player also starts with 20 Red, 20 Rock, and 10 Yellow Pikmin that have to be recalled due to the Meerslug's introduction. Dotted around the arena are buried bud and flower Pikmin. Behind the start are Reds in groups of 10 and 5. The south side of the arena has 5 Reds and 10 Rocks, as well as two bomb rocks on a ledge outside of the arena. On the far side from the entrance is a group of 10 Reds, and to the north is 5 Rocks and 5 Yellows, for a total of 50 Red, 35 Rock, and 15 Yellow Pikmin. The dirt mounds that originally contained the Meerslug's Data Files now have 5 bomb rocks (north) and 3 bombs rocks (southwest).
 
The following table lists what medal the player gets according to the time they take:<ref>The values in the Prima Guide are incorrect. These are the values used in the game's files, as per <code>content/CMCmn/system/mission_set/miset_misBoss3.szs/misBoss3.txt</code>: <pre># RuleData
{
# BeatBossMission version
20130126
# CID
33554506
# GradeTime
3 1 # プラチナ
4 1 # 金
6 1 # 銀
8 1 # 銅
}</pre></ref>
 
{| class="wikitable"
! Bronze || Silver || Gold || Platinum
|-
| 8:00 - 6:01 || 6:00 - 4:01 || 4:00 - 3:01 || 3:00 - 0:00
|}
 
{{world records | date = {{date|9|December|2015}} | dbs = 1:04 | dbc = 1:09 | p3 = y}}
{{world records | date = {{date|15|November|2024}} | dbs = 0:43 | dbc = 0:45 | p3d = y}}
 
==Strategy==
{{guide}}
 
===Attacks===
The Sandbelching Meerslug has two basic attacks, but has many different ways to execute them. As its health gets lower, the attacks get more dangerous.
 
There are three ways it can make a sinkhole:
*It will stop and burrow underground to create a sinkhole. Pikmin that aren't fast enough to escape will be eaten at the bottom.
*At about half of its health, it will spiral around the arena for a few seconds and turn the whole arena into a sinkhole.
*Below half of its health, it will abruptly come to a stop and create a steep sinkhole.
 
It can also attack by shooting sand:
*It will rise out of the sand and shoot 3 small sand boulders that can bury your Pikmin. Pluck them to get them out of the sand.
*After a quarter of its health is gone, it will shoot 5-7 sand boulders, a bit faster than before.
*Below half health, it can start shooting out 3 giant sand boulders, which can bury many more Pikmin.
*Below half health, it can also shoot many smaller boulders in rapid succession.
If Pikmin holding bomb rocks are buried, the bomb rock will instantly go off. As such, it may be wise to keep your bomb rock Pikmin with another leader.
 
===Basic strategy===
When it emerges from the ground, it attacks by spitting large clumps of sand to bury its prey, hence its name. If Pikmin are hit by the clumps of sand, they will be buried back in the ground. Beware, as this enemy is exceptional in that not only can it bury your Pikmin, but it can kill them while they are underground too as sprouts that get sucked in are devoured as if they were free running Pikmin. Try to have another leader pluck the buried Pikmin while the active one continues the fight.
 
After its health wheel is in the yellow, it will move quickly in a circling fashion before creating a sinkhole that affects the whole arena, so it is highly recommended to retreat to the stone area where you entered from. After this, it will return to normal speed, but the holes it creates will have walls, meaning the Pikmin can no longer escape. It will also begin shooting sand balls with less intervals between them. However, when it does this, it needs a bit more time than normal to lump up the sand, leaving an optimal time to swarm it.
 
It is possible to immobilize the enemy by overwhelming it with Pikmin. This causes it to shoot out of the ground and lie on the floor for short while, leaving it vulnerable to further assaults. The best way to perform this is to use the [[charge]] command (throwing Pikmin doesn't work well here; if you can't get enough Pikmin to attack it at once, it will simply shake them off). Be sure to get very close to it before doing this, otherwise, the shifting sand will make the Pikmin lose their target and stop halfway towards it, leaving them under idle status and highly vulnerable to getting buried under sand balls.
 
Bomb rocks can also be thrown into the creature's mouth whilst it is creating a vortex to cause damage. This also causes it to jump out of the sand, which makes it the only of getting your Pikmin army to safety should you and your Pikmin be caught in its deep wall sinkhole. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you harvest all the bomb rocks in the arena before starting the fight. When you use the charge command, Pikmin holding bomb rocks will gather in their own group away from the action and when a Pikmin with a bomb rock is thrown into the creature's sinkhole, it'll drop the rock and run out of the hole without even needing to be whistled. This means that there's almost no drawbacks in getting the bomb rocks early.
 
Upon defeat, it expels another cellphone, albeit more modern in appearance than the one dropped by the [[Armored Mawdad]], and a relatively small watermelon, which bursts into smaller pieces after being expelled.
 
===Expert strategy===
This is a much quicker way to attack the Meerslug at any point. Rather than using bomb rocks to force the beast out of its hole, an alternate strategy is to swarm its lips with a large number of Red Pikmin. When the swarming Pikmin reach its lips, one will get trapped in its mouth, allowing all the others to attack while the boss is busy. If most of the Pikmin attack it at once, it will be forced out of the ground and become vulnerable, saving the trapped Pikmin in the process.
 
Using this strategy, the boss can be attacked at the same time that it is trying to attack, allowing for it to be defeated in under two minutes. However, this strategy is very dangerous, as if the Pikmin charge in a line to attack the Meerslug's lips, they will not deal enough damage in time to save the trapped Pikmin, who will then be eaten. It is advised that your Red Pikmin are flowered before battle so they don't lag behind when trying to charge.
 
Another strategy is to skip a cycle by forcing the boss to eat multiple bombs at once. This can skip up to 2 cycles.
 
==Badges==
In {{p3d}}, there is a [[badge (Pikmin 3 Deluxe)|badge]] the player can gain for defeating the Sandbelching Meerslug:
*'''Duel in the Dunes''': Defeating the Sandbelching Meerslug.
<gallery>
Badge 12 meerslug.png|Duel in the Dunes. The badge shows an illustration of the Meerslug.
</gallery>
 
==Technical information==
{{p3 enemy technical
|name      = arijigoku
|hp        = 10000
|brout    = 20
|brin      = 10
|white    = 0
|rock      = 400
|direct    = 0
|damage    = 30
|territory = 500
|value    = 0
}}
 
==Other information==
{{enemy other info
|music = ''[[Music in Pikmin 3#Boss battle|Boss battle]]''
}}
 
==Naming==
{{stub|section=y}}
{{see more|Meerslug family#Naming}}
{{naming
|common    = Sandbelching Meerslug. "Belching" is slang for "vomiting" or "spitting", so "sandbelching" means "spitting sand". The word "Meerslug" might come from "{{w|Meerkat}}", and "{{w|slug}}".
|jpcommon  = {{j|オオスナフラシ|Oo Suna Furashi}}. {{j|オオ|oo}} means "giant", {{j|スナ|suna}} means "sand", and {{j|フラシ|furashi}} means "rainer" (as in to cause something to rain down).
|internal  = Internally, it is called <code>arijigoku</code>, which means "antlion pit", referring to it causing pits to draw in Pikmin to eat
|jpname    = {{j|ハラジロオオウナゴ|Harajiro Oo Unago|White-bellied Giant Eel}}. {{j|ウナゴ|unago}} is a portmanteau of {{j|鰻|unagi}} and {{j|穴子|anago}}, both words for "eel", also used in the Japanese name of the [[Bogswallow]].
|scientific = ''Gastropoidae anguilii''. ''Anguilii'' comes from ''anguilla'', which is Latin for 'eel'.
}}
 
===Names in other languages===
{{Foreignname
|Jap  = オオスナフラシ
|JapR  = Oo Suna Furashi
|JapM  = Giant Sand Rainer
|Chi  = 巨齒沙蟲
|ChiM  = giant teeth sandstorm
|SpaA  = Babosa arenosa
|SpaAM = Sandy slug
|Fra  = Dégueulimace
|FraM = Pukeslug
|FraN  = Portmanteau of ''dégeulis'' (puke) and ''limace'' (slug)
|SpaE  = Babosa arenosa
|SpaEM = Sandy slug
|Ger  = Wühlmaul
|GerM  = Rummaging Mouth
|Kor  = 큰모래뿌리기
|KorR = Keunmolaeppuligi
|KorM = Large Sand Scatterer
|Ita  = Bruciadeserti
|ItaM  = Desert Burner
|ItaN = From "brucia" (burn) and "desert".
|notes = y
}}


==Gallery==
==Gallery==
<gallery>
<gallery>
File:Sandbelching Meerslug boulder.jpg|The Sandbelching Meerslug launching boulders.
Sandbelching Meerslug.png|E3 2013 screenshot of the Sandbelching Meerslug.
File:Sandbelching Meerslug sinkhole.jpg|The Meerslug creating a sinkhole.
Sandbelching Meerslug boulder.jpg|The Meerslug launching boulders.
File:Sandbelching Meerslug huge sinkhole.jpg|The Meerslug making a large sinkhole, as big as the arena.
SandbelchingMeerslug-Pikmin3.jpg|The Meerslug seen from a different angle.
File:Sandbelching Meerslug sharp drop.jpg|The Meerslug making a sinkhole with a sharp drop in it.
Sandbelching Meerslug sinkhole.jpg|The Meerslug creating a sinkhole.
File:Sandbelching Meerslug dead.jpg|The corpse of the Sandbelching Meerslug, next to the Crimson Banquet and the Folded Data Glutton it released.
Sandbelching Meerslug huge sinkhole.jpg|The Meerslug making a sinkhole as big as the arena.
Sandbelching Meerslug sharp drop.jpg|The Meerslug making a sinkhole with a sharp drop in it.
Sandbelching Meerslug P3 immobilized.jpg|The Meerslug forced above ground and immobilized.
SandbelchingMeerslugDefeat.png|The Meerslug defeated.
Sandbelching Meerslug dead.jpg|The spoils of defeating the Meerslug – the [[Crimson Banquet]], which is broken into several pieces, and the [[Folded Data Glutton]].
Sandbelching Meerslug P3 close up.jpg|A close up of the Meerslug's face.
Pikmin3 DeadMeerslug.jpeg|The deceased Meerslug being carried by some Pikmin.
SandbelchingMeerslugDataFile1.jpg|The first data file on the Meerslug.
SandbelchingMeerslugDataFile2.jpg|The second data file on the Meerslug.
Sandbelching Meerslug DB icon.png|Defeat Bosses! icon.
</gallery>
</gallery>


{{Enemies}}
==See also==
[[Category:Bosses]]
*[[Folded Data Glutton]]
*[[Minor obstacles#Sand sink-pit|Sand sink-pit]]
*[[Bogswallow]]
 
==References==
{{refs}}
 
{{Tropical Wilds}}
{{bosses}}
{{p3enemies}}
[[Category:Burrowing enemies]]
[[Category:Hiding enemies]]
[[Category:Pikmin-altering enemies]]
[[Category:Pikmin-eating enemies]]
[[Category:Pikmin 3 bosses]]

Latest revision as of 07:47, November 15, 2024

Sandbelching Meerslug Icon used to represent the enemy on the wiki.
Artwork of the Sandbelching Meerslug.
Appears in Pikmin 3
Scientific name Gastropoidae anguilii
Family Meerslug
Areas Tropical Wilds
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages None
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages None
Side Story days None
Bingo Battle stages None
Attacks Shoot clumps of sand, create sand pit and eat Pikmin

The Sandbelching Meerslug (オオスナフラシ?, lit.: "Giant Sand Rainer") is a boss in Pikmin 3 and the third major boss encountered in Story Mode, at the Tropical Wilds. It is a light brown eel-like creature resembling a lamprey, with very small eyes, thick purple lips and two rows of large sharp teeth. Further down its body, it gets wider and harbors spike-like protrusions. It is one of the largest bosses in the Pikmin series to date.

Upon attempting to dig up the Folded Data Glutton buried in the center of the arena, the Meerslug appears from beneath the sand, eats the device, and begins to attack the leaders and the Pikmin. It tunnels beneath the side, causing waves of sand to appear across the surface, which signifies its location. It will try to trap and eat Pikmin by creating a sinkhole in the sand that sucks them in. The most effective way is to throw a bomb rock into its open mouth. The eating attack it performs at the bottom of its sinkhole does the most damage to leaders out of any attack in the game, taking out thirty percent of a leader's health in a single chomp. It can also spit balls of sand, which can plant Pikmin. These planted Pikmin can still be eaten by the Meerslug. Upon its defeat, it will spit out the Folded Data Glutton as well as the Crimson Banquet, which breaks into pieces upon hitting the ground.

