Challenge run

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In the fanbase, a challenge run is where a player attempts to complete a game, or part thereof, with a special goal or rules. Most of these type of runs are not implemented or recognized by the game, and as such, give no in-game reward for completing them. For the most part, these runs apply only to the main story mode.

Reasons to undergo these challenges vary between players, but commonly, these type of runs help bring new goals to an otherwise finished game. For some of these challenges, there is also a sense of competition, with players attempting to outdo each other's records. Finally, given the amount of skill necessary to perform these runs – as well as the diverse tricks and glitches involved – these runs commonly entertain other fans too. The other side of performing the runs is investigating and studying ways to push their limits even further, with the discovery of new strategies or tricks.

In order to complete some of them, players have to abuse glitches and use advanced techniques, such as throwing Pikmin faster. Some rules may disallow glitch exploitation, however. Because of the random nature of some of the game mechanics, some runs might contain more luck than others, and the player may end up achieving their goal more efficiently than if they had bad luck.

Professional challenge runners usually compete amongst themselves and practice constantly. In order to verify that new records are broken, players need to provide some sort of evidence, normally video footage. In recent years, players stream themselves playing for live audiences. For runs that complete the game, either to the end credits, or with full completion, players might choose to do so in a single sitting, with no cuts – a "single-segment" run – or be allowed to reset and retry parts of the game – a "segmented" run.

Tools may be used to overcome human limitations, like reflexes or accuracy, and execute the runs with near-perfect outcomes. Such runs are commonly known as tool-assisted superplays.

Speedrun

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A speedrun is where one attempts to complete the game or a goal as fast as possible. Normally, specially in the Pikmin series, a well defined plan needs to exist, and players use their skills in order to follow it as quickly as possible. In the Pikmin games, to achieve maximum efficiency, and hence, maximum speed, it is important to plan what each Pikmin should do, where the player needs to go, etc., in order to maximize productivity and ensure that minimal time is wasted. Naturally, more casual runs could forego advanced techniques and plans, and approach the playthrough with improvisation in mind.

Some secondary goals may be dismissed altogether for the sake of speed, such as bypassing some otherwise mandatory sections of the game. Several types of speedrun exist, with differing goals and rules. A normal speedrun aims to reach the end of the game as fast as possible, though a "100%-run" aims to achieve full completion as fast as possible.

Some websites dedicated to archiving videos and registering records for various game speedruns exist, such as Speed Demos Archive.

The following tricks are useful for speedrunning:

• Some glitches can be abused to speed up tasks or skip parts of the game.
• Using the various throwing strategies to speed up throwing makes the mechanic more efficient.
• When Pikmin are carrying some objects down a ledge, it may be faster to whistle them when the object is on the edge, so that it falls down and slides forward rapidly. This only applies to a few edges (e.g. the edge with the 5-Pellet Pellet Posy at the landing site of the Valley of Repose).
• Depending on the run's goal, it may be faster to refuse saving whenever asked, as the process of writing the game's progress adds play time.

Low-day

A low-day run is a type of challenge run where a player aims to complete a Pikmin game in as few in-game days as possible. This is normally tied to a speedrun, but not necessarily so, as not only can the strategies be different between the two (sometimes resulting in a different day total), but this challenge also imposes no real limit on time. For instance, given that day time does not pass in caves in Pikmin 2, a player attempting a low-day run does not need to worry about speed while underground, provided they do not deviate from the day's plans.

The following are links to articles detailing low-day runs:

• Pikmin: 6-day run to obtain all thirty ship parts.
• Pikmin 2: 7-day run to obtain all 201 treasures, 3-day run to repay the debt. In New Play Control! Pikmin 2, a glitch necessary to complete this run was fixed, making the minimum day count 8 days.
• Pikmin 3: 10-day run to obtain all fruits, 7-day run to reach the credits.

Pikmin count

Some challenges require the player to complete the game with a specific number of Pikmin. This could either be the lowest amount possible, the highest amount possible before the days are over, or a specific count for specific types, like 0 Blue Pikmin. In addition, these runs could also aim to complete a cave with the lowest amount of Pikmin of each type that one can bring to it.

The following are links to articles detailing low-Pikmin runs:

• 50-Pikmin run: 100% completion run of Pikmin with 50 Pikmin.
• 103-Pikmin run: 100% completion run of Pikmin 2 with 103 Pikmin.
• 57-Pikmin run: credits or 100% completion run of Pikmin 3 with 57 Pikmin.

Specific rules

In order to vary the traditional game rules, some players enforce their own rules. Given the complexity of the game mechanics, several of these rules can be made up and combined, with the following being the most common ones:

• Pacifist: except where mandatory, enemy deaths must be avoided. Pikmin can be sustained using the likes of pellets.
• Full deaths: the opposite of pacifist; a player attempts to kill every enemy they come across with, and in the case of caves, every enemy of every sublevel.
• No Pikmin attacks: except when mandatory, Pikmin should not be used to defeat enemies. Other ways to kill enemies include punches, bomb-rocks and luring them into abysses.
• No sprays: sprays may not be created and/or used.
• No flowers: Pikmin must not reach flower stage. Sometimes, bud stage is equally prohibited.
• No glitches: glitches may not be used. Normally used in conjunction with other runs that benefit greatly from glitch exploits.
• No extra items: players do not obtain Exploration Kit items, or enhancing items from Pikmin 3.
• Low Piklopedia: players avoid filling up the Piklopedia by minimizing encounters with the fauna and flora in Pikmin 2.

Other types of rules can also be invented by players, such as prohibiting the use of group move, playing with one hand, playing using one's feet, or playing blindfolded.

Other runs

To do: Check if all games keep track of Pikmin deaths. Also, check if it IS possible to jump down the last sublevel's hole with 0 seconds left on the clock. Care to do so?

Zero-death run

A zero-death run is when a player attempts to complete a game without a single one of their Pikmin perishing. Some games keep track of the lowest number of Pikmin deaths.

Emergence Cave run

An Emergence Cave run is a run where a player repays the debt in Pikmin 2 using nothing but the Emergence Cave. Because enemies respawn, and are worth a small amount of Pokos, it's possible to eventually complete the game using this as the only source of money.

Fastest game over

This challenge run requires the player to reach a game over or a bad ending in the fastest way possible. In the case of Pikmin 2, where a game over is not possible, a Pikmin extinction is often a suitable substitute.

Battle Bingo

Although similar to Bingo Battle in nature and name, this type of run requires two or more players to complete tasks on a made-up bingo card. The first player to form a Bingo wins. A common rule is to have a "missile" destroy a randomly picked square, and invalidate it for both cards; this usually happens every 5 minutes.

Low-score

For Challenge Mode in Pikmin 2, a player may attempt to obtain the lowest score possible on a level, while still finishing it successfully. Because The Key is worth 100 Pokos, and each Poko is worth 10 points, the lowest amount of points possible in Pokos is equal to the number of sublevels times 1000. To complete the level, at least 1 Pikmin must be left alive, and seeing as each Pikmin is worth 10 points, the minimal amount of points from Pikmin is 10. Finally, if the player jumps on the hole when the timer shows "0", they will receive no time bonus.

Single-fruit

In Pikmin 3, it is possible to complete the game with only a single piece of fruit collected. The only way to do this is to execute the procedures for a normal 7-day speedrun, but only collect the Crimson Banquet from the Sandbelching Meerslug on day 4, giving the player just enough juice to reach the end of the game by day 7.

See also

• Challenge Mode
• Mission Mode
• Day
• Glitch
• Randomness

External links

• A YouTube playlist with several tricks and strategies for speedrunning Pikmin