Pikmin (game)

This article or section needs to be cleaned up, either its format or general style. Notes: the article appears to explain the Pikmin species more than it does the actual game...

'Pikmin'
Pikmin
Console	Nintendo GameCube
Developer	Nintendo
Publisher	Nintendo
Genre	RTS
Players	{{{players}}}
Release date
Japan	N/A
North America	N/A
Europe	N/A
Australia	N/A
South Korea	N/A

Pikmin was the first game in the Pikmin series to be released. It was released on the Nintendo GameCube. It was the 4th game released for the Nintendo Gamecube, after Luigi's Mansion, Super Monkey Ball, and Wave Race: Blue Storm. Its only sequel so far released is Pikmin 2, other than the New Play Control! Pikmin series, though Pikmin 3 has been confirmed; it will be released this year (2013).

Locations

The overworld, as seen in game.

• The Impact Site
• The Forest of Hope
• The Forest Navel
• The Distant Spring
• The Final Trial

Plot

Captain Olimar, exhausted from work, goes on vacation and is struck by an asteroid and crash lands on the mysterious Planet of the Pikmin, which bears many resemblances to Earth. His ship, the S.S. Dolphin, is now an absolute wreck as he struggles to survive so he can return to his home planet, Hocotate. Fortunately, Olimar meets the Pikmin. With their help, he soon finds that there is hope of recovering the missing ship parts he needs to return home. However, he soon finds out that the planet's atmosphere contains oxygen, which is poisonous to his people. Olimar has only 30 days to live, after which complete battery failure of his life-support system will occur. He must recover his missing ship parts from all over the planet with the aid of the Pikmin, which are all-too-eager to help.

When all 30 ship parts are collected, or the end of day 30 is reached, the player gets to see one of the three endings in the game, one is a happy one, one is average, and the last one is bad.

Happy ending

This ending is obtained by collecting all 30 ship parts, and so occurs after retrieving the Secret Safe from the Emperor Bulblax at the Final Trial. The camera zooms into the Dolphin and Captain Olimar jumps with joy. Then the scene darkens, becoming night, and Olimar walks to his ship and stops to look at the Pikmin one last time. The Pikmin tilt their heads in curiosity. Olimar gives the Pikmin a short wave good-bye, to which the Pikmin tilt their heads in the opposite direction. With a sigh, Olimar looks down and shakes his head. Olimar boards the Dolphin and lifts off successfully, and the Pikmin attack a nearby Spotty Bulborb. Next, the ship is seen flying away, with Onions of many unseen colors following him. After the credits, the Enemy Reel is shown.

A video of the happy ending: <Youtube>Y2CZsP-dyvc&feature=related</youtube>

Average ending

This ending can take place in any level and occurs when Day 30 ends. You will need at least all the mandatory parts, which are 25 parts. Once day 30 arrives and passes without all 30 parts, but all the mandatory parts, he walks towards the Dolphin and takes a quick glance back before entering the cockpit of his ship and attempting to blast off. He successfully blasts off while three Pikmin (one red, one yellow, and one blue) look up into the sky, wondering if they will ever see Olimar again.

A video of the average ending: <youtube>oevDcLvdRkM&NR=1</youtube>

Bad ending

The bad ending of Pikmin.

This is the worst ending available. To get it, 24 or fewer of the mandatory parts need to be collected and day 30 must be reached. Olimar will realize it's the last day that his life support will cease to function, so he tries to lift off. Immediately after taking off, the engine explodes and his ship crashes back onto the planet. The Pikmin carry his unconscious body to an Onion, making Olimar pop out as a Pikmin-like creature, having his normal head, but the sprout of a Pikmin with a black stem, and without his spacesuit helmet. Oddly enough, every other creature in the games that is turned into seeds produces normal Pikmin, but Olimar becomes a hybrid form with some of his Hocotatian features remaining. This may be because he is foreign and he is the Pikmin's leader. He may be dead or just unconscious. It is unknown how Olimar will be plucked from the ground.

A video of the bad ending: <youtube>Xpe6njHRJP8</youtube>

Gameplay

Pikmin is a three-dimensional real-time strategy game in which the player is given control of Olimar, who in turn has control over the Pikmin that follow him. The whole point of the game is to find and collect as many of his lost ship parts as possible, up to the maximum of 30 parts, in fewer than the 30 days Olimar has to live, so that he can escape the planet before his life-support system fails. Approximately 13 minutes are spent on its surface each day. As nightfall approaches, the player must gather stray and toiling Pikmin to the player's base or command them so they don't fall victim to the voracious nocturnal predators, such as the Red Bulborb.

In Pikmin the player will face many obstacles in order to secure the parts required to rebuild Olimar's ship, the S.S. Dolphin. This must be done with care, as many obstacles are hazardous to the Pikmin, such as water, fire and explosions. There are also other things that block the players' way, such as walls, bridges and gaps. Many different animal species on the planet hinder the progress of the Pikmin working for the player. However, the forces given to the player are limited, as players can only have up to 100 Pikmin out in the field and no more under any circumstances. The rest are stored in the Onions, considered by Olimar to be some sort of motherships for the species.

Controls

• A button
  • While commanding Pikmin: Pick a Pikmin up. When the player releases the A button the Pikmin will be thrown.
  • When by a sprout: Pluck the Pikmin sprout out of the ground.
  • Without any Pikmin: Punch.
  • While under an onion: Withdraw or deposit Pikmin of the corresponding colour. If no Pikmin of the same colour is under the player's command, no Pikmin can be deposited
  • While in front of the Dolphin: Heal Olimar
  • While by a ship part: Read description of ship part
• B button: Whistle. Hold down the B button to increase its range. Any Pikmin caught in the whistle will be under the player's command.
• Analog Stick: Move. If an idle Pikmin is hit by Olimar, it will join him.
• C-stick/D-pad button down(New Play Control!)): Move the Pikmin group currently under control. They will go to a task if they bump into an object, thus leaving the Pikmin group.
• Y button/- button (New Play Control!): Pause the game. After the Whimsical Radar has been retrived from The Forest of Hope, this also brings up a map of the current location Olimar is exploring.
• X button/C button(New Play Control!): Dismiss all Pikmin currently under the player's command in groups of their colour.
• L button/Z button(New Play Control!):Center the camera behind Olimar.
• Lightly tap and hold: Move the camera with the analog stick.
• R button/D-pad left/right(New Play Control!)
  • Press: Switch to a closer or a farther away camera angle.
  • Press and hold: Switches to a down-to-the-ground angle.

Z button/D-pad up(New Play Control!): Switch to a top view and then back to an angled view.

New Play Control! exclusive controls

• B button:(Only when holding a Pikmin) Change the Pikmin color of the Pikmin Olimar is currently holding.
• 2 button:(Only when holding a Pikmin) Swap the currently held Pikmin for a leaf, bud or flower Pikmin of the same colour as the one currently held.

The Pikmin

Main article: Pikmin family.

Pikmin are the plant/animal hybrids that were discovered by Captain Olimar when he crash-landed on the planet. The Pikmin willingly follow his orders and imitate his movements, despite whatever fate may await them. Each species of Pikmin has weaknesses and strengths and all Pikmin must be used in cooperation in order to collect all of the missing ship parts. The Pikmin are relatively short creatures and stand at a height of about one inch. Very few clues are provided of their physical elements. All Pikmin in general have a head, two eyes, a torso, two feet, and two arms; all three Pikmin are noticeably slender and very fragile thin beings, thus making it apparent that they can easily be harmed, and must be protected at whatever means necessary in order to survive. The facial appearances of Pikmin are a mystery, as they all have huge eyes, and round black pupils, and they always stare at Captain Olimar, or whoever for whatever reason, with a very strange look. Each species of Pikmin also have unique appearances: Red Pikmin have a long pointy nose, Yellow Pikmin have large sail-like ears which catch wind currents and allow them to soar higher when thrown, and Blue Pikmin have not mouths, but gills that have allowed them to survive and live in aquatic habitats.

Pikmin behavior

These Pikmin are destroying a wall placed in The Forest of Hope to clear a path for Olimar.

Pikmin are very interactive creatures, for they interact with anything around them without command. For example, if Captain Olimar walks past a few Pellet Posies, they will automatically start to attack it. Pikmin naturally form groups of their own color when dismissed but cooperate with the other colors of Pikmin in battles, carrying dead enemies, and other tasks.

Onions

Main article: Onion.

File:PikCarryPellet.jpg

Pikmin carrying a pellet.

Pikmin live in pods called Onions, which bear similar resemblances to the earthly vegetable, which Olimar named after for the Hocotatian onions. Each Onion is a specific color; so far red, blue, and yellow are the only known Pikmin Onions. Each Onion is home to Pikmin of the same color, and Pikmin will never enter a foreign colored Onion. Onions propagate more Pikmin by having them carry the carcasses of dead creatures or by carrying pellets to the Onions.

The number of Pikmin that are allowed on the field is 100. This is due to limit the processor load of the Gamecube's CPU, and to make the game more challenging. Why this limit exists, however, is not explained in the game itself. It is merely noted by Olimar, and he himself may possibly not know why.

There are many Onions seen in the Happy Ending of Pikmin, but it is unknown if these colors of Pikmin will be seen in Pikmin sequels.

The Kinds of Pikmin

Red Pikmin

Main article: Red Pikmin.

File:PikRedPikWave.jpg

A red Pikmin, with its pointed nose.

Red Pikmin were the first type of Pikmin that are encountered by Captain Olimar, at The Impact Site. They are used to retrieve the Main Engine, since they are the only Pikmin that players can have at the time. Red Pikmin are resistant to fire and are the strongest of all the Pikmin found in the game. They are also distinguished from other Pikmin because of a pointed nose-like growth, which they presumably use as spikes in battle, giving them a slight edge over blue and yellow Pikmin.

Yellow Pikmin

Main article: Yellow Pikmin.

File:PikDanceYellPik.jpg

A yellow Pikmin, with its memorable pointy ears.

Yellow Pikmin are the second Pikmin discovered by Olimar, which was in the The Forest of Hope, the second accessible area in the game. Yellow Pikmin are the only Pikmin with the ability to carry Bomb Rocks, and have very large sail-like ears, which they use as glider wings, and are extremely light, allowing them to be thrown very high and remain in the air for a slightly longer period of time. Yellow Pikmin are known for their ears, and are much lighter than the other Pikmin. Yellow Pikmin are the only pikmin with ears.  

Blue Pikmin

Main article: Blue Pikmin.

File:PikRunBluePik.jpg

A blue Pikmin with its characteristic gills.

Blue Pikmin are the third and last kind of Pikmin found in the game. They are located in The Forest Navel, the third accessible area in the game. Blue Pikmin are the only species of Pikmin that can move around in bodies of water, thanks to their gills. When non-blue Pikmin fall in the water, blue Pikmin will run to them and throw them out of the water, saving their lives. This is popularly known as the "lifeguard" ability.

New Play Control!

Main article: New Play Control!.

File:NewPlayControlPikmin.jpg

The American New Play Control! cover for Pikmin

Pikmin eventually got a New Play Control! version released in 2008 in Japan and 2009 everywhere else, and features a number of changes to the original game.

Changes

• The game now has widescreen support.
• A new control scheme allows control of the cursor by pointing at the screen with the Wii controller. Because of that, the player can now call the Pikmin at a greater distance.
• An updated save system allows the player to restart play from any previous day. This allows the player to fix problems, such as the Libra Glitch.
• Some sound effects are played by the Wii remote speaker.
• Enemy sound effects, 'voices' in particular, are different, notably more 'squeaky'.
• Only the "tails" of Pikmin spirits are blue, rather than being completely blue as they are in the Gamecube version.
• Pikmin no longer automatically attend to tasks while in Captain Olimar's command.
• Yellow Pikmin holding bomb rocks no longer drop them when whistled to. In addition, they will automatically try to run out of range of a planted bomb-rock's explosion or throw it at an enemy.
• The Enemy reel is presented differently. The enemy reel plays as usual, but around the edges of the screen, five-petaled flowers are falling, in addition to what looks like snowflakes towards the end of the enemy reel.
• Pikmin last longer when on fire or drowning.
• The carrying numbers appear in the same way as in Pikmin 2, which means they show the color of the onion they are carried to.
• The player can press up or down on the D-pad to cycle through the types of Pikmin they are holding, a feature which was first introduced in the GameCube version of Pikmin 2.
• During the Bad Ending, Olimar's ship makes different malfunctioning noises.
• The Credits play differently; Instead of going from the bottom of the screen to the top, they "roll" across the surface of the planet. Meteors will also occasionally pass the screen in the background.

Guides

• A 17-day guide
• A guide to growing Pikmin at the Impact Site

Gallery

Title screens and Screenshots

• 

  The title screen for Pikmin.

• Images-6.jpeg

Promotional artwork

• Olimarpromotional.jpg

  A promotional picture, advertising Pikmin.

See also

• Wikipedia page
• Pikmin 2

External Links

• Pikmin game manual