Recovering its corpse can prove to be a difficult task at times. Due to the game's physics, it is possible for the creature to flail intensely[1], and at times, it can get stuck inside a wall, unable to be carried.[2]

Stats[edit]

Weight Max.
carriers 		Seeds Value Health
20 30 (normally) 50 N/A 10000

Notes

Alph's comments

US version US version

“Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 20

It mostly stays below the sand but sometimes sticks its head out to lob balls of sand at Pikmin. If they're hit and stuck in the sand, they don't have any good defenses against it digging its hole beneath them. It reminds me a little of going to the beach, and how older kids would bury me in the sand. How I miss those days! But I've got to focus on saving Koppai for now.”
European version European version

“Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 20

It mostly stays below the sand, but sometimes sticks its head out to lob balls of sand at Pikmin. If they're hit and stuck in the sand, they don't have any good defences against it digging its hole beneath them. It reminds me a little of going to the beach, and how older kids would bury me in the sand. How I miss those days! But I've got to focus on saving Koppai for now.”

Brittany's comments

US version US version
“I try to get close and it just hides in its dumb, sandy hole. So I move away and it still hides behind those sand balls it's always tossing around. What's it got against me, huh?!”
European version European version
“I try to get close and it just hides in its stupid sandy hole. So I move away and it still hides behind those sand balls it's always chucking around. What's it got against me, eh?!”

Charlie's comments

“The area where we found this creature was practically a paradise. I still want to go back there and swim around in the sand with my rubber ducky. Maybe the crew would let me do it if I called it a training exercise.”

Louie's comments

“These are crowd-pleasers! Soak overnight to remove remaining sand. Slice cleaned meat into thick pieces and place on grill. Then apply a generous coating of barbecue sauce and cook until sticky and crispy.”

Olimar's comments

“Sandbelching Meerslug
Gastropoidae anguilii
Meerslug family

This giant, limbless invertebrate has a distinctive large orifice. It sets a cone-shaped trap in its sandy lair and waits for prey to fall into it. The main orifice serves as both mouth and anus. When it inhales sand, the grains go through its intestinal canal and come out polished and hardened when they are ejected. It's sensitive to sound and vibration. The best time to catch it off guard is when it jumps out from the sand after being startled.”

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide[edit]

“The Sandbelching Meerslug is located in the Tropical Wilds. This creature has two basic attacks. While burrowed in the sand, the Sandbelching Meerslug creates a large pit that traps victims until they can be devoured. When the creature emerges from the sand, it attacks its targets by spitting large projectiles.

When the Sandbelching Meerslug emerges from the sand, send a large squad of Pikmin charging in to attack. When the creature takes enough damage, it's launched into the air and temporarily incapacitated.

When the Sandbelching Meerslug creates a large pit, you can either avoid the attack or toss a Bomb Rock into the creature's mouth to temporarily incapacitate the creature.

Whenever you manage to incapacitate the Sandbelching Meerslug, send your Pikmin charging in to deal heavy damage.”

Behavior[edit]

The Sandbelching Meerslug moves quickly and does not show itself while on the move. Due to its enormous size, however, it can easily be seen burrowing just below the layer of sand in its arena. It will chase any leaders or Pikmin down and then follow up by emerging from the sand, where it will spit sand balls, and at the same time be left vulnerable, or burrow deeper into the sand and create a sinkhole to bring Pikmin down to its mouth, where they are eaten at a considerable rate. When damaged enough or fed a bomb rock, the Meerslug will be forced from the ground and lay as a massive target for all Pikmin for a moment. Afterwards, it will burrow back into the ground and repeat its attacks.

The Meerslug has a few basic attacks, but has many ways of executing them. It will either create a sinkhole to draw in and eat any Pikmin, including those which are buried, or shoot boulders of sand (hence its name) to bury the Pikmin. As its health gets lower, the attacks get more dangerous:

  • At about half of its health, it will spiral around the arena, and turn the whole location into a sinkhole.
  • Below half of its health, it will abruptly come to a stop and create another sinkhole. This time, the sinkhole is so steep that it is impossible to climb out of it.
  • It can start shooting out giant sand boulders, which can bury many more Pikmin.
  • It can fire many smaller boulders in rapid succession.

Defeat Bosses![edit]

The Sandbelching Meerslug is the third opponent in Defeat Bosses!, and the player is given 13 minutes to kill it. The entrance/exit to the sandy arena is blocked off by a "keep out" sign. The player starts with Alph (player 1's starting leader), Brittany (player 2's starting leader), and Charlie. Their order in Pikmin 3 is Alph, Brittany, Charlie, and in Pikmin 3 Deluxe the order is Brittany, Charlie, Alph. The player also starts with 20 Red, 20 Rock, and 10 Yellow Pikmin that have to be recalled due to the Meerslug's introduction. Dotted around the arena are buried bud and flower Pikmin. Behind the start are Reds in groups of 10 and 5. The south side of the arena has 5 Reds and 10 Rocks, as well as two bomb rocks on a ledge outside of the arena. On the far side from the entrance is a group of 10 Reds, and to the north is 5 Rocks and 5 Yellows, for a total of 50 Red, 35 Rock, and 15 Yellow Pikmin. The dirt mounds that originally contained the Meerslug's Data Files now have 5 bomb rocks (north) and 3 bombs rocks (southwest).

The following table lists what medal the player gets according to the time they take:[3]

Bronze Silver Gold Platinum
8:00 - 6:01 6:00 - 4:01 4:00 - 3:01 3:00 - 0:00

In Pikmin 3, these are the world records for the challenge, as obtained from the in-game global rankings feature. The following scores were retrieved on December 9th, 2015. Since the in-game leaderboards have been compromised, it is impossible to obtain more up-to-date legitimate records from the game, though players may have obtained higher scores since.

  • Solo: 1:04
  • Co-op: 1:09

In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, these are the world records for the challenge, as obtained from the in-game global rankings feature. The following scores were retrieved on November 15th, 2024.

  • Solo: 0:43
  • Co-op: 0:45

Strategy[edit]

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Attacks[edit]

The Sandbelching Meerslug has two basic attacks, but has many different ways to execute them. As its health gets lower, the attacks get more dangerous.

There are three ways it can make a sinkhole:

  • It will stop and burrow underground to create a sinkhole. Pikmin that aren't fast enough to escape will be eaten at the bottom.
  • At about half of its health, it will spiral around the arena for a few seconds and turn the whole arena into a sinkhole.
  • Below half of its health, it will abruptly come to a stop and create a steep sinkhole.

It can also attack by shooting sand:

  • It will rise out of the sand and shoot 3 small sand boulders that can bury your Pikmin. Pluck them to get them out of the sand.
  • After a quarter of its health is gone, it will shoot 5-7 sand boulders, a bit faster than before.
  • Below half health, it can start shooting out 3 giant sand boulders, which can bury many more Pikmin.
  • Below half health, it can also shoot many smaller boulders in rapid succession.

If Pikmin holding bomb rocks are buried, the bomb rock will instantly go off. As such, it may be wise to keep your bomb rock Pikmin with another leader.

Basic strategy[edit]

When it emerges from the ground, it attacks by spitting large clumps of sand to bury its prey, hence its name. If Pikmin are hit by the clumps of sand, they will be buried back in the ground. Beware, as this enemy is exceptional in that not only can it bury your Pikmin, but it can kill them while they are underground too as sprouts that get sucked in are devoured as if they were free running Pikmin. Try to have another leader pluck the buried Pikmin while the active one continues the fight.

After its health wheel is in the yellow, it will move quickly in a circling fashion before creating a sinkhole that affects the whole arena, so it is highly recommended to retreat to the stone area where you entered from. After this, it will return to normal speed, but the holes it creates will have walls, meaning the Pikmin can no longer escape. It will also begin shooting sand balls with less intervals between them. However, when it does this, it needs a bit more time than normal to lump up the sand, leaving an optimal time to swarm it.

It is possible to immobilize the enemy by overwhelming it with Pikmin. This causes it to shoot out of the ground and lie on the floor for short while, leaving it vulnerable to further assaults. The best way to perform this is to use the charge command (throwing Pikmin doesn't work well here; if you can't get enough Pikmin to attack it at once, it will simply shake them off). Be sure to get very close to it before doing this, otherwise, the shifting sand will make the Pikmin lose their target and stop halfway towards it, leaving them under idle status and highly vulnerable to getting buried under sand balls.

Bomb rocks can also be thrown into the creature's mouth whilst it is creating a vortex to cause damage. This also causes it to jump out of the sand, which makes it the only of getting your Pikmin army to safety should you and your Pikmin be caught in its deep wall sinkhole. Therefore, it's highly recommended that you harvest all the bomb rocks in the arena before starting the fight. When you use the charge command, Pikmin holding bomb rocks will gather in their own group away from the action and when a Pikmin with a bomb rock is thrown into the creature's sinkhole, it'll drop the rock and run out of the hole without even needing to be whistled. This means that there's almost no drawbacks in getting the bomb rocks early.

