Pikipedia:Pikmin article guidelines
Articles about a type of Pikmin should obey the following policy.
Opening paragraphs
The opening paragraphs should contain a brief description of the Pikmin type. They should also contain the following information:
- A link to Pikmin family for the first time the word "Pikmin" is used.
- A simple list of games they appear on.
- Short info about how they appear in each game's game mode.
- How they are produced.
- What game they were introduced in.
- Their physical appearance (color, defining physical features, flower type, etc.).
Traits and abilities
This section should detail the traits and the abilities of the Pikmin type, that make it special in comparison to other types. Secondary abilities (like Blue Pikmin being able to save drowning Pikmin) should also be explained.
Discovery
This section should explain where and how the Pikmin type is discovered, in every game it appears on.
Mandatory uses
This section has a list of all ship parts, treasures and fruits in which the player must use this type of Pikmin to obtain (in story mode), all enemies that need this Pikmin to defeat it, all caves whose entrances require these Pikmin to be entered, and all major events that need this type of Pikmin, like discovering a new Onion. This list should keep a normal playthrough in mind, i.e. it shouldn't omit an object because the player could use exploits or glitches to avoid using that Pikmin type. For every item, explain why the Pikmin are needed, and if there are exploits to get around it, explain those too. The objects on this list should follow a style and general theme similar to the object list policy. Only list items that make sense; for instance, it makes no sense to say Red Pikmin are needed for everything in the game because without them, the story wouldn't start, the second area wouldn't be unlocked, etc.
The point of this list is to explain to the more casual player what things the game expects them to use the Pikmin for, and to explain to advanced users what they should take into account when planning challenge runs, particularly, low-Pikmin runs. Finally, it helps give a general overview about how useful or useless a Pikmin type is, and for what reasons. If you're having trouble deciding whether or not a use is "mandatory" or "mostly mandatory", just keep these points in mind.
In the Super Smash Bros. series
This section should briefly detail how the Pikmin type works as part of Olimar's moveset in the Super Smash Bros. series. Any trophies should also be expanded on here.