Path oversights

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Due to the way carrying works in the Pikmin games, there are some circumstances in which Pikmin will follow the incorrect waypoint, and take the incorrect path, often getting stuck. Ideally, the waypoints are organized in such a manner that for any given spot in the map, the Pikmin will find their way into the main carrying path graph, and from there on out, reach their destination. This is hard to achieve however, as there are multiple situations in which it's next to impossible to predict the Pikmin's behavior. Should the closest waypoint be situated on the other side of the wall, that is the one the Pikmin shall take, regardless of succeeding in reaching it or not. Interestingly, in Pikmin 2, if the Pikmin fail to reach the closest waypoint after a while, they will sometimes head for the second-closest waypoint instead.

At times, the placement of the waypoints might not take into account the structure of an obstacle. While path decisions do take into account the existence of obstacles, and whether they are cleared or not, their geometry is not. This can lead to Pikmin attempting to follow a path, but be impeded by the wall of a bridge, or its underside.

The following is a collection of discovered oversights. These are found by examining the carrying paths from the in-game files, and noticing any situations that could lead to carrying problems. In addition, some of these oversights are also found by attempting to make Pikmin begin carrying objects (most commonly a lying leader) in unusual places, such as under or over a built bridge, in an section with closed-in walls, or next to a wall that has a known path on the other side.

Unless otherwise stated, the oversights in this article apply to all regions and to the equivalent New Play Control! versions.

To do: Add some Pikmin 3 info, and search for oversights there as well. Care to do so?

Pikmin

The Impact Site

• If Olimar is carried while hugging the northernmost gate pillar, inside the large tree stump, the Pikmin will get stuck on it. This does not happen in Challenge Mode because of the gate's placement.

The Forest of Hope

• In Challenge Mode, the bridge that leads to the northernmost section of the map has no waypoints for Pikmin to carry objects under it. Although the Pikmin follow a waypoint near the base of the bridge, they do not get stuck, as they pop through after some seconds. In New Play Control! Pikmin, the Pikmin do not pop through the bridge.

The Forest Navel

• All bridges besides the one leading to the Libra lack waypoints to make Pikmin carry objects out of their undersides, resulting in them getting stuck. This is also true in Challenge Mode. In New Play Control! Pikmin, the Pikmin might be killed by the bridge's collisions, due to a glitch.

The Distant Spring

• If Pikmin are told to carry Olimar while he is on top of the northwestern section of the Gluon Drive bridge, and hugging the bridge's southwestern wall, the Pikmin will attempt to follow a waypoint in the water, and get stuck on the bridge's wall. This is also true in Challenge Mode.

The Final Trial

• If Olimar lies down under the northern part of the northern bridge, the carrier Pikmin will get stuck on the metal structure while trying to follow a distant waypoint. This also works in Challenge Mode.
• Like the previous oversight, if Pikmin are told to carry Olimar while he is lying just after the final fire geyser, they will get stuck in the same structure, following the same waypoint. This too happens in Challenge Mode.

Pikmin 2

Valley of Repose

• By having a Pikmin carry a lying leader hugging the southern wall of the ledge with the Subterranean Complex, around the vertex where the wall breaks into a slightly different angle, the Pikmin will climb up the wall momentarily. By standing up on the right spot, it's possible to access the ledge without taking down the gate.
• If Pikmin begin carrying an object from the center of the large bridge, hugging the western wall, they will get stuck on the wall momentarily, and will then climb it up and land on the water.
• There are no valid waypoints for carrying objects under the bridge that leads to the Frontier Cavern, so Pikmin get stuck under it.

Awakening Wood

• Under the bridge above a small lake to the west of the landing site there is one waypoint, but instead of leading out of the water, it points across the bridge, making the Pikmin stuck.
• On the section just before the Snagret Hole, with two bridges, if a Blue Pikmin is told to carry the leader while he's on the eastern corner of the pond, close to the scale, the Pikmin will climb atop the wall and go into the section with the Snagret Hole.
• To the Northeast of the landing site, there is a small ledge next to a gate on a lake. By placing a Pikmin where the Horsetail is at, and lying down slightly to the Northwest of the Pikmin, it's possible for it to grab the leader, and climb up the ledge. If the Pikmin gets stuck on the wall, try a slightly different location. Once on top of the ledge, it is possible to wake up and access the Bulblax Kingdom, the Chance Totem and the Ultra-Bitter berry Burgeoning Spiderwort without the need for Blue Pikmin . This exploit happens because the Pikmin attempts to carry the leader towards the nearest waypoint, located atop the ledge.
• On the tree stump where the Healing Cask (Hypnotic Platter in the European version) lies, a severed root is on the western side. By having a leader hug the northern corner where the root and the trunk meet, and lie down, a Pikmin can carry him up the root and enter the area surrounding the Burgeoning Spiderwort dome. On this terrain, having a Pikmin carry the leader should effortlessly take him through a different root, and end up on the Bulblax Kingdom side. This allows entry to the cave without needing Yellow Pikmin.
• From the landing site, if a leader lies down on the wall of the ledge where the Sunseed Berry is, particularly, on the closest notable convex vertex from the right, the carrier Pikmin will go up the wall and the player can then take control of the leader atop the ledge, and enter the Snagret Hole early.

Perplexing Pool

• There are three unconnected waypoints in the Perplexing Pool. These indicate that the game might ignore unconnected waypoints altogether, instead of leaving Pikmin stuck with no path to follow.
  • One of them is located atop the tree stump where the Impediment Scourge lies.
  • The other two are before and after the bridge at the easternmost section of the map. These are not connected to themselves, nor are they connected to the main graph, and they are the only ones related to the bridge. As a result, Pikmin carrying defeated enemies or leaders from the entrance to the Shower Room will have no choice but to take the water path, provided the clog has yet to be destroyed. In addition, if Pikmin are told to carry a leader while on top of the bridge, they will get stuck on its wall while attempting to go to the nearest waypoint, to the side of the bridge.
• The bridge to the northeast of the landing site has four nearby waypoints, but only one of them leads out of the water. Depending on the placement of the Pikmin carrying the leader, they might become stuck following an incorrect waypoint.
• If Pikmin carry objects from the north of the bridge in the west of the area, they will climb atop the bridge's wall and go into the water. This is because they are trying to follow the path written below the bridge.
• There is a small circular wooden structure close to the landing site, to the northwest, with a lone Shoot. If a leader lies down around 3/4 of the way to the right, outside of this structure, and on its southernmost wall, the Pikmin carrying him will start walking up the wall, while trying to reach the waypoint at the entrance of the structure. With the right timing, the player can stand up, walk on top of the structure, and reach the Yellow Onion early.
• Next to the Glutton's Kitchen, there is a circular wooden structure with 3 eggs inside. If a leader is lying to the south of the southern wall, the Pikmin carrying him will climb up the wall. The player can time it so that the leader gets up on top of the wall, and use this to access the cave without using Yellow Pikmin.

Wistful Wild

• The trunk at the south of the southeastern section of the map has no nearby waypoints. Having Pikmin carry a leader at the base of the trunk or on top of the structure that surrounds it with a small path will easily result in the Pikmin getting stuck following distant waypoints.

Pikmin 3

Distant Tundra

• In the cave northwest of the landing site, if Pikmin are carrying something over the Bloominous Stemples, there is a chance they will fall in between them, and go underneath. They will get stuck in the wall, but after a moment will carry the object up the wall, and continue along their way.

See also

• Mistakes in the Pikmin series
• Unused content
• Glitch
• Obstacle