Upon defeat, it expels another cellphone, albeit more modern in appearance than the one dropped by the Armored Mawdad, and a relatively small watermelon, which bursts into smaller pieces after being expelled.

Expert strategy[edit]

This is a much quicker way to attack the Meerslug at any point. Rather than using bomb rocks to force the beast out of its hole, an alternate strategy is to swarm its lips with a large number of Red Pikmin. When the swarming Pikmin reach its lips, one will get trapped in its mouth, allowing all the others to attack while the boss is busy. If most of the Pikmin attack it at once, it will be forced out of the ground and become vulnerable, saving the trapped Pikmin in the process.

Using this strategy, the boss can be attacked at the same time that it is trying to attack, allowing for it to be defeated in under two minutes. However, this strategy is very dangerous, as if the Pikmin charge in a line to attack the Meerslug's lips, they will not deal enough damage in time to save the trapped Pikmin, who will then be eaten. It is advised that your Red Pikmin are flowered before battle so they don't lag behind when trying to charge.

Another strategy is to skip a cycle by forcing the boss to eat multiple bombs at once. This can skip up to 2 cycles.

Badges[edit]

In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, there is a badge the player can gain for defeating the Sandbelching Meerslug:

  • Duel in the Dunes: Defeating the Sandbelching Meerslug.
  • Duel in the Dunes. The badge shows an illustration of the Meerslug.

    Duel in the Dunes. The badge shows an illustration of the Meerslug.

Technical information[edit]

Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
Internal name arijigoku
HP 10000
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill 400
White Pikmin ingestions to kill 0
Bomb rock explosions to kill 20
Bomb rock ingestions to kill 10
Number of direct hits on top to kill 0
Damage to leaders 30
Territory radius 500
Mission Mode value 0

Other information[edit]

Naming[edit]

The leaf texture used in Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode menu. (Used on Pikipedia in the {{stub}} template.)

This section is a stub. You can help Pikipedia by expanding it.

See more: Meerslug family#Naming.
  • Common name: Sandbelching Meerslug. "Belching" is slang for "vomiting" or "spitting", so "sandbelching" means "spitting sand". The word "Meerslug" might come from "Meerkat", and "slug".
  • Japanese nickname: オオスナフラシ?. オオ? means "giant", スナ? means "sand", and フラシ? means "rainer" (as in to cause something to rain down).
  • Japanese name: ハラジロオオウナゴ?, lit.: "White-bellied Giant Eel". ウナゴ? is a portmanteau of 鰻? and 穴子?, both words for "eel", also used in the Japanese name of the Bogswallow.
  • Scientific name: Gastropoidae anguilii. Anguilii comes from anguilla, which is Latin for 'eel'.
  • Internal names: Internally, it is called arijigoku, which means "antlion pit", referring to it causing pits to draw in Pikmin to eat
  • Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language Name Meaning Notes
Flag of Japan Japanese オオスナフラシ?
Oo Suna Furashi		 Giant Sand Rainer
Flag of China Chinese 巨齒沙蟲 giant teeth sandstorm
Flag of France French Dégueulimace Pukeslug Portmanteau of dégeulis (puke) and limace (slug)
Flag of Germany German Wühlmaul Rummaging Mouth
Flag of Italy Italian Bruciadeserti Desert Burner From "brucia" (burn) and "desert".
Flag of South Korea Korean 큰모래뿌리기
Keunmolaeppuligi		 Large Sand Scatterer
Flag of Mexico Spanish (NoA) Babosa arenosa Sandy slug
Flag of Spain Spanish (NoE) Babosa arenosa Sandy slug

Gallery[edit]

  • E3 2013 screenshot of the Sandbelching Meerslug.

    E3 2013 screenshot of the Sandbelching Meerslug.

  • The Meerslug launching boulders.

    The Meerslug launching boulders.

  • The Meerslug seen from a different angle.

    The Meerslug seen from a different angle.

  • The Meerslug creating a sinkhole.

    The Meerslug creating a sinkhole.

  • The Meerslug making a sinkhole as big as the arena.

    The Meerslug making a sinkhole as big as the arena.

  • The Meerslug making a sinkhole with a sharp drop in it.

    The Meerslug making a sinkhole with a sharp drop in it.

