Peckish Aristocrab

Peckish Aristocrab
Appears in	Pikmin 3
Scientific name	Unknown
Family	Unknown
Areas	Tropical Wilds, Garden of Hope
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages	None
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages	Shaded Garden, Tropical Wilds Remix, The Rustyard, Forgotten Cove
Side Story days	None
Bingo Battle stages	None
Attacks	Eats Pikmin, shoots bubbles

The Peckish Aristocrab is a crab-like enemy in Pikmin 3. Its overall appearance resembles a green and purple bulb of garlic with 4 legs coming from underneath, and two claws on each of its sides, one of them being extremely small, while the other is much larger with transparent pincers. It has two round yellow spots on its cheeks, which look like eyes, while its real eyes rest on stalks that protrude out from the top of its head. It has a large mouth with a serrated lower jaw and long purple tongue. The creature mainly rests in a motionless position, clacking its large pincers, but can detect Pikmin's presence from afar, and it will quickly scuttle sideways onto the player's path when they enter the area, circling them in order to get in their way. 

This creature can react to the Pikmin in many ways, because there are two different ways it can defend itself, and two different ways it can kill Pikmin. When Pikmin are thrown at it, the creature is capable of maneuvering its massive claw to shield itself from the thrown Pikmin. It can also defend itself by blowing bubbles at the Pikmin, which can trap them inside the bubbles, making them float around for a long period of time until the bubble pops. This can trap captains as well. It attacks by grasping multiple Pikmin with its claw and dropping them into its gaping mouth. It can also stab the ground with its claw to attack.

Notes

Pikmin 3 Website

"Found near water, this creature will grab Pikmin with pincers. It can also blow bubbles that temporarily trap small prey."

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide

"The Peckish Aristocrab is a fairly large amphibious creature. Like the Waddlepus, this enemy uses bubbles to capture nearby attackers. In addition to this defensive ability, the Peckish Aristocrab uses its large claw to snatch up multiple enemies during a single attack.

Peckish Aristocrabs are able to dodge most charge attacks, so its best to throw your Pikmin directly onto this enemy. To keep your squad safe from this enemy's attacks, you can either use Rock Pikmin to break a Peckish Aristocrab's claw, or you can flank the creature and attack from behind. Peckish Aristocrabs have difficulty turning, but they can move from side to side very quickly."

Locations

Story Mode

• Tropical Wilds x1
• Garden of Hope x1

Mission Mode

• Shaded Garden x2 (Battle Enemies!)
• Tropical Wilds Remix x1 (Battle Enemies!)
• Forgotten Cove x1 (Battle Enemies!)
• Rustyard x1 (Battle Enemies!)

Battle Strategy

Rock Pikmin are capable of breaking the Peckish Aristocrab's larger claw, since it is very crystal-like in appearance; it is more durable than a nodule, but hitting the claw with Rock Pikmin causes small pieces to fly off. Eventually, the claw will break, rendering the Aristocrab unable to snatch Pikmin, it's only means of defense being blowing bubbles and shaking off attacking Pikmin. Should the Aristrocrab grab onto any Pikmin, throwing Rock Pikmin at its claw should be enough to release its grip on them.

An effective strategy is to have the Aristocrab eat a Bomb Rock. To pull this off, simply have the creature snatch a Pikmin carrying the Bomb Rock. The Pikmin will break free, and the Aristocrab will eat the Bomb Rock. When it does, it will be killed instantly, causing its eyes and legs to shrivel away and its claw to explode into crystaline shards, leaving only the body for salvaging.

Throwing Bomb Rocks at the creature can be done, but it is much less effective than having it eat one, as though the claw will break, the creature will only lose about half of its health. Additionally, it can be challenging to actually hit with an explosion, as the Aristocrab sidesteps very quickly and can escape from a Bomb Rock just before it explodes.

There's also a trick to break its claw and deplete a third of it's health. If there is a Yellow Wollywog/Wollyhop in the area, lure it into jumping on the Aristocrab. It will immediately break its claw and lose half its health.

Another strategy is to quickly get behind it and bombard it with Rock Pikmin, which can kill it in only a few seconds. Due to the Aristocrab's high awarness and quick movements, however, this strategy can be difficult to execute effectively.

In the Super Smash Bros. series

In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the Peckish Aristocrab appears as a stage hazard on the Garden of Hope stage. Here, it quickly runs across the arena, and destroys any pots and climbing sticks in its path. Any fighter that touches it will be launched away. If the bridge in the middle is destroyed, the creature will fall in the chasm the bridge was covering. It can come from either end of the stage, and a few bubbles come out from where it will appear.

In the same game, this enemy also appears as a collectible trophy and as a Smash Tour trophy.

Trivia

• The Peckish Aristocrab's claw can be broken by a Yellow Wollywog if it jumps onto it. Additionally, the Armored Cannon Larva can break the Aristocrab's claw with the projectiles it shoots. This can only happen in the Sandpit Kingdom, however.
• The Peckish Aristocrab is based on the male Fiddler crab, which has one enormous claw and one tiny claw. Females only have 2 tiny claws.
  • In addition to being based on the Fiddler crab, it's bubble attack is also based on the way that Fiddler crabs will foam.
• The Peckish Aristocrab makes an appearance in the Pikmin 3 commercial.
• The Peckish Aristocrab's shape and colour makes it bear a slight resemblance to a clove of garlic.

Gallery

• UE8 Bubbles.png

  Pikmin trapped inside bubbles.

• 

  Even leaders can be trapped inside the bubbles!

• Pikmin 3..jpg

  Alph and an army of Pikmin are attacking a Peckish Aristocrab.

• 

  The Peckish Aristocrab in the Pikmin 3 US TV commercial.

• DumbHungryCrab.PNG

  The Aristocrab eating a bomb rock held by a Pikmin.

• UE8.png
• 

  An image of a real fiddler-crab foaming

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Portuguese (NoE)	Aristocrustáceo Esfomeado	Peckish Aristocrustacean	Name taken from the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophy.