e-Reader
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The Nintendo e-Reader is a Game Boy Advance add-on device that reads a special strip on e-Reader cards via an LED scanner. Its purpose is to unlock mini-games, items, levels or functions for games on the GBA, or as games in themselves. There are multiple available packs of Pikmin e-Reader cards, both released only in Japan after the release of Pikmin 2. Each card contains a number of simple Pikmin-based mini-games, which can be played by connecting the e-Reader to a Game Boy Advance or Game Boy Player connected to a GameCube in which the Pikmin 2 disk is placed.
Pack designs include Onions, Pikmin, Pellet Posies and Candypop Buds, while individual cards depict enemies, Pikmin or captains. There were two series each consisting of 2 sets, each with 3 packs of 5 cards. The packs had red, yellow, and blue themes. This totaled to 60 cards plus 6 promotional cards. Each card contained three levels of one of three mini-games. Three promotional cards contained three more levels of each game, while three others contained one more level, totaling 64 levels per mini-game.
Pikmin Plucking
Objective: The player controls Olimar or Louie to pluck every Pikmin from the ground.
Controls: D-Pad to move, A to pluck, hold B with D-Pad to change direction, Start to restart or quit.
Directions: The player moves around a grid of tiles and must face the tile containing the Pikmin they want in order to pluck it. Red and Blue Pikmin will land on the tile directly behind the player while Yellows must land two tiles behind them. Some tiles contain fire, electricity, and water hazards that only Pikmin of the respective color can land on. Electrical hazards will form a harmful current in the tiles between them, which can be disabled by having a Yellow Pikmin land on one of the hazards. No Pikmin can land on rock tiles or outside the edge of the map. The player cannot move past rocks, plucked Pikmin, or hazards (except water) thus they must find the best order to pluck the Pikmin in without getting stuck. The player is prevented from plucking a Pikmin if a rock or edge is in the way, but not if there's a hazard harmful to the Pikmin they are plucking, which will result in a death. The game automatically ends if a Pikmin dies or no moves are left. This game is played using red cards.
Pikmin Parts
Objective: The player must control multiple Pikmin moving in the same direction to get them all to the treasure.
Controls: D-Pad to move, A or B with D-Pad to look around, Start to restart, look around, or quit.
Directions: The player moves multiple Pikmin, usually of different colors, around a grid of tiles. All Pikmin are controlled by the same input, thus the player must be careful to move them without having any touch hazards that are harmful to them or fall into pits. Tiles containing rocks can be used to keep some Pikmin from moving if they're in the way of the direction being moved. All five Pikmin colors are present and Candypop Buds of every color can be found throughout to change the color of a single Pikmin per plant. Fire, electricity, water, and poison hazards will be encountered that Pikmin of the respective colors can move over. Additionally, Bulborbs will occupy some tiles and will kill any Pikmin that touches them except Purples, which will kill the Bulborb. Every Pikmin moves one square at a time except Whites, which move two squares. Each level contains a treasure from the game, usually a Rubber Ugly, Tear Stone, or Pink Menace. When a Pikmin reaches the treasure, it disappears and the player no longer has to worry about it. The game is won when every Pikmin reaches the treasure and lost as soon as a Pikmin dies. This game is played using yellow cards.
Pikmin Path
The player must move panels around to create a path for the Pikmin so that they can reach the goal.
Gallery
A screenshot of the "Pikmin Plucking" game.
A screenshot of the "Pikmin Parts" game.
A screenshot of the "Pikmin Parts" game.
A sprite of Captain Olimar plucking a Red Pikmin.
A sprite of a Yellow Pikmin.
- 320px-Pikmin2Ereader.png
The e-Reader bonus menu.
Trivia
- The sprites shown in these mini-games are some of the only official Pikmin sprites created by Nintendo to be used. The only other sprites are found outside of Pikmin games, in the Pikmin microgame in WarioWare: D.I.Y. and the unused sprites found in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.