  • The Meerslug forced above ground and immobilized.

    The Meerslug forced above ground and immobilized.

  • The Meerslug defeated.

    The Meerslug defeated.

  • The spoils of defeating the Meerslug – the Crimson Banquet, which is broken into several pieces, and the Folded Data Glutton.

    The spoils of defeating the Meerslug – the Crimson Banquet, which is broken into several pieces, and the Folded Data Glutton.

  • A close up of the Meerslug's face.

    A close up of the Meerslug's face.

  • The deceased Meerslug being carried by some Pikmin.

    The deceased Meerslug being carried by some Pikmin.

  • The first data file on the Meerslug.

    The first data file on the Meerslug.

  • The second data file on the Meerslug.

    The second data file on the Meerslug.

  • Defeat Bosses! icon.

    Defeat Bosses! icon.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ YouTube video demonstrating the corpse flailing about
  2. ^ Miiverse post where a user complains of a stuck Sandbelching Meerslug on Wayback Machine
  3. ^ The values in the Prima Guide are incorrect. These are the values used in the game's files, as per content/CMCmn/system/mission_set/miset_misBoss3.szs/misBoss3.txt: 
    # RuleData
{
	# BeatBossMission version
	20130126 
	# CID
	33554506 
	# GradeTime
	3 1 # プラチナ
	4 1 # 金
	6 1 # 銀
	8 1 # 銅
}
Tropical Wilds
A map of the Tropical Wilds as it appears in Pikmin 3 Deluxe. This was made by manually arranging the radar textures for each section of the area to align with File:Tropical Wilds map.png.
Crimson Banquet
Cupid's Grenade
Dapper Blob
Dawn Pustules
Delectable Bouquet
Disguised Delicacy
Face Wrinkler
Juicy Gaggle
Lesser Mock Bottom
Mock Bottom
Pocked Airhead
Scaly Custard
Searing Acidshock
Slapstick Crescent
Stellar Extrusion
Velvety Dreamdrop
Velvety Dreamdrop
Zest Bomb
Sandbelching Meerslug
Metal Suit Z
S.S. Drake
Red Pikmin

