Olimar's monologs
When playing Pikmin, the player can discover information about the gameplay by reading Olimar's monologs. The following are quotes from said monologs. Underscores ("_") represent a number that is not constant.
Day 1
These speeches are all present in day one.
Introduction
"My name is Captain Olimar. While traveling through space, my ship was struck by a meteor... I must have blacked out, and I awoke on the surface of a weird planet. With so many parts lost, the skeletal hull of my beloved Dolphin is a painful sight. The engine is gone... I'm stranded.
To make matters worse, my atmospheric sensors indicate this planet's environment contains high levels of poisonous oxygen. My life-support systems can function for only 30 days. If I can't repair the Dolphin by then... No! Better not to think about it. I must find the missing ship parts!"
Red Onion
"A strange thing has appeared before me. I had barely begun my search when it reared up as if it were waiting for me. It then dropped a single seed. What is it? Is it alive? Is it a machine? It resembles a vegetable on my home planet that we call an onion. I shall call this an Onion too."
Red sprout
"The seed that the Onion dropped took root in the soil and has now produced an adorable little sprout. This sprout emits a strange light, and it sways back and forth without benefit of the wind. I cannot help but think it is calling to me. I am compelled - I must approach it and press A..."
Red sprout review
When Olimar stood a long time without plucking the Pikmin.
"The seed that the Onion dropped has turned into an enchanting sprout that gives a mysterious light. Could there be a reason to the Onion waited for me to arrive before sowing its seed? Perhaps something will happen if I approach the bud and press A. Courage, Olimar!"
Red Pikmin
"Extraordinary! When I plucked the sprout, it turned out to be a living creature, not a plant! Picking it has done no visible damage... It just stands there, staring at me. Its shape is similar to the Pikpik brand carrots I love so much... I believe I shall call it a Pikmin.
Here I am, stranded on a toxic planet, fighting to survive, and yet I'm intrigued... I must research this fascinating creature! I shall try to grab it and throw it with A, and I will call it to my side with B. Hmmm... Perhaps it will react to C and X as well.
The following controls appear to allow me several viewpoints:
- L Rotate Camera
- (Hold to follow the cursor)
- R Zoom In and Out
- Z Change Angle
I must survive! I need to familiarize myself with these controls and my surroundings."
Controls review
When Olimar hasn't assigned the Pikmin to the pellets yet.
"What does this Pikmin think of me? I must observe it's reactions - the more things I try, the more reactions I can catalogue. I shall attempt to grab and throw it with A and call it to my side with B. Perhaps it will also respond to C and X..."
Pellets
"Astonishing! The Onion has sown more seeds! The small red pellet the Pikmin harvested after cutting down a flower appears to be some type of food that can propagate more Pikmin. The Onion seems to be a sort of incubator... Needless to say, I must study this life-form more."
Cooperation
"The Pikmin are as curious as children! They form groups to perform tasks that would be impossible for an individual. A glimmer of hope as begun to shine in my heart - if I can make use of their skills, perhaps I can fix my ship! I shall sum up all I've learned about the Pikmin conduct.
Approach and press A to pick sprouts. Press A to grab Pikmin, release to throw. Press B to call them, X to dismiss. Use C to command and control the group. L, R and Z control perspective. I shall record all of this in my computer. I can press Y to access the computer."
Quick plucking/idle Pikmin
"'When many Pikmin seeds sprout at once, I find it rather tedious to pluck them from the ground individually. My wife always told me I was no good at routine tasks! I guess I'll try to get it all done at once by repeatedly tapping A until I pick all the Pikmin from the ground.
I've noticed that when I add Pikmin to my group, they become filled with excitement, and flushed with bright color. At other times, they revert to a paler hue and give off a dim glow. Paying close attention to these differences is bound to help me distinguish between Pikmin."
Found the engine
"Amazing! There's no mistaking it! My ship's engine rests before my very eyes! By a stroke of pure luck, I have already stumbled upon the most important piece of my damaged craft! Fate has smiled upon me! But... How will I get it back to the Dolphin?"
Recovered the engine
"Oh, glorious! With the help of these Pikmin, I've taken a huge step back towards home. My ship can once again lift off! The glimmer of hope is beginning to burn more brightly... But what has become of the remaining parts? That search...starts tomorrow."
Ship status
"I have recovered _/30 ship parts. Just 1 more parts will increase the Dolphin's capabilities!"
Ship parts
For each ship part, there are two monologs: one when the part is first encountered, and the second when it is returned to the S.S. Dolphin.
Space Float
Gluon Drive
Shock Absorber
Libra
Whimsical Radar
Zirconium Rotor
Main Engine
Pilot's Seat
Number 2 Ionium Jet
Repair-Type Bolt
Eternal Fuel Dynamo
Positron Generator
Bowsprit
Secret Safe
Omega Stabilizer
Nova Blaster
Massage Machine
Automatic Gear
Chronos Reactor
Geiger Counter
Analog Computer
Guard Satellite
Radiation Canopy
Anti-Dioxin Filter
Gravity Jumper
Number 1 Ionium Jet
UV Lamp
Sagittarius
Interstellar Radio
Extraordinary Bolt
Important
100 Pikmin
"I have made yet another Pikmin-related discovery. Just when I was about to exceed 100 Pikmin in the field, the Onion stopped expelling seeds, yet the total number of Pikmin continued to climb. It seems that once there are 100 Pikmin in the field, subsequent seeds get stored inside the Onion. Thus, no more than 100 Pikmin can be in the field at one time in any area."
Blue Pikmin
"It is a Pikmin of yet another color. Near this one's cheeks is what appears to be a set of gills. This trait suggests to me that this blue type of Pikmin can enter the water without any trouble whatsoever. There's only one way to find out..."
Bomb-rocks
"The glowing rocks the yellow Pikmin picked up seem to be explosive stones! Perhaps they know that these stones can be used as powerful weapons. The bomb-rocks are dangerous, so I must take care when using them, but they should be able to blast open the stone walls that block the pathways! I may even be able to use them against some of the wild creatures.
I must be vigilant! Pikmin I dismiss by pressing X bring their bombs when I call them back. Pikmin I throw by pressing A drop their bombs when I call them back. (Keep clear of the explosion!) When I touch Pikmin directly, they keep their bombs and fall in line."
Call Pikmin from the Onion
"My Dolphin has returned to the surface along with the Pikmin's Onion. Being alone on this strange planet makes me somewhat uneasy, so I shall call the Pikmin out of the Onion. All I need to do is stand in the light beneath the Onion and press A."
Last Sunset
"The day when my life-support system fails has come. I have collected only _/30 ship parts. I have no choice but to attempt to launch the Dolphin into space, incomplete as it is. The ship doesn't need every lost part in order to fly. For better or worse, I must go!
Mid-day/Monitor review
"My clock has indicated the coming of noon. From now on, I must pay close attention to the sun meter on my monitor and choose my actions accordingly. So, it is best for me to review my monitor's data.
Across the top of my monitor are the sun meter and day display. At the bottom are my space-suit damage meter and Pikmin gauges. From the left, these numbers reflect Pikmin under my command, Pikmin in the field, and total Pikmin (including those in Onions).
To Adjust my monitor, I can press L to rotate the camera, R to zoom, and Z to change the viewpoint. I can also press Y to view a detailed computer analysis."
Sunset approaching
"My clock is indicating the approach of sunset. Pikmin waiting beneath the Dolphin and Onions will probably enter the Onions on their own, but if I don't call the stragglers and add them to my group, they may not be able to get back. I am sure that the Pikmin still planted are safe, but I am somewhat concerned about leaving Pikmin to fend for themselves in the darkness."
Path blocked
"The Pikmin that are carrying our spoils seem to be milling about in one place with their loads. It appears that their path back to the Onion is blocked, and faced with what seems to be an insurmountable obstacle, they have lost their focus. This is unacceptable. I will have to determine what is blocking their way and do what I can to resolve the problem."
Nectar
"Another intriguing discovery! A local variety of grass produces a sort of yellow nectar - when the Pikmin drink this delicacy, they instantly mature into flowers! This apparent Pikmin favorite seems to be full of nutrition. Closer observation is needed to determine the strengths and peculiarities of these flower Pikmin."
Pikmin Extinction
"When the Pikmin become extinct, the Onion releases a single seed. How does the Onion know that the Pikmin have all been lost? I do not understand this mechanism, but I have no time to try to decipher its riddle. I must do all I can to protect the lone Pikmin. And, of course, I must prevent such an extinction from ever happening again!"
Recovered every ship part
"I have finally recovered every ship part! Now I can return home to Hocotate!"
Ship capabilities increased
"I have recovered _/30 parts, increasing the Dolphin's capabilities! My search can now cover a wider area!"
Ship part recovered
"I have now recovered _/30 parts! If I can find just _ more, I should be able to increase my ship's capabilities!"
Ship status/repair suit
"I have recovered _/30 ship parts. Just _ more parts will increase the Dolphin's capabilities. While confirming the ship's status, I have taken the opportunity to repair my space suit."
Space suit damage
"The damage to my space suit is approaching it's limits! The safest course of action would be to return to the Dolphin at once and repair my suit. To do so, I need only to stand in front of the Dolphin and press A. Ah, if only repairing my ship were as simple as pressing a single button!"
Yellow Pikmin
"The color is different, but it seems to be a Pikmin nonetheless. First glance suggests this one has what, in some circles, could be considered very large ears. It looks like it may weigh less than the others... In what other ways might it be different from the red Pikmin? No matter. They are obviously quite similar, so I shall call this one a Pikmin as well."
Yellow Pikmin behaviour
"The yellow Pikmin have picked up some peculiar stones. Why did they decide to grab them? This action seems to be instinctive to the yellow Pikmin. But just what are these strange glowing stones? Brightly glowing cracks cover them. Perhaps these cracks indicate that there's tremendous power locked away within. This merits further research."
Other
Beta #1
This message was found within the game's ROM but doesn't show up in-game: when the last ship part is collected or day 30 ends, Olimar makes a short statement about his return, and never says anything again.
"My long adventure has finally come to its conclusion. I must part with these Pikmin who have helped me in my need. At last comes the time when I depart to once again travel the depths of space."