Click an object

Crimson Banquet Crimson Banquet Cupid's Grenade Cupid's Grenade
Dapper Blob Dapper Blob Dawn Pustules Dawn Pustules
Delectable Bouquet Delectable Bouquet Disguised Delicacy Disguised Delicacy
Face Wrinkler Face Wrinkler Juicy Gaggle Juicy Gaggle
Lesser Mock Bottom Lesser Mock Bottom Mock Bottom Mock Bottom
Pocked Airhead Pocked Airhead Scaly Custard Scaly Custard
Searing Acidshock Searing Acidshock Slapstick Crescent Slapstick Crescent
Stellar Extrusion Stellar Extrusion Velvety Dreamdrop Velvety Dreamdrop
Zest Bomb Zest Bomb
Sandbelching Meerslug Sandbelching Meerslug Metal Suit Z Metal Suit Z
Bosses
Pikmin Burrowing Snagret Burrowing Snagret • Armored Cannon Beetle Armored Cannon Beetle • Puffstool Puffstool • Beady Long Legs Beady Long Legs • Goolix Goolix • Mamuta Mamuta • Smoky Progg Smoky Progg • Emperor Bulblax Emperor Bulblax
Pikmin 2 Empress Bulblax Empress Bulblax • Burrowing Snagret Burrowing Snagret • Beady Long Legs Beady Long Legs • Emperor Bulblax Emperor Bulblax • Giant Breadbug Giant Breadbug • Pileated Snagret Pileated Snagret • Man-at-Legs Man-at-Legs • Ranging Bloyster Ranging Bloyster • Waterwraith Waterwraith • Segmented Crawbster Segmented Crawbster • Raging Long Legs Raging Long Legs • Titan Dweevil Titan Dweevil
Pikmin 3 Armored Mawdad Armored Mawdad • Vehemoth Phosbat Vehemoth Phosbat • Sandbelching Meerslug Sandbelching Meerslug • Scornet Maestro Scornet Maestro • Quaggled Mireclops Quaggled Mireclops • Plasm Wraith Plasm Wraith
Baldy Long Legs Baldy Long Legs • Bug-Eyed Crawmad Bug-Eyed Crawmad • Burrowing Snagret Burrowing Snagret • Shaggy Long Legs Shaggy Long Legs
Pikmin 4 Foolix Foolix • Empress Bulblax Empress Bulblax • Emperor Bulblax Emperor Bulblax • Groovy Long Legs Groovy Long Legs • Waterwraith Waterwraith • Gildemander Gildemander • Snowfake Fluttertail Snowfake Fluttertail • Giant Breadbug Giant Breadbug • Man-at-Legs Man-at-Legs • Sovereign Bulblax Sovereign Bulblax • Smoky Progg Smoky Progg • Ancient Sirehound Ancient Sirehound
Porquillion Porquillion • Burrowing Snagret Burrowing Snagret • Crusted Rumpup Crusted Rumpup • Hermit Crawmad Hermit Crawmad •Bug-Eyed Crawmad Bug-Eyed Crawmad • Baldy Long Legs Baldy Long Legs • Toxstool Toxstool
Tusked Blowhog Tusked Blowhog • Puffy Blowhog Puffy Blowhog • Masterhop Masterhop • Arctic Cannon Beetle Arctic Cannon Beetle • Mammoth Snootwhacker Mammoth Snootwhacker • Dwarf Bulborb Dwarf Bulborb • Bulborb Bulborb • Jumbo Bulborb Jumbo Bulborb • Titan Blowhog Titan Blowhog • Blizzarding Blowhog Blizzarding Blowhog • Horned Cannon Beetle Horned Cannon Beetle
Hey! Pikmin Bulborb Bulborb • Long Water Dumple Long Water Dumple • Armurk Armurk • Electric Cottonade Electric Cottonade • Queen Shearwig Queen Shearwig • Fiery Blowhog Fiery Blowhog • Luring Slurker Luring Slurker • Emperor Bulblax Emperor Bulblax • Berserk Leech Hydroe Berserk Leech Hydroe
Pikmin 3 enemies
Bulborb Bulborb • Dwarf Bulborb Dwarf Bulborb • Orange Bulborb Orange Bulborb • Dwarf Orange Bulborb Dwarf Orange Bulborb • Spotty Bulbear Spotty Bulbear • Dwarf Bulbear Dwarf Bulbear • Whiptongue Bulborb Whiptongue Bulborb • Fiery Blowhog Fiery Blowhog • Watery Blowhog Watery Blowhog • Skitter Leaf Skitter Leaf • Desiccated Skitter Leaf Desiccated Skitter Leaf • Armored Cannon Larva Armored Cannon Larva • Arctic Cannon Larva Arctic Cannon Larva • White Spectralids White Spectralids • Yellow Spectralids Yellow Spectralids • Red Spectralids Red Spectralids • Joustmite Joustmite • Flighty Joustmite Flighty Joustmite • Skutterchuck Skutterchuck • Phosbat Phosbat • Phosbat Pod Phosbat Pod • Pyroclasmic Slooch Pyroclasmic Slooch • Bearded Amprat Bearded Amprat • Medusal Slurker Medusal Slurker • Female Sheargrub Female Sheargrub • Male Sheargrub Male Sheargrub • Swarming Sheargrub Swarming Sheargrub • Shearwig Shearwig • Swooping Snitchbug Swooping Snitchbug • Iridescent Flint Beetle Iridescent Flint Beetle • Burrowing Snagret Burrowing Snagret • Yellow Wollywog Yellow Wollywog • Wogpole Wogpole • Water Dumple Water Dumple • Skeeterskate Skeeterskate • Sputtlefish Sputtlefish • Puckering Blinnow Puckering Blinnow • Waddlepus Waddlepus • Toady Bloyster Toady Bloyster • Hermit Crawmad Hermit Crawmad • Bug-Eyed Crawmad Bug-Eyed Crawmad • Peckish Aristocrab Peckish Aristocrab • Puffy Blowhog Puffy Blowhog • Nectarous Dandelfly Nectarous Dandelfly • Arachnode Arachnode • Scornet Scornet • Shaggy Long Legs Shaggy Long Legs • Baldy Long Legs Baldy Long Legs • Calcified Crushblat Calcified Crushblat • Armored Mawdad Armored Mawdad • Vehemoth Phosbat Vehemoth Phosbat • Sandbelching Meerslug Sandbelching Meerslug • Scornet Maestro Scornet Maestro • Quaggled Mireclops Quaggled Mireclops • Mysterious Life-Form Mysterious Life-Form • Plasm Wraith Plasm Wraith
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